Serial killers are, in a twisted way, fun to read about. Whether they’re the protagonist or the antagonist, serial killers are portrayed as unhinged, disturbed, and, in many cases, insane. Though they may have some spark of humanity within them, this little light is often tossed aside in favor of a more grotesque outlook on life, especially when it comes to dealing with their problems. Such is the case of Bret Ellis’s novel, American Psycho.

The novel takes place in Manhattan, where the wealthy Patrick Bateman starts listing all the activities he does in his everyday life. He includes key details, such as his engagement with Evelyn, and his relationship with his mother and his brother. This all changes, however, when he kills Paul Owen. After this death, Bateman decides to start a rather ostentatious killing spree by luring more victims into his apartment, thus gleefully showing his deteriorating self-control. The various cruelties he subjects his victims to include but aren’t limited to necrophilia, mutilation, and torture. As time goes on, his murders become more and more brutal, to the point where his own sanity starts crumbling. He soon begins to suffer from a wide range of hallucinations, such as being stalked by a park bench, and seeing a bone hidden within his Dove bar. Afterwards, Bateman decides to confess everything to his attorney, who dismisses it all as just a big joke. The book ends with Bateman at a club, sitting with his colleagues. 

A prevalent theme of the book is how monstrous capitalism can be. Many of the characters act as though nothing else matters aside from appearance and material gain; in other words, they’re commodities that are prized above all else. This leads Patrick Bateman to treat other people as such, allowing him to rationalize his actions, no matter how gruesome. As time goes on, Bateman soon becomes the monster that consumer culture produces, his victims little more than ways to pass the time. 

Of course, with a book as graphic as this, it’s bound to attract some sort of controversy. The book was restricted in Germany, and in Australia, the book was labeled under the term R18, meaning the book was not to be sold to those under 18. New Zealand has taken the same approach. Feminist Gloria Steinem had protested against the book, along with others, at how it objectifies women and portrays violence. 

The novel was nevertheless popular with many audiences. American Psycho was made into a film and musical. The character, Patrick Bateman, has also appeared in Ellis’s other works, such as Lunar Park, and was even referenced in the TV show Dexter, in which the protagonist decides on using the fake name Dr. Patrick Bateman to acquire a chemical. It’s abundantly clear that the book, as the character, has made an impact on popular culture, and will continue to do so. After all, Bateman has set a new standard for insanity, and the least our culture can do is honor that.