Would you let your 15 1/2 year old read American Psycho?

[HardRockOwl]

I can't work out if I've had a flash of inspiration or not.

My DS won't read a book. I supply one in his rucksack as they're required to have them for daily reading and all he does is doodle in it/ fold pages / categorically not read it

No matter what genre, he won't look at it.

He likes horror films and he's mentioned the film American psycho to me a few times - I've said no to watching it for now as it's an 18 but I'm also sure he's watched a few 18 rated films

Anyway - I suddenly thought 'I bet if I put American Pyscho on his bag, he'll actually start reading it as he will be curious!' And I think this will be the case

But is it weird? Will the teachers be concerned? (Hes going into year 11 and is 16 in December) I mean, it's practically a modern classic isn't it?

WWYD? I'm in two minds

I'm not familiar with the book but at fifteen I encourage DD to read whatever she wants and then we discuss it.

Go for it! Sounds like a good idea to me. I’m a secondary teacher and I would just have a chat with a year 11 if I saw them reading it because I love chatting to the kids about books they’re reading. I wouldn’t think anything else of it.

No because the book is even worse/more graphic than the film. I read it in my 20s and I found it hard to get it out of my head. Surely there are other books he can read....Stephen King stuff or something?

It’ll scar him for life!

I know the book is graphic. I read it years ago and Christ - the mace / rat scene will never leave me

BUT I don't think it's a safeguarding type trigger at his age is it? I'm approaching it from a ' I WILL find you something you will bloody read' angle and it is a bit of a classic isn't it?

Try The Diceman instead?

@Valhalla17 wouldn't read a Stephen king. It won't pique his interest at all

He just does not want to read. So I thought I'd bring out the big guns as he's been talking about American Psycho

Maybe it's not a great idea. Hmm. I do know the content and - as he's coming up 16 - I know he's seen all sorts on bloody tik tok as we talk about it and I encourage him to think logically about the utter shit that's out there

So it won't scar him. I'd just be mortified to get a call home!

Stephen King's Billy Summers is a great book!

Well clearly its up to you/him. You've asked for an opinion. I think it's too much for his age given the guidance officially for this book is 18+. I've read it and I was a very advanced reader at a young age. It's not something I would ever pick up again...and I love horror, thrillers etc.

editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-bloody-banality-of-american-psycho/

@ohsuzannah yes that's really good. His eyes will just glaze over the title though.

American Psycho would grab his attention, I just know it

@Valhalla17 yeah I'm maybe trying to tell myself it's a modern classic. I'm veering towards no tbh

It's fine. I'm an English teacher in Scotland so probably less uptight than my colleagues South of the border though. Remember the long rambling narrative off topic may disengage him if he's not an adept reader, he may not get the nuances of what this says about Patrick and bore him further!

I would. Unless he's a very troubled lad!

But why? I’d he doesn’t like reading he doesn’t like reading. As long as he can actually read I don’t really see why you’re trying to force it on him

I'm an English teacher in Scotland so probably less uptight than my colleagues South of the border though.

fuck off

Tell him you won’t let him read it because it will scar him for life.

He will have finished it in a week.

Job done 😀

Yep 😄

I'm an English teacher in Scotland so probably less uptight than my colleagues South of the border though.

Wtf is that supposed to mean?

OP - yes, let him read it. I'm an English teacher (South of the border) and think that at that age, censorship is a really silly idea.

@GingerAndLemonn if you read my opening post, the school require him to have a reading book. They are supposed to read this book daily, when waiting for teachers to arrive to lessons from another site

So - no force from me. He has to have a book and I thought 'wouldn't it be nice for him to have something that might for once, grab him?'

But he probably shouldn't take it into school imo, because it puts teachers in a difficult position.

Stephen King a good call.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie that's my worry. It would be be specifically for school as that's what he needs a book for and I really do not want any teacher to think I condone err killing people horrifically

@JustFlying ha not a troubled lad at all but blimey - I think it may be an eye opener.

I took nightmare on elm street as my reading book when I was much younger, about 10 and no calls to social services, my teacher thought it was hilarious! She did ask me to bring a different book though 😃