Post by nickmontelongo on Jul 23, 2013 20:57:58 GMT -6
Perhaps this story is familiar to you: a woman steals a large amount of money from her employer in hopes of paying off her boyfriend’s debts. On her way, she stops at the Bates Motel for the night and meets Norman, the motel’s strange proprietor. That night, she is murdered and now her sister Lila and her boyfriend Sam must find out what happened to her.
Psycho is the original novel that inspired Hitchcock’s classic movie, having been rereleased in a handsome trade paperback by Overlook Press in 2010. Originally published in 1959, this book remains Robert Bloch’s most famous work. Bloch (1917-1994) wrote in the horror field for sixty years, having produced several excellent novels such as The Scarf, Night-world, and Night of the Ripper. His most effective form, however, is the short story; many of the ones he wrote are classics such as “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper.” Psycho is considered by some to be his masterpiece. Bloch is one of the greatest pioneers of psychological horror and known for his unique wit and special brand of gallows humor. As for Psycho, it remains a thrilling book. If you are familiar with Hitchcock’s film, you will see that it follows a great deal of the book. One of the biggest differences is the depiction of Norman Bates. The Norman Bates of the movie is fairly young, sympathetic, and some girls who have watched the film regard him as cute. The novel’s Norman Bates is not cute. He is a middle-aged, overweight alcoholic who doesn’t leave a charming impression. We get a more intimate view of Norman through the book than in the movie. For example, we come to realize that the Norman of the movie is a pervert, but we can tell that the Norman of the book is obviously more so and is much angrier too.
Many of the scenarios from the movie are found in the book as well, but I can only describe so much with giving away any spoilers. The story is told in Bloch’s clear, concise style without a single word being wasted. You can feel the book’s age since it’s over fifty years old, but that hardly matters. Psycho was one of the first of its kind and it retains its tense buildup to the climax and remains chilling in its glimpse into madness. A major and influential novel. Keep in mind that Psycho is only one out of many worthwhile volumes penned by Robert Bloch. If you want to get to know him and his work much better then start by getting a copy of Appreciations of the Master, which is an affordable collection containing some of his best short stories as well as remarks made by people who knew him. 5 stars.
Psycho is the original novel that inspired Hitchcock’s classic movie, having been rereleased in a handsome trade paperback by Overlook Press in 2010. Originally published in 1959, this book remains Robert Bloch’s most famous work. Bloch (1917-1994) wrote in the horror field for sixty years, having produced several excellent novels such as The Scarf, Night-world, and Night of the Ripper. His most effective form, however, is the short story; many of the ones he wrote are classics such as “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper.” Psycho is considered by some to be his masterpiece. Bloch is one of the greatest pioneers of psychological horror and known for his unique wit and special brand of gallows humor. As for Psycho, it remains a thrilling book. If you are familiar with Hitchcock’s film, you will see that it follows a great deal of the book. One of the biggest differences is the depiction of Norman Bates. The Norman Bates of the movie is fairly young, sympathetic, and some girls who have watched the film regard him as cute. The novel’s Norman Bates is not cute. He is a middle-aged, overweight alcoholic who doesn’t leave a charming impression. We get a more intimate view of Norman through the book than in the movie. For example, we come to realize that the Norman of the movie is a pervert, but we can tell that the Norman of the book is obviously more so and is much angrier too.
Many of the scenarios from the movie are found in the book as well, but I can only describe so much with giving away any spoilers. The story is told in Bloch’s clear, concise style without a single word being wasted. You can feel the book’s age since it’s over fifty years old, but that hardly matters. Psycho was one of the first of its kind and it retains its tense buildup to the climax and remains chilling in its glimpse into madness. A major and influential novel. Keep in mind that Psycho is only one out of many worthwhile volumes penned by Robert Bloch. If you want to get to know him and his work much better then start by getting a copy of Appreciations of the Master, which is an affordable collection containing some of his best short stories as well as remarks made by people who knew him. 5 stars.
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