Customer Reviews

Party Monster: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

After seeing the movie Party Monster, I decided to pick up a copy of the book Disco Bloodbath, which was featured near the end of the movie. The paperback edition has been renamed Party Monster, which I think is unfortunate, since this book is really more than just a paperback version of the movie. A quick, highly entertaining romp, this book is certainly not for everyone. It takes a certain amount of openminded acceptance to be able to read a book detailing the rise and fall of clubkid-turned-murderer, Michael Alig; however, if you can stomach the descriptions of rampant drug use and its aftermath, then what you find is a wholly engaging and addictive read.

This book is a breezy, entertaining read, full of dishy giddiness. St. James definitely has mastered the art of queeny commentary, rendering 'Disco Bloodbath/Party Monster' as enjoyable and decadent as cream puff with chocolate sauce.

If, however, you are looking for a meatier account of the Alig/Melendez fiasco, don't expect Disco Bloodbath to furnish it. This is an insider's glib take on the events, not a factual accounting, and for those who want to twist their minds around the 'why/how?' of the events leading up to the grisly murder, this book will prove unsatisfying. My advice is to treat it as the deliciously entertaining literary profiterole that it is.

I've just ordered Frank Owen's 'Clubland', which I understand is the yang to St. James' yin; clinical, factual, and stripped of glamour - I'm still out on this one until I read it. One wonders if one will ever be able to get to the bottom of the debacle - perhaps because there IS no bottom?

In any case, YOU ARE TOO MUCH, JAMES ST. JAMES! I concur with the reviewer who encouraged you to write about those Southern family roots, and I expect you could be a master of Southern Gothic with an acid twist. Fabulous!

I had no idea what world I was about to enter when I started this adventure with James St. James. His use of storytelling is absolutly fabulous, at times I felt like I was right there in NYC with the rest of the club kids. Prior to reading this book I knew nothing of the New York City club life St. James writes about, but his story of Michael Alig doesn't just tell of the murder of Angel Melendez, but instead tells you of their lives, and lifestyles. I was absolutly amazed, and couldn't put the story down. A must read, but may be only for the open-minded.

This based on a true story book is AMAZING!!
From murder, disco, drugs, love, hate...this book has it all!!!
If you like the book you should defintley check out the shockumentry film as well as the new film starring Mac Culkin and Seth Green.
Warning: when you pick up this book you wont be able to put it down!!

This is the best book I have ever read. It's not as shocking if you've seen the movie first, but it's definitely worth your time...unless you're not interested in the club scene and the murder of Angel at all. Then you'll probably consider James St. James annoying and cocky. And to the previous commenter, who said that there wasn't enough about Michael Alig. Just to tell you, this is not Michael Alig's book. The book is mostly set around the author and the influencial people he's met, not how great Michael Alig was.

You all should see the movie, too. Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green are amazing actors and portray their roles wonderfully.

This is one of the many books which is best enjoyed if you're able to dedicate a good block of time to it and just sit back and dive in. The drama is all in the language and James St James knows it.

He uses all the cues and tricks of writing to excess (ALL CAPS, italics for those naughty phrases you just have to lean in for, bold passages for "can you believe it" statements, and constantly hitting the return key to ensure that well planned break in the story where you wait just long enough to make sure everyone is hanging onto your every word and will sell their mothers out to hear how it all ends) and for some reason it works instead of becoming the obnoxious mess it should have been. You can actually hear James St James in this book, as if he's squeazing tight into the bar booth with you and telling you the whole thing over a cocktail, spilling most of it on himself AND YOU in the process... but you can't leave...

You have to hear it all, by God. So be prepared to read it all and quick. If you can read it one sitting all the better, or two or three days if you must... but don't drag it out or try to balance it with a few other paperbacks you're halfway through. This is GOSSIP. And you might as well accept the charges and get settled in for a wildly entertaining, vivid, dishonestly honest tale of one club creature's scattered memories of his years as a New York City celebutante.

P.S. Although this book claims to be mainly centered on Michael Alig and the murder of his drug dealer, it's not 100% anywhere or on anyone. So don't expect a fair or even picture to be painted of Alig, for as James St James explains at the very beginning NEVER, EVER DISH ANYONE IN PRINT. And if you simply must, there's just no way out of it... well, the entire book is sort of a portrait of this very predicament. A little love to coat a lot of hate, or is it the other way around?

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN! EVEN THOUGH THE BOOK IS ABOUT A HORRIBLE MURDER. JAMES ST JAMES MAKES IN FAB. THERE IS SO MUCH DARK HUMOR, IT'S HILARIOUS. I CAN'T PUT IT DOWN. I HAVE READ IT ABOUT 10 TIMES. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. THE MOVIE HARDLY DOES IT JUSTICE.

I never thought I would own this book!

But I found it in Chapters book store on tuesday-and now Im done it alreadly!

It only took three days to finish this funny-faced paced true tale of murder in clubland!

James st James wrote this book well-since it was his first book-and every chapter was intersesting!

This is my favorite book now!

The story is about club kids Micheal Alig and James st James who threw lots of bizarre partys and were doing drugs but it was Micheal who was doing alot of drugs and eventually ended up murdering his drugdealer Angel Melendez with a hammer and Dranol!

And Micheal hacked up the body and put it in a box and threw it in the river-then he bragged about it on Extra and now he is behind bars!

This book is like a drug-once you start reading it you cant put it down!

And of course this has been turned into a motion picture-starring Macualaly Culkin as Micheal Alig and Seth Green as James st James!

Money Success Fame Glamour!

Now I have more Party Monster merchandise!

OH yeah!

I think its so important to begin with a bang-dont you?

I read this fast-paced book on a flight from Seattle to Atlanta, absolutely giddy despite the notable lack of free champagne in coach class. What a story! It's like "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" for the club set. St. James has a wicked sense of humor that shines even (especially?) when he's describing some particularly unsavory party aftermath. The reader simultaneously laughs and recoils in horror throughout the book; how can anyone mired, unwashed, in a 5-day drug binge manage to be so fabulous? St. James does it.

My only two complaints are that they should have kept the original title ("Disco Bloodbath") and the shoddy editing was distracting at times. But that's what I get for being a nerd.

James St. James' tale of life inside the famed NYC Club Kids scene is a riveting display of youth meeting excess and the resultant inevitable tragedy. At the center is sociopath Michael, a brilliant but warped Pied Piper who leads the lost boys and girls to new highs, staggering excesses and, finally, when things are headed downhill, commits murder and deems it fodder for party anecdotes.

Growing up in a completely opposite world, yet at the same time, it's frightening to see what 80's excess and greed wrought in some cases. Because of this, along with St. James' hip writing style, the book might be getting more of a pass than it deserves. Nevertheless, it's a compelling, albeit disturbing, read.