Psycho: A Novel

"I think perhaps all of us go a little crazy at times". These are the actual words spoken by the infamous Norman Bates in Robert Bloch's classic novel. I am impressed with Bloch's work. His writing is stellar as he showcases the odd-intentions analytical mind of Norma, and crafts characters who are obviously memorable, specifically Norman and "Mother". And what also impresses me so is Hitchcock's faithfulness to the story, with two major exceptions: 1) The specific way in which Marion Crane dies and 2) Norman is actually an overweight balding man (hard to imagine Anthony Perkins in the narrative), but the Bates man is there in every other way in all of his eccentric I-need-Mother-and-Mother-needs-me glory. You get not only his disturbing brain power, but the important viewpoints of Sam Loomis and Lila Crane as well. The plot of the movie compliments Bloch's novel marvelously; it was a pleasure to read about how the stealthy mind of a motel owner, a person no one would ever suspect, quietly unravels.