Reviews

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

verniy's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

isabelroper's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

imogenreads's review against another edition

4.0

This was so tense 😬

I can't believe he got away with it!!

and there are more books

lindayukii's review against another edition

4.0

I went into this book knowing next to nothing about the story. (Who was Mr Ripley? And why was he so talented?) Rather slow start but once it picked up, oh boy, did it pick up. So, so good.

Can't wait to see the cinematic adaptations, starting with Plein Solei, the French adaptation from 1960 with Alain Delon which I have actually seen ages ago! Also excited to see the famous adaptation with Matt Damon and Jude Law.

emmafagan's review against another edition

challenging hopeful tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked this book. I really did but it’s unusual for me to like a book as much as I liked this one and not love it. I don’t know what kept me from it  since I truly enjoyed reading it… Still Highsmith did a wonderful job at making you empathise and “root for” the villain and I thought her style was just fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny

tomnowicki's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

abbey_s02's review against another edition

3.0

Ripley: « Do I want him or do I want to be him? »
Complicated thoughts. Fantastic read, still so rare to be in the perspective of the ‘antagonist’ and feel uncomfortable in his thoughts, but also egging him on as we see the world through his eyes.
On the other hand, the conflating of queerness and psychopathy/mental illness is really icky and floating in the background. Highsmith was queer herself though

crimsoncereal's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jules1998's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ccee's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0