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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
odd ending I thought
I can’t say I r really liked this book. In fact, if it wasn’t a book to movie, I might not finish. But I want to see Ben Affleck in this role
I can’t say I r really liked this book. In fact, if it wasn’t a book to movie, I might not finish. But I want to see Ben Affleck in this role
dark
medium-paced
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first Highsmith and it's easy to see why she is universally acknowledged as a master. Her writing literally mesmerized me as she lulled me into the rhythms of her story of Vic and Melinda Van Allen, a wealthy couple living in a 1950s northeast suburban town with an unconventional and miserable marriage: she sleeps around endlessly, flaunts it in their social circle, and parades her lovers through their living room, as he suffers in silence. Highsmith details the mundane and ordinary ("as he buttered a radish"), all the while inexorably ramping up the tension and unfolding a sociopath's descent into madness. Chilling and really got under my skin.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it did end up picking up a little, but it's still the most boring highsmith novel i've read
This was an odd story. Not what I was expecting at all. Vic and Melinda are a married couple with.... let's just say, issues. They have a young daughter named Beatrice (Trixie), who seems about 5 years old, but it put into third grade? So, who knows how old she is. Melinda has many lovers and Vic says he is fine with this "if she would only choose men who are worthy instead of being so dull."
After all, Vic is perfectly happy not having an intimate relationship with his wife. He has his own bedroom and workspace in a separate area of the house from her. The only thing that seems to keep him around is Trixie. Melinda, of course, barely notices Trixie's existence.
Then, Melinda's lovers start turning up dead.
Everyone in this book is pretty messed up mentally. Even with all her personality flaws, Melinda seems obsessive about finding who killed these men. Vic doesn't seem to care either way.
Ultimately, the story felt stunted. The characters had so much potential for development, but they all stayed their demented selves. A lot of the time, the narrative really drags as it describes mundane things in great detail, and then skims over the intrigue and suspense.
I loved [b:The Talented Mr. Ripley|2247142|The Talented Mr. Ripley (Ripley, #1)|Patricia Highsmith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1634841836l/2247142._SX50_.jpg|1817520], but this one was not my favorite [a:Patricia Highsmith|7622|Patricia Highsmith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418715271p2/7622.jpg] book.
After all, Vic is perfectly happy not having an intimate relationship with his wife. He has his own bedroom and workspace in a separate area of the house from her. The only thing that seems to keep him around is Trixie. Melinda, of course, barely notices Trixie's existence.
Then, Melinda's lovers start turning up dead.
Everyone in this book is pretty messed up mentally. Even with all her personality flaws, Melinda seems obsessive about finding who killed these men. Vic doesn't seem to care either way.
Ultimately, the story felt stunted. The characters had so much potential for development, but they all stayed their demented selves. A lot of the time, the narrative really drags as it describes mundane things in great detail, and then skims over the intrigue and suspense.
I loved [b:The Talented Mr. Ripley|2247142|The Talented Mr. Ripley (Ripley, #1)|Patricia Highsmith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1634841836l/2247142._SX50_.jpg|1817520], but this one was not my favorite [a:Patricia Highsmith|7622|Patricia Highsmith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418715271p2/7622.jpg] book.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes