A review by jesshindes
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

adventurous dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I've seen the film of The Talented Mr Ripley several times so reading the book was inevitably a bit of an exercise in comparison. There are plenty of differences between the two both plot and character-wise (Marge is very un-Gwyneth-like in the novel, for instance) but one thing that struck me was that Tom's sexuality is much more to the forefront in the novel. It's so clearly part of who he is, the way he sees other people, how his view of society and his place in it is formed. This is a good thing, I think, and another very good thing about the novel is just Highsmith's style. She's a pleasure to read. Tom's constant struggle with the contempt he feels for those around him is sad at points but it's mostly very entertaining. There are so many great lines and funny observations. She's also as great at suspense as you'd expect - even though I knew there were several more Ripley books in the series, I was stressed about the possibility of discovery throughout 😂 In summary a great read and I'll definitely look to consume more Ripley in future! 
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