Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith is an interesting character who has written many novels, many of which dealt with homosexuality in some way. The Talented Mr. Ripley, the opening book of the Ripley series, is a mystery thriller, but it takes time to tell the story, so you’re not actually on the edge of your seat with this one.

Tom Ripley is sent to Italy to try to persuade a wayward Richard Greenleaf to return home to America. When in Italy, Ripley develops a taste for the lifestyle of Richard (Dickie). He’s desperate to hang on to this life and doesn’t stop at anything to keep his newfound freedom.

Ripley’s character is something to be mulled over. In many sources, he’s considered to be a sociopath, and he certainly displays traits that are related to these disorders. While Dickie and his close friend Marge live a very carefree life, Tom has struggled. Do people like Dickie appreciate enough the life they’ve been given?

Highsmith certainly brings Italy to life in this novel with her vivid description. However, I would have liked to have read a little more about Ripley’s reasoning behind his actions. As the noose began to tighten around him, I wish I could have gotten a bit more sense of urgency and danger.

It is an interesting story with interesting characters, but somehow, I felt it kept the reader at arm’s length, and I didn’t love it as much as I could have. Still, it is a solid read and a rare perspective.

Content Warnings

pipercurda's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-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

4.0

really enjoyed this!! might read the rest of them?? tense and nerve-wracking, but never off-putting and constantly keeping you guessing at what’s coming next. found myself rooting for tom at times? is that bad? or just part of it? asking my therapist.

Content Warnings

andrewhatesham's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

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

3.25

Sometimes I find it hard to review classics and other old books because I'm not sure how to go about it — should I think of it solely through a modern lens, or should I put myself in the shoes of those who made the book a classic? That change in perspective can significantly affect my thoughts. Is this vaguely homophobic and forgettable, or is it riveting and bold?

I found roughly the first half of this book to be fast paced and gripping. I was drawn in by the mysterious main character, Mr. Tom Ripley, and the height of the plot was excitingly creepy, but that's where the problem lies. The interesting part happens less than halfway through the book! From then on, it's a trifling drag. Way too many details about every little decision the MC makes and how it may or may not affect him and his plans. I wish there was a bit more character development, or at least a little more focus on action rather than logistics.

In terms of purely personal taste, I disliked the European vacation settling. Too much coming and going from one place to another; it was hard for me to picture what each scene looked like and to really feel immersed.

This might have been a banger read back in the day, but I didn't find it to be anything special and I'm honestly not sure what modern readers like so much about it. I don't plan on picking up the next book in the series.

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kh11's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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ellius's review against another edition

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dark funny tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I love our relatable, bisexual, murder king Tom Ripley.

Content Warnings

_polaris_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad slow-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

2.5

I really struggled with the book.
Tom Ripley is unbelievable unlovable as a Character. And I would go so far as to say that I almost don't know who he is. He is always putting on a mask to get what he wants.

The story switches in pace a lot. From long very slow (boring) passages ,to very fast and intense ones.

It can be very interesting but only in parts

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antimony's review

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tense fast-paced

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

5.0

i looved this it was SO CRAZY. i impulsively got it at the thrift store bc i remembered listening to a video essay abt how saltburn plagarised the film adaptation of mr ripley and WHAT a good decisison that was. don't let my 4-days reading time fool you — i absolutely devoured this and wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as i did. i thought it would be 4 stars probably but was not anticipating 2 nights ago to have a DREAM about finishing it where i then complained abt the dream ending and made a goodreads tag called "unhinged" for it. it was SOO stressful watching tom make some of the decisions he made (the WILL??? HELLOOO???) and if i don't think about it i genuinely cannot believe he got away with all that but honestly if i take a minute i kinda get it.

because with no reason to suspect it why would anyone in the world think he was insane enough to kill dickie and pretend to be him for 4 months?? his thought process is sooo crazy.

anyway i was gaping for like half of this in part because of tom's insane thought process and decisions and in part because of the fact that being just a random guy in venice he could still get a house with SERVANTS for the modern day equivalent of $586/month HELLO? housing market take notes.

i finished this last night before bed so my phone was out of reach but there was a LOT i wanted to update goodreads about so i wrote those down and i'll add them here:
- pg 257: "If he'd only gotten his sight-seeing done all by himself, Tom thought, if he only hadn't been in such a hurry and so greedy, if he only hadn't misjudged the relationship between Dickie and Marge so stupidly, or had simply waited for them to separate of their own volition, then none of this would have happened, and he could have lived with Dickie for the rest of his like, travelled and lived and enjoyed living for the rest of his life! If he only hadn't put on Dickie's clothes that day—" this was kind of gay of him and i say that with love
- pg 258: what' crazy to me is that tom keeps doing this stuff like you'd think that by now he'd realize it isn't worth the risk. but no he

sends out the fake will

anyway. insane behavior.
- pg 268: THIS IS TOO CRAZYY. no way could this all ever work out nowadays.

they aren't checking the fingerprints against ANY confirmed ones?? they're just like ya the suitcases and his apartment are the same so it was him... but maybe they think the apartment ones are confirmed. because they have no anyone has any reason to believe someone was pretending to be dickie for MONTHS

- pg 270: crazy that everyone believes tom that he and dickie were as close as he says like i KNOWWW dickie is rolling in his shallow water grave right now
- pg 271: why was this not so different from the ending i dreamt about where he sailed away with no repurcussions. CRAZY i still can't believe

he got away with it all

my book also had the first chapter of book 2 at the end and i did write progress updates for those but i won't write them all out...i just have to say i cannot believe that this man married a woman he had a certain comfirmed bachelor je ne sais quoi

Content Warnings

v_____'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Tom looked behind him and saw the man coming out of the Green Cage...

- The Talented Mr. Ripley, p. 1

This is my first encounter with this cult classic. I have not seen the film or read another book of the series. The reason I got interested in it was that Emerald Fenning, the director of Saltburn said that this book was an inspiration (amongst others) to her when writing the screenplay. Another reason was, that I found it in an open bookshelf. 🙃

I realize this edition is not the original. I did enjoy it a lot though, and I totally understand why this is such a beloved cult classic. It is thrilling and lighthearted at the same time. Some parts are deeply ironic and there is certainly some class criticism in it (if intended or not, I don't know).

I did find some parts to be toooo constructed, especially I don't think Tom is "good" at being a criminal.
Two examples:

- Why doesn't "Dickie" (aka Tom) just break up with Marge to get rid of her? His life would be so much easier!
- Why didn't Tom just leave the country right after murdering Dickie? Would have saved him so much trouble!

In my opinion Tom is not that talented at all 🤷‍♀️

I did however enjoy the critique of consumerism, which I find very spot on. This way of seeing things as status symbols has become worse in our society since the first release of this novel. As long as you have a big car, house, expensive clothes, you ARE somebody. Regardless of how you obtained them, regardless of if you are in debt or hate your job, but stay in it, since it pays well and substains your lifestyle.

... He loved objects, not mountains of them, but a certain few that he wanted to keep. They gave a man respect for himself. The things he possessed reminded him that he existed, and made him enjoy his life. It was as simple as that. He existed. Dickie's money gave him the opportunity to see Greece, to collect whatever he wanted, to join art societies if he cared to, and to give money to their work...

- The Talented Mr. Ripley, p. 67 ~ p. 68

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