saintakim's review against another edition
2.0
Highsmith is still a solid writer, but this is tedious and vacuous. The dramatic moments and set-pieces do not punctuate the story, but carry it. This usually the sign of a more unsure writer, which is weird because Highsmith as at this point her greatest novels behind her. This is really the direct to DVD sequel. Ripley doesn't even feel like the same person.
batbones's review against another edition
5.0
Highsmith's dapper sociopath is a fascinating creature. In this novel it is not opportunity that finds him, but a loose end that he has to return to tie up which turns out to be a more elaborated and knotted affair than he could have anticipated. It was rather nice to find him married; Heloise was not dull, materialistic, opinionated, clever in her own way, not a forced side character at all, and very much like Ripley, who seems for once to express emotions akin(?) to affection. A fascinating point was how often Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream was being mentioned, which led to this reader paying more attention to Ripley's very vivid surroundings, the texture of the narrative that surrounds him and in which he walks. There is more love than most mystery/thriller novels that has been poured into these pages describing the galleries of London, Tom's beautiful country home in Villeperce-sur-Seine, the lavish hotels and elegant living arrangements, the coffee and the lobster sandwiches served by Mme Annette, Tom's housekeeper. No contempt was managed for Tom Ripley, on the contrary he was a quick little marvel, something akin to character-and-mystery-author in one body, laying out the details to prevent detection in another riveting reverse mystery. In the Ripley novels, it seems the murders are only the beginning.
belrodrigues's review against another edition
4.0
3,5 ⭐
"de vez em quando apagava pequenas chamas no chão com a pá. antes de enterrar o esqueleto, verificou se havia pegado a arcada dentária superior e constatou que sim. enterrou os restos e cobriu com terrra. alguns filetes de fumaça se ergueram através das folhas que ele espalhou em cima, por último. ele rasgou um pouco do jornal que forrava a mala, embrulhou o pedaço de osso que continha a arcada superior, pegou também a mandíbula inferior e a guardou junto."
assim levinho mesmo.
"de vez em quando apagava pequenas chamas no chão com a pá. antes de enterrar o esqueleto, verificou se havia pegado a arcada dentária superior e constatou que sim. enterrou os restos e cobriu com terrra. alguns filetes de fumaça se ergueram através das folhas que ele espalhou em cima, por último. ele rasgou um pouco do jornal que forrava a mala, embrulhou o pedaço de osso que continha a arcada superior, pegou também a mandíbula inferior e a guardou junto."
assim levinho mesmo.
mickeymole's review against another edition
3.0
Not the same Ripley as the first book. Well, I guess we all change as we get older. But--a psychopath?
And, the folks he tells about the murder just kind of shrug it off, as if to say, "Well, what are you gonna do?" The ending didn't leave much to be desired either. Still, it's a decent read. I'll go ahead and read the next one in the Ripley saga.
And, the folks he tells about the murder just kind of shrug it off, as if to say, "Well, what are you gonna do?" The ending didn't leave much to be desired either. Still, it's a decent read. I'll go ahead and read the next one in the Ripley saga.
heritage's review against another edition
3.0
An amateur art collector raises questions about a possible art-forgery scheme of which Tom Ripley happens to be the mastermind and partial beneficiary. That leaves Mr. Ripley with only one course of action, but his solution gets a little complicated.
This is the second novel in Patricia Highsmith's Ripliad, a series of five novels featuring the casual murderer Tom Ripley. Unfortunately, this novel has a lot of overt explaining in its narrative, which is a no-no for me. Both the back-story at the beginning and Ripley's cover at the end are heavy-handed in this regard. As well, Ripley's wife, Heloise, is a little too thinly presented to make her acceptance of his actions believable.
It's too bad Highsmith made these choices as she has one of the best narrative voices for wide audiences. I often hold her up as an example of what I expect at a minimum from a decent writer.
For those who do decide to read Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels, read this one before Ripley Under Water, as that one is a sequel-of-sorts to this one.
This is the second novel in Patricia Highsmith's Ripliad, a series of five novels featuring the casual murderer Tom Ripley. Unfortunately, this novel has a lot of overt explaining in its narrative, which is a no-no for me. Both the back-story at the beginning and Ripley's cover at the end are heavy-handed in this regard. As well, Ripley's wife, Heloise, is a little too thinly presented to make her acceptance of his actions believable.
It's too bad Highsmith made these choices as she has one of the best narrative voices for wide audiences. I often hold her up as an example of what I expect at a minimum from a decent writer.
For those who do decide to read Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels, read this one before Ripley Under Water, as that one is a sequel-of-sorts to this one.
annainthebooks's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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
2.0
meh_10's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0