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bakerloo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol
singalana's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have seen the 1999 movie based on this book. However, I didn’t remember much from it, so I can’t really compare these two.
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
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
_polaris_'s review against another edition
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
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Homophobia
antimony's review against another edition
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 hesends 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 believehe 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
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
- pg 268: THIS IS TOO CRAZYY. no way could this all ever work out nowadays.
- 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
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
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
there were a couple comments about marge that sorta were a little sexist but i'm not sure whether to tag it because it seems more Of The Time than intentionalashlynregan's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Meh. Where was the DRAMA? Where was the INTRIGUE? For a story about a murderous sociopath I was quite bored.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
narzibenoucdel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
themoonsbacchanal's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
kimveach's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I've had this on my TBR list since the movie came out in 1999, and now I've finally read it. I doubt that I would have liked this book twenty-some years ago. It's a character study of Tom Ripley rather than a plot-heavy mystery, which I prefer. Having seen the movie, I was willing to give the book the time needed to appreciate the inner workings of Tom's mind.
I'm also looking forward to reading more Ripley books and some of her others.
I'm also looking forward to reading more Ripley books and some of her others.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
poirot's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Alcohol
atalea's review against another edition
dark
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol