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jasibasmati's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
Reading Highsmith when fragile or feeling down is like a bad trip. Well, what I imagine a bad trip would feel like. The book's probably great, but I was in the wrong mood when I read it and man, did it worsen things. It made me incredibly ill at ease and got me into a rare quarrel where I got quite hysterical, I'm embarrassed to say. I don't blame Highsmith. After years of reading her I should know this. Anyway, my point is I can't rate this accurately because just thinking about it makes me shudder, and it should be read by those more robust than me.
molly9900's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sshabein's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
At first, I wasn't sure about this one, but then I started to notice how Patricia Highsmith sows the seeds of unraveling in a subtle way. It takes the the idea of an unlikeable, unreliable narrator and makes it a story told close third person from the point of view of an anxious woman and her son. Her son is awful in a variety of ways (though he and his mother are often alike), her ex-husband selfish and distant, and Edith spins herself a midcentury fantasy alternative. It's a really interesting book, and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Violence
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Homophobia
schnauzermum's review against another edition
3.0
This book is so bleak. Highsmith turns her attention to a domestic setting and the slow dying away of a woman’s hopes and sanity. I found reading it a bit of a slog. The prose is - deliberately - flat. It’s impressive in its way, but I don’t think I’d read it again.
sonechkarr's review against another edition
4.0
No se va a convertir en una de mis novelas favoritas de Highsmith pero la he disfrutado mucho. Maravilloso final, si es que puedo decir eso de algo tan trágico.
caroparr's review against another edition
3.0
Memorable but unbelievably creepy. Not like Shirley Jackson's weird domestic ghost stories, also featuring women losing their minds, but rather so quietly revolting that you want to take a bath afterwards and curl up with a cozy mystery. Edith's son Cliffie is one of Highsmith's classic sociopaths, and even thinking about him makes me shudder. Listen to the Backlisted podcast for more insights: https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/106-patricia-highsmith-ediths-diary