paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
Writer Howard Ingham has been commissioned to write a screenplay for a movie that is to take place in Tunisia and moves there to write it. The project, however, is soon abandoned when the director dies, but he decides to stay on to write a book which he provisionally titles ‘The Tremor of Forgery’.
Graham Greene claimed it was Highsmith’s finest novel, but I am still not sure what I feel about it. It’s a story in which not a lot happens. There is mention of a lot of petty thefts and burglaries, a dog is attacked, and Ingham does come across a dead body, but none of these events hold center stage. The ‘murder’, one that may or may not have happened, is at the center of the story, but even this doesn’t seem central. While nothing much is going on, however, themes do emerge. A treatise on love covering the whole range from friendship to erotic sexual desire is somewhere in there, as is a discussion of the relational nature of morality as people are transplanted long term into a different culture. All in all, I was underwhelmed as I read it and yet mildly fascinated as I now try to piece my thoughts together. It might be worth reading for followers of Highsmith.
Graham Greene claimed it was Highsmith’s finest novel, but I am still not sure what I feel about it. It’s a story in which not a lot happens. There is mention of a lot of petty thefts and burglaries, a dog is attacked, and Ingham does come across a dead body, but none of these events hold center stage. The ‘murder’, one that may or may not have happened, is at the center of the story, but even this doesn’t seem central. While nothing much is going on, however, themes do emerge. A treatise on love covering the whole range from friendship to erotic sexual desire is somewhere in there, as is a discussion of the relational nature of morality as people are transplanted long term into a different culture. All in all, I was underwhelmed as I read it and yet mildly fascinated as I now try to piece my thoughts together. It might be worth reading for followers of Highsmith.
molly9900's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
knitterscasket's review
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Murder
aniniaknit's review against another edition
2.0
Reflexiones sobre la moralidad dentro de una historia con personajes difíciles de comprender.
bluehoolia's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
very annoying to read
deepakchecks's review against another edition
5.0
I have become a big Patricia Highsmith fan !! This is awesome.
melbsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Trigger warnings: violence, suicide, death, homophobia
This is the first book I've read by Highsmith and I honestly don't know what to make of it, even days after finishing it. It was an interesting look at expat(?) life in Tunisia in the 1960s. But I never entirely grasped WHY Howard stays, let alone why the other expats are there or how the mystery elements fitted into the story as a whole. To me, it kind of felt like a couple of separate books crammed into one book. And, like, that's not a bad thing. I just found it a little...disjointed? Then again, I'm not really a lit fic reader so it's entirely possible that aspects of this just went over my head...
Could have done without the amount of casual homophobia too.
This is the first book I've read by Highsmith and I honestly don't know what to make of it, even days after finishing it. It was an interesting look at expat(?) life in Tunisia in the 1960s. But I never entirely grasped WHY Howard stays, let alone why the other expats are there or how the mystery elements fitted into the story as a whole. To me, it kind of felt like a couple of separate books crammed into one book. And, like, that's not a bad thing. I just found it a little...disjointed? Then again, I'm not really a lit fic reader so it's entirely possible that aspects of this just went over my head...
Could have done without the amount of casual homophobia too.
bobf2d33's review against another edition
2.0
This was suppose to be a profound book questioning Western morality but it was just dull.