Patricia Highsmith
1955
Around 290 pages
1955 is shaping up to be an impressive year. This novel is sandwiched by two of my favorite entries on this List, which is stiff competition, but this book is no slouch either. And I am not just praising this book because it gave me an excuse to put up a picture of Jude Law. I see enough of him in my private time.
Tom Ripley is a young man doing whatever it takes to make a living in New York City. He is approached by Herbert Greenleaf, who wants his son Dickie to return to the United States and join the family business. Tom exaggerates his relationship with Dickie to make Herbert think they are old friends, so Herbert invites Tom to go retrieve his son from Mongibello (a fictional resort town in Italy). Once there, Tom is able to weasel is way into Dickie's and his girlfriend Marge's life, until they begin to resent his presence.
Wow, two psychotic characters in a row. Just like Humbert Humbert, Tom Ripley is a master manipulator and it's fascinating to watch his schemes play out. Ripley is also paranoid and insecure, and I felt his apprehension waiting for the other characters to catch on. Highsmith did an excellent job building tension. It's one of those books that you don't want to put down.
I would also recommend the film version, as it's a faithful adaptation with an excellent cast.
RATING: *****
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
Patricia Highsmith was fascinated by snails and brought them with her to parties.
In 2019, the BBC News listed The Talented Mr. Ripley on its list of the 100 most inspiring novels.
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