Amy's review
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
I have always been curious about this particular book and I don't know why it took me so long to get to it. Highsmith definitely writes sophisticated mysteries. There is a constant state of tension and paranoia in this book, which I imagine is hard to maintain as a writer. I had seen the movie when it first came out and thought that is was beautifully shot. What I had forgotten was what jerks all the characters are! There really isn't a sympathetic character in the whole thing. If I have any criticism, it's that Tom Ripley is the only fully realized character. He's fascinating. But Dickie and Marge seem sort of like cardboard cutouts of proper young people in the 50s. This is definitely a dark book. It left me feeling unsettled. I'm sure that was the intention!
