The Talented Mr. Ripley- Patricia Highsmith

Author: Patricia Highsmith | Title: The Talented Mr Ripley | Genre: Thriller (or Crime Fiction)

Publication Date: November 30, 1955 | Number of Pages: 295 | Series: Ripley series (#1)

Geographical Setting: Italy (New York, France, Greece) | Time Period: 1950s 

Plot Summary: Conman Tom Ripley receives an offer to convince Dickie Greenleaf, amateur painter and son of naval architect H.R. Greenleaf, to come home to the United States. Arriving in scenic Mongibello, Tom quickly works to gain Dickie's affection. However, their bond cannot last forever. As Tom repeatedly tries to regain control, Dickie's friends- and the law- feed into an ever-increasing spiral.

Characteristics for Thriller:

Intricate plot- Ripley begins with a long exposition that gains speed to a breakneck pace. This book is full of what the textbook called “reversals of expectations, plot twists, and sudden revelations” (6). The protagonist is unable to avoid danger but somehow always able to escape at the last moment.

Character- Most of the characters are fairly one-dimensional and only exist to serve the plot or the protagonist, who is what the textbook would call “dangerously flawed and often amoral” (13).

Tone/Setting- Thrillers often have a strong sense of place, and this setting (Italy, with some New York, France, and Greece) is almost its own character in this book. When added to the wealth of characters like Dickie and Marge, the story seems almost dreamlike and disconnected from reality. As events unfold, the tone becomes stressful, uncanny, and nightmarish, giving an insight into Ripley’s disconnection from morality.

Read-alikes:

Nonfiction-

Blood Will Out (Walter Kirn)/ The Man in the Rockefeller Suit (Mark Seal)

Catch Me if You Can (Frank Abagnale)

The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox (Nina Burleigh)

Similar Authors: Pope Brock, Ben Mezrich, Rachel DeLoache Williams

Fiction-

Social Creature (Tara Isabella Burton)

The Last Mrs Parrish (Liv Constantine)

Maestra (L.S. Hilton)

The Truth and Other Lies (Sascha Arango, Imogen Taylor)

The Ambassadors (Henry James)

Similar Authors: Peter Abrahams, Gillian Flynn, Jim Thompson

Reading Profile

I try to read much and as broadly as I can, but I almost always find myself coming back to literary fiction or “shorter reads” like poetry, plays, and graphic novels. These really help with reading slumps. I like to read books based on recommendation from lists, coworkers, patrons, etc., but I try to go into a book without knowing anything about it first. Most of the recommendations I see (and love!) end up being literary fiction. I love when everything ties together, and I especially love reading a from perspectives I hadn’t considered before. I also used to read a lot of YA, but unfortunately I’ve been slowing down on that lately- it’s also great for reading slumps!

                

After looking over the genre list, I realized that I don’t think I’ve ever read a western. I don’t have any hard feelings against the genre, though- I just never see any western recommendations (if anyone has any please let me know!). Any of what the textbook called “landscape reads” (fantasy, westerns, historical fiction) are kind of hard for me to get into, especially if they’re not especially character driven. I also keep trying to like horror, but most of the titles I’ve read ended up being really depressing. I really like when horror is “fun” or “spooky” or “thrilling”- “gritty” or “edgy” stories end up taking the fun out of it for me.

               

Some of my favorite authors are: Gillian Flynn, Hank Green, Roxane Gay, Jacqueline Woodson, Carmen Maria Machado, Noelle Stevenson, James Baldwin, Shirley Jackson, Celeste Ng, Jenny Han, and Jason Reynolds.

               

The best books I read in 2019 were: The Miseducation of Cameron Post (Emily Danforth), The Color Purple (Alice Walker), Hush (Jacqueline Woodson), Glass, Irony, and God (Anne Carson), Catch and Kill (Ronan Farrow), and In the Dream House (Carmen Maria Machado).