Author: Patricia Highsmith
Genre: thriller, crime
Rating: 3.5/5
Verdict
*slight spoilers ahead*
The Talented Mr Ripley is a title more synonymous with the 1999 film than the novel nowadays. In fact, I only recently realised it was an adaptation, leading me to discover Patricia Highsmith’s novel. The film has been on my watch list for a while, as have many films in all honesty. But when I found out it was a book first, I had to read it first.
The book focuses on the deceptive adventures of Mr Tom Ripley, a conman. Used to deceiving and tricking others out of their money, Tom is approached one day by Richard Greenleaf to help him bring his son, Dickie, back to America. Dickie lives in Italy as painter, living off his trust fund. When Tom goes to Dickie to fulfil his father’s request, he finds Dickie’s life incredibly appealing. So appealing that he wants it all for himself.
My first thought upon reading this book was, that ending was way too easy. It felt a bit like a cop out. It’s book one in a series so understandably needed to finish with opportunity for more, but still. How?! How is it that easy? As calculating and pre-emptive Tom Ripley is, I have never before encountered a character seemingly endowed with so much dumb luck.
Identity was fun in this book though. The examination of identity is very intricate in this novel. The main character is desperate to be anyone but himself. This desperation overwhelms him as a person and dictates every decision made in this book. In fact, the desperation of one person, leads to the downfall of many others. His greed knows no bounds.
I found the main character to be the most incredulous and repellent creature. Though he is depicted with a façade of charm, none of it is real. Tom Ripley seems to reject any sense of true self. He wears identities like masks, easily interchangeable depending on the situation at hand. Throughout the novel we watch the main character embody the personas of Tom and Dickie, existing as both seemingly at the same time at points. It’s unnerving to witness his sadness and pain at having to let ‘Dickie’ go, and just be Tom. His identify as ‘Tom’ is shrouded in shame and rejection. As ‘Dickie’ he is proud and confident.
And why wouldn’t he be? Dickie is placed on a pedestal by everyone that knows him. Tom, his parents, and his local friend Marge (girlfriend? This is never confirmed but that probably was her title). Everyone yearns to be in his presence, to be near him. Tom just takes it a step further, wanting to be him. Dickie is so important to several people, that it again becomes hard to accept that his death is so easily disguised. They so easily accept his withdrawn and sudden decision to leave and hide. He seemingly aligns with the same impulsivity.
For me, the embodiment of other identities is taken too far when the barrier between physical features becomes blurred. Tom actually believes he physically becomes Dickie, likening his persona adoption into a skin he pulls on and peels off. And people buy it! Police see Dickie’s passport, look at Tom and accept it’s the same person. Unless they’re secret twins separated at birth I do not see how this scene happened. Again, Tom Ripley is synonymous with sheer dumb luck. And sun-bleached hair.
All in all the book was a decent read, but far too absurd to say I really enjoyed it. Whilst the drama of the story kept me interested, in the end too much of the narrative was explained by coincidence and luck. Forensics may not have quite had the impact it does now, but you do not, in any universe, get away with the absolute horrors he committed. And you do not do it thinking yourself the real victim. For a person that came from a hard upbringing, he truly is a privileged individual.
This book is the first in a series that follow the escapades and crimes of Mr Ripley. Maybe I’ll change my mind one day, but for now I think his debut act was quite enough for me.
But will I still watch the film? Yes. We’ll see how that goes.
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Escape Through The Pages 