The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game (Everyman's Library)
by Patricia Highsmith
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Book Summary Information
Author: Patricia HighsmithEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1999-10-12
ISBN: 0375407928
Number of pages: 904
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Book Reviews of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game (Everyman's Library)
Book Review: "Don't Wait for the Movie!"
Summary: 4 Stars
I disagree with some evaluations of the Ripley novels that say something to the effect of: "The creepy Ripley crawls under your skin and haunts your dreams at night!" These characterizations are somewhat silly and exaggerated. Highsmith creates an intriguing character, to be sure. But this is not a terrifying, creepy, or frightening series of crime novels. In fact, there is a notable lack of dramatic tension in these novels, particularly the last two.
Ripley is a young man with problems who gets caught up in a cycle of murder and deception. He is to blame, of course, and Ripley is troubled, for sure. However, to walk in the shoes of Tom Ripley is to understand the unique brew of social, psychological, intellectual, and emotional forces that lead Tom into murder. Of course, understanding how these forces interact within the psyche of Tom is best left to reading Highsmith. However, I would sum up Ripley by saying that he is an intelligent, efficient and inward character who, despite his violent crimes, is still very relatable in a sinister way.
On a more philosophical and ethical tone it is of note that the Ripley character is one of contrast and also marked development. For instance, in the earlier Ripley we find someone that despises murder and yet still justifies it all easily enough in light of his circumstances. The later Ripley seems much more emotionally/psychologically at ease with murder - he can eat or laugh immediately following the act - yet he seems to recognize that while some murders may have been "necessary" the original sin (the first murder of Dickie) was an act of volition in his own self-interest. There is a reversal here: The later Ripley is more capable of murder, yet finds less justification in his original sin. This is intriguing, and I think it parallels the Genesis account of partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Ripley's eyes are opened to a new moral dimension, and he can never go back to his age of innocence.
Comparison with the Matt Damon movie, The Talented Mr. Ripley:
In the case of the Ripley novel there are some notable departures in the character development of Ripley and Dickie Greenleaf that make the movie perhaps a bit more appealing. For one thing, Highsmith's Dickie character is much more static in the novel, while in the movie they deliberately sought out Jude Law to make the Dickie character alive and dynamic. Even the main character, Ripley, is a bit more complex in the movie. He is battling insecurity on many levels and additionally they introduce a homosexual element, while in the novel Ripley is seen as somewhat asexual - at least in the first novel (The Talented Mr. Ripley). In this sense Matt Damon may have created a Ripley who is even more multi-layered than Highsmith. The result of the differences in character development is that the interaction between Dickie and Ripley is more central in the movie and a more focal point of intrigue. The novel, on the other hand, is more focussed on Ripley's inner world and his ability to navigate through two murders.
For the ultimate Ripley experience I recommend both the books and the move. For me the Ripley from the novel and the Ripley from the movie kind of morph and mesh together to form a character of interest and intrigue. Which Ripley is the real Ripley?!!? Let your own imagination decide.
More The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game (Everyman's Library) reviews:
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