Tom Ripley is a private, coniving human being who really has no time for anyone. He is an expert mimic and porficient at forgery. After convincing a rich man that he is an initmate friend of the man's son, Dickie Greenleaf, Tom is sent to Italy to try and persuade Dickie to come home. Things don't go as planned, however. Tom finds himself becoming enthralled with Dickie the more time he spends with him. He quickly abandons his mission and, with Dickie's help, continues to milk Mr. Greenleaf for stipends to help in his quest to find Dickie. The two quickly become good friends, but Dickie is fickle with his affections. Tom is thrown to the wayside by Dickie, finding that his only recourse is to murder the young man and steal his identity. Now, as Dickie Greenleaf, Tom must dodge investigators and Dickie's friends and try to come out clean.

Tom is such a wicked cuss. Somehow, though, you find yourself rooting for him. Not because he's particularly charming or likable, but because most of the other characters are such pricks, you can't help but feel a little glad that their gone. Tom ends up getting away with stuff we'd all love to get away with, but are too moral to commit.

Go to Italy, fist of all. I didn't want to read any of the other books, because Tom becomes more cold-hearted with each passing year. This novel shows him when he's still vulnerable and slightly naive.

Like strangling Dickie Greenleaf and Freddie Miles, but Tom does away with them for you.

Has a way of grabbing you with the first line and not letting go until the end.

It's excellently written. Probably one of the best books of modern times, although some of the themes will not appeal to most people.

The movie does the book no justice. Don't think that you know the book because you saw the film. The book gives a much broader view of Tom Ripley that you don't see on the big screen. The film is also a lot darker and doesn't make you feel guilty for rooting for this despicable human being. The film just makes you hate him and feel sorry for him. The real Tom Ripley doesn't want you feeling sorry for him.

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Created Oct 22, 2003 at 1:18pm • Submit your own review...