The Talented Mr Ripley

I'm glad I finally read this! It took a little while to gain momentum, but Highsmith did an astounding job of keeping me suspended between sympathy and judgment. I really couldn't decide if I was rooting for Tom to succeed or enjoying every time he squirmed in fear, eager to see him caught.

The character she paints is vivid and textured. Not a mere mechanical sociopath, but someone shoved out of “good society” throughout his life, looking for a way in. And maybe excluded because others sense his repressed homosexuality (or asexuality?). This thread lent an additional dimension to the story. Does Tom want Dickie Greenleaf, or does he want to BE Dickie Greenleaf? Would the latter be in play if the former were socially acceptable? Highsmith leaves it ambiguous, while still prompting meditation on social mores surrounding sexuality in this era.