The Talented Mr. Ripley

By: Patricia Highsmith

Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Since his debut in 1955, Tom Ripley has evolved into the ultimate bad boy sociopath, influencing countless novelists and filmmakers.

In this first novel, we are introduced to suave, handsome Tom Ripley: a young striver, newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan in the 1950s. A product of a broken home, branded a "sissy" by his dismissive Aunt Dottie, Ripley becomes enamored of the moneyed world of his new friend, Dickie Greenleaf. This fondness turns obsessive when Ripley is sent to Italy to bring back his libertine pal, but he grows enraged by Dickie's ambivalent feelings for Marge, a charming American dilettante.

A dark reworking of Henry James's The Ambassadors, The Talented Mr. Ripley—immortalized in the 1998 film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gywneth Paltrow—is an unforgettable introduction to this debonair confidence man, whose talent for self-invention and calculated murder is chronicled in four subsequent novels.

©1955 Patricia Highsmith. Copyright renewed 1983 by Patricia Highsmith. (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"One of the great crime novels of the 20th century, Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley is a blend of the narrative subtlety of Henry James and the self-reflexive irony of Vladimir Nabokov. Like the best modernist fiction, Ripley works on two levels. First, it is the story of a young man, Tom Ripley, whose nihilistic tendencies lead him on a deadly passage across Europe. On another level, the novel is a commentary on fictionmaking and techniques of narrative persuasion. Like Humbert Humbert, Tom Ripley seduces readers into empathizing with him even as his actions defy all moral standards." (Amazon.com review)

"[Highsmith] has created a world of her own - a world claustrophobic and irrational which we enter each time with a sense of personal danger." (Graham Greene)

"One of our greatest modernist writers." (Gore Vidal)

Superb Performance! Good story

Firstly, I am a fan of the story’s setting(s) and era. The author’s vivid details transported me to the New York, Italy, and Europe of my parents youth which was a beautiful era vs my modern recent experiences. Secondarily, the characters are clearly developed-so tangible. Tom Ripley is much like someone I knew who was not a killer but otherwise left a wake of damage. Getting into the mind of a sociopath and his process was clarifying. I enjoyed this and plan on reading the series.

A literary work of art

The story structure and character development are outstanding, and Tom Ripley, is one of the most memorable villains in the annals of crime fiction. It is one of several works of literary art created by the late, great Patricia Highsmith. I also recommend her novel Strangers on a Train.

I love it

This is an excellent book and performance. I don’t see anything to dislike. I highly recommend this book.

Well paced and enjoyable

Story is well nuanced. The movie is also excellent and adds period color. The narrator is excellent, too. Good tone and inflection at correct moments. Paints the sociopath correct. Lots of small details. Antelope hide Gucci luggage when Gucci was something special and not mass marketed. References to classic locations… Cafe Greco, Hassler, …

story

great performance and story. This is one of the rare instances where I preferred the movie over the book. I felt that the movie ties everything together much less clearly than the book. However, in the book, I couldn’t help but feel as though Tom was somehow always going to somehow turn out okay. Overall, definitely worth the read. It is like a portrait inside the mind of a sociopath

The Anti-Social Protagonist

Any additional comments?

This was an interesting book and of the genre that doesn't normally attract me. However, it passed the simplest true test for me - it made me look forward to listening more and more.

Although narrated in the third person, it is told as if the author is just over the shoulder of Tom Ripley. It is a subtle seduction where the reader/listener, observing this character soon gets the notion that something isn't quite right with this guy. He engages in some bizarre behavior, that at first might seem to be harmless mischief, but hints at some deeper psychosis. Before long, we are given glimpses into Ripley's thought processes, and any doubts about his sanity are erased.

Tom Ripley travels to Europe at the request of the wealthy father of one of his

Fun Story, Narrator Awful with European Languages

If you could sum up The Talented Mr. Ripley in three words, what would they be?

No-good makes good

What other book might you compare The Talented Mr. Ripley to and why?

?

What three words best describe Kevin Kenerly’s voice?

Mispronounces, small range

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Could have, but didn't.

Any additional comments?

I like the story, but had issues with the narrator. Can't imagine whoever directed this didn't have someone who knew a little Italian, French (and in later books, German) around to help with pronunciations. Sometimes the narrator mispronounces something several times, then seemingly gets corrected and, from then on, correctly pronounces the words. However, no edits were made on the earlier screw ups. This bothered me a lot.

Other times, he works so hard on his accent, that I can't make out the "French" words he's trying to say.

I also hate the way he does women characters and while, there are a lot of characters, he doesn't seem even to keep up on the major characters by keeping them straight.

Sorry Kevin, you were in over your head.

Patricia Highsmith story is memorable

Even though the story varied slightly from the movie we enjoyed it just as much. Hearing Tom Ripley's introspection is fascinating. The narrator does very well.

the narration was amazing

I couldn't stop listening! this was utterly riveting. the narrator really made you sympathize with Tom Ripley even though he was utterly amoral.

Made a great audiobook!

This is one of my favorite selections from Audible: first, the narrator was very good (unfortunately, that isn’t nearly common enough!) and the book is well written.