Synopsis:
While working on a novel in Tunisia, a writer encounters his own heart of darkness.
Review:
I had written a truly brilliant review of Patricia Highsmith’s The Tremor of Forgery, but it got eaten. Fie! The salient points were:
- Patricia Highsmith plays cat and mouse with the reader just like her most famous creation Tom Ripley played cat and mouse with anyone he encountered
- She is a master of nuance characterization
- The final third of the novel is a tour-de-force of subtle character dynamics
- This is one of my favorites of hers
I should also add that at times, Highsmith is scathingly funny, though this will come as no surprise to those of you who are familiar with her work. My absolute favorite remains Edith’s Diary, but I’ll be recommending The Tremor of Forgery a lot.
I was talking up Patricia Highsmith today at the Itaewon Book Exchange…she’s still only vaguely known as “The person who wrote Ripley.”
The Ripley books are my least favorite of hers–though I love the movie!
Oooo. I haven’t read a ton of Highsmith, but I’ve loved everything I’ve read.
I’ll add this one to my list.
which of hers have you read?
Oh, just the first Ripley book, Strangers on a Train and a couple collections of short stories. I pick her books up whenever I find them used, I just haven’t gotten around to reading them yet.