I'm glad I read this via audiobook, because there were a couple of tense moments that were a complete surprise for me which I really enjoyed! I've not seen the film, but I have a guilty pleasure of reading about dispicable posh people pursuing leisure time (think Donna Tart's The Secret History). All of the characters are nicely layered, none so much as the complex protagonist Tom Ripley. You know he's morally corrupt and yet you also find yourself routing for him quite often. He has a nuanced history and personality which didn't feel heavy handed enough to try and morally excuse his actions. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how Highsmith had written about his ambiguous sexuality, (which seems progressive considering the time it was written) managing to stay clear of the harmful depraved honosexual trope. The reason I've not scored the book higher is simply because I felt it dragged a little towards the end, and I found the ending personally unsatisfying - but actually quite fitting for the book and character! I won't be reading the rest of the series, but would definitely recommend this as a stand alone book for poeple who enjoy complex antihero character stories.