3.25⭐
Man, I was so hopeful for this one...

This sequel to The Talented Mr. Ripley had me so excited to see where the character was going after the events of the first book. While it is interesting inserting the main character into new situations to test his ability of tact and ingenuity, I felt this book lacked so much of the tension that the previous book had. By the third act, I was speed reading just waiting to see how it ends (non-spoiler spoiler: it's not that good). 

Now, don't get me wrong: Highsmith still writes wonderfully, letting you into the psyche of Ripley and his intentions and the mysteries of his world. There are some really good allusions to mirroring and shifting perspectives, but I feel that there was not as many twists and suspense as in the first book. 

I'm going to continue with the series, but I hope that Highsmith enhances the character a bit and maybe does something else with the story to keep it fresh. 

If you've read this, or are interested at all, I have so many fun ideas of how this story could have gone, so would love to chat with someone about it! haha.