The boy who followed Ripley by Patricia Highsmith**

Reading dates: 24 December 2016 – 03 February 2017

Is it me or is this series withering as it goes along? I did not understand the purpose of this, the fourth Ripliad book. I did not get a sense of Tom Ripley’s decision making within the story. Why does he care about this boy so much and want to help him at whatever cost? Of course, the homoeroticism is present and very interestingly placed, but not explored enough within the psychology of Ripley. A missed opportunity that leaves the novel writing as surface. Mind you, I did enjoy the travels (especially East and West Berlin), and the cross dressing scene is utter genius. In fact, that scene alone earns the two stars. The rest to me seems more fan fiction than the actual primary source, which is a shame, as I still adore Ripley’s deviousness, self-preserving decision making and ruthlessness. The boy who followed Ripley is against those qualities.