At first, I was liking it. Lockhart has cooled off with the metaphors and weird writing here, making it much more to my tastes stylistically. The book opens at the end of the story with Jule clearly on the run. She dresses up in disguise, calls herself "Imogen" and flees at the first sign her cover has been blown. The story moves backwards in time from there.
I don't mind retellings of classic tales, especially those that stick a woman into a traditional male role, but this book is almost exactly the same story as The Talented Mr. Ripley. Lockhart names it as one of her inspirations for the book, but honestly, inspiration is kind. Not only is the plot almost identical, but all of the characters are too. Imogen, Forrest, Brooke and Imogen's parents-- or should I say Dickie, Marge, Freddie and Dickie's parents? The murder weapon is even the same!
I don't mind retellings of classic tales, especially those that stick a woman into a traditional male role, but this book is almost exactly the same story as The Talented Mr. Ripley. Lockhart names it as one of her inspirations for the book, but honestly, inspiration is kind. Not only is the plot almost identical, but all of the characters are too. Imogen, Forrest, Brooke and Imogen's parents-- or should I say Dickie, Marge, Freddie and Dickie's parents? The murder weapon is even the same!