2/5 stars
Genuine Fraud, by E. Lockhart (2017)
I could keep this super simple and just say: If you have read or watched The Talented Mr. Ripley, then you do not need to read this book. It is basically, plot-point for plot-point, the exact same story with different characters. Lockhart even credits that book with "inspiration" for this one, but I could see grounds for a plagiarism suit if Patricia Highsmith were interested.
Genuine Fraud isn't an awful book. The story is fun and mysterious and exciting. It's just not original. And since I have seen The Talented Mr. Ripley, it's also very predictable. The only unique aspect is that it is told in reverse order, so we find out what happened first, and then go back in time to find the hows and the whys. Telling it this way meant it lacked any real suspense. We know the main character, Jule, is a liar from the get-go, and so there's no tension or ah-ha moments as we learn the depths of her deceit. The ending is also completely anti-climactic and unsatisfying.
And that's really all I have to say about that!
The next book I'm reading I've heard great things about, in and out of the Deaf community. It's called True Biz, and my book club, The Book Thieves, will be discussing it on Thursday, September 14 6:30 p.m. at Writers & Books (740 University Ave). You're welcome to join us for the discussion!
UP NEXT: True Biz, by Sara Nović
