The Grifters

Rating:
Summary: The Star After Cain and Chandler
Review: Now we Americans recognize the writing of Jim Thompson and deem him a worthy successor to Cain and Chandler. When he first came out though, in the 1950s and 1960s, he was more readily admired by readers abroad. Movies of his work were not made until relatively recently. Grifters are con men and women. In this novel, Thompson has the grifters down cold. The leads are Lily and her son, Roy. They have a very high tension relationship with one another and the the latent sexuality lurking between them is not the least of it. Marching directly into the midst of this deadly duo is Moira, also a con woman, and Roy's present girlfriend. Moira gets the not so bright idea of stealing money from Lily. These are all fascinating characters, very dark and compelling with not much in the way of redeeming features. This is a great novel with the same hard boiled edginess that Cain and Chandler used. This was made into a movie with Angelica Huston as mother Lily, John Cusack as son Roy and Annette Bening as Moira. It couldn't have been cast any better as they were superb with the first rate screenplay. The movie was moved up to present day LA whereas the book was set back in the 1950s. I highly recommend both.

Rating:
Summary: Pure Thompson... Written with suspense and style to spare
Review: The Grifters is a noir classic, and a must read for all Thompson fans, or new fans of noir. Crime & Con Men, Greed & Love, and more Greed. The Grifters is as smooth as silk, and his noir style hits all the harder because of it.

Rating:
Summary: The most in-depth study of Characters and Life
Review: The Grifters was the first Jim Thompson book I read. This book made him my favorite author of all times. The characters are alive, with you, next door. Anyone who wants to live on the edge.Lilly and Roy live on the wild side. Jim Thompson sucks you into their world. This was no 400 page novel with lots of filler, it was written with broad knowing strokes. I want to own all of his books. I did read others but this is my all-time favorite. Lilly was a tough strong mom who happened to be a grifter but wanted better for her son Roy, above all they were survivors, at any cost. I must say I find the infrences and hints to incestuous desires non-existing This was only played out in the in the movie. I'll have to read it again. I would love to own a hardcover edition but alas it's out of print. I can't afford a first-edition. But alas who knows what the grift will bring.

Rating:
Summary: The most in-depth study of Characters and Life
Review: The Grifters was the first Jim Thompson book I read. This book made him my favorite author of all times. The characters are alive, with you, next door. Anyone who wants to live on the edge.Lilly and Roy live on the wild side. Jim Thompson sucks you into their world. This was no 400 page novel with lots of filler, it was written with broad knowing strokes. I want to own all of his books. I did read others but this is my all-time favorite. Lilly was a tough strong mom who happened to be a grifter but wanted better for her son Roy, above all they were survivors, at any cost. I must say I find the infrences and hints to incestuous desires non-existing This was only played out in the in the movie. I'll have to read it again. I would love to own a hardcover edition but alas it's out of print. I can't afford a first-edition. But alas who knows what the grift will bring.