Tangerine

Tangerine follows the complex reunion of former college roommates Alice and Lucy in 1956 Tangier. Alice lives in Morocco with her new husband John, attempting to build a quiet life, when Lucy appears unexpectedly at her door. The story explores the intense psychological dynamic between the two women against the backdrop of Tangier's winding streets and oppressive heat. Their shared past contains dark elements that begin to surface as Lucy works to reestablish her influence over Alice's life. The novel shifts between both women's perspectives, creating questions about truth, memory, and perception. The exotic setting of 1950s Morocco serves as more than backdrop - the labyrinthine medina and cultural tensions mirror the psychological maze the characters navigate. This atmospheric psychological thriller examines themes of obsession, identity, and the power dynamics that can exist between close female friends. The novel raises questions about how well we can truly know another person, and ourselves.

Readers often compare Tangerine's atmosphere and tension to Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, with many noting the vivid descriptions of 1950s Tangier and the psychological cat-and-mouse dynamic between the two main characters. Readers praised: - The sultry, oppressive Moroccan setting - The unreliable narrator technique - The building sense of dread - The complex female relationship dynamics Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Predictable plot twists - Characters that feel cold and unlikeable - An ending that some found anticlimactic Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (31,000+ ratings) Amazon: 3.9/5 (1,200+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (800+ ratings) "The atmosphere is incredible but the story never quite delivers on its promise," notes one typical Goodreads review. Multiple readers mentioned abandoning the book around the halfway mark due to pacing issues.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith The story of a charismatic impostor who insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy American in 1950s Italy captures the same Mediterranean atmosphere and psychological manipulation found in Tangerine.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier A naive young woman finds herself in an intense psychological power struggle within a grand estate in Cornwall, echoing the themes of identity and female relationships.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt The complex dynamics between college friends and the darkness that binds them together mirrors the psychological intensity of Alice and Lucy's relationship.

Little Stranger by Sarah Waters Set in post-war Britain, this story of class, obsession, and psychological manipulation in a decaying mansion reflects similar themes of identity and perception.

Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller The narrative explores an obsessive friendship between two women and the manipulation that unfolds, told through unreliable perspectives that question truth and memory.

🔸 Author Christine Mangan lived in Morocco while completing her PhD in English, lending authentic detail to her vivid descriptions of Tangier's streets, sounds, and culture. 🔸 The film rights to Tangerine were purchased by George Clooney's production company, with Scarlett Johansson attached to star as the lead character. 🔸 1950s Tangier was known as an "International Zone," governed by multiple European nations, creating a unique melting pot of cultures that serves as the perfect backdrop for the novel's themes of identity and displacement. 🔸 The book's style draws inspiration from Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, another psychological thriller set in sun-drenched Mediterranean locales. 🔸 Before writing Tangerine, Mangan worked as a bookseller and completed three unpublished novels, making this successful thriller her fourth attempt at novel-writing.