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Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
41 reviews
m_cant_read's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
I hated the original The Great Gatsby. When I was reading it for school, I jokingly picked up this book to show my friend. After reading the summary, I set it down and laughed about it. Now, most of a year later, I've gone and actually read it. I strongly regret that choice.
I say this with full offense, I was incredibly shocked to find that the author was actually Mexican-American and queer. The book reads as I should've expected, it has a clear modern perspective that interferes with the writing, it wouldn't be a large issue if it wasn't just corny. The book made Nick stupid in all senses other than mathematically, and incredibly unlikable (for this, Fitzgerald would be proud). The author clearly looked into some aspects of the time period, but they failed horrendously at making the book feel like it was actually meant to take place in the 20s. In saying this, I may come off as sounding racist, transphobic, or homophobic, but the problem doesn't start from Nick or anyone else being Latino, trans, or gay. In fact, I think we need more historical fiction surrounding people fitting each of these identities. Instead, the inherent cringe of this book comes from the author's inability to set themself in any place other than the modern day for even a single page. Being loudly queer and "woke" isn't a problem for a book unless it directly conflicts with the story that's being told. Being a book that is meant to be a reimagining of a story of the 20s and choosing to go against every part of the period will make a book bad, no matter how you do it. Aside from the failure to actually comply with any piece of history, the author also fails to comply with the basic rules of writing fiction. The characters are one-dimensional and have nondistinctive writing; characters like these aren't exactly a problem if a story is simply a goofy romance, but the author intended for this book to still hold some of the complexities found within the original novel. Instead of succeeding at making the cast interesting, they just feel like 'Mary Sue's that have too much going on. The plot is muddy and none of the storylines felt as if they were completed cleanly. I imagine the author either got bored after a certain point or was rushed as at some point or another, the book began racing to an end without a satisfying buildup to that point. I also could not understand the point of all the characters being teenagers. I won't dive into that as it's just a stupid choice, but it should be noted that I think that was one of the dumbest things within this book. The decision to unmarry Tom and Daisy was also one I heavily questioned, and I still cannot see the point of it. Maybe it was so Gatsby could chase Daisy in a way that would still allow for the only romantic tension in the book to be Nick's idiocy, but it feels like there could've been other ways to handle it. In this, the most basic points of TGG are present, however, it's done in a way that doesn't make the book read as a remix. Instead, this read as a fanfiction, which works for AO3, but any book actually published to an audience deserves something even a tinge better. In the worst way, this feels like "woke-ified" Dirty Laundry for the nonexistent fandom of The Great Gatsby. The ending was unfun, to say the least, with its originality almost calling back to children's media with its "teamwork makes the dream work" affect.
Despite the fact that the people around me had a genuine concern for my well-being based on my facial expressions while I read this, there were some pieces of this book that I liked. For example, when Jordan first appears, she is described as having the posture of a ballerina rather than the somewhat perverse imagery used in the original. For that alone, I'm giving this book a better rating than I believe this book truly deserves.
Take my reading with a grain of salt as I might just be a bitch.
I say this with full offense, I was incredibly shocked to find that the author was actually Mexican-American and queer. The book reads as I should've expected, it has a clear modern perspective that interferes with the writing, it wouldn't be a large issue if it wasn't just corny. The book made Nick stupid in all senses other than mathematically, and incredibly unlikable (for this, Fitzgerald would be proud). The author clearly looked into some aspects of the time period, but they failed horrendously at making the book feel like it was actually meant to take place in the 20s. In saying this, I may come off as sounding racist, transphobic, or homophobic, but the problem doesn't start from Nick or anyone else being Latino, trans, or gay. In fact, I think we need more historical fiction surrounding people fitting each of these identities. Instead, the inherent cringe of this book comes from the author's inability to set themself in any place other than the modern day for even a single page. Being loudly queer and "woke" isn't a problem for a book unless it directly conflicts with the story that's being told. Being a book that is meant to be a reimagining of a story of the 20s and choosing to go against every part of the period will make a book bad, no matter how you do it. Aside from the failure to actually comply with any piece of history, the author also fails to comply with the basic rules of writing fiction. The characters are one-dimensional and have nondistinctive writing; characters like these aren't exactly a problem if a story is simply a goofy romance, but the author intended for this book to still hold some of the complexities found within the original novel. Instead of succeeding at making the cast interesting, they just feel like 'Mary Sue's that have too much going on. The plot is muddy and none of the storylines felt as if they were completed cleanly. I imagine the author either got bored after a certain point or was rushed as at some point or another, the book began racing to an end without a satisfying buildup to that point. I also could not understand the point of all the characters being teenagers. I won't dive into that as it's just a stupid choice, but it should be noted that I think that was one of the dumbest things within this book. The decision to unmarry Tom and Daisy was also one I heavily questioned, and I still cannot see the point of it. Maybe it was so Gatsby could chase Daisy in a way that would still allow for the only romantic tension in the book to be Nick's idiocy, but it feels like there could've been other ways to handle it. In this, the most basic points of TGG are present, however, it's done in a way that doesn't make the book read as a remix. Instead, this read as a fanfiction, which works for AO3, but any book actually published to an audience deserves something even a tinge better. In the worst way, this feels like "woke-ified" Dirty Laundry for the nonexistent fandom of The Great Gatsby. The ending was unfun, to say the least, with its originality almost calling back to children's media with its "teamwork makes the dream work" affect.
Despite the fact that the people around me had a genuine concern for my well-being based on my facial expressions while I read this, there were some pieces of this book that I liked. For example, when Jordan first appears, she is described as having the posture of a ballerina rather than the somewhat perverse imagery used in the original. For that alone, I'm giving this book a better rating than I believe this book truly deserves.
Take my reading with a grain of salt as I might just be a bitch.
Content Warnings
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and War
q_bert13's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed the twist on the classic, and the author’s portrayal of the trans expirence and queer spaces in the 20’s. The pacing was great for the first 2/3rds- with the last hundred or so pages rushing a bit to seal everything shut. However, I enjoyed McLemore’s style of writing- overall a good read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Racism, Transphobia, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Murder, and Alcohol
alyxinthestars's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Alcohol
earth_to_mars's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I want to preface this review by saying that I know I am not the book's target audience. I am an adult and this is for young adults, so the simplicity of the book and blatant statements of its themes are not going to be held against it.
I also want to say that I just came off of one of the worst books I've read this year so my rating is probably skewed because this was such a breath of fresh air after The Sins on Their Bones.
That being said, I want to start off that this is actually a very well written book. The prose are flowy, descriptive but don't overstay their welcome. It's a good balance between similie, metaphor and exposition that don't feel overdone. One of my favorite lines has to be:
I also want to say that I just came off of one of the worst books I've read this year so my rating is probably skewed because this was such a breath of fresh air after The Sins on Their Bones.
That being said, I want to start off that this is actually a very well written book. The prose are flowy, descriptive but don't overstay their welcome. It's a good balance between similie, metaphor and exposition that don't feel overdone. One of my favorite lines has to be:
"We were boys who created ourselves. We had formed our own bodies, our own lives, from the ribs of the girls we were once assumed to be."
And there's many lines like that throughout the book that make me emotional. Or strike me in a way that I either really enjoyed or heavily related to.
I read The Great Gatsby in high school and I can say the themes — despite it's simplification — are still there. Gatsby still is a prick who compensates by living in excess and overspending his money until bankruptcy until he lets Nick see the unpolished parts of himself that not even Daisy knows about. AM McLemore also adds the conversation of being white passing vs. not white passing and being LGBTQ+ in an era where being a POC or LGBTQ+ person was not welcomed. I cannot speak on the race aspect, but I can say the LGBTQ+, especially the trans aspect was handled with care and respect.
I'm glad McLemore did their due diligence and did not add any harmful language that was present at the time, I feel that would take away from the message they intended here.
[From the Author's Note] As you leave West Egg, I hope you leave knowing this: You are worth being seen as you truly are. You areworth imagining your life for yourself instead of how you may have been told your life must be.
You are worth your own dreams.
I also like that the use of Symington side lacers as a stand in for binders and that McLemore does denounce binding with bandages (very unsafe!) through dialogue from Daisy and again in the author's note. It's brief, maybe a little too brief, but it's good to have regardless.
I think my only gripe with the book is there's not enough of Daisy's arc. I think it's interesting, a girl coming to terms with her sexuality, falling in love despite the world telling her she's only worth what a man says she is. I thought maybe McLemore would make some sort of statement on compulsory heterosexuality. Something I, and many others can relate to. Daisy was shunted in the original Gatsby and I feel she was a little shunted here. Not as much, as she did get her own arc and her own happy ending, but still. She has so much untapped potential and I would love to see more of her and Jordan's relationship and more of her, herself.
In the end, the chemistry between Nick and Jay is well done. Having a T4T couple at the forefront is so rare, and extra rare for them to have a happy ending. In my journal, I compare this to Heartstopper. It is sacchrine, fluffy, but in a way I don't find annoying (maybe I'm just not that cynical). I think this is a good piece of media for young people who are just learning to explore their identities and accepting themselves or for people who just want a book with a fluffy relationship and a happy ending without all the dreariness and bury your gays of it all from other pieces of media.
It's a delightful read and a good break should anyone need it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and War
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Car accident
taliaalongi's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia
jun_liuyue's review
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gosh i live for the remix of classics
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Minor: War
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
My feelings on this book are complicated. Because on one hand it's quite simplistic and very YA in a way that made it very frustrating to read, especially in the beginning. It dumbs down a lot from the Great Gatsby while somehow being longer and doesn't seem to really want to be in conversation with it in a way that made me wish it was just an original story. On the other hand it's fun. It's queer, set in the 20's and has just a bonkers ending. I absolutely loved the exploration of Daisy in this book in a way that made me wish it was her book. I spend the first half of the book thinking the narrative would work better if she was a lesbian, which I was appeased with the twist though I would have liked it to be set up more. I liked the different explorations of passing in regards to race, gender, and sexuality. I also really liked the author's note at the end which I think clarified a lot of the goals that didn't exactly come through for me but are worthy pursuits.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia
mnerd63's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Transphobia
Minor: War
mirandyli's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was a cute retelling of the Great Gatsby with queer and trans main characters. Sort of slow at times and not as good as the other books in this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Classism
kjofalltrades's review
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Outing, Alcohol, War, and Classism