Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - The Great Gatsby

I genuinely don't understand how this book is one of the "great American novels." Maybe there is something to take away about how wealth is a disease or that being a socialite doesn't mean you are liked, likeable, or capable of friendship. But there has got to be a better way to do that then to tell the story of wealthy people getting drunk, complaining, fighting and running around on their spouses.

Nick, the narrator, reminds us so many times that hes one of the few honest men, that I fail to believe he is a reliable narrator at all.

Gatsby, whom we know so little about until the end, is honestly a man who is so stuck on the past when he "fell in love" with an 18 year old barely legal Daisy that he spent his whole life accumulating wealth to get her attention. He throws wild parties just to hope she'll come.

The women, Daisy and Jordan, are pretty much here for decoration and to be an object for the men to either fight over (Daisy) or be guided by (Jordan). The exception is Myrtle who is there to simply show you how horrible Tom is and for Nick to describe as fat and bossy.

She carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can.

Tom is a racist, white supremacist piece of garbage who cheats on his wife, abuses his mistress and just talks trash about everyone.

I disliked every single character in this book. I loathed every page. I am so glad I was never forced to read this in school.

Only giving it some credit for the accuracy in which Fitzgerald describes drunk people and the way he sets scenes.

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paigeinabook's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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thetallestbird's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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lizzye33's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

At first, I wanted to read this because I had lost the opportunity to read this with the other students in my school when I moved. I have always looked forward to what is to come, especially in education, looking forward to when I would learn and create what others would ahead of me but in my own way. When we read Romeo and Juliet, though it was painful for all the others, I fell in love with literature far more deeply than I already had begun; especially set in a time when romanticism seemed more tangible than most can perceive in everyday life in the present. Though I had been warned it was not a story for me with some content less than charming, I have been left with a feeling I can only compare to leaving the theater feeling hope as if given to you by the character and the author themselves in their stead with hope for your own story. You walk in bliss and deep thought and see the world a little brighter, not as it is, but as it could be.

Though there were moments it was harder to understand or feel moved in the right ways, a writer has left me with their poet's heart that has moved mine so brilliantly that fireworks try to meet it but fool themselves that they can. I have always had a great appreciation for Fitzgerald, and though this is his first novel, I am certain I will continue enjoying his work. I love when I find a novel that moves so brilliantly with twists you may see coming but still move in a more powerful way that you can predict and even still surprise you. I love that it is told from Nick's perspective about a man written so perfectly that I wanted to meet him in person.

I am happy that I am older. I can overlook some of the content that would have been harder for me when I was younger, the first two chapters involving the characters getting drunk and smoking and other less-than-Christian activities that would have made me close the book never to pick up again, but I would have missed a story, unlike any novel I have yet to read.

It angers me a bit that the reason why students are to read it is to dissect the culture of the time, the perceptions like Tom had, the races, and monetary discipline, to contrast with greed, which, yes in the end, plays a part, but they miss the whole point when they look at it that way. The love story is a side angle to that regard, and I feel saddened for people who only would remember it as such because this story has a very beautiful tragic undertone which can only be enjoyed by the happy few that come about this on their own who wish to enjoy great literature as it should be.

I recommend this book, but only to those who will acknowledge the preface, do not take it too seriously, and can be prepared to see the world differently than they know now and even quite different than anyone might otherwise be prepared for.

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maggiegirouard's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I think this book is overrated. I think it is weird how people romanticize Daisy and Gatsby. I don’t think they should be an example of a good relationship, or that they were intended to be.

Spoiler

She never knew who he really was, and left him to die and be blamed for a crime she committed without even giving him a clue. he was in love with an idea of Daisy that never really existed. he was obsessed and creepy.

The plot was decently exciting, but it took more than half the book to get there, then ended. I can say that the writing was good. But I think some of the things the book was centered on were not good, like false love, “reinventing” yourself by lying about your past, etc. And I know it was an old book but it was certainly misogynistic. Overall not really a fan but I’m glad I read it and know what people are talking about now. I would recommend to people interested in classics as a sort of you should read it just to know what it is thing.

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