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chelsea_anne's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kez91's review against another edition
4.0
I just felt like reading Fitzgerald, so rather than picking up Gatsby again I thought I'd give this short story collection a go. As expected, it was full of sad, kinda whiny wealthy boys and I really enjoyed most of the stories. Not quite as dazzling or amazing as Gatsby but still had that Fitgerald flair that I love!
krisz's review against another edition
4.0
At first I didn't really like this book. The prose was nice, but the plot... no. If I grab this book once again, I must remember to skip the firs two stories, because after them everything gets better!
Gretchen's Forty Winks was the best, and I also liked The Baby Party. These were unique and had a special kind of humour.
Gretchen's Forty Winks was the best, and I also liked The Baby Party. These were unique and had a special kind of humour.
gen_vie's review against another edition
4.5
1920s aesthetic is my kind of escapist fiction. Thanks again Fitz for keeping me sane.
charliespringbff's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
n0whereinparticular's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
4.0
Right time wrong place
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
michellesetiawan's review against another edition
3.0
I love a story about sad people surrounded by wealth and opulence. As always, Fitzgerald’s prose is beautiful and elegant. Still, most of the characters came across as wallowing-in-self-pity-forever types which didn’t serve the story well, in my opinion, because they weren’t particularly the most endearing men either. I did root for them, but the stories were a little too “rich white man” for me.
graceemreads's review against another edition
4.0
A really interesting short story collection that explores relationships, marriage and the work/life balance. Fitzgerald’s characters and writing are as excellent as ever. I think ‘The Adjuster’ was my favourite out of the collection.
halcyon_nights's review against another edition
3.0
A friend read 'The Great Gatsby', loved it, and recommended it to me. I wasn't at all interested in the drama that I hear goes on in that story (my definition of 'drama' is all-encompassing), but I did want to give Fitzgerald's short stories a shot since I remember enjoying one in school. Yup, just as I thought.
Although I found pretty much all the characters unlikeable, I did enjoy reading the book. Fitzgerald has a very smooth style of writing that made me gobble up the stories so quickly. But his writing style is separate from his characters. From what I read about him, his writing is largely autobiographical; the women he writes are selfish, demanding, and cold. I didn't go that deep into Fitzgerald's life but I can see who some of these women are a dead ringer for.
Some of these stories were written as Fitzgerald was developing the plot of 'The Great Gatsby' so they carried similar themes and characters. I'd recommend this for fans of that book. And if I were to have a favorite story, it would be 'Hot and Cold Blood'.
Although I found pretty much all the characters unlikeable, I did enjoy reading the book. Fitzgerald has a very smooth style of writing that made me gobble up the stories so quickly. But his writing style is separate from his characters. From what I read about him, his writing is largely autobiographical; the women he writes are selfish, demanding, and cold. I didn't go that deep into Fitzgerald's life but I can see who some of these women are a dead ringer for.
Some of these stories were written as Fitzgerald was developing the plot of 'The Great Gatsby' so they carried similar themes and characters. I'd recommend this for fans of that book. And if I were to have a favorite story, it would be 'Hot and Cold Blood'.