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shingekiyes's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
you actually need to love Gatsby to enjoy this book. as someone who was fascinated and inspired by The Great Gatsby, i really liked how closely this book resembled the original text in terms of pacing, plot, and themes. the dissimilation and destruction of Jordan’s “American Dream” is an interesting parallel to Gatsby’s, and i really loved how the author added a new layer of complexity and authenticity through her perspective as well as her backstory and heritage. Jordan was, like all the characters, a bad person. her struggle to reconcile her tumultuous upbringing, the standards and values of the world around her, and the question to defining and understanding her own identity (as a Vietnamese person and a queer woman) were interesting and unlike anything i’ve read before. i loved seeing the world — Daisy’s flightiness, Nick’s perceptiveness, Tom’s abuse, Gatsby’s ambition — through her eyes and i especially loved that she and Daisy in particular had more agency in their own stories.
as many others have stated in their reviews, i didn’t fully enjoy the magical elements. i think this was due to a lack of proper world-building at the outset. after immersing myself in one version of Gatsby so many times, i wasn’t keen on blindly accepting the, at some points, poorly explained magic systems. however, the magic was sooooo cool and i wish these systems and histories would have been fleshed out so i could have bought into them with more enthusiasm.
the writing style, the pacing, the hopeful (yearning) conclusion were all extremely reminiscent of Fitzgerald’s original work, and Vo’s unique perspective on immigration, Vietnamese culture and community, and womanhood make this work really stand out. a very interesting book that certainly won’t be for everyone but definitely holds its own in comparison to other Gatsby retellings.
as many others have stated in their reviews, i didn’t fully enjoy the magical elements. i think this was due to a lack of proper world-building at the outset. after immersing myself in one version of Gatsby so many times, i wasn’t keen on blindly accepting the, at some points, poorly explained magic systems. however, the magic was sooooo cool and i wish these systems and histories would have been fleshed out so i could have bought into them with more enthusiasm.
the writing style, the pacing, the hopeful (yearning) conclusion were all extremely reminiscent of Fitzgerald’s original work, and Vo’s unique perspective on immigration, Vietnamese culture and community, and womanhood make this work really stand out. a very interesting book that certainly won’t be for everyone but definitely holds its own in comparison to other Gatsby retellings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Car accident, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism
cozyscones's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Car accident, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Toxic friendship, and Classism
faerietalebooks's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
abominablesnowaro's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Points for diversity and queer characters. Some points off for connecting them to demons and doubling down on the antisemitism from The Great Gatsby (but only in a brief mention). Overall weird, but pretty good
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Car accident, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Physical abuse and Antisemitism
cyan_altaria's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
I loved this retelling of The Great Gatsby. I only wish the magic was a little more explained.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, Car accident, and Murder
rachel_here's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Among the many things I love in literature there is magical realism, LGBTQIA+ rep, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Chosen and the Beautiful promised all three and needless to say, I was curious to check it out!
In this story we follow Jordan Baker, a Vietnamese immigrant who learned very early in life that she was different from the other girls of Louisville. Growing up both inside and outside the lavish circles of upper-class society, she built herself a shell of pride and aloofness that allows for very little vulnerability. However she feels at odds with her heritage and the magic that comes with it; and one fateful summer of 1922 will bring the catalyst she needs to discover who she is and the true nature of the people she surrounds herself with.
The Chosen and the Beautiful serves as a retelling of the original novel and, maybe, as a sort of prequel to the events that Nick Carraway writes about months or years later in The Great Gatsby- depending on your interpretation. Jordan's coming-of-age story treads familiar ground while also diving into character's backstory, adding brand new parts, and exploring race, gender and sexuality in 1922's USA.
Simply put, I loved this novel. Nghi Vo paid a great hommage to Fitzgerald's lush prose by fully implementing magical realism into her story, giving it a dream-like feel that I loved losing myself into. Not only that, but the magic itself is a great way to explore the nature of cultural identity, class, and being "othered" in various ways. The story itself, while sticking close to the original novel, still felt like its own thing; and even if I knew how Gatsby's story ended, I wanted to see how Jordan's did - because it really was her story, and not just Gatsby's told from another point of view.
Jordan herself is a really interesting character to follow, and her growth is both strong but subtle enough to feel believable. I loved discovering relationships that didn't really get focused on in the original story, mainly Jordan's relationship with Nick (especially Nick, which I was pleasantly surprised by since their romance was barely a factor in the original novel), Daisy, and even Gatbsy. I was engaged throughout, waiting to have my questions answered, and in the meantime enjoying the superb prose, the understated meanings hidden in the dialogues, and the new parts that were added to the story.
My only complaint would be that a handful of the straight up retold scenes felt rushed to get to other things, and thus weren't as enjoyable as the rest of the book.I'm thinking of the chapter detailing the confrontation between Tom and Gatsby in East Egg and then at the Plaza, culminating in Daisy running Myrtle over. It felt as if it was there because it had to be, and not a lot of deviations could be made; but the climax of Gatsby's relationship with Daisy didn't really gel with the rest of Jordan's story, which made the scene lose its punch. Nick also felt more sympathetic than I figured he was in The Great Gatsby, which I don't know how to feel about, but which also feels plausible enough. (And honestly I loved reading about him as much as about Jordan or Daisy, so it's not like I'm really complaining).
All in all, it was a great read! Of course it's kind of necessary to read The Great Gatsby first to have full context, as The Chosen and the Beautiful doesn't follow the same beats or rise in tension as Fitzgerald's work. I also think people who have no patience for slow-paced books, magic that is introduced mid-sentence with no explanation, and even the original story to some extent, might not enjoy it. Otherwise if you're curious about this book, I highly recommend giving it a try. It is a wonderful companion to the original, and I was pleased to rediscover these characters through a new perspective.
In this story we follow Jordan Baker, a Vietnamese immigrant who learned very early in life that she was different from the other girls of Louisville. Growing up both inside and outside the lavish circles of upper-class society, she built herself a shell of pride and aloofness that allows for very little vulnerability. However she feels at odds with her heritage and the magic that comes with it; and one fateful summer of 1922 will bring the catalyst she needs to discover who she is and the true nature of the people she surrounds herself with.
The Chosen and the Beautiful serves as a retelling of the original novel and, maybe, as a sort of prequel to the events that Nick Carraway writes about months or years later in The Great Gatsby- depending on your interpretation. Jordan's coming-of-age story treads familiar ground while also diving into character's backstory, adding brand new parts, and exploring race, gender and sexuality in 1922's USA.
Simply put, I loved this novel. Nghi Vo paid a great hommage to Fitzgerald's lush prose by fully implementing magical realism into her story, giving it a dream-like feel that I loved losing myself into. Not only that, but the magic itself is a great way to explore the nature of cultural identity, class, and being "othered" in various ways. The story itself, while sticking close to the original novel, still felt like its own thing; and even if I knew how Gatsby's story ended, I wanted to see how Jordan's did - because it really was her story, and not just Gatsby's told from another point of view.
Jordan herself is a really interesting character to follow, and her growth is both strong but subtle enough to feel believable. I loved discovering relationships that didn't really get focused on in the original story, mainly Jordan's relationship with Nick (especially Nick, which I was pleasantly surprised by since their romance was barely a factor in the original novel), Daisy, and even Gatbsy. I was engaged throughout, waiting to have my questions answered, and in the meantime enjoying the superb prose, the understated meanings hidden in the dialogues, and the new parts that were added to the story.
My only complaint would be that a handful of the straight up retold scenes felt rushed to get to other things, and thus weren't as enjoyable as the rest of the book.
All in all, it was a great read! Of course it's kind of necessary to read The Great Gatsby first to have full context, as The Chosen and the Beautiful doesn't follow the same beats or rise in tension as Fitzgerald's work. I also think people who have no patience for slow-paced books, magic that is introduced mid-sentence with no explanation, and even the original story to some extent, might not enjoy it. Otherwise if you're curious about this book, I highly recommend giving it a try. It is a wonderful companion to the original, and I was pleased to rediscover these characters through a new perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Abortion
Minor: Blood, Car accident, and War
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Death, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
foreverinastory's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I need more queer Classics retold. Thank you.
Rep: Adopted Vietnamese aromantic bisexual female MC, homoromantic bisexual male side character, bisexual biracial/Indigenous male side character, everyone is queer basically.
CWs: Alcohol consumption, blood, infidelity, misogyny, murder, racism, sexism, sexual content, toxic friendship, abortion/miscarriage, car accident, gun violence.
Rep: Adopted Vietnamese aromantic bisexual female MC, homoromantic bisexual male side character, bisexual biracial/Indigenous male side character, everyone is queer basically.
CWs: Alcohol consumption, blood, infidelity, misogyny, murder, racism, sexism, sexual content, toxic friendship, abortion/miscarriage, car accident, gun violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Car accident, and Abortion
bluejayreads's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a retelling of The Great Gatsby from the perspective of Jordan Baker - but a Jordan Baker who is a Vietnamese adoptee and unapologetically bisexual, set in a just slightly off-kilter version of Jazz Age New York where the elite drink demon blood whiskey, electricity is more strange than magical lights, and good friends can spend an afternoon floating around the ceilings of the house.
I do not like The Great Gatsby. I read it at age 14 in the worst English class I've ever taken, found it boring and didn't understand any of what the analysis in class said it was about, and decided that it wasn't necessarily a bad book but had no business being as popular as it was. However, my husband adores it, and the fact that he's been pestering me to give it another chance and this book's premise of a queer Vietnamese Jordan Baker convinced me to give this book a shot.
And overall, I'm glad I did. From what I remember of the original Great Gatsby, The Chosen and the Beautiful holds pretty closely to the major plot points - excepting differences in perspective, since this one is told by Jordan Baker. I liked the background of Jordan growing up as a Vietnamese adoptee in turn-of-the-century Kentucky, the subtle and not-so-subtle racism and exclusion she experienced for being Vietnamese despite also being a daughter of a rich and prestigous family, and how she coped - weaponizing her "exotic" beauty, unapologetically embracing her sexual desires for both men and women, and donning emotional armor so as not to care what anyone else may say or think about her.
There are some themes of racism and xenophobia in this book, but up until the end they're mostly undercurrents. For most of the book, i'ts mostly about wealth and decadence and love and magic and how Jay Gatsby's inability to let go of a past love causes the deaths of three people and deeply wounds the woman he loved. Which, if my memory serves, is pretty spot-on to the original book, except for the magic.
Even though this is a new book (released less than two months ago), it reads like an older book, very similar in style to the original Great Gatsby. And I think that's why I didn't like it as much as I should have considering how many things this book has I do like (like magic as a metaphor for cultural identity, queer girls, and love interests who may or may not have sold their souls to demons). The Chosen and the Beautiful was far too faithful to The Great Gatsby for what it was trying to be. It didn't reimagine anything besides Jordan Baker herself, instead taking the entirety of The Great Gatsby and painting a varnish of magic and queerness on it that is very careful to not obscure too much of the original.
This book wasn't bad, but it could have been so much more. It isn't so much a reimagining as it is a boringly faithful retelling with just enough imagination to appeal to people who like fantasy but not The Great Gatsby (like me). I liked it enough to finish it, but I'm mostly disappointed because I think this could have been so much more. Or maybe you just have to like the original book to fully appreciate this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Car accident
Minor: Death, Gun violence, and Blood
Drunk driving, ghosts, blood consumption (mentions), smokingcaramiaculpa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abortion, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Drug use, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Colonisation