caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
2013: Intellectually, I can see why this book has remained a classic. It is a scathing social commentary on life in the 1920s, and maybe even specifically of upper class society in the northeast US. But emotionally, I despised Gatsby, and Tom, and Daisy, and Jordan and many of the other secondary characters so much that reading this book was more torture than pleasure. I had to force myself to finish this book (over 2.5 weeks!) just so I could say I have read it. And then F. Scott Fitzgerald's book will join the ranks of the classic American novels that I despise, i.e., every book ever written by his friend and contemporary, Ernest Hemingway.
Graphic: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Classism, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Gun violence and Racism
atlantisblauw's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Ironically, Gatsby is presented as the mysterious one but you learn more about him than all other characters combined.
Moderate: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Car accident, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Domestic abuse
faith99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Classism, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Racism, Physical abuse, and Car accident
Moderate: Grief and Alcohol
Minor: Murder and Gun violence
nataliapassos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Car accident, Classism, Racism, Alcoholism, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Physical abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
w333d_w0rm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Car accident and Alcohol
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
joygarcialim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
For such a short book though, it started off really slow and the build-up to the climax was slow too.
I don’t really think Fitzgerald wrote with the intention to flesh out the characters, there is a lack of backstory to all of them except Gatsby. As much as I hated Daisy and Tom, Carraway was ostensibly acquainted with them yet didn’t have much to say about them. The dialogues were confusing at times too.
Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Suicide, Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism
eloiseug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Suicide, War, Car accident, Death, Infidelity, and Classism
tifftastic87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
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.
Graphic: Fatphobia, Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Car accident, Classism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
paigeinabook's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcoholism, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Racism, Classism, Death, Gun violence, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Infidelity
Moderate: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Suicide
Minor: Stalking and Antisemitism