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Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
16 reviews
shelvesofivy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Graphic: Racism and Classism
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Transphobia, Gaslighting, and War
elskabee's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I'm gonna tell my kids this is The Great Gatsby.
I never read any of the original and only made it 5 minutes into that movie version from like 10 years ago. So I went in knowing basically nothing except that people already shipped Jay and Nick from the original so there was precedent and these days I just really want to read trans stories because the cis annoy me sometimes so give me that t4t joy.
I really enjoyed the trans rep and overall queerness in the story, it was a cool speculation on queer community in the 1920's. I found most of the characters to be shallow in that YA kind of way but still just complex enough to be enjoyable and intriguing. I think if you enjoy reading about messy people and their drama this is a good one, but personally I found it a little tiring at times. The obsession with wealth, class, and aesthetics was not something I personally enjoy a lot which is why I haven't bothered tackling the OG but I think the commentary on race was interesting to read seeing as it's own voices and I'm not American. I was pleased with how well the themes of which were woven into the story.
I don't if it's just because I've been having a health crisis in the days of reading this but this shit made me cry. The queer joy and acceptance in this story is its biggest selling point in my opinion and so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this even if it didn't fully capture my interest.
I never read any of the original and only made it 5 minutes into that movie version from like 10 years ago. So I went in knowing basically nothing except that people already shipped Jay and Nick from the original so there was precedent and these days I just really want to read trans stories because the cis annoy me sometimes so give me that t4t joy.
I really enjoyed the trans rep and overall queerness in the story, it was a cool speculation on queer community in the 1920's. I found most of the characters to be shallow in that YA kind of way but still just complex enough to be enjoyable and intriguing. I think if you enjoy reading about messy people and their drama this is a good one, but personally I found it a little tiring at times. The obsession with wealth, class, and aesthetics was not something I personally enjoy a lot which is why I haven't bothered tackling the OG but I think the commentary on race was interesting to read seeing as it's own voices and I'm not American. I was pleased with how well the themes of which were woven into the story.
I don't if it's just because I've been having a health crisis in the days of reading this but this shit made me cry. The queer joy and acceptance in this story is its biggest selling point in my opinion and so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this even if it didn't fully capture my interest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Classism
Moderate: Alcohol and War
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Violence
there's a scene where a character says a racial slur directed towards the latino main character, but the exact word used isn't on page. There is some descriptions of a character's experience as a soldier in WW1 which mentions death, disease, and chemical warfare. I'm happy to say there is no outing, transphobia, or homophobia here!katebrownreads's review
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Gaslighting
brianareads's review against another edition
emotional
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Car accident
kayladaila's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Car accident, Colonisation, and Dysphoria
Minor: War
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
I'll put it simply: Self-Made Boys is the best retelling I've ever read. Not only does the book retain the key plot points and themes of the original, it also achieves a rare feat of improving upon a modern classic, where even more complexity and layers are added to the themes and characters.
To be honest, just the premise itself seems to good to be true - a canon Nick & Gatsby where both are trans and gay in a book made gayer and more diverse! - yet the novel still exceeds my expectations. The themes and characters are tackled with aplomb; what I think I know about Fitzgerald's original, McLemore plumbs the depths even further, adding even more nuance and characterization to their main cast in a way that amazingly connects to their own version. There were several times I had to pause upon stumbling upon such an instance, awed at how they shed a completely new light or perspective on a character and/or their actions. It's a marvel, really.
My favorite thing about this book, however, is the themes and how they're explored. There are the original themes further scrutinized through Nicólas' non-white and non-cis lens, in addition to new ones examined like race, gender, queerness. It's a lot, yet McLemore somehow succeeds in their balancing act, exploring all the themes inidividually while also bringing intersectionality into play. This also makes the characters more layered, with the most prominent example perhaps being Daisy who's deliciously complex, at once infuriating yet understandable.
I only wish there were more scenes of Nicólas and Gatsby after they get together, even just them lounging in the pool and talking or something; currently the focus is turned immediately to Daisy afterwards and it feels a little abrupt. The explanation for Gatsby's endless pursuit of Daisy personally feels a little forced as well, reading mildly like a cop-out. I just don't understand why he's in such a hurry for a lavender marriage, though maybe that's also due in part to Daisy's situation.
In sum, however, this is not merely a great retelling of a well-known classic but also a smartly plotted, layered and complex book that stands on its own, examining the American dream through the POVs of those not traditionally seen or heard in mainstream society.
I'll put it simply: Self-Made Boys is the best retelling I've ever read. Not only does the book retain the key plot points and themes of the original, it also achieves a rare feat of improving upon a modern classic, where even more complexity and layers are added to the themes and characters.
To be honest, just the premise itself seems to good to be true - a canon Nick & Gatsby where both are trans and gay in a book made gayer and more diverse! - yet the novel still exceeds my expectations. The themes and characters are tackled with aplomb; what I think I know about Fitzgerald's original, McLemore plumbs the depths even further, adding even more nuance and characterization to their main cast in a way that amazingly connects to their own version. There were several times I had to pause upon stumbling upon such an instance, awed at how they shed a completely new light or perspective on a character and/or their actions. It's a marvel, really.
My favorite thing about this book, however, is the themes and how they're explored. There are the original themes further scrutinized through Nicólas' non-white and non-cis lens, in addition to new ones examined like race, gender, queerness. It's a lot, yet McLemore somehow succeeds in their balancing act, exploring all the themes inidividually while also bringing intersectionality into play. This also makes the characters more layered, with the most prominent example perhaps being Daisy who's deliciously complex, at once infuriating yet understandable.
I only wish there were more scenes of Nicólas and Gatsby after they get together, even just them lounging in the pool and talking or something; currently the focus is turned immediately to Daisy afterwards and it feels a little abrupt. The explanation for Gatsby's endless pursuit of Daisy personally feels a little forced as well, reading mildly like a cop-out. I just don't understand why he's in such a hurry for a lavender marriage, though maybe that's also due in part to Daisy's situation.
In sum, however, this is not merely a great retelling of a well-known classic but also a smartly plotted, layered and complex book that stands on its own, examining the American dream through the POVs of those not traditionally seen or heard in mainstream society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Gun violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail