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thehawk72's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating 3.5
I enjoyed this book because it was quite a change of pace of the things I have been reading as of late. Normally, I like to read YA novels because they are more light-hearted, but I was really feeling the need for something deeper, so I turned to this classic. While the book follows a main character that I don't really relate to, I found his coming-of-age story to be universally applicable. It follows Amory, a young boy who is a self proclaimed egotist, and follows his journey through adolescence, young adulthood, and even after he has been through a war. Not only do his opinions regarding other people change, his opinions regarding himself and the world around him changes due to a variety of factors, some of which were his own fault. Fitzgerald's imagery is really striking, and as much as I know other people may not enjoy lengthy descriptions, I appreciate them because of their aesthetic value. I also loved every single female character that was featured in this novel (even though they were not present for very long) because each of them exhibited such a confident, spunky attitude that was characteristic of the flapper girls at the time. I also think the ending was fairly well deserved; it was not a happy perfect ending where everything was resolved neatly, but it also was not the end of the world for Amory as he battled his feelings.
As of right now, I don't know if I could say I would read it again, but it is a classic that I genuinely enjoyed and would recommend to other people looking for good classics. It is different than the Great Gatsby for sure, so I wouldn't go into this book with a similar mindset, definitely think of it as separate and it will serve its entertainment purposes.
I enjoyed this book because it was quite a change of pace of the things I have been reading as of late. Normally, I like to read YA novels because they are more light-hearted, but I was really feeling the need for something deeper, so I turned to this classic. While the book follows a main character that I don't really relate to, I found his coming-of-age story to be universally applicable. It follows Amory, a young boy who is a self proclaimed egotist, and follows his journey through adolescence, young adulthood, and even after he has been through a war. Not only do his opinions regarding other people change, his opinions regarding himself and the world around him changes due to a variety of factors, some of which were his own fault. Fitzgerald's imagery is really striking, and as much as I know other people may not enjoy lengthy descriptions, I appreciate them because of their aesthetic value. I also loved every single female character that was featured in this novel (even though they were not present for very long) because each of them exhibited such a confident, spunky attitude that was characteristic of the flapper girls at the time. I also think the ending was fairly well deserved; it was not a happy perfect ending where everything was resolved neatly, but it also was not the end of the world for Amory as he battled his feelings.
As of right now, I don't know if I could say I would read it again, but it is a classic that I genuinely enjoyed and would recommend to other people looking for good classics. It is different than the Great Gatsby for sure, so I wouldn't go into this book with a similar mindset, definitely think of it as separate and it will serve its entertainment purposes.
ragnatela's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
2.75
A contradictory main character: vacuous, bewildered, self-confident, full of ideas and in search of ideals. Amory's behaviour annoyed me most of the time, then I realized I'm probably as incoherent as he is and maybe this is the exact reason I can't stand him.
The novel left me with a sense of confusion and incompleteness: maybe this was the author's goal, but I felt the need for a less indefinite conclusion.
(September 2024)
The novel left me with a sense of confusion and incompleteness: maybe this was the author's goal, but I felt the need for a less indefinite conclusion.
(September 2024)
jenntucci2's review against another edition
3.0
2 stars for boring, slow-moving, confusing plot. 4 stars for the gorgeous writing we expect from fitzgerald. This book had potential, I like the slow, dramatic downfall of the protagonist. He falls from his narcissism and loses almost everything.
deirdrecollins's review against another edition
4.0
a boy that praised himself on his appearance, knowledge, and beliefs. We see Amory grow up and while his beliefs change, they always go back to what he originally believed. he is so sure in his beliefs that while he is surrounded by people like Monsignor and Burne, he doesn’t feel the need to consider what they have to say seriously. at the very end he says that he only knows himself, that is all which i don’t even think is true. he knows the idea of himself, the creation of himself that he has made and deemed worthy to share to the world. his journey back to Princeton is evidence of this, that was his truest form and he wants to go back to a time when he felt secure in his identity when his life is currently falling apart around him. Princeton has stayed the same, boys trying to conform. he starts to acknowledge the hardships that he has been through but this is just the start. we leave him at the start of his journey of self actualization. it took him losing everything that he based his personality off of to realize who he was, a selfish child.
coffereads's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mjs73's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs and Xenophobia
mahowarth's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
carolachiusi's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- 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