Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - The Great Gatsby

None of the characters were in any way redeemable, the plot was really boring until chapter 7, and chapters 7-8 were the only reasons this book got a 2 rather than a 1. Characters were also really boring and honestly kinda stupid. Also they were all really racist, antisemitic, and misogynistic. I know it reflects the times, but the fact that none of them were in any way good kinda screwed that up.

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jordan_noel's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

This book explores themes of class, love, and achieving happiness.

The characters are all pretty hate-able with serious flaws, even the grand Jay Gatsby.

The story is about the conflict between pursuing our passions and being safe and seemly, especially with financial stability. What do we need in order to pursue love? What will stop us from pursuing what we want?

This book touches on class conflicts, capitalism, love, marriage, and feminism. This small group of superficial acquaintances is oblivious to the challenges of the working class and their own timidity. They almost hide away from the real world, obscured from the public eye by their grand houses and extravagant, opulent lives. In the end, what is most important to them is heartbreaking and only continues the cycle of suffering.

Though I didn't enjoy this book very much, I recognize that it's likely because I need loveable characters in my favorite books. I recognize it as a classic, and therefore, it gets a higher rating. :)

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lizkocher's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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? It's complicated

3.75

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joygarcialim's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-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

3.25

The story of a mass of toxic characters, being observed by Carraway- it’s impressively written, well ahead of its time. The narration was wonderfully crafted and Fitzgerald truly has a way with writing that makes it sombre, even without referencing much to Carraway’s own emotions as the novel unfolded.

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.

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kirstenpod_'s review against another edition

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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

3.75

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tifftastic87's review against another edition

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reflective sad 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

1.5

I genuinely don't understand how this book is one of the "great American novels." Maybe there is something to take away about how wealth is a disease or that being a socialite doesn't mean you are liked, likeable, or capable of friendship. But there has got to be a better way to do that then to tell the story of wealthy people getting drunk, complaining, fighting and running around on their spouses.

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.

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