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kjofalltrades's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Classism, Alcohol, War, Transphobia, and Outing
sarahthescrivnr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Racism
Minor: War
cozyscones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, Classism, Infidelity, War, and Gun violence
sarah_shelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Lesbophobia, Sexism, and Racism
Minor: War
From the content warnings in the book: "Racism, colorism, transphobia, queerphobia, sexism" in the 1920s & "talk of soldier experiences during and after WWI"rory_john14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Racism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, War, Gun violence, and Racial slurs
Minor: Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Outing, Car accident, and Grief
walrus420's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Misogyny, Racism, and Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, War, and Emotional abuse
avacadosocks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Racism
Minor: Gun violence and War
micaelacccc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: War
percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
- 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
Now, I will be honest and say I wasn't a big fan of the original book by Fitzgerald. In addition to some bad experiences in school when I read it, I also felt like the characters were flat and unlikable, and the story boring and outdated. Now, of course, there can be many arguments that Fitzgerald purposefully wrote it this way, especially with the characters, but I am not here to critique the original story, just adding context for this review.
Self-Made Boys takes everything I disliked about The Great Gatsby and makes them great and unique. The characters were much more likable, even Daisy, who in both versions rides the line between terrible/annoying and sympathetic. I personally enjoy reading likable characters more than unlikable usually, so this was a huge plus for me. As well, the characters just felt more real, fleshed-out, and down to earth. Instead of just acting as caricatures for Fitzgerald to use as vehicles for his main message, they actually felt like they had their own wills and purposes in the narrative, especially Nick who easily could've been relegated back to the simple self-insert for the reader that he was in the original.
With these well-rounded characters, I felt much more invested in their lives and the outcome of each situation they found themselves in. I didn't even remember Jordan from the original and I don't know if Martha existed, but I loved the addition of more female characters. It was so easy to get connected to each character and the story was so much more rich and compelling for me.
The unique elements Anna-Marie McLemore added to the story, from their heritage as a Latine person to their queer identity, really made this book perfect for me. There is something to be said about using personal experience in a novel that really fleshes things out in a way no one else could. McLemore is a fantastic author who knows how to write very well, and I couldn't find a single mistake in this book when I tried. I'm glad to give this book the 5 stars it deserves.
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, War, Body shaming, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual content, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Car accident
abitbetterbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Classism and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia
Minor: War