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tincrumbs's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
The author's writing glitters in a way different from the original, but it's no less beautiful, sharp, and insightful. They really understood the themes of the original novel and build on them in a way that I really adored. This book gave me so much bubbling joy and I'm so happy to have read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia
pey333's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Infidelity
Minor: War and Classism
antonique_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Racism
katebrownreads's review against another edition
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: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Sexism
_dfogz's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
As someone who enjoyed The Great Gatsby, I didn't know I needed this remix. Highly enjoyable and a masterful retelling with a modern twist. I may look to replace my recollection of the original with this McLemore's remix.
One of the things I loved most about the book was the diverse cast of characters. McLemore reinterprets this literary classic as a story about the underrepresented and marginalized instead of their oppressors. Each character had their own distinct personality and motivations as well as a unique challenge to identity and culture that really adds to their development.
The only criticism I have is that the plot loses its way from time to time with an ending that feels somewhat abrupt or incomplete.
Overall, roaring 20s + queer people of color = a must read!
One of the things I loved most about the book was the diverse cast of characters. McLemore reinterprets this literary classic as a story about the underrepresented and marginalized instead of their oppressors. Each character had their own distinct personality and motivations as well as a unique challenge to identity and culture that really adds to their development.
The only criticism I have is that the plot loses its way from time to time with an ending that feels somewhat abrupt or incomplete.
Overall, roaring 20s + queer people of color = a must read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Racism
novelty_reads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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? No
4.5
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Confession: I didn't really like The Great Gatsby when I read it a few years ago.
I loved the movie though and, book crime or not, I watched it before reading the book. In fact, it quickly became my favourite movie and while it isn't currently, I was excited to delve back deeper into the Gatsby-esque world of 1920's America in Self Made Boys. I also hoped that perhaps it may even spark a love for the original book for me. While I likedthe book, I didn't love it. Although that may also be because it was an English Lit book for school.
Self Made Boys is a remixed classic of The Great Gatsbyfeaturing a vastly diverse cast of characters. It follows Nick, a transgender boy who arrives from Wisconsin to New York City to live alongside his cousin, Daisy and her partner, Tom in the cottage they leased to him in the West Egg. While living there, Nick becomes fascinated by his neighbour, the enigmatic Jay Gatsby who throws wild parties all for the likes of impressing Daisy. He also discovers that Jay is also a lot like Nick. He's transgender too. As the two get closer together, Nick falls in love with Gatsby as he tries to reconnect him with his first and lost love.
I think I preferred this book more than the original which is a testament to the writing of Anna-Marie McLemore. This book, while sticking to and maintaining the heart and soul of The Great Gatsby and what makes it so special, was able to completely reshape it in a way that kept the story fresh, alive and modern. It had heart, it had tenderness and it had character and I absolutely loved the story it shaped up to be.
I loved all the characters from Nick to Gatsby to Daisy. In the original book, I admittedly didn't like Daisy much, not even in the movie either. But this book elevated her character and really developed her more. She wasn't just a rich girl who was about to marry an old-money man, she was a Latina girl who's heritage she hid to fit in with the rich-white society she was hoping to marry into. She was by all means a flawed character but I loved how honest she was, how real she felt and how she developed and grew from trying to meet other people's expectation and mould herself truly into who she wanted to be. And her ending? Satisfying. I loved that she ended up happy and I loved the twist.
For me, Nick, whether be in the original book or movie, always seemed like a passive sort of character. We saw everything from his perspective but we didn't really get to know him that well. I was so happy with this book that we got more glimpses into who he is. I liked seeing his work relations too and I found I learned a lot about commerce, finance and how markets operate economically from this book. I also liked how we also got more glimpses into his family life and how accepting his parents were of his coming out. I overall just enjoyed reading from his perspective and he provided a captivating lens that helped navigate the story well.
I was also really impressed with the hints of transgender history the author incorporated in the book. Admittedly I didn't know much and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to learn through reading. I also liked how we learned more about Latin-American's and how they lived in 1920's society. I also loved how the reflections on the racial systems were handled in this book and Nick's perspective on how his cousin was changing herself including changing her family name to appear more "white" for the sake of fitting in.
All in all, this book was a fantastic take on the Great Gatsbytale with flawed and real characters that made this book come alive on the page. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves The Great Gatsby because, despite the few changes to the original story, Self Made Boys keeps the essence of Gatsby's legend and brings it forward to a new generation of readers.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.4 STARS
Confession: I didn't really like The Great Gatsby when I read it a few years ago.
I loved the movie though and, book crime or not, I watched it before reading the book. In fact, it quickly became my favourite movie and while it isn't currently, I was excited to delve back deeper into the Gatsby-esque world of 1920's America in Self Made Boys. I also hoped that perhaps it may even spark a love for the original book for me. While I likedthe book, I didn't love it. Although that may also be because it was an English Lit book for school.
Self Made Boys is a remixed classic of The Great Gatsbyfeaturing a vastly diverse cast of characters. It follows Nick, a transgender boy who arrives from Wisconsin to New York City to live alongside his cousin, Daisy and her partner, Tom in the cottage they leased to him in the West Egg. While living there, Nick becomes fascinated by his neighbour, the enigmatic Jay Gatsby who throws wild parties all for the likes of impressing Daisy. He also discovers that Jay is also a lot like Nick. He's transgender too. As the two get closer together, Nick falls in love with Gatsby as he tries to reconnect him with his first and lost love.
I think I preferred this book more than the original which is a testament to the writing of Anna-Marie McLemore. This book, while sticking to and maintaining the heart and soul of The Great Gatsby and what makes it so special, was able to completely reshape it in a way that kept the story fresh, alive and modern. It had heart, it had tenderness and it had character and I absolutely loved the story it shaped up to be.
I loved all the characters from Nick to Gatsby to Daisy. In the original book, I admittedly didn't like Daisy much, not even in the movie either. But this book elevated her character and really developed her more. She wasn't just a rich girl who was about to marry an old-money man, she was a Latina girl who's heritage she hid to fit in with the rich-white society she was hoping to marry into. She was by all means a flawed character but I loved how honest she was, how real she felt and how she developed and grew from trying to meet other people's expectation and mould herself truly into who she wanted to be. And her ending? Satisfying. I loved that she ended up happy and I loved the twist.
For me, Nick, whether be in the original book or movie, always seemed like a passive sort of character. We saw everything from his perspective but we didn't really get to know him that well. I was so happy with this book that we got more glimpses into who he is. I liked seeing his work relations too and I found I learned a lot about commerce, finance and how markets operate economically from this book. I also liked how we also got more glimpses into his family life and how accepting his parents were of his coming out. I overall just enjoyed reading from his perspective and he provided a captivating lens that helped navigate the story well.
I was also really impressed with the hints of transgender history the author incorporated in the book. Admittedly I didn't know much and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to learn through reading. I also liked how we learned more about Latin-American's and how they lived in 1920's society. I also loved how the reflections on the racial systems were handled in this book and Nick's perspective on how his cousin was changing herself including changing her family name to appear more "white" for the sake of fitting in.
All in all, this book was a fantastic take on the Great Gatsbytale with flawed and real characters that made this book come alive on the page. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves The Great Gatsby because, despite the few changes to the original story, Self Made Boys keeps the essence of Gatsby's legend and brings it forward to a new generation of readers.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.4 STARS
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Murder, and Classism
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: Homophobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Misogyny, Gun violence, Sexism, 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: Classism, Racism, Transphobia, Alcohol, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Bullying, Infidelity, Dysphoria, Gun violence, and Stalking
Minor: War
libscote's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved this take on The Great Gatsby. I didn't necessarily think of myself as a Great Gatsby fan, but I really enjoyed knowing the beats this story would be built on, and how it would be different based on the changes the author made. Really fun.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Alcohol, and Racial slurs
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: Sexism, Infidelity, and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Misogyny, War, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gun violence