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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
Why don't all short story collections include an authorial penned table of contents that is adorable and self-deprecating and generally make you wish you could have coffee with said author?
Some of these stories I really liked and others not so much. The fantasies were my favorite. There were great moments of description, narrative and characterization that were quintessentially F. Scott Fitzgerald—I very much enjoyed those.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Not for me. If I wasn't so uptight about finishing every book I start I'd have sacked this one off a while ago.
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tales of the Jazz Age is the second short story collection I’ve read by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This collection was structured differently than his previous collection Flappers and Philosophers. In this collection, the table of contents (and thus the stories) are arranged in categories:
- My Last Flappers
- Fantasies
- Unclassified Masterpieces
In the table of contents, each story under each category has a description written by Fitzgerald himself where he talks just a bit about the story. I loved this set-up! We get to know a little more of what's behind the story itself as well as get more glimpses into Fitzgerald himself.
Tales of the Jazz Age really exhibits Fitzgerald’s writing skills. There is a wide range of genres represented from fantasy to historical fiction to plays and more. For example, one of the plays called “Porcelain and Pink” just amazed me how in something even as short as it was (I literally read it in one sitting) – Fitzgerald’s writing was just on point. Precise. Skilled. Like all the words were meticulously chosen for the perfect finished product. I finished it and was once again just amazed at his writing.
If you’ve not read any of Fitzgerald’s works, this collection is a great place to start (other than The Great Gatsby of course!).
As is often the case with Fitzgerald, these stories were hit and miss for me. I enjoyed some of the stories, such as "The Lees of Happiness" and "The Camel's Back". Others, such as "Porcelain and Pink", I just did not get. However, it was worth the read, and it was a fine first book for my Kindle.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
He captures the angst of the jazz age and the subtlety of falling in love
⭐️⭐️1/2
I really wanted to like this because I was drawn to the writing style and perhaps it was due to the time I was reading these - I would start a story and pick up up a week later, which was maybe why I found it difficult to connect with most of the characters. The stories were interesting in theory but for the most part on the dull side until my interest was piqued and then it returned to just wanting to move onto the next story.
I adored the book shop scene in O Russet Witch and the Glass Cut Bowl was also fantastic but in May Day I got very lost and couldn’t help thinking that a lot of stories would work better (at least for me) if they were longer and gave me more time to care for the characters making, the tedious dialogue seem more worthwhile. I’m sure in the future I will give one of his novels a try.
(Extra bonus points for casually name dropping every prestigious college in the US ever)
I really wanted to like this because I was drawn to the writing style and perhaps it was due to the time I was reading these - I would start a story and pick up up a week later, which was maybe why I found it difficult to connect with most of the characters. The stories were interesting in theory but for the most part on the dull side until my interest was piqued and then it returned to just wanting to move onto the next story.
I adored the book shop scene in O Russet Witch and the Glass Cut Bowl was also fantastic but in May Day I got very lost and couldn’t help thinking that a lot of stories would work better (at least for me) if they were longer and gave me more time to care for the characters making, the tedious dialogue seem more worthwhile. I’m sure in the future I will give one of his novels a try.
(Extra bonus points for casually name dropping every prestigious college in the US ever)