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aromarrie's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
”Standing here on Earth, we might think there are no green or purple stars anywhere in the universe simply because we can’t detect them. But they could be there. Whether we detect them or not.”
…Gatsby and I may have been nothing to men like Tom Buchanan, but men like that did not know we were as divine as the heavens. We were boys who had created ourselves. We had formed our own bodies, our own lives, from the ribs of the girls we were once assumed to be.
there’s nothing at this moment right now that makes me more happy than the fact that i have finally read my first anna-marie mclemore book, and that this story was the one to take the leap. it feels perfect because all their other stories are complete originals with standout material that i’ve always felt drawn to but with this classic retelling, not only did i get to see how magical this author’s storytelling is when it comes to exploring contemporary settings—but i also got to see how that magic brings to life a popular classic that i briefly remember studying back in high school, and here now it’s been transformed into something so much more profound.
while i’ve never claimed that “the great gatsby” is a favorite classic of mine, i do remmeber some of my discussions of the story and its characters, and so it was genuinely amazing having those vague memories to fall back on as i reconcile it with these reimagined characters who feel so completely authentic, it’s as if they were always part of this classic all along. this is a story about faking appearances and falling into a mirage created by one’s own biases & dreams, and the whole metaphor of drowning is one that feels very intentional as a result. characters even including nicolás, who believed himself to be the most objective & observant of all, drown themselves into certain beliefs that manipulate the way they see what’s going on around them and for that, it leaves them isolated in a shell of their own making.
this whole high society that lives in 1920s New York are a group practically living inside their own bubble, and no matter the numbers that tell of the downfall soon to come for them all if they don’t play more carefully, they live as lavishly and splendidly as their mirage allows them to. nicolás having an interest in math made those numbers feel really daunting, and i loved how the author integrated that kind of knowledge to the actual story itself as we see him observe different patterns that are always rooted down to the bare bones, no subjective meaning to be found. the fact that other characters show otherwise and reveal how tricky those numbers can seem was really wise on the author’s part because the more the story i read, the more i had to reckon with certain scenes that i viewed through one lens, only to end up seeing in in a completely different one later on.
what stayed very consistent though was, as i mentioned earlier, how familiar these characters felt to their original counterparts, it was astounding to witness. nicolás being our main narrator was such a joy because this was our nick carroway, except he was trans and he was latino, and he’s related to our daisy buchanan, who seemed to try to fit the most with the general appearance of her original character as she passed herself off as white, but her own character journey reveals a much more complicated picture that is just her own. gatsby’s character has always been elusive in the classic and in this retelling, it feels the same; although he comes off as so much more sweet & kind-hearted than i could’ve expected, and maybe it’s because all these characters are just so young, but it’s also like…the way this author has written them, it stays true to the source material, but there’s something so earnest about the way these characters interact with each other; seeming to follow a certain caricature that society pictures them as, only then to shed parts of themselves so that they can feel more intimate with the people they care about.
if there’s any character i can think of that i feel like was the most cookie-cutter of them all, it was tom buchanan, the disgraceful idiot that he is, who is cunning in his own way and very sharp in manners but didn’t feel all that original. and that’s maybe just the very point, as alluded to in the second quote i inserted above, tom doesn’t stand out much because he doesn’t feel the need to—he feels his money and white background does enough to make him a strong foothold in everyone’s story, but really he’s just taking up too much space. anything memorable that came from scenes including him is witnessing the tension that is navigating these conversations between high society members with nicolás at the fringes, trying to make sense of what the right thing is to say and what’s the correct way to act.
there was one scene i can recall very vaguely—only because my memory is absolutely horrid—where i felt as if i was sitting on the edge of my seat, easily about to fall over the precipice like these characters were, because a very dangerous game was being played and tom deemed himself the winner. as the story continues to unfold though, it becomes very apparent how easy it is to fool a winner like him. all those high society conversations and the lingo and mannerisms, while not at all my thing, were such an integral part of the original “great gatsby” that i couldn’t help but admire the author for how much they leaned into it, because with nicolás’ background, it only becomes that much more intimidating; knowing the odds stacked up against you as a minority and barely trying to grasp onto any strings that keep you leveled up.
it was nice how that was one aspect that made nicolás & gatsby bond; even if they shared some different reasons for feeling that kind of animosity, seeing how they grow closer & closer was really heartfelt. the conversations nicolás had with other characters were just as engaging, though, most notably with jordan & martha; the latter causing me to experience a huge case of gay panic because she was an absolute gem that makes me wish i could see her have her own story. i mean c’mon:
“People always find something wrong with how much or how little women are doing,” Martha said. “We don’t do as much as they think we should, we’re boring or frigid. If we do more than they think we should, we’re easy or fast. There’s no winning. So I kiss exactly as many or as few girls as I want.”
…
“I hope you find her.”
“Who?” Martha asked.
“A girl you want to smudge your lipstick.”
i can’t even recall if she was from the original classic but either way, martha wolf is a legend in her own right and there’ll never be a scene where she wouldn’t take my breath away, that’s that on that.
ultimately, i had such a positive experience with this story. it feels so profound how much history & meaning the author had put into this, making the classic go even deeper as this story explored what it’s like to be queer & trans in the earlier 20th century of America, and even if there wasn’t enough terminology to put a label on the way these characters felt—there were concepts like lavender marriages & small-knit communities of people who find little alcoves that are just for them to be them and it was so heartwarming getting to see nicolás experience that kind of community and also open himself beyond his home in wisconsin.
which, speaking of, while his family aren’t physically present in the story, nicolás’ parents are one aspect of what drives nicolás in his pursuit of making them proud and feeling as if he owes a debt for all that they’ve done for him in the support they’ve given. daisy’s parents equally hit a heavy note in all the letters she writes to them as we see in brief interludes throughout the story, a sad tension seeming to permeate the words seeing as there’s some radio silence on their end. much more of it could probably be better explored from other reviewers but all in all, this book will have such a huge impact on a lot of readers i know that for sure. the entire concept of this remixed classics series is brilliant in of it itself because it pushes marginalized voices to the forefront and adds another layer to classics many readers love and will only love even more once they see the meaning that each one of them evokes when certain voices are given a chance to be portrayed.
i look forward to reading more of anna-marie mclemore’s writing now that i’ve gotten a good taste of the genius storytelling they’re capable of, and it’ll probably definitely be very emotional, which will be a pleasant emotion to have, i hope.
…Gatsby and I may have been nothing to men like Tom Buchanan, but men like that did not know we were as divine as the heavens. We were boys who had created ourselves. We had formed our own bodies, our own lives, from the ribs of the girls we were once assumed to be.
there’s nothing at this moment right now that makes me more happy than the fact that i have finally read my first anna-marie mclemore book, and that this story was the one to take the leap. it feels perfect because all their other stories are complete originals with standout material that i’ve always felt drawn to but with this classic retelling, not only did i get to see how magical this author’s storytelling is when it comes to exploring contemporary settings—but i also got to see how that magic brings to life a popular classic that i briefly remember studying back in high school, and here now it’s been transformed into something so much more profound.
while i’ve never claimed that “the great gatsby” is a favorite classic of mine, i do remmeber some of my discussions of the story and its characters, and so it was genuinely amazing having those vague memories to fall back on as i reconcile it with these reimagined characters who feel so completely authentic, it’s as if they were always part of this classic all along. this is a story about faking appearances and falling into a mirage created by one’s own biases & dreams, and the whole metaphor of drowning is one that feels very intentional as a result. characters even including nicolás, who believed himself to be the most objective & observant of all, drown themselves into certain beliefs that manipulate the way they see what’s going on around them and for that, it leaves them isolated in a shell of their own making.
this whole high society that lives in 1920s New York are a group practically living inside their own bubble, and no matter the numbers that tell of the downfall soon to come for them all if they don’t play more carefully, they live as lavishly and splendidly as their mirage allows them to. nicolás having an interest in math made those numbers feel really daunting, and i loved how the author integrated that kind of knowledge to the actual story itself as we see him observe different patterns that are always rooted down to the bare bones, no subjective meaning to be found. the fact that other characters show otherwise and reveal how tricky those numbers can seem was really wise on the author’s part because the more the story i read, the more i had to reckon with certain scenes that i viewed through one lens, only to end up seeing in in a completely different one later on.
what stayed very consistent though was, as i mentioned earlier, how familiar these characters felt to their original counterparts, it was astounding to witness. nicolás being our main narrator was such a joy because this was our nick carroway, except he was trans and he was latino, and he’s related to our daisy buchanan, who seemed to try to fit the most with the general appearance of her original character as she passed herself off as white, but her own character journey reveals a much more complicated picture that is just her own. gatsby’s character has always been elusive in the classic and in this retelling, it feels the same; although he comes off as so much more sweet & kind-hearted than i could’ve expected, and maybe it’s because all these characters are just so young, but it’s also like…the way this author has written them, it stays true to the source material, but there’s something so earnest about the way these characters interact with each other; seeming to follow a certain caricature that society pictures them as, only then to shed parts of themselves so that they can feel more intimate with the people they care about.
if there’s any character i can think of that i feel like was the most cookie-cutter of them all, it was tom buchanan, the disgraceful idiot that he is, who is cunning in his own way and very sharp in manners but didn’t feel all that original. and that’s maybe just the very point, as alluded to in the second quote i inserted above, tom doesn’t stand out much because he doesn’t feel the need to—he feels his money and white background does enough to make him a strong foothold in everyone’s story, but really he’s just taking up too much space. anything memorable that came from scenes including him is witnessing the tension that is navigating these conversations between high society members with nicolás at the fringes, trying to make sense of what the right thing is to say and what’s the correct way to act.
there was one scene i can recall very vaguely—only because my memory is absolutely horrid—where i felt as if i was sitting on the edge of my seat, easily about to fall over the precipice like these characters were, because a very dangerous game was being played and tom deemed himself the winner. as the story continues to unfold though, it becomes very apparent how easy it is to fool a winner like him. all those high society conversations and the lingo and mannerisms, while not at all my thing, were such an integral part of the original “great gatsby” that i couldn’t help but admire the author for how much they leaned into it, because with nicolás’ background, it only becomes that much more intimidating; knowing the odds stacked up against you as a minority and barely trying to grasp onto any strings that keep you leveled up.
it was nice how that was one aspect that made nicolás & gatsby bond; even if they shared some different reasons for feeling that kind of animosity, seeing how they grow closer & closer was really heartfelt. the conversations nicolás had with other characters were just as engaging, though, most notably with jordan & martha; the latter causing me to experience a huge case of gay panic because she was an absolute gem that makes me wish i could see her have her own story. i mean c’mon:
“People always find something wrong with how much or how little women are doing,” Martha said. “We don’t do as much as they think we should, we’re boring or frigid. If we do more than they think we should, we’re easy or fast. There’s no winning. So I kiss exactly as many or as few girls as I want.”
…
“I hope you find her.”
“Who?” Martha asked.
“A girl you want to smudge your lipstick.”
i can’t even recall if she was from the original classic but either way, martha wolf is a legend in her own right and there’ll never be a scene where she wouldn’t take my breath away, that’s that on that.
ultimately, i had such a positive experience with this story. it feels so profound how much history & meaning the author had put into this, making the classic go even deeper as this story explored what it’s like to be queer & trans in the earlier 20th century of America, and even if there wasn’t enough terminology to put a label on the way these characters felt—there were concepts like lavender marriages & small-knit communities of people who find little alcoves that are just for them to be them and it was so heartwarming getting to see nicolás experience that kind of community and also open himself beyond his home in wisconsin.
which, speaking of, while his family aren’t physically present in the story, nicolás’ parents are one aspect of what drives nicolás in his pursuit of making them proud and feeling as if he owes a debt for all that they’ve done for him in the support they’ve given. daisy’s parents equally hit a heavy note in all the letters she writes to them as we see in brief interludes throughout the story, a sad tension seeming to permeate the words seeing as there’s some radio silence on their end. much more of it could probably be better explored from other reviewers but all in all, this book will have such a huge impact on a lot of readers i know that for sure. the entire concept of this remixed classics series is brilliant in of it itself because it pushes marginalized voices to the forefront and adds another layer to classics many readers love and will only love even more once they see the meaning that each one of them evokes when certain voices are given a chance to be portrayed.
i look forward to reading more of anna-marie mclemore’s writing now that i’ve gotten a good taste of the genius storytelling they’re capable of, and it’ll probably definitely be very emotional, which will be a pleasant emotion to have, i hope.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Transphobia
Minor: War
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
caidyn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
An extremely queer version of The Great Gatsby? It was fantastic. So queer in so many different ways. And I loved how there really wasn't an outing storyline to it. Not to mention that we have Latinx characters, some who can pass as white and others who can't. Definitely enjoyed this remix!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Alcohol, and Racism
brokenbodybitch's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this remix, I never read the original gatsby, well I tried but never got far, however I saw the newer movie and my partner knows a decent amount about the original so I went in with a fairly base/basic knowledge of the source material.
I really enjoyed the relationships between the main characters and how their friendships/relationships developed/changed/grew over the story, as well as the way the characters queerness presented and grew in the eyes of nicolás and the reader over the course of the book. I adored the ‘self made boys’ bit, and the way the trans experience was explained was relatable and beautiful. Kinda off of that; the writing in this book was really well done and beautiful in my opinion and I loved the way the pov’s were structured to enhance to the story. This was a beautiful ya book with heavy themes of embracing your culture despite what the society around you is saying and be who you are. If classics were like this growing up I can guarantee I would’ve read them all!
I will 100% be getting myself a physical copy of this book and most likely the audiobook as well, so far these remixed classics have been fantastic and I can’t wait to see what else is to come!
Additionally; Avi Roque, and Kyla Garcia narrated the audiobook, they did a fantastic job (I love Avi Roque already) and their narration added to the story so well
Graphic: Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Racial slurs, War, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Initial thoughts;
I did not plan on feeling this emotional tonight….the way this explains the trans experience in internal dialogue was 🥲
I really enjoyed the relationships between the main characters and how their friendships/relationships developed/changed/grew over the story, as well as the way the characters queerness presented and grew in the eyes of nicolás and the reader over the course of the book. I adored the ‘self made boys’ bit, and the way the trans experience was explained was relatable and beautiful. Kinda off of that; the writing in this book was really well done and beautiful in my opinion and I loved the way the pov’s were structured to enhance to the story. This was a beautiful ya book with heavy themes of embracing your culture despite what the society around you is saying and be who you are. If classics were like this growing up I can guarantee I would’ve read them all!
I will 100% be getting myself a physical copy of this book and most likely the audiobook as well, so far these remixed classics have been fantastic and I can’t wait to see what else is to come!
Additionally; Avi Roque, and Kyla Garcia narrated the audiobook, they did a fantastic job (I love Avi Roque already) and their narration added to the story so well
Graphic: Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Racial slurs, War, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Initial thoughts;
I did not plan on feeling this emotional tonight….the way this explains the trans experience in internal dialogue was 🥲
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, Hate crime, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Racial slurs, War, and Blood
patricktreads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
This was a great retelling of gatsby. I really appreciated the quite literal look at “self made boys” and how that and the background of the characters gave a lot to the story. I also really appreciated the authors content warnings and the context notes as both helped the reader with some of the topics discussed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Classism, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Transphobia
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