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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
It was a beautiful + tragic love story, but you have to be into that notion of the bad romance. It is a highly quotable book with some gorgeous prose, but yes, it certainly could have done with another round or two of editing. It was a great summer read though that was light and decadent without being trashy.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love fitzgerald’s prose. There’s more thoughts in my journal I think
The writing is beautiful, obvi, and for that reason alone (and the atmosphere it created) this was an enjoyable book. It always tickles my brain in a different way to read older books and I was craving that. That said, I don't think I really took much away from this story - it was one more story of people who pursue pleasure above all and then (surprise!) discover that it isn't enough. Didn't feel like it was saying anything too original but it sure did say it beautifully.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Tense and tragic, F. Scott Fitzgerald fails the Bechdel test, hard. Grading him on a scale, that's not too surprising for his era. There are turns of phrase in here that kept me going, otherwise, it was an altogether slow and yawning tale
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'll freely admit I haven't read a Fitzgerald book for many years....I loved "Great Gatsby" and enjoyed "Curious Case of Benjamin Button" but had a hard time slogging through this novel. I believe he got his point across of the 20's being a lost generation, what selfishness in a marriage results in, and what greed can do to a person and their partner. I believe the novel can be summed up when Anthony states, "Things are sweeter when they're lost. I know --because once I wanted something and got it. It was the only thing I ever wanted badly, Dot. And when I got it it turned to dust in my hands" (287).
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
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
challenging
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
AUhghhsgdhsgds I lost the original review but here we go again! So I didn't finish this book but I'm giving myself points for trying because this was a struggle. I read this after finishing This Side of Paradise and liking it a lot more than I thought I would and had high hopes which were quickly dashed. From the gate I couldn't get myself to care a bit about Anthony Patch. I know Mr. Fitz loves his rich and aimless white boys but this one was a little too annoying for me. Amory Blaine was also cut from this cloth but his brand of pathetic was more amusing and entertaining idk.I also couldn't get into Gloria because she was a rich and cold manic pixie dream girl basically. The plot was so slow and it was just them going to parties and him chasing her and the author letting us know that she's a city girl who can get any man she wants and it's like ok am I supposed to care? Like wow she likes to go to secret jazz clubs and he claims to want to write a book about the Renaissance big whoop.
slow-paced