A review by grace_astudentreading
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book is my new favorite book of 2022. Maybe my new favorite of all time. It was EVERYTHING. It is impossible to articulate just how incredibly amazing this book was. The writing style is the lyrical prose you can expect from anything Anna-Marie McLemore, and it never fails to make me swoon. It compared beautifully to the original style. The setting was even more stunning than Fitzgerald had originally wrote it. As for the characters, they were spectacular. The original Gatsby's characters were caricatures, designed to represent the time period. McLemore took those sketches and made them museum worthy portraits. Nick was impossible not to love and from the first page I just wanted to wrap him in a million blankets and protect him from the world. Daisy became so much more complex, and while she starts off a bit annoying by the end I absolutely adored her. Her relationship with Jordan was also amazing, and while Jordan was not super developed, she was still a big part of the story and a rock in the sea of angst. And Gatsby. The Great Gatsby became even greater. He had so much heart, I don't even know how to describe him and how much I loved him. Of course, Tom was still horrible. As for the plot, it was so much more queer than the original. We get to see a side of 1920s New York that is a haven to queer people, from clubs to lavender marriages. There was also a sort of side mystery that I found so fun and clever. And if you know the ending of the original, fear not. McLemore takes their own spin on the ending that is so much better and perfect fit for the characters and story they created. Overall, this book is perfection. Whether you liked or hated the original, you will love this book.