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joshywat 's review for:
The Beautiful and Damned
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
1.5 DNF at around 45% or so. I really wanted to like this as the Great Gatsby is an all time favourite but I just couldn't. Fitzgerald's flowery laungage is in full force and for that it gets the extra .5. However while the language was used aptly in Gatsby to describe the decadence and foolishness of the American dream here it's used to describe some if the most painfully uninteresting characters I've had the displeasure of reading about. Maybe it's just me, character driven books are not my usual cup of tea but Anthony fucking Patch is just so painfully boring. He's flawed and at times vile but none of that compares to how just uninteresting he is as a book character and a human. He wanders through life aimless and adrift on his grandparents money, he thinks himself on the cusp of some greatness and yet does nothing to reach it. Now this could make for a good character, as could his cowardice and alcoholism but it all fails compared to just how BORING he is. For god sake man do something, say something, beyong polite conversation or half hearted literary discussion. Gloria I assume was also meant to be an unsympathetic character, with her frivolous buying, her 'selfishness' and the countless men she kisses, but honestly she kinda slays. She was the one redeeming ray of interest in this pile of filth. She kisses who she wishes and leaves when they bore her, and given the general standard of these male characters I don't blame her. I wish more time was devoted to her and less to Mr Patch.
There is also rampant sexism, (looking at you Anthony as you decide if you should beat Gloria into submission or kiss her better, fucking xhrist) and strange wording around how hot Gloria is because of how young she looks (or her milky white complexion ew). Also there is one scene in which Anthony is angered beyond reason because Gloria didn't call up to do laundry, and look, I know it's my modern view but like Jesus Christ it's not like either of these people are actually DOING the laundry just call the front desk Anthony you pig.
To be sadly honest though all of this was expected given it's age, but my modern view point had more of an issue brushing these issues aside and they became more and more disheartening to read as they went on.
All in all I may pick it up to finish again just for the sheer joy of watching Anthony collapse and fail as her deserves. However as of right now this book was rarely beautiful and continually dammed.
There is also rampant sexism, (looking at you Anthony as you decide if you should beat Gloria into submission or kiss her better, fucking xhrist) and strange wording around how hot Gloria is because of how young she looks (or her milky white complexion ew). Also there is one scene in which Anthony is angered beyond reason because Gloria didn't call up to do laundry, and look, I know it's my modern view but like Jesus Christ it's not like either of these people are actually DOING the laundry just call the front desk Anthony you pig.
To be sadly honest though all of this was expected given it's age, but my modern view point had more of an issue brushing these issues aside and they became more and more disheartening to read as they went on.
All in all I may pick it up to finish again just for the sheer joy of watching Anthony collapse and fail as her deserves. However as of right now this book was rarely beautiful and continually dammed.