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A review by eagleshouse
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Perhaps my opinion of this classic is sullied by the fact that it is the first classic I have read in years - however, that doesn't make me hesitate in saying how disappointed I was in Fitzgerald's magnum opus.
I have heard nothing but praise for this book, and having no information except for this, I was excited to finally give it a go. However, whilst the prose is decent, the storyline and characters leaves much to be desired.
I found it difficult to empathise with any characters except the protagonist, Nick Carraway. They weren't even a type of character where it is fun to dislike them; they just seemed boring and uninteresting, even Gatsby himself.
The story as well left much to be desired. Oftentimes I felt as though there was no story at all, but rather that the book was just a collection of regular days for the boring elite of the American 1920s. It wasn't until the very last chapter where I felt as though there was a story worthy of being considered a classic - I could've very easily skipped all the way to the penultimate chapter and still experienced the storyline. However, even during these final chapters did I struggle. It might be due to the fact that I have not read a dated novel in quite some time, but I hadn't even realised Gatsby had died until Carraway states it directly on the phone, and I had to reread the entire chapter trying to figure out how and when he had died. The way Fitzgerald had written it, I had thought it had been the other way around and that Wilson had been shot by Gatsby.
In summary, I think that as far as classics go, this is one of the most confusing and lackluster ones I have read. I might try and reread it soon to try and understand the hype behind it, but overall I feel as though there are many other classical novels that deserve much more appreciation than this one.
I have heard nothing but praise for this book, and having no information except for this, I was excited to finally give it a go. However, whilst the prose is decent, the storyline and characters leaves much to be desired.
I found it difficult to empathise with any characters except the protagonist, Nick Carraway. They weren't even a type of character where it is fun to dislike them; they just seemed boring and uninteresting, even Gatsby himself.
The story as well left much to be desired. Oftentimes I felt as though there was no story at all, but rather that the book was just a collection of regular days for the boring elite of the American 1920s. It wasn't until the very last chapter where I felt as though there was a story worthy of being considered a classic - I could've very easily skipped all the way to the penultimate chapter and still experienced the storyline. However, even during these final chapters did I struggle. It might be due to the fact that I have not read a dated novel in quite some time, but I hadn't even realised Gatsby had died until Carraway states it directly on the phone, and I had to reread the entire chapter trying to figure out how and when he had died. The way Fitzgerald had written it, I had thought it had been the other way around and that Wilson had been shot by Gatsby.
In summary, I think that as far as classics go, this is one of the most confusing and lackluster ones I have read. I might try and reread it soon to try and understand the hype behind it, but overall I feel as though there are many other classical novels that deserve much more appreciation than this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Antisemitism