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

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

 I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. I hadn’t read any of the remixes in this series (by different authors), but I love retellings and spins on the classics, so I was excited to see what happened. I was really impressed with how this interpretation stayed true to the original in so many ways, especially considering both Gatsby and Nick are trans, many characters are LGBTQIA+, and it’s written for young adult readers. That meant some of the relationships were toned down, and of course the violence at the end of the book is different. It doesn’t detract though; it helps this book standalone, though I would recommend reading it after the original for older readers, and would hope that younger readers would feel inspired to read the original after they finish this one.