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A review by stuartjrodriguez
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
3.0
First, the good: the writing in this novel is stunning—Vo’s execution of craft is top-notch. Her characters are expertly rendered, and her take on Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age New York is sumptuous. I need to check out her fantasy.
However, while characters do not need to be likable, I very much did not enjoy spending any time with the rather awful people in this novel. That’s not Vo’s fault; she both adhered exceedingly well to Fitzgerald’s creations and reimagined them in rich and interesting ways. This novel did remind me that I hated them all the first time around as well, though, so your mileage may vary on this one. If you loved The Great Gatsby and want a fascinating queer take with a little bit of magic, you may love this.
However, while characters do not need to be likable, I very much did not enjoy spending any time with the rather awful people in this novel. That’s not Vo’s fault; she both adhered exceedingly well to Fitzgerald’s creations and reimagined them in rich and interesting ways. This novel did remind me that I hated them all the first time around as well, though, so your mileage may vary on this one. If you loved The Great Gatsby and want a fascinating queer take with a little bit of magic, you may love this.