The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Summary:

Young, handsome and fabulously rich, Jay Gatsby is the bright star of the Jazz Age, but as writer Nick Carraway is drawn into the decadent orbit of his Long Island mansion, where the party never seems to end, he finds himself faced by the mystery of Gatsby's origins and desires. Beneath the shimmering surface of his life, Gatsby is hiding a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled. And soon, this destructive obsession will force his world to unravel.

About the Author: 

Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896 - 1940) was an American novelist and is regarded as one of the great American writers of the 20th century. He wrote 4 novels and many short stories, many centered around the excess of the jazz age. The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, is his third novel. 

Rating:

5 stars - ★★★★★

Review:

An unquestionable 5 stars. The Great Gatsby has immediately been added to my favourite books of all time. This is the second time I have read it and I rated it 5 stars last time too, but it’s been a few years. I didn’t remember a lot of it, and I don’t think I really understood it either.

I took it as a basic love story but I didn’t fully grasp Gatsby’s hopefulness, the way he would stop at nothing to create the life he imagined for him and Daisy. I didn’t understand the shady business dealings that Gatsby was involved in that funded all his lavish parties where he hoped to see Daisy. I never saw how thoughtless and destructive Daisy and Tom were.  

It may seem like a slow start, as before Nick meets Gatsby it feels like a vignette into the lives of the rich and famous. Then Gatsby is introduced and we’re all swept off our feet. 

Fitzgerald’s writing style is one of my favourites. It’s so colourful and beautiful and eloquent and really does transport you into a whole different world. You can hear the music and feel the breeze. I would struggle to pick a scene that really stands out to me as I’d just end up listing all the scenes in the book. I’ll always remember the scene where we first meet Daisy and Jordan, floating on their sofa, surrounded by curtains floating in the wind. I’ll always remember the impromptu party that Nick attends in Tom’s New York apartment that he keeps for his mistress. I’ll always remember when Nick first meets Gatsby. And how Gatsby was so anxious when he organised the ‘accidental’ meeting with Daisy, in the room filled with flowers.

However throughout the story, there is a throbbing feeling that there is more to the story; a darker side and the expectation that it’s not all going to end well. There are fleeting moments of tension that keep you on your toes and make you feel a little uncomfortable with observing these character’s lives.

I don’t think any of these characters were written to be good people. They all betray each other in some way. But every character is distinct and memorable, full of colour and history and faults. Of course Gatsby will always be my favourite. I don’t care what criminal dealings he had, he was madly in love and so focussed on his goal. He worked so hard to become a whole new person, the person he’d always dreamed of being. I would love to read a book about Gatsby’s journey from the son of a poor farmer to the man that he is in the book.

The message of The Great Gatsby is surrounding the unattainability of the American Dream. How Gatsby works hard for years to bring himself up from nothing, but will never be accepted by the ‘old money’ circles. How the ‘old money’ will ignore what they really want in favour of stability and keeping up appearances. But in reality, The Great Gatsby just makes me want to travel in time back to the jazz age for a party. 

This book is incredibly popular and for very good reason, I would recommend it to anyone, unless you’re opposed to being completely and utterly in love with a book. I genuinely want to read it again straight away. I’ve borrowed it from the library and I will definitely have to buy a copy for myself. I have also immediately added all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books to my TBR list.

I also watched the 2013 movie after finishing the book and it captures the experience faultlessly. The characters are perfectly cast, the music makes every scene and Tobey Maguire’s narration is spot on, taking parts word for word from the book. A must-watch after this must-read.

New Words:

Meretricious: apparently attractive but having in reality no value or integrity

Somnambulatory: relating to sleepwalking

Quotes:

Can I put the whole book in this section?