The Great Gatsby: a brief review

taken from www.npr.org

Yep, this was one of the books that somehow slipped through the cracks of both my public education and my personal life. I bought it at some point because it's obviously a classic worth owning, but hadn't read it yet. I actually taught about this book while student teaching 7th grade Social Studies (as part of my master's thesis project, no less), but it turns out you don't need to have read the book to be able to tell some kids why it was important to the American art and literature scene. I think the fact that this is one of those books that everyone assumes I've read makes it that much more satisfying to cross it off my 94 book challenge. Because now people can assume away and it's actually accurate.

(Just in case someone reading this also hasn't read this American classic either:) F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway, who decides to become a New York broker and move into a house on Long Island, which just happens to be next door to Jay Gatsby's mansion. Nick soon becomes very aware of Gatsby's loud, spirited parties, where hundreds of strangers show up on a regular basis to enjoy his music, alcohol, and company. Everyone knows Gatsby, or at least feels as if they do, and have much information to supply about the mysterious man...whether any of it is actually true Nick can only guess. As time passes and Nick develops a strange friendship with Gatsby himself, the mysteries just seem to grow. When he reveals that he has feelings for Nick's (married) cousin Daisy, with whom he shares a past, things start to spiral out of control for everyone.

This book wasn't really what I expected. I'm not sure what I expected, just that this wasn't exactly it. I enjoyed it as a whole - some of the details of Fitzgerald's writing style frustrated me at times - and I felt very intrigued with what would happen next throughout the entire plot. It's a quick, fairly easy read if you're looking to add a little classic literature into your life, and as an added bonus it's a good read too. There is definitely much discussion about friendship, marriage, money, and the pursuit of power intertwined within the entirety of the plot, leaving you with some pretty distinctively clear answers by the end of the book. I wouldn't say I loved it, but I would recommend it for sure.

And just for kicks and giggles, here's the trailer for Leo's version (which I plan to see very soon):