Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Classics, Fiction
Pages: 192
Published: April 10th, 1925

Summary: THE GREAT GATSBY, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. 

The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,” it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s. - Goodreads







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Review: (Spoiler-free)

I haven't read a whole lot of classics, but I have read enough of them to see a pattern - in my opinion, they tend to be slow reads. With this in mind, I was excited to start this book. It is quite short, but the movie is so long (haven't watched it, I just saw on netflix that it was over two hours ;) ) I simply guessed it must have a lot of content instead. Also, it's The Great Gatsby. If only to understand the references, I would want to read it. 

It was as I had thought - The Great Gatsby had the typical language of a classic novel - slow, reasonable, somewhat distant. A man telling a story, not living in it. But since it was something I expected, I actually enjoyed it. A slow burner, but it also burns longer afterward, and it suits both the time and the story. The character Nick Carraway is the one retelling what has happened and he is the definition of a reasonable man.

“I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

On to the story itself - I had thought this would be more of a love-story. It was, of course, but I feel like the focus wasn't on the love itself but on the dream of the past, on Gatsby's fame and what, in the end, it was worth. The more I think about it, the more I like it. It is a good story, of loneliness and how different events can line up to disaster. What's nice about the story also is that you get to know what you need to know - what happens in between the important events is not told, because it isn't needed in the story. 

There's not a lot to say besides that. The story was good, the pace was slow but still moving forward and I found myself liking most of the characters, flaws and all. If you haven't read the book yet and your thinking of doing it, you should, definitely! But take it for what it is, because then you will really appreciate it.

Have you read The Great Gatsby? What did you think?