by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Classic
Pages: 165
Published: 5/27/03 by Simon and Schuster
Format: ebook
My rating:
4 out of 5 stars
This was my first time to read The Great Gatsby. I managed to escape my school years without it being assigned reading. Now that I've read it, I'm having a difficult time writing my review. What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? I'm going to skip the usual summary of the plot and just jump straight to my thoughts on this American classic.
I really did like this book. It was interesting and easy to read and enjoyable. But at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder: what is the big deal about this book? It's a short little novel, and just as I was really getting into it, it was over. How has it managed to stand the test of time and remain so well loved?
To answer my own question, this story of a wealthy many trying to find true happiness and love does have a timeless quality to it. Though set in the 1920s, it seems that it could also be written about people today. Especially in America, where living the "American dream" continues to be an ideal for so many. This story demonstrates the downfalls of living a life focused on wealth, material possessions, and social status.
I knew when I started reading that there were some shallow characters in this story. But wow, they were really shallow! At one point, Gatsby is giving a tour of his house, and he begins to pull all of his shirts out of his wardrobe to show off to his guests. Daisy, seeing his shirts, begins to cry and says something like, "I just can't help crying. Those shirts are just so beautiful!" Seriously...who would do that??? Moments like those made it hard for me to take some of the characters seriously. People that shallow surely do not exist in real life, do they?
My final stance on The Great Gatsby: It's a good book that teaches a good lesson on how money and fame cannot buy happiness. Probably not going to go on my list of all time favorite books, but I did enjoy it.
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