One of the most famous and revered pieces of literature, The Great Gatsby is a book almost everyone has read. It is not as inaccessible as most classics, since it was written fairly recently (for a classic, it’s still over 100 years old) the language in this book wasn’t a barrier.
Nick Gatsby, the narrator of the book, is self-describes himself as “unbiased” but that is false and obviously his own biased perspective. Nick may believe himself to be unbiased however it is evident he perceives some of the people around him negatively and some with a rose coloured lens. This distorted narrative adds to the story, as you constantly question the credibility of the facts presented, adding to F Scott Fitzgerald’s genius.
The initial pacing of the book was rather sluggish, and even after progressing through about 50% of it, the plot hadn’t fully taken shape. However, I found that the narrative’s momentum began to escalate exponentially in the latter half. The second half exhibited a captivating and intriguing plot progression that captured and held my attention. However, in my opinion the lacklustre first half took away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
The language of the book is very intricate and beautiful and I’ll remember some of the quotes for the rest of my life. One quote that really hit me, and I believe isn’t particularly famous is when Jordan says, “I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.” The more I thought about it the deeper it hit me. Of course, this isn’t the only witty or poetic line in the book. The lyrical language and the thought provoking one liners along with the underlying messaging make this book a great read.
However, the reason I’ve given this book 3 stars is because while there’s great writing and beautiful messaging, I didn’t enjoy reading the characters. The undertones and even blatant overtones of misogyny in this book were hard for me to get past. I realize it is a “sign of the times” however the portrayal of the female characters as gold diggers, weak willed, evil and spineless along with objectification made me uncomfortable. Additionally, the slower plot while a hallmark of classics took away from my reading experience.
All in all, I see why this book is a classic and I do not regret reading it. Maybe it is something I will revisit in an year or two and do a full 180 and absolutely adore it, but for now I will leave it at a happy medium with a rating of 3 stars
ishita thinks... 