A review by jyotideepa
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

4.0

I devoured this book in 2 days. I was reading this book as a part of a buddy read plan, where we had decided that we will read two chapters per day. But I couldn't resist myself and ended up reading it sooner. 

It's been a long while since a book and its writing style affected me on such a deep level. The book is poignant and the writing is exquisite. This book is set during the ‘Roaring Twenties’ a decade marked by unprecedented economic growth, cultural exuberance, and societal transformation, and reflects on the emptiness of the lives of the careless rich hidden beneath their extravagant facades. 


Jay Gatsby, the neighbour of the narrator, hosts grand parties every week in his huge mansion but none of the people attending these parties know anything about what he does or how he made so much money, although many of them hinted at some illegal means. Our narrator, Nick Carraway who ‘reserves all judgements’ meets Gatsby in one of those parties and pretty soon becomes his closest companion and confidante. Through Nick’s point of view, we know about the man Gatsby and his Heathcliff-like obsession for Daisy Buchanan, who is wealthy, charming and married and the consequences of his tragic love. This book is more than just a love story of a poor guy who fell in love with a rich girl, couldn't marry her, became rich but still loves the girl who is now married; from lavish parties to complex relationships, this classic novel is a captivating exploration of love, wealth, and the elusive American Dream.