Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald 

"The narrator is Nick Carraway who moves next door to Jay Gatsby. Everyone who is anyone comes to his parties at his Long Island mansion. He is young and rich but who is he? The plot unfolds and it is a devastating picture of the 1920s amongst the young and rich of New York. Every word, every sentence is in for a reason. The book is a complete contrast to the modern overlong novel.

Will everyone like it? Probably not but try it. It is a great classic and a wonderful read."

Recommended
*****

"A story about love, deceit and murder set in North America in the 1920s.The main character is Jay Gatsby a rich playboy who holds extravagant parties. Narrated by his neighbour this is in reality a sordid story about rich inadequate people. The theme compares to today's celebrity culture of television  stars, WAGS, film and pop stars.
Excellent descriptions but overdone regarding Gatsby's parties."

Recommended
****

"Nick Carraway meets the main character Jay Gatsby when he moves into a run down rental next to Gatsby's mansion in Long Island in the 1920s. Nick narrates the story and the reader learns in due course how and why Gatsby arrived in the area, and their connection to the Buchanans a couple known to Nick. The differences between Gatsby's and the Buchanan's upbringings is well defined, Gatsby never quite being accepted and the Buchanans having not much thought for others."

Recommended ****


"The setting is1920s America and Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy Buchanan a married lady with a reputation foe extra marital affairs. This eventually leads to disastrous  circumstances  which result in murder and suicide. I found the rest of the story unexciting with the only real drama at the end. For an author with such an acclaimed reputation I was left disappointed."

Not recommended*

"Although this book was written by an acclaimed author, I was disappointed with it's content. A number of people who seem to party their lives away take advantage of the lavish hospitality offered by a very rich man. The story is told by his neighbour and only at the end does anything happen"

Not recommended
**