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Such Great Heights
One part Gatsby, one part John Green, and one part Lana Del Rey... The perfect summer cocktail.
"The easy life is sometimes the hardest life of all." The words rang false to seventeen-year-old Charlie Middle when he first heard his cousin Maisey utter them, between sips of her gold-flaked martini. But by the end of his summer in California, they were among the truest
words he had ever heard.
Such Great Heights is a retelling of The Great Gatsby, by way of Social Network and Less Than Zero. Author, Chris Cole, puts a millennial wardrobe on the Jazz Age classic, mashing up the styles and imagery of Brett Easton Ellis, F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Green into a new and timely voice.
We are offered a ringside seat for the impossible love story of kid billionaire Joss Stember and heiress Maisey Landing. Told in heartbreaking detail through the eyes of Charlie, we watch these young lovers as they fight against the ceaseless waves of the past in a passionate attempt to make their way toward the shores of the present. Battling their own demons, and the demons that seem to prey upon them at every turn.
Through the lens of recently graduated Midwest teen, Charlie Middle, we are afforded a rarefied glimpse into a lifestyle that is usually kept under lock and key. Charlie's innocent summer internship in Silicon Valley quickly morphs into a crucible of excess and intrigue amidst the one percent of the one percent--fraught with star-crossed lovers, million dollar cars, 24-hour parties, high-tech billionaires and a pageantry of excess that would have put Sodom and Gomorrah to shame, let alone East and West Egg.
Such Great Heights is a novel for the Instagram generation, a generation for whom nostalgia is a stylish accessory and instant messages are sacred texts.
★ 2013 IndieReader Summer Book Pick (Coming of Age)
★ 2013 SF Weekly Summer Book Pick
"The easy life is sometimes the hardest life of all." The words rang false to seventeen-year-old Charlie Middle when he first heard his cousin Maisey utter them, between sips of her gold-flaked martini. But by the end of his summer in California, they were among the truest
words he had ever heard.
Such Great Heights is a retelling of The Great Gatsby, by way of Social Network and Less Than Zero. Author, Chris Cole, puts a millennial wardrobe on the Jazz Age classic, mashing up the styles and imagery of Brett Easton Ellis, F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Green into a new and timely voice.
We are offered a ringside seat for the impossible love story of kid billionaire Joss Stember and heiress Maisey Landing. Told in heartbreaking detail through the eyes of Charlie, we watch these young lovers as they fight against the ceaseless waves of the past in a passionate attempt to make their way toward the shores of the present. Battling their own demons, and the demons that seem to prey upon them at every turn.
Through the lens of recently graduated Midwest teen, Charlie Middle, we are afforded a rarefied glimpse into a lifestyle that is usually kept under lock and key. Charlie's innocent summer internship in Silicon Valley quickly morphs into a crucible of excess and intrigue amidst the one percent of the one percent--fraught with star-crossed lovers, million dollar cars, 24-hour parties, high-tech billionaires and a pageantry of excess that would have put Sodom and Gomorrah to shame, let alone East and West Egg.
Such Great Heights is a novel for the Instagram generation, a generation for whom nostalgia is a stylish accessory and instant messages are sacred texts.
★ 2013 IndieReader Summer Book Pick (Coming of Age)
★ 2013 SF Weekly Summer Book Pick
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2013
6 people are currently reading
1534 people want to read
About the author
Chris Cole
1 book13 followersChris Cole was born in Los Angeles before the internet and now lives in Northern California. He is a board member of Quiet Lightning, one of the hottest literary tickets in San Francisco and has been published in several anthologies, magazines, journals, websites and bathroom walls. He runs the West Coast office for a killer User Experience Agency called EffectiveUI and he coaches West Marin Little League games like nobody’s business. And, he is nice to animals. Chris is also co-founder of Pints and Prose, the Fairfax-based reading series founded by the Tuesday Night Writers. He writes daily verse and prose under the name Disembodied Poetics. Such Great Heights is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 4, 2013
I really enjoyed this. Follow the characters as they grow from teens to adults through LA to Silicon Valley. Lots of great pop culture references from LA to SV to San Francisco. Likable though sometimes painful characters (not painfully written, just revisiting the pain of becoming an adult).
(update) I was out walking the dog and ran into a friend I had recommended the book to (who also loved it).
We started talking about the scene where Joss and his brother are driving around LA in the open CJ7; something we had both done and had great memories of; West LA in an open-top car - perfect day as a teen.
Since I'm constantly thinking about this story I thought I ought to give it another star.
(update) I was out walking the dog and ran into a friend I had recommended the book to (who also loved it).
We started talking about the scene where Joss and his brother are driving around LA in the open CJ7; something we had both done and had great memories of; West LA in an open-top car - perfect day as a teen.
Since I'm constantly thinking about this story I thought I ought to give it another star.
August 27, 2013
More like 2.5 stars, only because I do think there was some powerful dialogue. Overall though, the book wasn't what I had hoped.
I understand there had to be swearing in this book. I mean, most of the guys in the book are the type that would spew curse words like candy. Yet, somehow it just caused my teeth to grind. So, for fair warning, if swearing in a big "no" for you, don't pick up this book. Also, I just wanted to say that swearing almost never bothers me in books. Hey, it is realistic. People swear.
Also, I never felt for the characters, although one of the lessons is that the characters did kind of bring misfortune upon themselves. And, the main character, Charlie felt quite bland. He was not likable, or possess any other kind of amiable quality.
Honestly, this book was downright depressing until the last few pages. (I liked the ending.) I know, it is probably supposed to be but... I would recommend a sort of depressing book, perhaps, The Fault in Our Stars over Such Great Heights.
In the end, I do believe some people will love this book, however, I didn't get much out of it. Also, I am sorry for this sloppy review. As you can tell, my thought were scattered involving Such Great Heights!
*I received this book from Firstreads, which in no way altered my 100% honest review.
I understand there had to be swearing in this book. I mean, most of the guys in the book are the type that would spew curse words like candy. Yet, somehow it just caused my teeth to grind. So, for fair warning, if swearing in a big "no" for you, don't pick up this book. Also, I just wanted to say that swearing almost never bothers me in books. Hey, it is realistic. People swear.
Also, I never felt for the characters, although one of the lessons is that the characters did kind of bring misfortune upon themselves. And, the main character, Charlie felt quite bland. He was not likable, or possess any other kind of amiable quality.
Honestly, this book was downright depressing until the last few pages. (I liked the ending.) I know, it is probably supposed to be but... I would recommend a sort of depressing book, perhaps, The Fault in Our Stars over Such Great Heights.
In the end, I do believe some people will love this book, however, I didn't get much out of it. Also, I am sorry for this sloppy review. As you can tell, my thought were scattered involving Such Great Heights!
*I received this book from Firstreads, which in no way altered my 100% honest review.
August 7, 2013
First I'd like to thank the author and Never Too old for YA and NA for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.
Such Great Heights was an enjoyable read that lived up to its description. As a fan of The Great Gatsby and the 20s and also as a huge fan of Lana Del Rey I was very excited to read this story.
For me it was an okay book until the end when it picked up and it was much more engrossing.
One thing I definitely loved about it were the deep lines that you had to read at least twice to let them sink in but once you did you were like wow..
The ones particularly about the past were great.
I feel like this was a true re-telling of The Great Gatsby and I think a great thing was that even with already knowing basically what was going to happen at the end, it wasn't any less interesting.
I loved how well it was translated into modern times with money from the "tech" industry, it is such a perfect analogy and I'm sure there are people who still feel the same about "new money" vs. "old money".
I think it was very well written and I really did enjoy it.
Side note: as someone who grew up surrounding "The Valley" it was awesome to recognize that setting haha
Such Great Heights was an enjoyable read that lived up to its description. As a fan of The Great Gatsby and the 20s and also as a huge fan of Lana Del Rey I was very excited to read this story.
For me it was an okay book until the end when it picked up and it was much more engrossing.
One thing I definitely loved about it were the deep lines that you had to read at least twice to let them sink in but once you did you were like wow..
The ones particularly about the past were great.
I feel like this was a true re-telling of The Great Gatsby and I think a great thing was that even with already knowing basically what was going to happen at the end, it wasn't any less interesting.
I loved how well it was translated into modern times with money from the "tech" industry, it is such a perfect analogy and I'm sure there are people who still feel the same about "new money" vs. "old money".
I think it was very well written and I really did enjoy it.
Side note: as someone who grew up surrounding "The Valley" it was awesome to recognize that setting haha
June 7, 2013
All the thrills of a classic page-turner... with the color and subtle cool of a Sofia Coppola film. Bravo. Could not put this one down. Can't wait for the next one from this author.
June 6, 2013
Chris Cole has written a pop novel that moves about as fast as America crumbles, or: this book starts off with a gunshot and accelerates until its bloody climax.
All the lessons we can learn from The Great Gatsby are here. But we're riding backseat in a Maybach listening to Kanye and Jay-Z, as our shy hero is unknowingly on his way to broker a secret tryst between first and former loves, Joss and Maisey, separated by her father's business interests (and force). The class divide pervades this story, the murder is done in broad daylight (sort of)... a cover book, if you will, yes, but with a clear recalling of the original:
"He tried to beat back whatever it was with his left leg, but there was more than one of them trying to pry their way in. He tried to shut the door but he couldn't." We're not just talking about retelling the same story here; we're dealing with the story and picking up where it left off through the context of today's culture:
"There is no past," she continued. "There are only stories that we tell in the present. The past is a phantom tail that we wag, when we feel anxious; when we need to believe that we take up more space than our mere bodies occupy."
For a book described as "a novel for the Instagram generation, a generation for whom nostalgia is a stylish accessory and instant messages are sacred texts," Such Great Heights is filled with nuggets of wisdom. It says a lot not just about the themes presented in The Great Gatsby -- the idea of America - but also about how it's unfolded since, and how this generation stands before it:
"Here's to bloody !@#$%^ capitalism," Klondike shouted across the rooftops of Reseda, raising a nearly empty bottle of Tanqueray. "May she allow us to dine on her," he pulled Joss in with his meaty arms, "until we decide to devour her!"
Thrilling, real and yet utterly fantastic, Such Great Heights is as profound as it is entertaining and easy to understand. You might find, while reading it, that the great hope and the great possibilities of a new nation are yet alive, here and now, in you and in me, as you've always felt them to be. "Never forget where you came from and you'll never be lost," says a minor character, indelibly.
All the lessons we can learn from The Great Gatsby are here. But we're riding backseat in a Maybach listening to Kanye and Jay-Z, as our shy hero is unknowingly on his way to broker a secret tryst between first and former loves, Joss and Maisey, separated by her father's business interests (and force). The class divide pervades this story, the murder is done in broad daylight (sort of)... a cover book, if you will, yes, but with a clear recalling of the original:
"He tried to beat back whatever it was with his left leg, but there was more than one of them trying to pry their way in. He tried to shut the door but he couldn't." We're not just talking about retelling the same story here; we're dealing with the story and picking up where it left off through the context of today's culture:
"There is no past," she continued. "There are only stories that we tell in the present. The past is a phantom tail that we wag, when we feel anxious; when we need to believe that we take up more space than our mere bodies occupy."
For a book described as "a novel for the Instagram generation, a generation for whom nostalgia is a stylish accessory and instant messages are sacred texts," Such Great Heights is filled with nuggets of wisdom. It says a lot not just about the themes presented in The Great Gatsby -- the idea of America - but also about how it's unfolded since, and how this generation stands before it:
"Here's to bloody !@#$%^ capitalism," Klondike shouted across the rooftops of Reseda, raising a nearly empty bottle of Tanqueray. "May she allow us to dine on her," he pulled Joss in with his meaty arms, "until we decide to devour her!"
Thrilling, real and yet utterly fantastic, Such Great Heights is as profound as it is entertaining and easy to understand. You might find, while reading it, that the great hope and the great possibilities of a new nation are yet alive, here and now, in you and in me, as you've always felt them to be. "Never forget where you came from and you'll never be lost," says a minor character, indelibly.
July 3, 2013
Moving and Unforgettable!!
An impressive novel...well-written! A dramatic and heart-wrenching tale, filled with emotional turmoil and tragedy. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and look forward to reading more from this author. Such Great Heights is one of my favorite reads this summer!!!!
An impressive novel...well-written! A dramatic and heart-wrenching tale, filled with emotional turmoil and tragedy. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and look forward to reading more from this author. Such Great Heights is one of my favorite reads this summer!!!!
May 22, 2013
Modern day Romeo and Juliet set in super rich silicon valley. A really fun read. Chris's profound insight and poetry sine through a great story.
June 13, 2013
I can't believe how much I liked this book! Essentially it is a remake of "The Great Gatsby", but set in modern times. I think I liked it better than the original.
November 13, 2014
This was a good book, but I wasn't blown away by it. It took me a while to get into the story. However, I did love how it mentioned Lana Del Rey.
February 25, 2016
I love the cover of this book. I'm looking forward to reading it...
September 9, 2016
*This review can also be found at my blog Love at First Write
A copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The book was really interesting with the HTML code and just the way it was written before even getting into the plot. The modern take made it an easy read and really enjoyable. I honestly think it's a great young adult book, taking a classic and putting your own twist on it. The book was short and to the point, while still having all the details necessary without making the book boring.
I should probably point out that, as of now, I haven't actually read the Great Gatsby, so I have no comparison. Without that bias, I thought it was a great book. Charlie Middle is Maisy's cousin and he's from the Midwest. He moves out to Silicon Valley (Maisey'e house) for his internship when some crazy stuff goes down. Maisy is married some super old, super rich guy named Reed Graft because her father told her to, even though she loves Joss... Even though she only talked to Joss on the Internet for 6 weeks... It switches back and forth between the present and the past, to kind of show that Joss is still stuck in his past with Maisey (at least thats how I interpreted it?) The initial switch was a bit confusing because it wasn't exactly obvious, just all of a sudden it was Joss's perspective, but it was a quick adjustment. Anyway, Joss has the beginnings of a program called Remake that could very well change the social network world and is set on finishing it to become rich to be with Maisy. He calls up his hacker friends to help him out and do their best to make the program super hard for others to hack. Maisy's dad won't have it though and will do everything in his power to keep Maisy with Reed.
He buys a huge mansion near Maisy and while he finally gets to see her again, he's not himself. Somewhere on his journey to that moment, he's become a different person, and by the time he realizes it and becomes his old self, it's too late! As far as I know it doesn't really follow the Great Gatsby plot so there are quirks that should make it fun for anybody to read :D
It wasn't the BEST book in the world, but I thought it was a great start and after I picked it up I found it hard to put back down :)
A copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The book was really interesting with the HTML code and just the way it was written before even getting into the plot. The modern take made it an easy read and really enjoyable. I honestly think it's a great young adult book, taking a classic and putting your own twist on it. The book was short and to the point, while still having all the details necessary without making the book boring.
I should probably point out that, as of now, I haven't actually read the Great Gatsby, so I have no comparison. Without that bias, I thought it was a great book. Charlie Middle is Maisy's cousin and he's from the Midwest. He moves out to Silicon Valley (Maisey'e house) for his internship when some crazy stuff goes down. Maisy is married some super old, super rich guy named Reed Graft because her father told her to, even though she loves Joss... Even though she only talked to Joss on the Internet for 6 weeks... It switches back and forth between the present and the past, to kind of show that Joss is still stuck in his past with Maisey (at least thats how I interpreted it?) The initial switch was a bit confusing because it wasn't exactly obvious, just all of a sudden it was Joss's perspective, but it was a quick adjustment. Anyway, Joss has the beginnings of a program called Remake that could very well change the social network world and is set on finishing it to become rich to be with Maisy. He calls up his hacker friends to help him out and do their best to make the program super hard for others to hack. Maisy's dad won't have it though and will do everything in his power to keep Maisy with Reed.
He buys a huge mansion near Maisy and while he finally gets to see her again, he's not himself. Somewhere on his journey to that moment, he's become a different person, and by the time he realizes it and becomes his old self, it's too late! As far as I know it doesn't really follow the Great Gatsby plot so there are quirks that should make it fun for anybody to read :D
It wasn't the BEST book in the world, but I thought it was a great start and after I picked it up I found it hard to put back down :)
July 17, 2013
Such Great Heights was a decent book up until the end. And then the ending made it so much better.
There were bits of it that I had a bit of an issue with at first. Maisey's speech was unnatural and didn't flow well at all considering the age she lives in and her own age. She was supposed to be what, 20? 21? And she spoke as if she was Daisy in the roaring 20's. Which was fine, if everyone else spoke the same way. And with the exception of Reed taking on Gatsby's "Old Sport," everyone spoke as if they were in modern times. So Maisey being the only one to speak with inflections and phrases from another time period didn't fit, especially as a 20-year-old from Malibu. Speculation would determine that she was probably doing it as a way to still have some freedom for herself, through speech, despite her father and Reed controlling her life.
I loved the updates to the story; Joss being involved with apps, a new revolutionary drug with no side-effects setting up the climax of the story. Reed's rants about the differences between the classes were offensive and biting and perfectly done; I only wish Joss had had the wit and more importantly the desire to say something just as smart back. I noticed that Lana Del Rey was mentioned in the novel a couple times and she also was quoted as saying this book was worth reading; I think it's safe to say she probably had something to do with it. Which didn't bother me at all, only something that I noticed.
I loved the views into Joss's life on the way to making his billions. It was a good addition that brought more to the story rather than detracting from it. It was nice to have that glimpse into his mindset, something we didn't get with the original Gatsby.
The ending was great. I was curious to see if the author would choose to keep the same plot, but was pleasantly surprised to find that he changed it and it worked. It was very different from the original work, and it still followed logically from the plot. I think there was a kind of poetic justice in the original story; and that isn't lost in this updated version. Different circumstances, same undeniable ending.
And I just want to say, I love the title and how it came to be, and I love the repeated line "It couldn't be helped." It obviously came to mean quite a bit in the end.
There were bits of it that I had a bit of an issue with at first. Maisey's speech was unnatural and didn't flow well at all considering the age she lives in and her own age. She was supposed to be what, 20? 21? And she spoke as if she was Daisy in the roaring 20's. Which was fine, if everyone else spoke the same way. And with the exception of Reed taking on Gatsby's "Old Sport," everyone spoke as if they were in modern times. So Maisey being the only one to speak with inflections and phrases from another time period didn't fit, especially as a 20-year-old from Malibu. Speculation would determine that she was probably doing it as a way to still have some freedom for herself, through speech, despite her father and Reed controlling her life.
I loved the updates to the story; Joss being involved with apps, a new revolutionary drug with no side-effects setting up the climax of the story. Reed's rants about the differences between the classes were offensive and biting and perfectly done; I only wish Joss had had the wit and more importantly the desire to say something just as smart back. I noticed that Lana Del Rey was mentioned in the novel a couple times and she also was quoted as saying this book was worth reading; I think it's safe to say she probably had something to do with it. Which didn't bother me at all, only something that I noticed.
I loved the views into Joss's life on the way to making his billions. It was a good addition that brought more to the story rather than detracting from it. It was nice to have that glimpse into his mindset, something we didn't get with the original Gatsby.
The ending was great. I was curious to see if the author would choose to keep the same plot, but was pleasantly surprised to find that he changed it and it worked. It was very different from the original work, and it still followed logically from the plot. I think there was a kind of poetic justice in the original story; and that isn't lost in this updated version. Different circumstances, same undeniable ending.
And I just want to say, I love the title and how it came to be, and I love the repeated line "It couldn't be helped." It obviously came to mean quite a bit in the end.
October 27, 2014
This book is labelled as a modern retelling of The Great Gatsby for the social media generation, I personally, have never gotten round to reading The Great Gatsby but I did enjoy this book. Though there where a few little niggles, one in particular was Maisey’s speech. For a woman in her early twenties, living in the generation of technology she spoke as if she had just walked out of an old Hollywood movie. Something tells me however that this was intentional on the part of the author to portray just how lonely and messed up the character really is, she uses her speech as a façade to hide behind. The other was the text hidden within code at the beginning of most all paragraphs. I was half way through the book before I realised this existed and had to go back through to read them all.
However that being said I found this book a joy to read. As soon as you lock into the alternating stories/timelines between chapters it flows so easily. The story surrounds four main characters, Maisey, Reed, Joss and Charlie Middle but revolves around Maisey and the love triangle between Maisey, Joss and Reed. We get to follow it all play out through protagonist Charlie Middle, who is somewhat of a wallflower. The contrast between the characters of Reed, Joss and Charlie is well played out. Reed, the extremely rich husband who comes from old new money’s outlook on society and class is horrifying. Joss is the guy who fell in love with a rich girl, had his love ripped away because he is from the wrong side of the tracks and does everything in his power to become worthy of that love again. Charlie is the cousin from the Midwest who gets to see how the other half live and play and gets caught in the middle of love and war.
The book shows us how people constantly try to live up to the expectations of others but lose their true self in the process without even realising it. How constantly living for the past never allows us to move forward and how our actions have a funny way of coming back to bite us in the butt.
All in all this is an interesting and captivating novel that I would recommend to a friend.
However that being said I found this book a joy to read. As soon as you lock into the alternating stories/timelines between chapters it flows so easily. The story surrounds four main characters, Maisey, Reed, Joss and Charlie Middle but revolves around Maisey and the love triangle between Maisey, Joss and Reed. We get to follow it all play out through protagonist Charlie Middle, who is somewhat of a wallflower. The contrast between the characters of Reed, Joss and Charlie is well played out. Reed, the extremely rich husband who comes from old new money’s outlook on society and class is horrifying. Joss is the guy who fell in love with a rich girl, had his love ripped away because he is from the wrong side of the tracks and does everything in his power to become worthy of that love again. Charlie is the cousin from the Midwest who gets to see how the other half live and play and gets caught in the middle of love and war.
The book shows us how people constantly try to live up to the expectations of others but lose their true self in the process without even realising it. How constantly living for the past never allows us to move forward and how our actions have a funny way of coming back to bite us in the butt.
All in all this is an interesting and captivating novel that I would recommend to a friend.
July 26, 2013
I would like to start my review by saying, somewhat shamefully, I have never read The Great Gatsby or seen the film. This makes it impossible for me to compare this book, which proclaims itself as a "retelling of The Great Gatsby," to the real thing. That being said I did enjoy the book and gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars(which I rounded up to 4).
As I have been asked by the author to give an honest and thorough review, I will start by saying I was not a huge fan of the character's names. Joss, Geezer, Klondike, Brogan, Leonitus, the list goes on. Doesn't seem like a big deal but I found myself constantly replacing Joss with Josh. Charlie Middle was the only character with both a normal name and a relatable backstory and personality.
The book takes place in present day Silicon Valley, California and is characterized as a "love story," though I feel that that was one of the least explored themes. Often times I felt that technology and social structure took the front seat while the relationship between Joss Stember and Maisey Landing wasn't fully developed. The book is set in a first person narrative style in which Charlie is the narrator. It alternates chapters between present day and past until about 2/3 through where you are completely in the present. It then alternates between first person and third person narration.
I did enjoy seeing the characters mature from teenagers to adults in just one book. Often times a book only covers weeks or months but the timeline for this book is four-five years, I believe. Another strong point is there is a clear beginning middle and end to this story. It doesn't leave you hanging or wanting more. Though I do wonder what was in Joss' package for Charlie. There were also several times where something unexpected happened in the book and I had to put it down and build back my strength to see how it was all going to turn out.
All in all it was a decently quick summer read that has truly piked my interest in reading a great American classic, so for your first go around, I say job well done, Chris Cole.
As I have been asked by the author to give an honest and thorough review, I will start by saying I was not a huge fan of the character's names. Joss, Geezer, Klondike, Brogan, Leonitus, the list goes on. Doesn't seem like a big deal but I found myself constantly replacing Joss with Josh. Charlie Middle was the only character with both a normal name and a relatable backstory and personality.
The book takes place in present day Silicon Valley, California and is characterized as a "love story," though I feel that that was one of the least explored themes. Often times I felt that technology and social structure took the front seat while the relationship between Joss Stember and Maisey Landing wasn't fully developed. The book is set in a first person narrative style in which Charlie is the narrator. It alternates chapters between present day and past until about 2/3 through where you are completely in the present. It then alternates between first person and third person narration.
I did enjoy seeing the characters mature from teenagers to adults in just one book. Often times a book only covers weeks or months but the timeline for this book is four-five years, I believe. Another strong point is there is a clear beginning middle and end to this story. It doesn't leave you hanging or wanting more. Though I do wonder what was in Joss' package for Charlie. There were also several times where something unexpected happened in the book and I had to put it down and build back my strength to see how it was all going to turn out.
All in all it was a decently quick summer read that has truly piked my interest in reading a great American classic, so for your first go around, I say job well done, Chris Cole.
June 5, 2013
Continuing my tour of cheap and free books on Kindle, I'm wondering if Great Gatsby YA remakes is trying to become a genre.
There was no possible way to read this book without comparing it to Jake, Reinvented (and for the money that is the GG remake I'd read).
Such Great Heights works best as an imitation of Fitzgerald's way with words. The writing itself flows with the same rhythms and at times reaches the profundity of the original.
The injection of modernity in the setting and the way Joss (or Gatsby) gets his money works well. However, the use of "homey" to show off how Joss comes from the tough streets is well, dated at best...I highly doubt "homey" is still in high use...Also the author waited way too long to explicitly state that Joss is black. That adds an interesting and profound twist to the story that should have been emphasized right from the beginning (I sadly didn't catch it until some character commented on it).
I also think this story frames the old money/new money dichotomy very well - something that first time readers of the original can have a difficult time understanding.
Where it really breaks down for me is Maisey and Reed. She acts like a 21st century California princess but she talks like Daisy from the '20s. And seriously - Maisey/Daisy? No one busted any brain cells there. Same goes, but worse, for Reed - who says Old Sport when that's Gatsby's thing and who rides horses when he should be engrossed in Grand Theft Auto or whatever decadent Cali rich guys do these days. Reed's racism speech is more or less a rip off of the original and doesn't work with what's current now. Both are examples of lazy adaptation and they don't work. The more they entered the story, the less I enjoyed it.
So in the end the story has one foot in the 1920's and one foot in Silicon Vally and it doesn't mesh as well as it might if the author had reached for a little more Silion Valley in all the characters.
There was no possible way to read this book without comparing it to Jake, Reinvented (and for the money that is the GG remake I'd read).
Such Great Heights works best as an imitation of Fitzgerald's way with words. The writing itself flows with the same rhythms and at times reaches the profundity of the original.
The injection of modernity in the setting and the way Joss (or Gatsby) gets his money works well. However, the use of "homey" to show off how Joss comes from the tough streets is well, dated at best...I highly doubt "homey" is still in high use...Also the author waited way too long to explicitly state that Joss is black. That adds an interesting and profound twist to the story that should have been emphasized right from the beginning (I sadly didn't catch it until some character commented on it).
I also think this story frames the old money/new money dichotomy very well - something that first time readers of the original can have a difficult time understanding.
Where it really breaks down for me is Maisey and Reed. She acts like a 21st century California princess but she talks like Daisy from the '20s. And seriously - Maisey/Daisy? No one busted any brain cells there. Same goes, but worse, for Reed - who says Old Sport when that's Gatsby's thing and who rides horses when he should be engrossed in Grand Theft Auto or whatever decadent Cali rich guys do these days. Reed's racism speech is more or less a rip off of the original and doesn't work with what's current now. Both are examples of lazy adaptation and they don't work. The more they entered the story, the less I enjoyed it.
So in the end the story has one foot in the 1920's and one foot in Silicon Vally and it doesn't mesh as well as it might if the author had reached for a little more Silion Valley in all the characters.
June 9, 2013
What a great first effort. Move over, Gatsby.
Loved all the characters but Maisey and Reed, both of whom seemed a little too stock.
I also loved that there was no mention that Joss was black until near the end of the story. What difference should it make, really? And how does the reader feel when the reader discovers this?
The fact he was from the "other side of the tracks" was enough. I liked the idea that this story took place just enough in the future that merely money was important enough to make a difference, which was what the novel was about---yes?
Not sure I liked the trick in the Prologue v. the End. Too tricky, for the trick's sake. (Wiggle my index finger)
If one is going to "dialogue" the future, best to stick to it, rather than shift into the past off and on.
Still, this was fun reading. I'll be interested to see what the author comes up with when he is not rewriting a classic.
Loved all the characters but Maisey and Reed, both of whom seemed a little too stock.
I also loved that there was no mention that Joss was black until near the end of the story. What difference should it make, really? And how does the reader feel when the reader discovers this?
The fact he was from the "other side of the tracks" was enough. I liked the idea that this story took place just enough in the future that merely money was important enough to make a difference, which was what the novel was about---yes?
Not sure I liked the trick in the Prologue v. the End. Too tricky, for the trick's sake. (Wiggle my index finger)
If one is going to "dialogue" the future, best to stick to it, rather than shift into the past off and on.
Still, this was fun reading. I'll be interested to see what the author comes up with when he is not rewriting a classic.
January 25, 2014
"The easy life is sometimes the hardest life of all"
If you loved The Great Gatsby then you will love Such Great Heights by Chris Cole.
Such Great Heights is The Great Gatsby told with a modern spice. If you read or watched The Great Gatsby then you will spot the similarities right away but even though they are almost the same, the differences shine in Such Great Heights. It really brings across the message that money will never by you true happiness just things that will soften the pain or distract you from it.
In my opinion, I loved The Great Gatsby more than Such Great Heights but Chris Cole did a great job at remixing the tale.
There were a few typos in my copy of the book with threw me off and I don't know if it's just my coby of did anyone else had the same issue.
Anyway despite the few cons of this book, I still recommend this book.
3/5 stars.
If you loved The Great Gatsby then you will love Such Great Heights by Chris Cole.
Such Great Heights is The Great Gatsby told with a modern spice. If you read or watched The Great Gatsby then you will spot the similarities right away but even though they are almost the same, the differences shine in Such Great Heights. It really brings across the message that money will never by you true happiness just things that will soften the pain or distract you from it.
In my opinion, I loved The Great Gatsby more than Such Great Heights but Chris Cole did a great job at remixing the tale.
There were a few typos in my copy of the book with threw me off and I don't know if it's just my coby of did anyone else had the same issue.
Anyway despite the few cons of this book, I still recommend this book.
3/5 stars.
June 21, 2013
"One part Gatsby, one part John Green, and one part Lana Del Rey... The perfect summer cocktail."
No... Just one part Gatsby. It is a modern take! I did like the modern music references though (ie: Lana Del Rey).
I enjoyed this read, and I definitely recommend it! It's a fun YA novel... And doesn't have to only be for Gatsby lovers!
Although, as a Gatsby lover myself, I was a little annoyed at some of the remakes. But as a novel, I enjoyed it.
Joss, AKA Jay Gatsby, is a little more creepy, I think. He only knew Maisey (Daisy) for 6 weeks. Oh lord. That must have been some love.
There were A LOT of good quotes. Some very similar to those in the original, all different though.
I liked the conceit about chasing the sun.
No... Just one part Gatsby. It is a modern take! I did like the modern music references though (ie: Lana Del Rey).
I enjoyed this read, and I definitely recommend it! It's a fun YA novel... And doesn't have to only be for Gatsby lovers!
Although, as a Gatsby lover myself, I was a little annoyed at some of the remakes. But as a novel, I enjoyed it.
Joss, AKA Jay Gatsby, is a little more creepy, I think. He only knew Maisey (Daisy) for 6 weeks. Oh lord. That must have been some love.
There were A LOT of good quotes. Some very similar to those in the original, all different though.
I liked the conceit about chasing the sun.
June 26, 2013
Good pacing, compelling action, and the plot, which definitely echos the star-crossed Gatsby, rings true for our times. Often, the story approaches melodrama but perhaps this is in character with the lives of the new-new rich in conflict with the old-new rich, both rooted in the continuous explosion of Silicon Valley technologies. The characters are what we glean from their speech and actions; we only glimpse their real thoughts, and these are filtered by a very young narrator. What I most appreciate is the unanswerable question Cole raises: can love, even backed up by the power of money, ever overcome "social geography"?
January 21, 2016
A very good book for teens like myself.The Great Gatsby was metamorphosed excellently.I liked all the male characters even the villainious venture capitalist. A great read except its pace is very quick and that it leaves many questions in the minds of reader as to the app created by protagonist its very very quick rise in social media and the sudden rise of protagonist to a level of Zuckenberg without some concrete development of plot.Even though its a good fast read for anyone who is being bored in a cafe or at airport.
August 17, 2013
This book caught my eye because of the interesting cover art, the Great Gatsby relation and the Lana Del Rey plug. The entire book continually blew my mind. It took me about eight chapters to realize that the code at the beginning of Joss's chapters were intentional, and speaking of, I love that the chapters alternated between Joss and Charlie's point of view. So many surprises and great messages throughout, this book was impeccably written by my taste!
June 1, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very interesting retelling of The Great Gatsby. Despite being inspired by Gatsby, it felt completely original. It is also pretty short, so it goes quickly. I highly recommend it.
August 15, 2013
i got this boook as a first reads copy from goodreads, and i would just like to say that this book was absoloutly amazing and had such a good story line, and made it a worthwhile read, i love evertthing about this book and would definetly read it all over again, :) I LOOOOOOOVEEDDD IT !!!!
June 20, 2013
This book was very good. It is what it is: Gatsby, but revamped. I loved a few of the changes made here and there. The book is the same one Fitzgerald wrote years ago, but its written for, as the description says, the Instagram generation.
July 18, 2013
I received this book free from the author in return for an honest review. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. I loved The Great Gatsby and thought Chris Cole did a great job modernizing it! I'm glad I read this book, thank you!
Want to read
August 1, 2013One part Gatsby, one part john green and one part Queen Lana, am yes please!
July 29, 2017
Clever Fun With "The Great Gatsby"
In 1998 Gus Van Sant produced and directed a shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film "Psycho". Apart from details like updating the prices of things, and allowing for new technology, and the like, (and making some content more explicit), it was literally a remake. Same camera angles, same score, same dialogue. The movie was no fun, made no effort to wink at it's source, and was considered pointless. It was, as you might expect, a critical and popular failure. I mention that only because that project brings into relief the reasons why this book is great, and witty, fun.
This book is a "remake" more like "West Side Story" could be considered a remake of "Romeo and Juliet", although this book has more fun with the source material.
First off, the entire story arc is very similar, and the plot follows the original as much as practical. But that's obvious at the outset.
On one level there's a lot of simple name checking. The original doomed heroine, Daisy, is now Maisey. East Egg and West Egg become East Agave and West Agave. The use of the now archaic phrase "Old Sport". And so on. If read "The Great Gatsby" right before you read this book you can occupy yourself looking for little jokes and winks on almost every page.
One another level the updating is just as amusing. All of the vices had to be updated, (designer drugs instead of bathtub hootch), and all of the trappings of ridiculous wealth had to be updated. The author's choices in this regard displayed a good deal of flair and imagination. The characters' back stories had to be changed. (How did Gatsby acquire his wealth, versus the new doomed hero Joss?). Again, the author's choices were sound. Interestingly, Cole kept some of the old-fashioned touches, (Maisey's voice is much more like Daisy's 1920's voice than a modern woman's), and these throwback connections give some of the scenes and some of the dialogue a languorous or timeless quality that enhances the vaguely surreal and romantic atmosphere of the Maisey scenes.
But of course this is mostly jokes and giggles, and if that's all you got the premise would ultimately wear thin. Here, the author also catches some of the tragedy of the characters' situations, and effectively mirrors the larger themes, including the main theme that it is hopeless to struggle against the past. The finally line of "The Great Gatsby" is one the finest endings ever written, and I'll be darned but Cole actually makes a credible run at capturing its style and spirit while making it his own.
So, is Chris Cole the new Fitzgerald? No, probably not. But he has taken a great and ambitious risk and has written a stylish and knowing homage to "Gatsby" that captures some part of the current zeitgeist. It's a fun book, full of energy and insight, and yet deft enough to poke you in the ribs and wink at you. Admirable.
In 1998 Gus Van Sant produced and directed a shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film "Psycho". Apart from details like updating the prices of things, and allowing for new technology, and the like, (and making some content more explicit), it was literally a remake. Same camera angles, same score, same dialogue. The movie was no fun, made no effort to wink at it's source, and was considered pointless. It was, as you might expect, a critical and popular failure. I mention that only because that project brings into relief the reasons why this book is great, and witty, fun.
This book is a "remake" more like "West Side Story" could be considered a remake of "Romeo and Juliet", although this book has more fun with the source material.
First off, the entire story arc is very similar, and the plot follows the original as much as practical. But that's obvious at the outset.
On one level there's a lot of simple name checking. The original doomed heroine, Daisy, is now Maisey. East Egg and West Egg become East Agave and West Agave. The use of the now archaic phrase "Old Sport". And so on. If read "The Great Gatsby" right before you read this book you can occupy yourself looking for little jokes and winks on almost every page.
One another level the updating is just as amusing. All of the vices had to be updated, (designer drugs instead of bathtub hootch), and all of the trappings of ridiculous wealth had to be updated. The author's choices in this regard displayed a good deal of flair and imagination. The characters' back stories had to be changed. (How did Gatsby acquire his wealth, versus the new doomed hero Joss?). Again, the author's choices were sound. Interestingly, Cole kept some of the old-fashioned touches, (Maisey's voice is much more like Daisy's 1920's voice than a modern woman's), and these throwback connections give some of the scenes and some of the dialogue a languorous or timeless quality that enhances the vaguely surreal and romantic atmosphere of the Maisey scenes.
But of course this is mostly jokes and giggles, and if that's all you got the premise would ultimately wear thin. Here, the author also catches some of the tragedy of the characters' situations, and effectively mirrors the larger themes, including the main theme that it is hopeless to struggle against the past. The finally line of "The Great Gatsby" is one the finest endings ever written, and I'll be darned but Cole actually makes a credible run at capturing its style and spirit while making it his own.
So, is Chris Cole the new Fitzgerald? No, probably not. But he has taken a great and ambitious risk and has written a stylish and knowing homage to "Gatsby" that captures some part of the current zeitgeist. It's a fun book, full of energy and insight, and yet deft enough to poke you in the ribs and wink at you. Admirable.
April 14, 2022
the perspectives between what charlie sees of maisey and joss and their past are a little confusing but the ending was thrilling.
February 6, 2014
2.5 Stars
This wasn't a bad book. That being said, I felt relatively unmoved by it and found it to be a bit boring at certain points when it should have been a quick read at its short page length. The story is one that will be familiar to most: a retelling of The Great Gatsby except updated for the digital age and set in the California paradise that is the Silicon Valley. Now, as a huge fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, I read Such Great Heights with as little bias as I possibly could, but it was hard to ignore what was so obviously being thrown in your face.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do with this book, but I feel like a slightly different execution would have made it a much better story. It didn't need to be a remake of Gatsby at all - infact, had it not been, I think the overall storyline would have been much better. Joss Stember, the 21st Century Jay Gatsby, was a very likeable character and much easier to grasp than his famous counterpart - and the main reason why this is a 2.5 star review. A few chapters are written telling his backstory, which is a nice touch and gave him a bit of depth that he otherwise would not have gotten from the rest of the book. He was also , which was one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it details that the author should have worked with more, and in my opinion would have made for a stronger character and better plot than what we were given. Instead of it being a Gatsby retelling, a story about would have made for a powerful tale that said more than a book that attempted to rehash what F. Scott Fitzgerald had already eloquently written about in a way that few could ever hope to emulate, writers or not.
The writing in the book was very good, though, but any attempt to make vast statements that obviously mimicked certain themes Fitzgerald had already put to paper felt a bit weak and stood out in obvious ways that made it seem like the author was trying too hard.
My main issue with this book, however, was the character of Maisey. Obviously our Daisy Buchanan, Maisey Landing acted the part of the spoiled rich California girl that she was supposed to be, but she fell short with the way she talked. Maisey spoke as if she was fresh from the 1920s, spouting out statements that I would never expect to hear from a young woman of the 21st Century, not even one in her early 20s. This made her very irritating and not at all charming, but if it was done to make her seem phony and less worthy of Joss Stember then it certainly did just that. If not, then it certainly makes one think about what it is exactly that Joss sees in a girl that obnoxious and flaky. I realize, in both books, that the narrator (Nick Carraway and, in this particular work, a young man named Charlie Middle who was a pleasant enough character but not utilized enough to really get much of a feeling for) never really gives the reader a reason to understand what Joss/Gatsby see in Maisey/Daisy, but unlike Fitzgerald, Chris Cole inserts Maisey into Joss' backstory chapters. As a featuring character there, we should be able to see what all the fuss is regarding her. We still don't get much of a grasp on her character, and thus can be left to wonder what's so great about her when she's nothing special in the present and past parts of the novel.
Long story short: if you're looking for an okay retelling of The Great Gatsby than Such Great Heights is the novel for you. I'd suggest sticking with what Fitzgerald wrote. This one pales significantly in comparison.
This wasn't a bad book. That being said, I felt relatively unmoved by it and found it to be a bit boring at certain points when it should have been a quick read at its short page length. The story is one that will be familiar to most: a retelling of The Great Gatsby except updated for the digital age and set in the California paradise that is the Silicon Valley. Now, as a huge fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, I read Such Great Heights with as little bias as I possibly could, but it was hard to ignore what was so obviously being thrown in your face.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do with this book, but I feel like a slightly different execution would have made it a much better story. It didn't need to be a remake of Gatsby at all - infact, had it not been, I think the overall storyline would have been much better. Joss Stember, the 21st Century Jay Gatsby, was a very likeable character and much easier to grasp than his famous counterpart - and the main reason why this is a 2.5 star review. A few chapters are written telling his backstory, which is a nice touch and gave him a bit of depth that he otherwise would not have gotten from the rest of the book. He was also , which was one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it details that the author should have worked with more, and in my opinion would have made for a stronger character and better plot than what we were given. Instead of it being a Gatsby retelling, a story about would have made for a powerful tale that said more than a book that attempted to rehash what F. Scott Fitzgerald had already eloquently written about in a way that few could ever hope to emulate, writers or not.
The writing in the book was very good, though, but any attempt to make vast statements that obviously mimicked certain themes Fitzgerald had already put to paper felt a bit weak and stood out in obvious ways that made it seem like the author was trying too hard.
My main issue with this book, however, was the character of Maisey. Obviously our Daisy Buchanan, Maisey Landing acted the part of the spoiled rich California girl that she was supposed to be, but she fell short with the way she talked. Maisey spoke as if she was fresh from the 1920s, spouting out statements that I would never expect to hear from a young woman of the 21st Century, not even one in her early 20s. This made her very irritating and not at all charming, but if it was done to make her seem phony and less worthy of Joss Stember then it certainly did just that. If not, then it certainly makes one think about what it is exactly that Joss sees in a girl that obnoxious and flaky. I realize, in both books, that the narrator (Nick Carraway and, in this particular work, a young man named Charlie Middle who was a pleasant enough character but not utilized enough to really get much of a feeling for) never really gives the reader a reason to understand what Joss/Gatsby see in Maisey/Daisy, but unlike Fitzgerald, Chris Cole inserts Maisey into Joss' backstory chapters. As a featuring character there, we should be able to see what all the fuss is regarding her. We still don't get much of a grasp on her character, and thus can be left to wonder what's so great about her when she's nothing special in the present and past parts of the novel.
Long story short: if you're looking for an okay retelling of The Great Gatsby than Such Great Heights is the novel for you. I'd suggest sticking with what Fitzgerald wrote. This one pales significantly in comparison.
August 30, 2013
I'm just going to put it straight. I don't like this book. You may feel a different way after reading this book, but I don't like it. I will never put a book down so far as to say people shouldn't read it. You should read it if you like that kind of thing. There were a few things that threw me off.
It was too short
It was uninteresting
There was no buildup and too much happened at once
At times it was hard to follow
So those are my 4 comments about this book. I have more but it's 3am and I have a lot to do. So about number 1. It was too short. With some books you think that its too long and doesn't get to the point. I agree, with some books I'd rather put them down and do something else as we all have better things to do. But think about this. A book can be too short as well. Such Great Heights is only 214 pages. A lot happens in the book in a short amount of time (or shall I say pages) and that makes it hard to follow at times. I must say that some people like the book and give it good reviews, partially due to the fact that its a quick read. But then you're not following the book properly. As your parents have probably said to you "Quality not quantity." Such Great Heights is not an exception to that. Its banking on the quantity side and the quality is not good.
Moving on to my second point. It was uninteresting. I have to say that this one is probably one of the most backed up of all of my points. Everything seemed to blur together and it seemed a bit too much like real life for me to find it not boring. We all have our bored days but this was like the whole thing was one big string of bored days. If you are a teenager or someone with depression you will be able to relate to this more. Its like a mist, everything is hazy and uninteresting. You never find any interest in one particular thing.
If you read my blog there is something you know about me. I hate unanswered questions. At the end of the book I want to have all of my questions answered. No loose ends that would determine what would happen in the next book so you can just guess what happens.
For some reason I published this by accident so this part is an extension if you've already read it.
Also I've just realized the last bit was points 2 and 3 together so there you go I'm not bothered to change it.
Point 4, at times it was hard to follow. This is basically a mixture of all the points. Some authors don't realize that their readers are confused. that's why they do r&rs. By that time it's too late and the book is published. This is why we need to talk to them. They were readers once themselves. They should understand this. Authors! We are confused! Please stop doing this to us. When readers get confused we tend to stop reading after a chapter or 2. Seeing as this is an r&r i had to read the whole book. It was not the best experience. I was very confused and that made it hard to follow. Looking at the whole picture its a chain of things that lead to this. I'm going to stop waffling on now. I think I've just typed the word confused too many times. You guys get the gist.
It was too short
It was uninteresting
There was no buildup and too much happened at once
At times it was hard to follow
So those are my 4 comments about this book. I have more but it's 3am and I have a lot to do. So about number 1. It was too short. With some books you think that its too long and doesn't get to the point. I agree, with some books I'd rather put them down and do something else as we all have better things to do. But think about this. A book can be too short as well. Such Great Heights is only 214 pages. A lot happens in the book in a short amount of time (or shall I say pages) and that makes it hard to follow at times. I must say that some people like the book and give it good reviews, partially due to the fact that its a quick read. But then you're not following the book properly. As your parents have probably said to you "Quality not quantity." Such Great Heights is not an exception to that. Its banking on the quantity side and the quality is not good.
Moving on to my second point. It was uninteresting. I have to say that this one is probably one of the most backed up of all of my points. Everything seemed to blur together and it seemed a bit too much like real life for me to find it not boring. We all have our bored days but this was like the whole thing was one big string of bored days. If you are a teenager or someone with depression you will be able to relate to this more. Its like a mist, everything is hazy and uninteresting. You never find any interest in one particular thing.
If you read my blog there is something you know about me. I hate unanswered questions. At the end of the book I want to have all of my questions answered. No loose ends that would determine what would happen in the next book so you can just guess what happens.
For some reason I published this by accident so this part is an extension if you've already read it.
Also I've just realized the last bit was points 2 and 3 together so there you go I'm not bothered to change it.
Point 4, at times it was hard to follow. This is basically a mixture of all the points. Some authors don't realize that their readers are confused. that's why they do r&rs. By that time it's too late and the book is published. This is why we need to talk to them. They were readers once themselves. They should understand this. Authors! We are confused! Please stop doing this to us. When readers get confused we tend to stop reading after a chapter or 2. Seeing as this is an r&r i had to read the whole book. It was not the best experience. I was very confused and that made it hard to follow. Looking at the whole picture its a chain of things that lead to this. I'm going to stop waffling on now. I think I've just typed the word confused too many times. You guys get the gist.
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