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Gatsby
Everyone knows Gatsby. New money. Murky past. Huge online following. Nic Carraway doesn’t belong amongst the super-rich, but when she scores a cheap summer lease in Long Island, it-girl Jay Gatsby becomes her neighbor.
Gatsby welcomes Nic to her opulent parties attended by the world’s A-list. And in return, Nic helps Gatsby reconnect with an old Nic’s cousin, the ever-charming but now-married Danny Buchanan.
But no one can be careless like the rich. As the summer heats up, Nic finds herself tangled in a web of longing and ambition, betrayal and deceit. In a world where everyone is lying – about and to themselves – can Nic finally tell the truth?
For readers of The Paper Palace, this hot summer story genderflips and reimagines F Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel
Gatsby welcomes Nic to her opulent parties attended by the world’s A-list. And in return, Nic helps Gatsby reconnect with an old Nic’s cousin, the ever-charming but now-married Danny Buchanan.
But no one can be careless like the rich. As the summer heats up, Nic finds herself tangled in a web of longing and ambition, betrayal and deceit. In a world where everyone is lying – about and to themselves – can Nic finally tell the truth?
For readers of The Paper Palace, this hot summer story genderflips and reimagines F Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel
- GenresContemporary
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2025
36 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 27, 2025
Okay, first things first - Please do not be put off by this book if you didn't enjoy The Great Gatsby!
I may be committing a literary faux pas here however I have to say I have never been over enamoured with The Great Gatsby. Like many, my introduction to TGG was mandated by my school (prior to discovering my love of reading) so my thoughts on the novel have always been of nostalgic hatred. I did re-visit the book in the past few years and still cannot see the greatness of it.
So, if that is the case, why did I pick this one up? A few reasons but mostly that I have really enjoyed some recent novels which are retellings of classic novels, I am thinking Demon Copperhead and James to name a couple of recent examples and I was also intrigued by the gender-flip aspect of this one too - gender neutral names like Jay and Nic coming in handy and Daisy Buchanan becoming Danny Buchanan.
This was an interesting novel, really bringing Gatsby into the 21st century and I certainly enjoyed it more than the original. I know that will be blasphemy amongst many literary scholars but we like what we like. As always, if you read the original, you kind of know where it is going but I would recommend this for those who enjoyed or disliked the original Gatsby.
A really strong effort from a gifted writer.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I may be committing a literary faux pas here however I have to say I have never been over enamoured with The Great Gatsby. Like many, my introduction to TGG was mandated by my school (prior to discovering my love of reading) so my thoughts on the novel have always been of nostalgic hatred. I did re-visit the book in the past few years and still cannot see the greatness of it.
So, if that is the case, why did I pick this one up? A few reasons but mostly that I have really enjoyed some recent novels which are retellings of classic novels, I am thinking Demon Copperhead and James to name a couple of recent examples and I was also intrigued by the gender-flip aspect of this one too - gender neutral names like Jay and Nic coming in handy and Daisy Buchanan becoming Danny Buchanan.
This was an interesting novel, really bringing Gatsby into the 21st century and I certainly enjoyed it more than the original. I know that will be blasphemy amongst many literary scholars but we like what we like. As always, if you read the original, you kind of know where it is going but I would recommend this for those who enjoyed or disliked the original Gatsby.
A really strong effort from a gifted writer.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2024
First of all, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, HarperCollins, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
When I saw this book, I knew I had to apply. As a big fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the concept of a modern retelling immediately intrigued me.
This is a magnificent debut! Crowther brilliantly imagines what Gatsby would be like if he (or, in this case, she) lived in 2024, amidst the world of social media. The story deftly explores themes like the pressure of constant public scrutiny, cancel culture, and the ways people think they know you simply because they follow you on Instagram. It’s a fresh, exciting twist on one of the most iconic novels of all time.
One of the things I really appreciated is the gender flip, with Gatsby reimagined as a social media influencer. Because in today’s world, that’s one of the few industries that’s overwhelmingly female-dominated. It feels like an update for our times, with a new context that still captures the original’s essence. Themes like public scrutiny, cancel culture, and the illusion of intimacy online are woven deftly into the narrative, making this retelling both timely and timeless.
The glamour and opulence of the characters’ lives shine through on every page. Crowther brings the characters to life with such vivid descriptions that you can practically hear the laughter at Gatsby’s extravagant parties or picture them gossiping over cocktails. It’s clear that these characters are a little unhinged, but that’s what makes them so compelling.
The prose is stunning. There were moments when I’d stop and marvel at a beautifully crafted sentence or paragraph, thinking, "Wow." It’s a testament to Crowther's skill as a writer. That said, I’ll admit I had some difficulty fully immersing myself at times. Given how iconic Gatsby is and how well-known the original story is, I often found myself comparing the two instead of simply enjoying this retelling. This is no fault of the author—she did an amazing job—but the weight of the original novel’s legacy can’t be ignored. I did find myself wishing for a bit more originality and some fresh ideas beyond the established narrative.
While the modernized version of Daisy (Danny) still carries the same allure and complications as her 1920s counterpart, I found that Danny and Gatsby’s interactions in a world governed by social media added an extra layer of depth—where every word and gesture could be dissected online and they had to hide so no one would see them and post it. The modern Gatsby, too, is a very vulnerable figure inside, driven not just by ambition but by the pressures of online persona management. The idea of “performance” in today’s influencer culture fits seamlessly with the way the original characters operated in their pursuit of fame and status, making the entire story feel both timely and timeless.
Crowther’s retelling subtly critiques the very fabric of influencer culture, where authenticity often feels like a commodity and every relationship is tinted by the lens of public perception. It feels like a commentary on how today’s ‘greatness’ can often be just as shallow as the old-world pursuit of wealth and status. The parallels between the two eras are striking, and it made me reflect on how much of our lives are now governed by an audience, whether real or imagined.
I think this retelling has a lot of potential to engage younger readers and introduce them to the classics. If more authors did something like this with classic novels, it could potentially spark a whole new wave of interest in them. Imagine a series of modern updates—wouldn’t it be a great way to make the classics feel relevant to today’s generation?
Gatsby is set to release on April 10, 2025, exactly 100 years after the original’s publication. That’s a little detail I absolutely love, and it serves as a reminder of how timeless the themes of the novel are, even with a contemporary twist.
Final Thoughts: If you're a fan of the original Gatsby or if you're curious about how the world of social media impacts classic literature, this retelling is a must-read. It’s both a nostalgic journey and a fresh exploration of themes that continue to shape our culture today.
When I saw this book, I knew I had to apply. As a big fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the concept of a modern retelling immediately intrigued me.
This is a magnificent debut! Crowther brilliantly imagines what Gatsby would be like if he (or, in this case, she) lived in 2024, amidst the world of social media. The story deftly explores themes like the pressure of constant public scrutiny, cancel culture, and the ways people think they know you simply because they follow you on Instagram. It’s a fresh, exciting twist on one of the most iconic novels of all time.
One of the things I really appreciated is the gender flip, with Gatsby reimagined as a social media influencer. Because in today’s world, that’s one of the few industries that’s overwhelmingly female-dominated. It feels like an update for our times, with a new context that still captures the original’s essence. Themes like public scrutiny, cancel culture, and the illusion of intimacy online are woven deftly into the narrative, making this retelling both timely and timeless.
The glamour and opulence of the characters’ lives shine through on every page. Crowther brings the characters to life with such vivid descriptions that you can practically hear the laughter at Gatsby’s extravagant parties or picture them gossiping over cocktails. It’s clear that these characters are a little unhinged, but that’s what makes them so compelling.
The prose is stunning. There were moments when I’d stop and marvel at a beautifully crafted sentence or paragraph, thinking, "Wow." It’s a testament to Crowther's skill as a writer. That said, I’ll admit I had some difficulty fully immersing myself at times. Given how iconic Gatsby is and how well-known the original story is, I often found myself comparing the two instead of simply enjoying this retelling. This is no fault of the author—she did an amazing job—but the weight of the original novel’s legacy can’t be ignored. I did find myself wishing for a bit more originality and some fresh ideas beyond the established narrative.
While the modernized version of Daisy (Danny) still carries the same allure and complications as her 1920s counterpart, I found that Danny and Gatsby’s interactions in a world governed by social media added an extra layer of depth—where every word and gesture could be dissected online and they had to hide so no one would see them and post it. The modern Gatsby, too, is a very vulnerable figure inside, driven not just by ambition but by the pressures of online persona management. The idea of “performance” in today’s influencer culture fits seamlessly with the way the original characters operated in their pursuit of fame and status, making the entire story feel both timely and timeless.
Crowther’s retelling subtly critiques the very fabric of influencer culture, where authenticity often feels like a commodity and every relationship is tinted by the lens of public perception. It feels like a commentary on how today’s ‘greatness’ can often be just as shallow as the old-world pursuit of wealth and status. The parallels between the two eras are striking, and it made me reflect on how much of our lives are now governed by an audience, whether real or imagined.
I think this retelling has a lot of potential to engage younger readers and introduce them to the classics. If more authors did something like this with classic novels, it could potentially spark a whole new wave of interest in them. Imagine a series of modern updates—wouldn’t it be a great way to make the classics feel relevant to today’s generation?
Gatsby is set to release on April 10, 2025, exactly 100 years after the original’s publication. That’s a little detail I absolutely love, and it serves as a reminder of how timeless the themes of the novel are, even with a contemporary twist.
Final Thoughts: If you're a fan of the original Gatsby or if you're curious about how the world of social media impacts classic literature, this retelling is a must-read. It’s both a nostalgic journey and a fresh exploration of themes that continue to shape our culture today.
February 28, 2025
There's always something hubristic about taking on the challenge of re-writing a classic: it can be done, of course, but the adaptation needs to bring something new to the table as Wide Sargasso Sea does to Jane Eyre.
This modernisation of The Great Gatsby does a good job of fitting the story to our present, making Jay Gatsby a female social media influencer but I found it all a bit soulless and over-explained. When Nic first meets Gatsby, she explains: ' I recognized the dreamer in her. We were both in pursuit of something we imagined would deliver pure happiness.' I felt that this told us everything at 1% of the book whereas in Fitzgerald Gatsby remains an enigma until the end.
The other issue is that Fitzgerald is a supreme stylist and while this book isn't badly written, not many authors can match him sentence for sentence. The comparison doesn't do this author any favors.
So for me this felt too much like a fake or dupe of the real thing - I'd recommend it to readers who haven't read Fitzgerald and want a glitzy gender-flip tale of wealth with a darker social media underside.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley
This modernisation of The Great Gatsby does a good job of fitting the story to our present, making Jay Gatsby a female social media influencer but I found it all a bit soulless and over-explained. When Nic first meets Gatsby, she explains: ' I recognized the dreamer in her. We were both in pursuit of something we imagined would deliver pure happiness.' I felt that this told us everything at 1% of the book whereas in Fitzgerald Gatsby remains an enigma until the end.
The other issue is that Fitzgerald is a supreme stylist and while this book isn't badly written, not many authors can match him sentence for sentence. The comparison doesn't do this author any favors.
So for me this felt too much like a fake or dupe of the real thing - I'd recommend it to readers who haven't read Fitzgerald and want a glitzy gender-flip tale of wealth with a darker social media underside.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley
April 24, 2025
Super disappointed with myself because I took such a long time to finish this novel. Procrastination is my best friend sadly.
Gatsby by Jane Crowther is an amazing debut novel, I enjoyed it from start to finish. I say this but I took a bit of time to finish, but honestly this was an entertaining book. I loved Jane Crowther's writing style in the perspective of our main character Nic. The story Itself is really good, and Jane drove the story forward excellently. With strong themes of fame, love, jealously, lust, elitism and wealth. I can see how the novel The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald influenced and impacted Jane Crowther. The highlight for me was watching our main character grow and develop the longer she stayed in Long Island, on East Egg. interacting with her cousin Danny, T, Jordan and Gatsby. The novel has a pretty good plot twist and tragic scenario, all which help our main character figure out who they truly are and what they want in life.
Gatsby by Jane Crowther is an amazing debut novel, I enjoyed it from start to finish. I say this but I took a bit of time to finish, but honestly this was an entertaining book. I loved Jane Crowther's writing style in the perspective of our main character Nic. The story Itself is really good, and Jane drove the story forward excellently. With strong themes of fame, love, jealously, lust, elitism and wealth. I can see how the novel The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald influenced and impacted Jane Crowther. The highlight for me was watching our main character grow and develop the longer she stayed in Long Island, on East Egg. interacting with her cousin Danny, T, Jordan and Gatsby. The novel has a pretty good plot twist and tragic scenario, all which help our main character figure out who they truly are and what they want in life.
May 17, 2025
#gifted
Ah, it’s been a fair while (over 25 years!) since I last read The Great Gatsby, and I’ll admit I approached this modern retelling with a bit of caution. But Gatsby by Jane Crowther turned out to be a slick, summery surprise, one that tips its hat to the original while confidently doing its own thing.
Set on a swanky Long Island estate (where else?), we follow Nic Carraway, who’s lucked into a cheap summer let in a very posh neighbourhood. Her new next-door neighbour? Jay Gatsby, no longer the dapper gent we know, but a stylish, enigmatic it-girl with a flair for lavish parties and even bigger secrets. The gender flip works brilliantly here. Gatsby, as a magnetic, mysterious woman, adds a new kind of charge to the story: fresh, a bit dangerous, and entirely compelling.
What I loved most was how Crowther preserves that hazy, almost dreamlike glamour of Fitzgerald’s world while making the characters feel fully rooted in the 21st century. There’s influencer culture, celebrity obsession, and plenty of sharp observations about wealth and image. The dynamic between Gatsby and Danny Buchanan (Nic’s cousin and the novel’s Daisy stand-in) is beautifully handled, complex, emotionally charged, and utterly believable. The whole thing simmers with longing and quiet heartbreak.
Nic remains the observer, but this time, she’s got a bit more grit. She’s less passive and more self-aware, which makes the eventual fallout land with real weight because, yes, things unravel. No one gets out of a Gatsby summer untouched.
What Crowther achieves is more than a retelling; it’s a reimagining. The story feels both familiar and brand new, which is no small feat. Her prose reflects Fitzgerald’s lyrical tone while weaving in modern rhythms and sensibilities. Stylish, smart, and intensely readable, Gatsby is both homage and reinvention, and it is well worth picking up whether you’re revisiting West Egg or discovering it for the first time.
Thank you to the publisher for kindly sending me an advance copy. As always, this is an honest review.
Ah, it’s been a fair while (over 25 years!) since I last read The Great Gatsby, and I’ll admit I approached this modern retelling with a bit of caution. But Gatsby by Jane Crowther turned out to be a slick, summery surprise, one that tips its hat to the original while confidently doing its own thing.
Set on a swanky Long Island estate (where else?), we follow Nic Carraway, who’s lucked into a cheap summer let in a very posh neighbourhood. Her new next-door neighbour? Jay Gatsby, no longer the dapper gent we know, but a stylish, enigmatic it-girl with a flair for lavish parties and even bigger secrets. The gender flip works brilliantly here. Gatsby, as a magnetic, mysterious woman, adds a new kind of charge to the story: fresh, a bit dangerous, and entirely compelling.
What I loved most was how Crowther preserves that hazy, almost dreamlike glamour of Fitzgerald’s world while making the characters feel fully rooted in the 21st century. There’s influencer culture, celebrity obsession, and plenty of sharp observations about wealth and image. The dynamic between Gatsby and Danny Buchanan (Nic’s cousin and the novel’s Daisy stand-in) is beautifully handled, complex, emotionally charged, and utterly believable. The whole thing simmers with longing and quiet heartbreak.
Nic remains the observer, but this time, she’s got a bit more grit. She’s less passive and more self-aware, which makes the eventual fallout land with real weight because, yes, things unravel. No one gets out of a Gatsby summer untouched.
What Crowther achieves is more than a retelling; it’s a reimagining. The story feels both familiar and brand new, which is no small feat. Her prose reflects Fitzgerald’s lyrical tone while weaving in modern rhythms and sensibilities. Stylish, smart, and intensely readable, Gatsby is both homage and reinvention, and it is well worth picking up whether you’re revisiting West Egg or discovering it for the first time.
Thank you to the publisher for kindly sending me an advance copy. As always, this is an honest review.
July 16, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up.
Nic Carraway is an aspiring journalist who, after finishing Yale College, moves to New York and rents a boathouse in West Egg.
West Egg is different from the East Egg. The former means new money, and the latter the old money and more ‘prestige’. Nic has a cousin, Danny Buchanan, who married Tomasina (but everyone calls her T), and they live in the East Egg. Nic was always close to Danny, and soon invitations to their house followed.
On the social media platforms, Nic follows Jay Gatsby, a beautiful and mysterious influencer who hosts lavish invite-only parties. Imagine Nic’s shock when she discovers that Gatsby lives right next door to her boathouse! Imagine her further shock when she receives an invitation to one of her parties…
Soon, a friendship blossoms between Jay and Nic. Is it premeditation or chance? The truth may be a lot uglier than Nic anticipated…
This is a modern retelling of The Great Gatsby, a classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I loved how it was transported to modern times with mobile phones, social media, and all the fancy tech you can imagine.
The author kept closely to the original story, and I loved how she swapped genders for the key characters – I thought that was cleverly done, and it brought a fresh and exciting take on the story.
This book shows the ugly side of social media, how we present ourselves, and how we are perceived by others. As I was reading it, I thought of the well-known saying “All that glitters isn’t gold,” and that’s so true in this case.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and its beautiful, lyrical, and dreamy prose.
I definitely recommend it.
Nic Carraway is an aspiring journalist who, after finishing Yale College, moves to New York and rents a boathouse in West Egg.
West Egg is different from the East Egg. The former means new money, and the latter the old money and more ‘prestige’. Nic has a cousin, Danny Buchanan, who married Tomasina (but everyone calls her T), and they live in the East Egg. Nic was always close to Danny, and soon invitations to their house followed.
On the social media platforms, Nic follows Jay Gatsby, a beautiful and mysterious influencer who hosts lavish invite-only parties. Imagine Nic’s shock when she discovers that Gatsby lives right next door to her boathouse! Imagine her further shock when she receives an invitation to one of her parties…
Soon, a friendship blossoms between Jay and Nic. Is it premeditation or chance? The truth may be a lot uglier than Nic anticipated…
This is a modern retelling of The Great Gatsby, a classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I loved how it was transported to modern times with mobile phones, social media, and all the fancy tech you can imagine.
The author kept closely to the original story, and I loved how she swapped genders for the key characters – I thought that was cleverly done, and it brought a fresh and exciting take on the story.
This book shows the ugly side of social media, how we present ourselves, and how we are perceived by others. As I was reading it, I thought of the well-known saying “All that glitters isn’t gold,” and that’s so true in this case.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and its beautiful, lyrical, and dreamy prose.
I definitely recommend it.
December 26, 2024
Much like Fitzgerald, Crowther’s prose is gorgeous and poetic, romanticising the sights and sounds of modern Long Island with precision and originality. Her ability to turn a phrase and have us understand exactly the feeling or thought she wants to convey is remarkable, and that, along with my familiarity with the source material, made Gatsby such an insatiable read. Crowther’s ability to capture not only the essence of The Great Gatsby, but the melody of Fitzgerald’s prose is uncanny, and the dissection of how we treat women in the media is both powerful and prescient. A modern retelling of Gatsby, but with influencers, social media, the idea of digital new money, and the toxicity of celebrity is so intelligent I’m surprised it’s not been done sooner - thank god it was Crowther, with her razor sharp pen, and her candid presentation of these characters, who brought it to life.
March 31, 2025
This was sent to me by the amazing borough press who I cannot thank enough for sending me my very first ARC 🫶🏻
Now, I love a retelling and this did not disappoint! The characters from The Great Gatsby are gender flipped and brought into the 21st century, social media obsessed world which I think will endear a whole new set of readers.
Gatsby is the influencer of the moment and her every move is watched and followed by her millions of followers. This becomes a running theme throughout the book and shines a light on how society now seems to take what is said on there as gospel.
I really enjoyed this aspect of the book and it was quite thought provoking at times.
It stays true to the original story & although I knew what the ending was going to be, I still found myself rooting for Gatsby.
I absolutely hated ‘T’ (Tom in the original) who is an absolute narcissistic b**ch but that just goes to show how well the character was re-written and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of karma on Gatsby’s part when we’re told the fate of Danny (Daisy in the original).
The writing makes you feel as though you’re there at one of Gatsby’s parties and I could really picture the scenes that were being described. A good book can make you feel all sorts of emotions and I really did with this one. Anger, joy, sorrow & hate. A fab read 👍
Now, I love a retelling and this did not disappoint! The characters from The Great Gatsby are gender flipped and brought into the 21st century, social media obsessed world which I think will endear a whole new set of readers.
Gatsby is the influencer of the moment and her every move is watched and followed by her millions of followers. This becomes a running theme throughout the book and shines a light on how society now seems to take what is said on there as gospel.
I really enjoyed this aspect of the book and it was quite thought provoking at times.
It stays true to the original story & although I knew what the ending was going to be, I still found myself rooting for Gatsby.
I absolutely hated ‘T’ (Tom in the original) who is an absolute narcissistic b**ch but that just goes to show how well the character was re-written and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of karma on Gatsby’s part when we’re told the fate of Danny (Daisy in the original).
The writing makes you feel as though you’re there at one of Gatsby’s parties and I could really picture the scenes that were being described. A good book can make you feel all sorts of emotions and I really did with this one. Anger, joy, sorrow & hate. A fab read 👍
March 26, 2025
A modern gender flip retelling of the Great Gatsby, where Gatsby is a female Instagram influencer and her long lost love is Danny Buchanan, he is in a marriage to a rich woman, his cousin Nic has just left college and trying to make her way as a writer and so you have the gender flipping of this story. When re-writing a classic text, you have to bring a new perspective, I am not sure that there is enough of that in this book. It is so true to the original that it is distracting at times, as you are reminded of such an iconic text. I did really enjoy the modern day setting of the East and West Eggs, getting a sense of what that area is like now and how somethings have changed whilst other things really haven't. I would have enjoyed a book about those changes without drawing quite so heavily on The Great Gatsby, which appeared to hinder the author's wonderful writing.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2025
I loved the idea when I found it in a book store and modernizing and gender switching worked out nicely.
August 9, 2025
Having seen The Great Gatsby musical, and then read The Great Gatsby, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this modern retelling.
June 3, 2025
Pretty good modern and gender-bent retelling of The Great Gatsby. It’s just so easy to be drawn into the lives of these characters!
October 11, 2025
Clever Crowther - her re-imagining of The Great Gatsby, simply titled Gatsby, is thoroughly modern, and riffs on Fitzgerald's classic without mimicking. Crowther captures the essence of the characters but also recasts them which provides her version with a straightforward point-of-difference - Gatsby is a female influencer and Nic, a woman staying in West Egg during her summer college break, is a would-be journalist, looking for inspiration. You know the story and this version won't offend die-hard fans looking for a beach-read.
3/5
3/5
Read
February 10, 2025I think hard to rate because I don’t know that it’s transformative enough of a retelling to rate on its own terms but I honestly did find it entertaining as someone who wouldn’t mind rereading The Great Gatsby once a decade. Getting my thoughts together still for a review on booktube.
March 16, 2025
Having studied The Great Gatsby for A-level English more than 35 years ago, the premise of this intrigued me. Tbh, I couldn't really remember much detail from the original - though some of the symbolism that my English teacher went on and on about has stuck with me - the colour yellow, the optician's billboard ad and the car headlights - but I didn't really remember what happened beyond big parties and an affair... so there was enough intrigue in this version to keep me engaged.
The characters have all been flipped so that Gatsby and Nic are young women, whilst Danny (rather than Daisy) Buchanan is married to 'T' (not Tom). I don't remember who the other characters were originally - I may have to rewatch the 2013 film to remind myself of more of the original detail. (Hush now all those who are screaming that I should just re-read the book!)
I liked the update to the current day with instagram influencers etc. replacing the rich and famous of the 1920s but I'm not sure it was really worth it. I'm sure lots of what made the original such a success was the quality of the writing more than the story itself (witness the fact that I couldn't remember much of it!) and the writing here was good but nothing special.
One detail that I did enjoy as a nod to the original was using the name of the optician (TJ Eckleburg) whose eyes were on the billboard for the news reporter who was the 'eyes in the sky' in this version.
Overall - worth reading if you know the original on some level. 3.5 stars
Grateful to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an e-ARC.
The characters have all been flipped so that Gatsby and Nic are young women, whilst Danny (rather than Daisy) Buchanan is married to 'T' (not Tom). I don't remember who the other characters were originally - I may have to rewatch the 2013 film to remind myself of more of the original detail. (Hush now all those who are screaming that I should just re-read the book!)
I liked the update to the current day with instagram influencers etc. replacing the rich and famous of the 1920s but I'm not sure it was really worth it. I'm sure lots of what made the original such a success was the quality of the writing more than the story itself (witness the fact that I couldn't remember much of it!) and the writing here was good but nothing special.
One detail that I did enjoy as a nod to the original was using the name of the optician (TJ Eckleburg) whose eyes were on the billboard for the news reporter who was the 'eyes in the sky' in this version.
Overall - worth reading if you know the original on some level. 3.5 stars
Grateful to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an e-ARC.
December 15, 2024
In this superb reimagining, Crowther deftly places her Gatsby in the social media age, living an American Dream that promises anybody can fake it. It's stylish and slick and always beautifully written, with a cast of the most decadently unhinged characters. I highly recommend joining the party.
April 14, 2025
4.5*
It is a century since The Great Gatsby was published and now, this author turns her attention to a modern-day re-imagining of the unscrupulous and flawed rich people, who settle for the Summer on the coast of Long Island. East Egg is where the true blue bloods of American society hang out, the meretricious interlopers and hangers-on populate West Egg, on the opposite shore. Feel familiar?
The author has taken the story of Jay Gatsby (as penned in The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald) and given it a good shake down. In this version, Jay is a woman and it is the story of this present day glittering influencer and the communities clustered along the shoreline, told through the eyes of her neighbour, Nic Carraway.
Nic is living in a bit of a hovel, a hut, which has been lent to her for the Summer by friends of friends, whilst she ponders her future. Across the water is her cousin, Danny Buchanan, married to T and of course they are on the right side of the proverbial track, dispensing largesse to their relative.
Nic is aware of Gatsby and is delighted to discover that she is her neighbour. Sounds drift across to her fisherman’s hut from Summer parties, as revellers take full advantage of the influencer’s generosity. Nic obsessively scrolls through Gatsby’s Social Media feeds, recognising vistas evident from her own home. And then, one evening, she is invited to a party at the grand mansion and her life is complete. It soon emerges that Gatsby asks her, in a roundabout way, to help connect her to an old lover, and with impaired judgement (she is, after all, in thrall to this iconic celebrity), Nic facilities a reunion.
So much of the story feels very familiar if you have read the original novel (and if you haven’t, it doesn’t matter). There are all the elements of F Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece – avarice, decadence, wealth, obsession, frivolity and downright venality – to tickle the reader’s fancy, all set against the sweltering Summer heat of Long Island, a tangibly cloying backdrop.
At the outset of reading this novel, I felt like Jane Crowther really is a new voice, with a writing style that is confident, stylish and elegiac, and it is the skill of the author that carries the story along. I came to delight in the rolling and lyrical prose. The story itself has highlights and memorable junctures but at times it slightly stalls, holding progression in neutral gear, then re-engaging and moving on.
A memorable read and I am very interested to see where this author goes next.
It is a century since The Great Gatsby was published and now, this author turns her attention to a modern-day re-imagining of the unscrupulous and flawed rich people, who settle for the Summer on the coast of Long Island. East Egg is where the true blue bloods of American society hang out, the meretricious interlopers and hangers-on populate West Egg, on the opposite shore. Feel familiar?
The author has taken the story of Jay Gatsby (as penned in The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald) and given it a good shake down. In this version, Jay is a woman and it is the story of this present day glittering influencer and the communities clustered along the shoreline, told through the eyes of her neighbour, Nic Carraway.
Nic is living in a bit of a hovel, a hut, which has been lent to her for the Summer by friends of friends, whilst she ponders her future. Across the water is her cousin, Danny Buchanan, married to T and of course they are on the right side of the proverbial track, dispensing largesse to their relative.
Nic is aware of Gatsby and is delighted to discover that she is her neighbour. Sounds drift across to her fisherman’s hut from Summer parties, as revellers take full advantage of the influencer’s generosity. Nic obsessively scrolls through Gatsby’s Social Media feeds, recognising vistas evident from her own home. And then, one evening, she is invited to a party at the grand mansion and her life is complete. It soon emerges that Gatsby asks her, in a roundabout way, to help connect her to an old lover, and with impaired judgement (she is, after all, in thrall to this iconic celebrity), Nic facilities a reunion.
So much of the story feels very familiar if you have read the original novel (and if you haven’t, it doesn’t matter). There are all the elements of F Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece – avarice, decadence, wealth, obsession, frivolity and downright venality – to tickle the reader’s fancy, all set against the sweltering Summer heat of Long Island, a tangibly cloying backdrop.
At the outset of reading this novel, I felt like Jane Crowther really is a new voice, with a writing style that is confident, stylish and elegiac, and it is the skill of the author that carries the story along. I came to delight in the rolling and lyrical prose. The story itself has highlights and memorable junctures but at times it slightly stalls, holding progression in neutral gear, then re-engaging and moving on.
A memorable read and I am very interested to see where this author goes next.
February 16, 2025
I'm certainly not the target audience for a modern retelling of 'The Great Gatsby'. My hatred of the original novel is infamous in my family - I had to study it at school and it infuriated me. I hated how Gatsby was touted as this superior being, despite him being in love with the character of Daisy who we are supposed to loathe. I hated Nick being obsessed with Gatsby for no particular reason and had some fun gathering quotes to argue the case that Nick was in love with Gatsby. However, none of my views were particularly nuanced, and they were easy to challenge.
In retrospect, I think my hatred was born from it being a mandatory text, and the fact that we were told how to feel about it, not encouraged to form our own opinions. I have a feeling that if I sat down and read 'The Great Gatsby' again now, I would be able to appreciate it and cure my ire. But the sliver of fear I might not has stopped me from picking it up again.
'Gatsby' by Jane Crowther is a clever little novel. It carefully updates 'The Great Gatsby' for the new age. However, it might well be too conventional for its own good. Two of my favourite recent reads have been 'The Favourites' by Layne Fargo, a modern retelling of 'Wuthering Heights', and 'Hollow Bones' by Erica Wright, a modern retelling of 'Measure for Measure'. But here's the thing - those novels put their own spin on the stories. They take strong elements from the originals and make them new. 'Gatsby' is basically the exact same story as the original novel which makes it painfully predictable - the only real change is that it's gender-flipped. I wonder what the experience of this novel would be like for those who have not read the original.
That being said, I couldn't put it down. This novel has a lot to say about social media, influencers and cancel culture. It does make sense that a modern day Gatsby figure would use such things to their advantage in order to draw in the object of their affection, as does those same things leading to their downfall.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Netgalley for the ARC!
In retrospect, I think my hatred was born from it being a mandatory text, and the fact that we were told how to feel about it, not encouraged to form our own opinions. I have a feeling that if I sat down and read 'The Great Gatsby' again now, I would be able to appreciate it and cure my ire. But the sliver of fear I might not has stopped me from picking it up again.
'Gatsby' by Jane Crowther is a clever little novel. It carefully updates 'The Great Gatsby' for the new age. However, it might well be too conventional for its own good. Two of my favourite recent reads have been 'The Favourites' by Layne Fargo, a modern retelling of 'Wuthering Heights', and 'Hollow Bones' by Erica Wright, a modern retelling of 'Measure for Measure'. But here's the thing - those novels put their own spin on the stories. They take strong elements from the originals and make them new. 'Gatsby' is basically the exact same story as the original novel which makes it painfully predictable - the only real change is that it's gender-flipped. I wonder what the experience of this novel would be like for those who have not read the original.
That being said, I couldn't put it down. This novel has a lot to say about social media, influencers and cancel culture. It does make sense that a modern day Gatsby figure would use such things to their advantage in order to draw in the object of their affection, as does those same things leading to their downfall.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Netgalley for the ARC!
March 19, 2025
A modern reimagining of The Great Gatsby - but not as we know it. Gatsby and Nic have been written as female characters and the unreliable narrator device is cleverly put to use in a contemporary setting of a sizzing New York summer. Having taught the original by F Scott Fitzgerald at A level for the last 10 years, I jumped at the chance to read an early release of this novel.
Crowther weaves an interesting cast of characters together, finding modern interpretations for how 'old money' might look down on the 'new money' of the influencer crowd. Readers of the original will find a similar list of characters - Daisy and Tom- swapped out in favour of Danny and T as all the gender roles are reversed. She creates believable scenarios for a postmodern retelling of the downfall of a person who builds their existence on trying to reclaim a past love.
I did find some of the passages were very descriptive - this novel is much longer than the original novella - and found myself hankering after some more punchy dialogue. It was a very thought-provoking story though, The only issue I have is probably due to my own familiarity with The Great Gatsby - the way Gatsby creates his entire existence centred around getting Daisy back doesn't quite come across in the new Gatsby's influencer lifestyle.
Overall it was a good read and 'normal' people who aren't used to analysing this particular text with a fine tooth comb will no doubt be able to enjoy it for the well-written work it is. 3.5 rounded up to 4! Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Crowther weaves an interesting cast of characters together, finding modern interpretations for how 'old money' might look down on the 'new money' of the influencer crowd. Readers of the original will find a similar list of characters - Daisy and Tom- swapped out in favour of Danny and T as all the gender roles are reversed. She creates believable scenarios for a postmodern retelling of the downfall of a person who builds their existence on trying to reclaim a past love.
I did find some of the passages were very descriptive - this novel is much longer than the original novella - and found myself hankering after some more punchy dialogue. It was a very thought-provoking story though, The only issue I have is probably due to my own familiarity with The Great Gatsby - the way Gatsby creates his entire existence centred around getting Daisy back doesn't quite come across in the new Gatsby's influencer lifestyle.
Overall it was a good read and 'normal' people who aren't used to analysing this particular text with a fine tooth comb will no doubt be able to enjoy it for the well-written work it is. 3.5 rounded up to 4! Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced review copy of this book.
The Great Gatsby is such a well loved book of mine and Jane Crowther emulates Fitzgerald well, capturing his tone and the essence of the writing whilst firmly steeping this classic in the throws of modernity.
Set 100 years after the original story, the themes are still very relevant today, perhaps eerily so. Crowther breathes new life into the story, giving it an almost thriller like quality leaving the reader unsettled by secrets and betrayal. The murky past and questionable morality of the characters works well with this modern twist of the influencer lifestyle. Whilst keeping faith to the original story arc, those who know the story will still be gripped by the writing and intrigue.
Nic’s role in this is less of an apathetic passive bystander, and is in truth happy stirring up discontent, this version shines an uncomfortable light on her actions in a more truthful way- Nic is bored and jealous, she lies to those she claims to care about and is complicit in multiple deceptions. Nic is traditionally fairly morally ambiguous, but I feel in this version she is more at fault.
I like that there is more awareness of Nic and Danny’s background in this. Fitzgerald’s original lacked the social awareness that Crowther’s version has lent Nic, being cognisant of her privilege in a way the original writer was unable to do. It also introduced new themes in an effort to update the story, like Jordan Baker’s character’s race and how this impacts him, however I felt like this could have gone further as it introduced this theme but only very lightly explored it.
Definitely a book I want to reread.
The Great Gatsby is such a well loved book of mine and Jane Crowther emulates Fitzgerald well, capturing his tone and the essence of the writing whilst firmly steeping this classic in the throws of modernity.
Set 100 years after the original story, the themes are still very relevant today, perhaps eerily so. Crowther breathes new life into the story, giving it an almost thriller like quality leaving the reader unsettled by secrets and betrayal. The murky past and questionable morality of the characters works well with this modern twist of the influencer lifestyle. Whilst keeping faith to the original story arc, those who know the story will still be gripped by the writing and intrigue.
Nic’s role in this is less of an apathetic passive bystander, and is in truth happy stirring up discontent, this version shines an uncomfortable light on her actions in a more truthful way- Nic is bored and jealous, she lies to those she claims to care about and is complicit in multiple deceptions. Nic is traditionally fairly morally ambiguous, but I feel in this version she is more at fault.
I like that there is more awareness of Nic and Danny’s background in this. Fitzgerald’s original lacked the social awareness that Crowther’s version has lent Nic, being cognisant of her privilege in a way the original writer was unable to do. It also introduced new themes in an effort to update the story, like Jordan Baker’s character’s race and how this impacts him, however I felt like this could have gone further as it introduced this theme but only very lightly explored it.
Definitely a book I want to reread.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2025
As a fond lover of The Great Gatsby, I was intrigued by this gender reversed modern day retelling. Immediately upon reading the absolute beauty of Crowthers prose was apparent, with a clear nod to the works of Fitzgerald and an almost poetic type nature. Don't get me wrong, it took a little to get used to - discussing influencers and social media with a prose most comfortably found discussing automobiles and moving pictures. But soon you find yourself lost in the words and realise 100 years may have passed but many a similarity can be found with the breaks from tradition, the novelty of modernity and technology and the growing interest in celebrities and media.This is perfectly captured between the pages with Crowther weaving a story peppered with societal pressures and expectations so similar to The Great Gatsby, but this time with Gatsby being a young woman thrust into the media spotlight as an influencer, Daisy becoming a charismatic but flighty Danny and Nick transformed into Nic, a young impressionable girl looking to find her career path writing , but also to be wrapped up in the glitz and glamour of East Egg/West Egg life.The plot line will come as no surprise to fans of the original, but the unique take and modern twist is new and refreshing and much like The Great Gatsby, has the potential to be a novel that stands as a representative pillar of a generation and a mirror held up to modern day society and it's obsession with social media and appearances.
April 12, 2025
🍸Gatsby by Jane Crowther🍸
Everybody knows Gatsby. New money, murky past, huge online following.
The Story: Nic doesn’t belong amongst the super rich, but when she scores a cheap summer lease in Long Island, it-girl Jay Gatsby becomes her neighbour. Gatsby welcomes Nic to her opulent parties attended by the world’s A-list. And in return, Nic helps Gatsby reconnect with an old flame: Nic’s cousin, the ever charming but now married Danny Buchanan. But no one can be careless like the rich. As the summer heats up, Nic finds herself tangled in a web of longing and ambition, betrayal and deceit. In a world where everyone is lying - about and to themselves - will Nic finally tell the truth?
My thoughts: This book had me flying through chapters. It’s a gender flipped modern retelling of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic book The Great Gatsby only with social media and influencers. It felt fresh and new and I loved it. A novel about wealth, scandal, betrayal, glamour, drama, social media and unrequited love. It was unputdownable and I couldn’t get enough of it. I personally preferred it to the original. It’s the perfect summer book to read by the pool with a cocktail in hand. It’s quick and easy, it will have you hating T (one of the main characters) and it’s fun and transports you into another world with beautiful writing - perfection.👌🏻
Jane Crowther is one to watch.
Everybody knows Gatsby. New money, murky past, huge online following.
The Story: Nic doesn’t belong amongst the super rich, but when she scores a cheap summer lease in Long Island, it-girl Jay Gatsby becomes her neighbour. Gatsby welcomes Nic to her opulent parties attended by the world’s A-list. And in return, Nic helps Gatsby reconnect with an old flame: Nic’s cousin, the ever charming but now married Danny Buchanan. But no one can be careless like the rich. As the summer heats up, Nic finds herself tangled in a web of longing and ambition, betrayal and deceit. In a world where everyone is lying - about and to themselves - will Nic finally tell the truth?
My thoughts: This book had me flying through chapters. It’s a gender flipped modern retelling of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic book The Great Gatsby only with social media and influencers. It felt fresh and new and I loved it. A novel about wealth, scandal, betrayal, glamour, drama, social media and unrequited love. It was unputdownable and I couldn’t get enough of it. I personally preferred it to the original. It’s the perfect summer book to read by the pool with a cocktail in hand. It’s quick and easy, it will have you hating T (one of the main characters) and it’s fun and transports you into another world with beautiful writing - perfection.👌🏻
Jane Crowther is one to watch.
July 2, 2025
Hashim Matar writes that a friend is someone you trust and who you take pleasure in or with. Trust & pleasure can take many forms, of course, and a novel doesn’t have to be your friend. But if it isn’t, it’d better seriously challenge or change you.
If you’re going to reimagine a canonical book by one of the best stylists of American english you might want to attend to your prose. Crowther’s prose is often awkward, with many run-on sentences and repetition. It has the flatness and self-importance of an Instagram post, or a bad blog. I don’t think this was intentional, I think her editors weren’t paying attention.
Where Fitzgerald evokes, Crowther explains. Where there was mystery, there is triteness. Where there were ideas & exploration, a sense that the writer is discovering something thru their writing, now there is one idea, dutifulness, and demonstration. Where there was freshness, there is tedium. It feels predictable (perhaps unavoidable when you’re re-writing?) and, for this reader, boring. Ultimately, I couldn’t trust I was being taken somewhere new or important and I found little pleasure in reading it. So I stopped.
This is not a Great Gatsby, just, as the cover of my edition says, gatsby.
If you’re going to reimagine a canonical book by one of the best stylists of American english you might want to attend to your prose. Crowther’s prose is often awkward, with many run-on sentences and repetition. It has the flatness and self-importance of an Instagram post, or a bad blog. I don’t think this was intentional, I think her editors weren’t paying attention.
Where Fitzgerald evokes, Crowther explains. Where there was mystery, there is triteness. Where there were ideas & exploration, a sense that the writer is discovering something thru their writing, now there is one idea, dutifulness, and demonstration. Where there was freshness, there is tedium. It feels predictable (perhaps unavoidable when you’re re-writing?) and, for this reader, boring. Ultimately, I couldn’t trust I was being taken somewhere new or important and I found little pleasure in reading it. So I stopped.
This is not a Great Gatsby, just, as the cover of my edition says, gatsby.
April 19, 2025
Nic Carraway has recently graduated from a prestigious school and wants to make her way as a writer. Her parents agree to support her for the summer and she gets a cheap rental in East Egg. Her cousin Danny is from far more wealth than Nic and she was the one who set him up with his wife, T, who also comes from money. They live in a mansion nearby, as does socialite Gatsby, the divorced wife of a scandalous actor and a high society influencer. Over the course of the summer Nic sees how money influences people and is exposed to scandals at every level, she finds a friend but how much does she really know.
This is a modern-day interpretation of the Fitzgerald book 'The Great Gatsby' and it works very well. The writing is somewhat florid at times but the plot still holds up, especially as the genders are changed. As with the original it is hard for this reader to have any empathy with any of the characters, morals are lax and money is the answer to everything, so the first part of the book really drags for me. However, once the plot moves to the endgame the book really picks up and the last few chapters about the aftermath are probably my favourite parts.
This is a modern-day interpretation of the Fitzgerald book 'The Great Gatsby' and it works very well. The writing is somewhat florid at times but the plot still holds up, especially as the genders are changed. As with the original it is hard for this reader to have any empathy with any of the characters, morals are lax and money is the answer to everything, so the first part of the book really drags for me. However, once the plot moves to the endgame the book really picks up and the last few chapters about the aftermath are probably my favourite parts.
September 20, 2025
Put. Down. That. Thesaurus.
I try to finish every book I start, but I gave up on this on page 82. Even if the story were compelling, the prose is not. It puts the ‘over-written’ in over written, in that it is REALLY MASSIVELY GARGANTUANLY GIGANTICALLY UNBELIEVABLY over written. I’d cite examples but I can’t be bothered to put myself through the painful reading experience again. Essentially, the author tries too hard to find other ways to say the same thing, presumably to avoid repetition. There’s also SO. MUCH. EXPOSITION. Sometimes, less is truly more.
Even if the prose were compelling, the story, 81 pages is, is really not. I’m no great Original Gatsby fan; can’t remember it much, in all the honesty. So it’s not that it’s a retelling, but that this social media influencer thing, with some of the ‘action’ limited to the MC looking at her phone (wow, riveting) is as interesting as dishwater.
Usually I’d look forward to resuming a book. When I thought about going back to this one, it dragged up nothing but a sense of dread.
Obviously, I needed to DNF this.
I try to finish every book I start, but I gave up on this on page 82. Even if the story were compelling, the prose is not. It puts the ‘over-written’ in over written, in that it is REALLY MASSIVELY GARGANTUANLY GIGANTICALLY UNBELIEVABLY over written. I’d cite examples but I can’t be bothered to put myself through the painful reading experience again. Essentially, the author tries too hard to find other ways to say the same thing, presumably to avoid repetition. There’s also SO. MUCH. EXPOSITION. Sometimes, less is truly more.
Even if the prose were compelling, the story, 81 pages is, is really not. I’m no great Original Gatsby fan; can’t remember it much, in all the honesty. So it’s not that it’s a retelling, but that this social media influencer thing, with some of the ‘action’ limited to the MC looking at her phone (wow, riveting) is as interesting as dishwater.
Usually I’d look forward to resuming a book. When I thought about going back to this one, it dragged up nothing but a sense of dread.
Obviously, I needed to DNF this.
April 21, 2025
A century on from the original The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald this reimagining adds a new twist by gender flipping all the characters. A century on the themes hold up to today's world ... with social media / influencers and the A list world of north eastern USA under the spotlight.
Nic Carraway, having finished university, spends the summer in a boathouse, considering her next steps into journalism and writing. Her neighbour turns out to be Jay Gatsby, social media influencer who holds big stylish parties. Jay previously had a relationship with Nic's cousin Danny and over the summer the relationship is re=established ... with deadly consequences.
Having studied and adored The Great Gatsby at school (a long while ago) this was a welcome return to a fabulous story that felt so easily transposed to the 21st century.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
Nic Carraway, having finished university, spends the summer in a boathouse, considering her next steps into journalism and writing. Her neighbour turns out to be Jay Gatsby, social media influencer who holds big stylish parties. Jay previously had a relationship with Nic's cousin Danny and over the summer the relationship is re=established ... with deadly consequences.
Having studied and adored The Great Gatsby at school (a long while ago) this was a welcome return to a fabulous story that felt so easily transposed to the 21st century.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
August 8, 2025
Gatsby is popular, cool, your usual influencer.
But underneath parties, financial freedom and the ‘perfect’ life, Gatsby’s past is brooding. Following Nic, who turns out to be Jay Gatsbys neighbour due to some luck, she connects with Gatsby. Over the course of the book, new (& old events) are unfolding. Of Nic’s brothers and Gatsby’s past, new and old relationships.
Gatsby is a book I don’t quite know how to review. I kindly received an early copy of it by John Murray’s and was definitely intrigued, thinking of ‘The great Gatsby’. Whilst I felt like this was a modernized version of The Great Gatsby at times and I was drawn into the story and their characters, I felt like the novel was lacking something - which I annoyingly can’t name. It’s one of these books that it’s ’nice to read’, but won’t come to my mind when being asked about a book I recently enjoyed or would recommend. An average three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
But underneath parties, financial freedom and the ‘perfect’ life, Gatsby’s past is brooding. Following Nic, who turns out to be Jay Gatsbys neighbour due to some luck, she connects with Gatsby. Over the course of the book, new (& old events) are unfolding. Of Nic’s brothers and Gatsby’s past, new and old relationships.
Gatsby is a book I don’t quite know how to review. I kindly received an early copy of it by John Murray’s and was definitely intrigued, thinking of ‘The great Gatsby’. Whilst I felt like this was a modernized version of The Great Gatsby at times and I was drawn into the story and their characters, I felt like the novel was lacking something - which I annoyingly can’t name. It’s one of these books that it’s ’nice to read’, but won’t come to my mind when being asked about a book I recently enjoyed or would recommend. An average three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 25, 2025
Rating - 2.5 / 5.
Not for me I'm afraid. I was quite excited by the premise of this one but unfortunately I DNF'ed it at 49% and I just couldn't force myself to continue. I found it incredibly overexplained. I was being told everything instead of shown it. I was being spoonfed information about Gatsby when I wanted to discover what she's like myself through the narrative. Not a whole lot happened in the first half of the book. I just kept waiting for it to pick up but it never did. It was too repetitive for me - lots of description about the influencer life, about money, about fame. Nic would go to another event. And we'd get another description about fame and money. And then she'd go to yet another event. And the cycle continued.
Thanks to Netgalley and Borough Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Not for me I'm afraid. I was quite excited by the premise of this one but unfortunately I DNF'ed it at 49% and I just couldn't force myself to continue. I found it incredibly overexplained. I was being told everything instead of shown it. I was being spoonfed information about Gatsby when I wanted to discover what she's like myself through the narrative. Not a whole lot happened in the first half of the book. I just kept waiting for it to pick up but it never did. It was too repetitive for me - lots of description about the influencer life, about money, about fame. Nic would go to another event. And we'd get another description about fame and money. And then she'd go to yet another event. And the cycle continued.
Thanks to Netgalley and Borough Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2025
Insta loves a retelling of a classic ❣️
This retelling imagines what Gatsby would be like in a more recent, modern world. There is a big gender mix up for the characters, which helped to pull this story away from The Great Gatsby a little. It was interesting to see how the story translated to a social media centric world, where people are addicted to their phones and speculation about people in the public eye - cancel culture is rife.
In my opinion though, this story didn’t vary enough from the OG, and I found it difficult to really become invested in this story without drawing constant comparisons to TGG. This would likely be a good shout for people who aren’t keen on classics but would like to have some insight into this story.
Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins 🫶
This retelling imagines what Gatsby would be like in a more recent, modern world. There is a big gender mix up for the characters, which helped to pull this story away from The Great Gatsby a little. It was interesting to see how the story translated to a social media centric world, where people are addicted to their phones and speculation about people in the public eye - cancel culture is rife.
In my opinion though, this story didn’t vary enough from the OG, and I found it difficult to really become invested in this story without drawing constant comparisons to TGG. This would likely be a good shout for people who aren’t keen on classics but would like to have some insight into this story.
Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins 🫶
April 20, 2025
This is an unusual book it imagines what life would be like for a female Gatsby if she lived in the present.
She is a social media influencer and the book looks at the pressures of life on social media.
I did really enjoy the Great Gatsby so it was interesting to see how I would feel about this story.
I must say I did enjoy it. The different perspective.
The author made the characters step off the page.
You want Gatsby to succeed and in the original he was trying to fit in underneath the showy personality.
I really didn't like Tom in the original he was selfish and shallow. There is a similar character in this one. I wasn't a fan of Daisy (Danny) either.
Definitely worth a read.
Thanks Netgalley and The Publisher.
She is a social media influencer and the book looks at the pressures of life on social media.
I did really enjoy the Great Gatsby so it was interesting to see how I would feel about this story.
I must say I did enjoy it. The different perspective.
The author made the characters step off the page.
You want Gatsby to succeed and in the original he was trying to fit in underneath the showy personality.
I really didn't like Tom in the original he was selfish and shallow. There is a similar character in this one. I wasn't a fan of Daisy (Danny) either.
Definitely worth a read.
Thanks Netgalley and The Publisher.
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