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The Duke of Bannerman Prep
Words are weapons. Facts can be manipulated. And nothing is absolute—especially right and wrong.
Tanner McKay is at Bannerman Prep for only one reason: the elite school recruited him after he brought his public school’s debate team to victory last year. Bannerman wants a championship win. Debate is Tanner’s life—his ticket out of his poor-as-dirt life and family drama, straight to a scholarship to Stanford and the start of a new, better future.
But when he's paired with the Duke, his plans for an easy ride seem as if they’ve hit the rails. The Duke is the quintessential playboy, beloved by everyone for his laissez-faire attitude, crazy parties, and seemingly effortless favors.
And a total no-show when it comes to putting in the work to win.
But as Tanner gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, the thrill of the high life and the adrenaline of existing on the edge becomes addictive. A small favor here and there seems like nothing in exchange for getting everything he ever dreamed of.
But the Duke’s castle is built on shady, shaky secrets, and the walls are about to topple down.
A contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, Katie Nelson’s taut debut is perfect for fans of John Green’s Looking for Alaska, Kate Brian’s Private series, and anyone who’s encountered the cut-throat world of competitive high school.
Tanner McKay is at Bannerman Prep for only one reason: the elite school recruited him after he brought his public school’s debate team to victory last year. Bannerman wants a championship win. Debate is Tanner’s life—his ticket out of his poor-as-dirt life and family drama, straight to a scholarship to Stanford and the start of a new, better future.
But when he's paired with the Duke, his plans for an easy ride seem as if they’ve hit the rails. The Duke is the quintessential playboy, beloved by everyone for his laissez-faire attitude, crazy parties, and seemingly effortless favors.
And a total no-show when it comes to putting in the work to win.
But as Tanner gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, the thrill of the high life and the adrenaline of existing on the edge becomes addictive. A small favor here and there seems like nothing in exchange for getting everything he ever dreamed of.
But the Duke’s castle is built on shady, shaky secrets, and the walls are about to topple down.
A contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, Katie Nelson’s taut debut is perfect for fans of John Green’s Looking for Alaska, Kate Brian’s Private series, and anyone who’s encountered the cut-throat world of competitive high school.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2017
10 people are currently reading
1287 people want to read
About the author
Katie A. Nelson
1 book52 followersKatie Nelson has always loved words and stories. Formerly a high school English and Debate teacher, she now lives in Northern California with her husband, four children, and hyperactive dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 10, 2017
See 5 reasons why you need The Duke in your life, from author Katie A. Nelson: https://youtu.be/-pVlGjDKRn8
This book has entered the #1 spot for this year. What an incredibly story that keeps the heart of Gatsby but sets it in today's mechanics.
Sometimes you just know. I'm talking about that special book that you read and know it's going to be your favorite of the year (and maybe a favorite of all time).
The Duke of Bannerman Prep is that book for me.
It all started with the Caraval launch, where Katie introduced herself. I love meeting new people and was excited to check out her Instagram. When I saw that she had a debut novel coming out, I was all, 😱😱😱. Even better, Duke is launching under Sky Pony and I've loved everything I've read from them!
Somewhere between my fangirling and now, Katie brought us snacks to go with our reading experience. SNACKS. In case you missed them, you can find them over at Sarah's blog.
Settling in with my milkshake and purple Laffy Taffy, I consumed The Duke of Bannerman Prep. I was completely sucked in from the time Tanner entered Bannerman and the Duke entered his life. You can't help but love these characters. Tanner completely embodies the Nick we know and love from Gatsby. He's smart but enamored by Duke, a good person but caught up in the lifestyle, good enough but unsure of himself. I loved his voice. I loved the dynamics between him and the Duke
"Be kind to him. You never know what he might be dealing with."
Oh, the Duke. Completely charming and impossible to not fall in love with. You know the track he's on and yet as the story goes on, the depth of his character grows and you're left with clutching your heart, gasping as the story progresses.
“Look. I know you’re all worked up. If you’ll just relax, we’ll be fine. You can recite the stats better than the Pledge of Allegiance. And I can talk my way out of anything. Trust me. We’ve got this.”
Even though you know you can't trust him, you do. Katie does not disappoint in creating a complex backstory for the Duke.
A better friend probably would have pressed the issue. A better friend would have stayed up and listened to him talk all night if he had to.
As someone who lives in the Bay Area, I can't express enough how perfect the setting of a (fictional) Bay Area prep school is to the overall tone and themes of Gatsby. For those who live here, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
This book has entered the #1 spot for this year. What an incredibly story that keeps the heart of Gatsby but sets it in today's mechanics.
Sometimes you just know. I'm talking about that special book that you read and know it's going to be your favorite of the year (and maybe a favorite of all time).
The Duke of Bannerman Prep is that book for me.
It all started with the Caraval launch, where Katie introduced herself. I love meeting new people and was excited to check out her Instagram. When I saw that she had a debut novel coming out, I was all, 😱😱😱. Even better, Duke is launching under Sky Pony and I've loved everything I've read from them!
Somewhere between my fangirling and now, Katie brought us snacks to go with our reading experience. SNACKS. In case you missed them, you can find them over at Sarah's blog.
Settling in with my milkshake and purple Laffy Taffy, I consumed The Duke of Bannerman Prep. I was completely sucked in from the time Tanner entered Bannerman and the Duke entered his life. You can't help but love these characters. Tanner completely embodies the Nick we know and love from Gatsby. He's smart but enamored by Duke, a good person but caught up in the lifestyle, good enough but unsure of himself. I loved his voice. I loved the dynamics between him and the Duke
"Be kind to him. You never know what he might be dealing with."
Oh, the Duke. Completely charming and impossible to not fall in love with. You know the track he's on and yet as the story goes on, the depth of his character grows and you're left with clutching your heart, gasping as the story progresses.
“Look. I know you’re all worked up. If you’ll just relax, we’ll be fine. You can recite the stats better than the Pledge of Allegiance. And I can talk my way out of anything. Trust me. We’ve got this.”
Even though you know you can't trust him, you do. Katie does not disappoint in creating a complex backstory for the Duke.
A better friend probably would have pressed the issue. A better friend would have stayed up and listened to him talk all night if he had to.
As someone who lives in the Bay Area, I can't express enough how perfect the setting of a (fictional) Bay Area prep school is to the overall tone and themes of Gatsby. For those who live here, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
March 11, 2017
I read this book in one sitting and didn’t want it to end! I was immediately enamored by the setting: a private boarding school where the debate team serves as a way for the main character, scholarship recipient Tanner McKay, to prove he belongs among the wealthy elite. Heading this circle is the Duke, a school legend. The intrigue behind the Duke and the increasingly tough decisions Tanner’s forced to make as he’s drawn into the Duke’s orbit make this book a page-turner. But this is a fast-paced read with depth: I loved the endearing relationship between Tanner and his brother, and I felt like I was living each of Tanner’s choices (which also left me wondering, long after the last page, if I would have made them myself or chosen another path). A compelling and original retelling of The Great Gatsby, with plenty of emotional punch, THE DUKE OF BANNERMAN PREP isn’t to be missed. Five stars!
February 20, 2017
In Katie A. Nelson’s deft, modern-day retelling of The Great Gatsby, we meet Tanner McKay, a gifted high school orator who has been recruited by the elite California boarding school, Bannerman Prep, to help the school’s debate team win—and win big. Tanner, who does not come from a background of privilege, finds his new surroundings confounding at best. Even more confounding? The behavior of his debate partner, Andrew “The Duke” Tate, a charming, well-connected party boy. On the surface, the Duke is everything Tanner is not: suave, self-assured, and richer than Midas. But, as Tanner soon discovers, not everything that glitters is gold—including Andrew “the Duke” Tate, who is not what he seems. A highly entertaining, edge-of-your-seat page turner. Enthusiastically recommended.
February 11, 2017
I loved this retelling of THE GREAT GATSBY. I stayed up until the early morning hours reading because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. The mystery of the Duke—who he is and what he’s up to—pulled me through chapter after chapter. Katie Nelson does a terrific job of staying true to the themes Fitzgerald explores in GATSBY, while keeping her own story unique enough that the plot is fresh and unpredictable.
And the characters—oh, I just loved them. The pressure Tanner felt to succeed was palpable--it was present on every page and my heart ached for him, even as I wanted to shake him sometimes for his bad decisions. He was such a real, raw, relatable character.
Katie Nelson also does such a beautiful job with the other characters in Tanner’s life—Sam, Kelsey, Tanner’s mom—all of them are so well-drawn and serve as wonderful counterbalances to the main character’s tendency to get swept away by the Duke and the seemingly quick-fix solutions he offers. Each side character reveals a different facet of Tanner’s personality, and without them, he wouldn’t be nearly as fleshed out as he is. It's so well-done.
This is a tightly plotted gem of a novel that I highly recommend!
And the characters—oh, I just loved them. The pressure Tanner felt to succeed was palpable--it was present on every page and my heart ached for him, even as I wanted to shake him sometimes for his bad decisions. He was such a real, raw, relatable character.
Katie Nelson also does such a beautiful job with the other characters in Tanner’s life—Sam, Kelsey, Tanner’s mom—all of them are so well-drawn and serve as wonderful counterbalances to the main character’s tendency to get swept away by the Duke and the seemingly quick-fix solutions he offers. Each side character reveals a different facet of Tanner’s personality, and without them, he wouldn’t be nearly as fleshed out as he is. It's so well-done.
This is a tightly plotted gem of a novel that I highly recommend!
February 7, 2017
Listen, you tell me that there is a retelling of The Great Gatsby, and I'm already there. But I was hooked from the first chapter. This is exactly the kind of retelling I like best. It stays true to the emotional stakes and tone of the original while still feeling unique, original, and (best of all) page-turning. A level of intensity simmered beneath the surface of each page, almost like there was a timer counting down, and I was just waiting for it to go off. And when it did, I felt it.
Tanner McKay was the perfect narrator for the story. He is an expert debater recruited from his public school to debate for the prestigious Bannerman Prep Academy. From the first chapter, Tanner’s motivations and thirst to prove himself, to be more and achieve more, are set up so well that what happens throughout the book has the right feeling of inevitability. Tanner remained someone I was rooting for throughout the story, and that sympathy I carried for him was essential to making the story work as well as it did.
Kelsey, the love interest, was possibly my favorite character. She was fierce and feminine, sweet and brilliant. Those parts of her character served to make her the perfect match for Tanner. I love how she stood up for herself, called out crap when she saw it, and was so, so tender with Tanner’s brother. Those scenes stole the show (and my heart).
As for the Duke. Oh, the Duke. I wanted SO MUCH MORE of him! But, and I hate that this is true, the story wouldn’t have worked if I were satisfied on all points. Because the way I felt is the way every character in the book felt: we all wanted more of the Duke. We all wanted to be the one person he trusted with his secrets. And we aren’t. Sigh. Still, if the author decides to write a novella from the Duke’s perspective, I will not object.
Long review short, I loved this retelling so, so much. Five brilliant stars.
Tanner McKay was the perfect narrator for the story. He is an expert debater recruited from his public school to debate for the prestigious Bannerman Prep Academy. From the first chapter, Tanner’s motivations and thirst to prove himself, to be more and achieve more, are set up so well that what happens throughout the book has the right feeling of inevitability. Tanner remained someone I was rooting for throughout the story, and that sympathy I carried for him was essential to making the story work as well as it did.
Kelsey, the love interest, was possibly my favorite character. She was fierce and feminine, sweet and brilliant. Those parts of her character served to make her the perfect match for Tanner. I love how she stood up for herself, called out crap when she saw it, and was so, so tender with Tanner’s brother. Those scenes stole the show (and my heart).
As for the Duke. Oh, the Duke. I wanted SO MUCH MORE of him! But, and I hate that this is true, the story wouldn’t have worked if I were satisfied on all points. Because the way I felt is the way every character in the book felt: we all wanted more of the Duke. We all wanted to be the one person he trusted with his secrets. And we aren’t. Sigh. Still, if the author decides to write a novella from the Duke’s perspective, I will not object.
Long review short, I loved this retelling so, so much. Five brilliant stars.
March 13, 2017
A Gatsby retelling is no small undertaking, but Katie Nelson pulls it off beautifully in her YA debut.
I loved every word of this book. I stayed up late to finish it and I'd catch myself thinking about it days later. The story pulls you in from the first chapter - with Tanner's uncertainty about Bannerman Prep and his need to succeed - then keeps you engaged with the mystery of The Duke and his effect on Tanner's life.
Smart. Original. Compelling. A must read.
I loved every word of this book. I stayed up late to finish it and I'd catch myself thinking about it days later. The story pulls you in from the first chapter - with Tanner's uncertainty about Bannerman Prep and his need to succeed - then keeps you engaged with the mystery of The Duke and his effect on Tanner's life.
Smart. Original. Compelling. A must read.
April 10, 2017
I was immediately captured by the idea of a GREAT GATSBY retelling - and this book delivers! I loved the pacing and the prep-school setting and how whip-smart it is. This is the type of novel that you can easily race through in one sitting. Add it to your TBR pile now!
May 18, 2017
I loved this book so much I blurbed it!
Official blurb: "A thrilling page-turner and a sparkling debut. Prepare to be drawn into the dazzling escape of lavish parties and riveted by Bannerman's infamous Duke."
Unofficial: The best re-tellings for me stay true to the source material and also offer something new, interesting, and unexpected. Nelson delivers on all fronts! This book drew me in immediately, from Tanner's first experiences at Bannerman to meeting the Duke. At the heart of this story is something I think many of us can relate to - being so enamored by someone's charm that we forget flying so high almost inevitably results in a crash. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary, retellings, or heartfelt and powerful stories!
Official blurb: "A thrilling page-turner and a sparkling debut. Prepare to be drawn into the dazzling escape of lavish parties and riveted by Bannerman's infamous Duke."
Unofficial: The best re-tellings for me stay true to the source material and also offer something new, interesting, and unexpected. Nelson delivers on all fronts! This book drew me in immediately, from Tanner's first experiences at Bannerman to meeting the Duke. At the heart of this story is something I think many of us can relate to - being so enamored by someone's charm that we forget flying so high almost inevitably results in a crash. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary, retellings, or heartfelt and powerful stories!
March 23, 2017
Words are weapons. Facts can be manipulated. And nothing is absolute—especially right and wrong.
Tanner McKay is at Bannerman Prep for only one reason: the elite school recruited him after he brought his public school’s debate team to victory last year. Bannerman wants a championship win. Debate is Tanner’s life—his ticket out of his poor-as-dirt life and family drama, straight to a scholarship to Stanford and the start of a new, better future.
But when he's paired with the Duke, his plans for an easy ride seem as if they’ve hit the rails. The Duke is the quintessential playboy, beloved by everyone for his laissez-faire attitude, crazy parties, and seemingly effortless favors.
And a total no-show when it comes to putting in the work to win.
But as Tanner gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, the thrill of the high life and the adrenaline of existing on the edge becomes addictive. A small favor here and there seems like nothing in exchange for getting everything he ever dreamed of.
But the Duke’s castle is built on shady, shaky secrets, and the walls are about to topple down.
A contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, Katie Nelson’s taut debut is perfect for fans of John Green’s Looking for Alaska, Kate Brian’s Private series, and anyone who’s encountered the cut-throat world of competitive high school.
Rating: 4/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: The Great Gatsby retelling?! FOR THE WIN!; intriguing, complex characters; realistic and believable plot; the air of mystery almost choked me throughout; I'm super curious about the Duke, and only a TINY bit sad we don't actually know anything about him; love the boarding school aspect
Huge thanks to Katie A. Nelson, Sky Pony Press, and Edelweiss for sending me a free digital galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
"Dude, that's pathetic. You can come to my house. My mom collects weirdos like some people collect stray cats. Nobody will even notice an extra person."
The Duke smiled, flipping his head to get his hair out of his eyes. "Are you calling me a weirdo or a stray cat?"
"Maybe both."
If you've been stalking my blog for a while, penguins, you'll know I go absolutely GAGA over any and every retelling I can get my hands on. Recently, I stumbled across this title on Edelweiss--up for instant download, at that!--and while I wasn't a big fan of the original novel, decided to take a chance on this one, because hello, boarding school?! Need I say more?!
I'm so pleased to say that this book? delivered on pretty much every level. The air of drama and intrigue surrounding the Duke was delicious, satisfying, and frustrating all at once. Frustrating only because a very, very TINY part of me is upset we don't really ever learn anything about him. Of course, I understand this is totally the point--and I'm not lying when I say that part of me is MINUSCULE. It doesn't matter at all, because honestly, this read was super entertaining, and I can get behind a book that keeps me wondering even after the final page.
We'd just finished up a unit in chemistry about states of matter, how some compounds break apart when energy is added. Sitting on those bleachers, I couldn't help but wonder if our friendship was like that, evaporating into a gas before my eyes, and there was no way I could trap it, and return it to the state it used to be.
These characters are realistic, and the plot is super believable. I adored how many different moral implications were made throughout--including the whole, "one white lie leads to a thousand more." It's obvious, from the get-go, that Tanner is in way over his head...and that he will, undoubtedly, make some very bad choices in the course of his journey. But the fact that he's flawed, and that he follows through so vehemently, and remains loyal... All of these things only helped to solidify him in my mind. Even when the world was falling apart around him, he dug himself in deeper, kept looking for that "out." It was so human, I felt as if I was watching the train wreck from the sidelines--and was reminded of moments in my past that I found myself in a similar situation. Let's be honest, we ALL do this at least once; it's how we learn, sometimes.
Overall, I'm SUPER glad I downloaded this retelling, and need more of YOU penguins to go out there and read it too, because I need someone to fangirl with about it. The characters are believable, the boarding school setting was entertaining, and the air of mystery/intrigue just about knocked me to the floor. There are some super heavy subjects explored throughout, but the moral implications are gold. Katie A. Nelson hit the nail on the head with this one, in my opinion. I definitely recommend this to lovers of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, boarding-school intrigue, and flawed but endearing characters. Welcome to Bannerman Prep, penguins; make sure to hold on to your hats, it's going to be a bumpy ride!
May 3, 2017
This is basically the Great Gatsby-boarding school mashup of my dreams. Compulsively readable with vivid characters and a complex, well-paced plot.
March 19, 2018
Confession - I don't think I've ever read The Great Gatsby, I didn't love the movie, and I didn't read this book summary until right now so I didn't know this was a retelling while reading it. And even knowing it is a retelling doesn't help me out because I don't remember the storyline of The Great Gatsby. So whether you love or hate The Great Gatsby you can still read this book.
Fun Fact - I was on a bus chaperoning a bunch of high schoolers while heading to judge their state debate tournament when I started reading this not knowing the story was centered around debate. At one point I read aloud a passage of this book about policy debaters to the students on the bus and they all laughed aloud and agreed with the passage.
Two truths - I rarely read book summaries. I don't like swearing in books.
Opinion - This is a great book. I was turned off by the unneeded language but otherwise found this to be highly entertaining and worth reading. Timing and setting for me reading this was perfect because I was in a debate mindset but you don't have to know anything about debate to enjoy this. This book in no way inspired me to want to give The Great Gatsby another try.
content: some language
Fun Fact - I was on a bus chaperoning a bunch of high schoolers while heading to judge their state debate tournament when I started reading this not knowing the story was centered around debate. At one point I read aloud a passage of this book about policy debaters to the students on the bus and they all laughed aloud and agreed with the passage.
Two truths - I rarely read book summaries. I don't like swearing in books.
Opinion - This is a great book. I was turned off by the unneeded language but otherwise found this to be highly entertaining and worth reading. Timing and setting for me reading this was perfect because I was in a debate mindset but you don't have to know anything about debate to enjoy this. This book in no way inspired me to want to give The Great Gatsby another try.
content: some language
May 6, 2017
I loved this!! I wasn't sure if I'd be able to appreciate it, not being a big Great Gatsby fan myself, but I felt drawn into the story, characters, and the setting (I especially loved the bay area references!). I was drawn in and couldn't put it down.
Read
February 19, 2020DNF. I’m. So. Bored. :/
March 1, 2017
I live at a fancy boarding school where my husband is the speech and debate coach. This book was basically written for him. And his students. And me. So of course I had to read it.
I was a bit disappointed that so much of the debating was skipped over: e.g. "The judge came in and the debate started. We won." (FYI, this is not an actual quote from the book, but it happened several times.)
I recognize that it is hard to present an engrossing play-by-play of a debate match for the general public, but I would have like a little more. There was a bit too much unnecessary romance/canoodling (PG-rated at most), some of which felt quite forced, where I would have enjoyed some more good debate drama. Also, characters were also somewhat underdeveloped, making the interpersonal drama even less compelling.
That said, the portrayal preppy boarding schools, preppy boarding school students, and speech and debate styles were pretty much right on. This fictional West Coast school is quite different than our actual East Coast school, but the parallels are unavoidable.
This book is probably not for everybody, but it is definitely for me. And my husband. And most of his friends.
I was a bit disappointed that so much of the debating was skipped over: e.g. "The judge came in and the debate started. We won." (FYI, this is not an actual quote from the book, but it happened several times.)
I recognize that it is hard to present an engrossing play-by-play of a debate match for the general public, but I would have like a little more. There was a bit too much unnecessary romance/canoodling (PG-rated at most), some of which felt quite forced, where I would have enjoyed some more good debate drama. Also, characters were also somewhat underdeveloped, making the interpersonal drama even less compelling.
That said, the portrayal preppy boarding schools, preppy boarding school students, and speech and debate styles were pretty much right on. This fictional West Coast school is quite different than our actual East Coast school, but the parallels are unavoidable.
This book is probably not for everybody, but it is definitely for me. And my husband. And most of his friends.
May 13, 2017
I've been so excited about The Duke of Bannerman Prep ever since I learned that this is a YA retelling of The Great Gatsby, and I was certainly not disappointed. This book stayed true to many of the themes from the original work, but is very much its own, captivating story. Be sure to check out this post over on Girl in the Pages to see some fantastic comparisons between the two.
Many of the Gatsby characters have been brilliantly reimagined in this story, yet at the same time, they're much more likable in spite of their flaws. And the Duke is every bit as enigmatic and fascinating as Jay Gatsby himself.
This book is perfect for fans of The Great Gatsby ands fans of YA contemporary novels alike.
Many of the Gatsby characters have been brilliantly reimagined in this story, yet at the same time, they're much more likable in spite of their flaws. And the Duke is every bit as enigmatic and fascinating as Jay Gatsby himself.
This book is perfect for fans of The Great Gatsby ands fans of YA contemporary novels alike.
Want to read
March 19, 2016so I LOVED Great Gatsby. this is exciting.
May 24, 2017
Fantastic characters, witty dialogue, smart writing all made for such an enjoyable read!
May 13, 2017
I LOVED THIS BOOK. I don't know about you but I'm such a sucker for boarding schools and drama of any sort. It doesn't have a TON of drama, but the drama is does have is just wonderful. The Duke of Bannerman Prep is a quick, easy read that will be sure to have you hooked. You can find my full review at Gabriella M Reads.
May 21, 2017
As an English teacher, I'm always curious with retellings/reimaginings of the classics. It's one of my standard "creative" projects I give at the end of a book or unit. (I usually give one traditional essay and one creative writing project.) I even drove a co-teacher crazy as we did the whole "rewrite Romeo and Juliet" assignment. Every year it feels like these reimaginings go through cycles: Shakespeare, American lit then Victorian age then myths then back to Shakes. Gatsby was inevitable after the flashy Baz Luhrman/ Leo DiCaprio extravaganza from a few years back (that I thought was quite excellent) and THE DUKE OF BANNERMAN PREP is one of those books. And it's an excellent book. I ALMOST single served it (according to Z's Review Glossary: SINGLE SERVED: Reading a book in one "sitting," almost always in a single day), having read the first quarter of the book over a few days then finishing the rest in one day. It kept me riveted, wanting to find out next, which is what you really want a book to do as a reader and a writer.
Nelson does a terrific job of retelling the Gatsby without making it a beat for beat rewrite of Gatsby. It's clever and helps the story stand on it's own two legs while clearly being a giant nod to the source material. She takes the big pieces from Gatsby, reshapes them into what she wants them to do and, most importantly, leaves out the things she doesn't need to tell her story. Where Gatsby is clearly Gatsby's story and Nick is our eyes and ears, DUKE isn't necessarily The Duke's story but Tanner's story. And it's one of the reasons the story really worked for me. I understood Tanner. In a way, I could've been Tanner.
Tanner isn't a Nick Carraway rehash, he's a kid from "the other side of the tracks." It's a well-worn trope that goes back since the cavemen were telling stories around the campfire and Nelson uses it well. She shines the trope up, giving us a different spin on the character, making us yell at the book for the way he's acting while completely understanding that in the same circumstance we would ignore the screaming reader that was reading our story yelling at us. The Duke is closer to the source material and that works, the mysteries are slowly unraveled throughout the story without clunking us on the head too much, though there are a few heavy handed moment that don't detract from the enjoyment of the story in the least. The other characters are a little cardboardy in spots, more out of necessity than any reflection on Nelson. They just don't have a lot to do except be there, but Nelson gives them enough to do so that they are more like colored in paper dolls where Tanner, The Duke, Kelsey and Abby are much more well-rounded.
As much as people are comparing this to Gatsby, I think that it owes just as much to the television show GLEE, but instead of show choir it's debate team. Nelson knows her stuff and doesn't crush you with jargon. I still had to Google a few things and that isn't always bad. The world of debate teams, in this day and age, deserved a book and it got a darn good one.
My only gripe, more to do with me the reader than the book, is why are we falling back on the steroid laced jock a-hole trope as the bad guys again. Jocks are just as well rounded as debate team members and theater kids and skateboarders. Nelson does address this, putting a-hole characters in these cliques. I also understood the type of character Nelson was writing, but at times it fell way to into cliche for me. But there seems to be a resurgence of the "Johnny Lawrence" character lately and we're more complex than that now.
THE DUKE OF BANNERMAN PREP is a fantastic book. A complex story but a quick read with just enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to find out what's next in the story. Definitely going to make the Best of 2017 list.
(An ARC was provided by the publisher through a contest.)
Nelson does a terrific job of retelling the Gatsby without making it a beat for beat rewrite of Gatsby. It's clever and helps the story stand on it's own two legs while clearly being a giant nod to the source material. She takes the big pieces from Gatsby, reshapes them into what she wants them to do and, most importantly, leaves out the things she doesn't need to tell her story. Where Gatsby is clearly Gatsby's story and Nick is our eyes and ears, DUKE isn't necessarily The Duke's story but Tanner's story. And it's one of the reasons the story really worked for me. I understood Tanner. In a way, I could've been Tanner.
Tanner isn't a Nick Carraway rehash, he's a kid from "the other side of the tracks." It's a well-worn trope that goes back since the cavemen were telling stories around the campfire and Nelson uses it well. She shines the trope up, giving us a different spin on the character, making us yell at the book for the way he's acting while completely understanding that in the same circumstance we would ignore the screaming reader that was reading our story yelling at us. The Duke is closer to the source material and that works, the mysteries are slowly unraveled throughout the story without clunking us on the head too much, though there are a few heavy handed moment that don't detract from the enjoyment of the story in the least. The other characters are a little cardboardy in spots, more out of necessity than any reflection on Nelson. They just don't have a lot to do except be there, but Nelson gives them enough to do so that they are more like colored in paper dolls where Tanner, The Duke, Kelsey and Abby are much more well-rounded.
As much as people are comparing this to Gatsby, I think that it owes just as much to the television show GLEE, but instead of show choir it's debate team. Nelson knows her stuff and doesn't crush you with jargon. I still had to Google a few things and that isn't always bad. The world of debate teams, in this day and age, deserved a book and it got a darn good one.
My only gripe, more to do with me the reader than the book, is why are we falling back on the steroid laced jock a-hole trope as the bad guys again. Jocks are just as well rounded as debate team members and theater kids and skateboarders. Nelson does address this, putting a-hole characters in these cliques. I also understood the type of character Nelson was writing, but at times it fell way to into cliche for me. But there seems to be a resurgence of the "Johnny Lawrence" character lately and we're more complex than that now.
THE DUKE OF BANNERMAN PREP is a fantastic book. A complex story but a quick read with just enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to find out what's next in the story. Definitely going to make the Best of 2017 list.
(An ARC was provided by the publisher through a contest.)
May 19, 2017
It's been a while since I read The Great Gatsby and I haven't seen any of the more current movies of it to help refresh my gmemory of the plot and characters so I read The Duke of Bannerman Prep just hoping for a good entertaining story, something that would keep my interest. I got that and more. As I read, I wanted to know what was going to happen with the characters and their relationships with one another and then how their issues would all get resolved. I like that I'm still wondering how characters are doing and what's going on with them because it feels like each one of them has a life to continue living rather then just being there to play their role in the story and then vanish from existence when the novel ends. I like the lessons learned and the teachers who taught them. As choices were presented to the characters I found myself often wondering if I would have done the same thing in their shoes. This is a quick read with humorous and snappy dialogue and just the right amount of descriptive detail to help paint a picture in your mind of what is happening so you are able to focus on the characters and theme. This is a well-written young adult story with life lessons that easily go beyond that age.
May 23, 2017
I read this novel in one day because I couldn’t put it down, but now I wish it wasn’t over. Nelson has a talent for not wasting words. There was never a point where I wanted to skim, there were never moments where words became redundant, and my mind never wondered to other places while reading this novel. I found the debate aspect to be particularly interesting as I just completed an argumentation class this semester and was thrilled that I had a clear understanding of debate terminology. I was intrigued by the dynamic between The Duke and Tanner McKay- very Gatsby. I was even more interested to see how Tanner would handle his moral dilemmas and define his character. Great read.
May 29, 2017
A moving contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby. Exceptionally crafted and provoking, though I did wish to know more about the Duke.
April 16, 2017
I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first Gatsby retelling, and I’m not really disappointed. I didn’t like The Great Gatsby when I read it for school, so I was cautiously optimistic for this book. I can say that I liked this more than Gatsby. I thought both the high school setting and the debate team both helped create an authentic Gatsby feeling, and made perfect sense for the characters. But I didn't care for the characters, and found myself a little bored while reading (Likely due to my Gatsby apathy).
Things I Liked :
-High School setting. I feel like the high school setting really helped it feel like a Gatsby retelling. I could buy people creating this mythos around someone and holding them up on a pedestal, or trying to get in their good graces. I could also buy Andrew crafting his James Dean persona pretending to be something he’s not - something he wants to be, to have a better status symbol in a time in your life when you feel like status is everything. It was also really believable that Tanner would be envious of Andrew and tempted into his world. The high school setting helped the impulsive and dramatic actions of the characters seem more believable also.
-Debate. I loved the debate aspect of the story purely for showcasing Andrew’s charismatic personality. It makes sense that he would be persuasive and charming, able to work a crowd and get others to see things his way. It was a perfect choice and worked very well.
Things I didn’t like :
-The Duke. Small personal issue, I hated Andrew’s nickname. I thought of John Wayne or people misquoting the Big Lebowski and not some mythic high schooler who had serious connections. It just made me roll me eyes every time I saw it. Where did the nickname even come from, did I miss that? If we had it's origins it might not have felt to dumb to me.
-Characters. All the characters were unlikeable, and I’m pretty sure that’s the point. They are selfish and entitled and awful people. I don’t mind that the characters sucked, it just made it hard for me to care about what happened to them or to sympathize with them in any way. So I never got really invested in them or the story.
-References. There were a few real world references (Twenty-One Pilots concert, World Series game) that just completely pulled me out to the story. There wasn’t anything wrong with them, they were well written and were used to show Andrew’s excessive wealth and influence, they just pulled me out of the story because I didn't expect them.
-Scene changes. There are scene changes in the middle of chapters that are abrupt and you don’t denote time or location changes very well. It happens pretty frequently, but it’s not too disorienting that you can’t follow the story, it just interrupted the flow of the story.
Not a bad reading experience overall, but not necessarily a memorable one. This was a terrific Gatsby retelling, I just wish I liked it more. I didn’t really care about the characters or what they were going through, so I never felt invested in the story, even though it was well executed. Would recommend for fans of The Great Gatsby and stories full of drama.
This is my first Gatsby retelling, and I’m not really disappointed. I didn’t like The Great Gatsby when I read it for school, so I was cautiously optimistic for this book. I can say that I liked this more than Gatsby. I thought both the high school setting and the debate team both helped create an authentic Gatsby feeling, and made perfect sense for the characters. But I didn't care for the characters, and found myself a little bored while reading (Likely due to my Gatsby apathy).
Things I Liked :
-High School setting. I feel like the high school setting really helped it feel like a Gatsby retelling. I could buy people creating this mythos around someone and holding them up on a pedestal, or trying to get in their good graces. I could also buy Andrew crafting his James Dean persona pretending to be something he’s not - something he wants to be, to have a better status symbol in a time in your life when you feel like status is everything. It was also really believable that Tanner would be envious of Andrew and tempted into his world. The high school setting helped the impulsive and dramatic actions of the characters seem more believable also.
-Debate. I loved the debate aspect of the story purely for showcasing Andrew’s charismatic personality. It makes sense that he would be persuasive and charming, able to work a crowd and get others to see things his way. It was a perfect choice and worked very well.
Things I didn’t like :
-The Duke. Small personal issue, I hated Andrew’s nickname. I thought of John Wayne or people misquoting the Big Lebowski and not some mythic high schooler who had serious connections. It just made me roll me eyes every time I saw it. Where did the nickname even come from, did I miss that? If we had it's origins it might not have felt to dumb to me.
-Characters. All the characters were unlikeable, and I’m pretty sure that’s the point. They are selfish and entitled and awful people. I don’t mind that the characters sucked, it just made it hard for me to care about what happened to them or to sympathize with them in any way. So I never got really invested in them or the story.
-References. There were a few real world references (Twenty-One Pilots concert, World Series game) that just completely pulled me out to the story. There wasn’t anything wrong with them, they were well written and were used to show Andrew’s excessive wealth and influence, they just pulled me out of the story because I didn't expect them.
-Scene changes. There are scene changes in the middle of chapters that are abrupt and you don’t denote time or location changes very well. It happens pretty frequently, but it’s not too disorienting that you can’t follow the story, it just interrupted the flow of the story.
Not a bad reading experience overall, but not necessarily a memorable one. This was a terrific Gatsby retelling, I just wish I liked it more. I didn’t really care about the characters or what they were going through, so I never felt invested in the story, even though it was well executed. Would recommend for fans of The Great Gatsby and stories full of drama.
June 3, 2017
It was a good Gatsby retelling in a modern school life. I feel like it captured the original novel's essence and mixed it up with her own style. The only dislike, well the major dislike from me would be the debate story line. I couldn't connect with it because I just have no interest in that area of extracurricular. Other than that, it was lovely.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
May 22, 2017
I really really liked this book. The author wrote in such a way that I found that I did care about the characters and wanted to know what happened to them. The plot kept me reading. The debate references in the story were so real. A very believable book. I recommend this!
May 19, 2017
Best book I've read in a long time. It was believable for me. I want senior year. I wanna see changes and new mistakes and more learning. And I wanna know what happened to The Duke. Maybe just some hints?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2017
Katie Nelson did such a great job on this retelling of the Great Gatsby! I loved it! Tanner was such a fun character to get to know and I loved the relationship with the Duke that caused so much inner turmoil for Tanner. Great characters and well thought out plot. Overall just an awesome, entertaining read.
January 2, 2018
This was an interesting book. It is a modern day take on The Great Gatsby. It’s been a good 12-13 years since I’ve read The Great Gatsby, but from what I remember the story had a similar feel. I enjoyed the characters. The Duke was my favorite character. I know the point was to not actually know much about him, but I do wish we would have gotten some of his story. There were hints about his real life, but nothing solid. But again. That was the point.
April 30, 2017
This Gatsby retelling did an excellent job staying faithful to the tone and spirit of the original, though the circumstances of the story are different. The writing was clear and powerful, the characters (especially the Duke) vividly drawn, and the story itself was gripping.
June 12, 2017
"The thing about debate was that you never really knew."
Preach, Katie A. Nelson, preach.
Months before this book came out, two people had already recommended it to me because a) The Great Gatsby is my favorite piece of capital L Literature (I miss teaching Junior English just for this book) and b) coaching speech and debate owns my soul for 11 months a year.
The speech and debate side of this book is phenomenal. I was super skeptical at first because no YA book has done the actual world of high school forensics well yet. It's always "yeah, he's on the debate team...they argue about stuff" and not about the intricacies of the team, competition, and even how important it is to eat (I loved how Kelsey gets on Tanner about just having chips and a Monster at a tournament, hello the conversation I have at every tournament). Clearly Katie Nelson has been a part of this world, and I was so happy to see it so well-fleshed out and true to what the activity is actually like. (Although, man is she mad at Congress and LD? I didn't realize there was so much hostility toward those events in California...)
The Gatsby side of the book was also so great. I've read that book probably more than another other book in my life, so to see the little nods (Blake is "hulking", stop lights turning green, "mate" in lieu of another oft uttered phrase) made me really happy. Nelson stayed really true to the story, while adding some interesting updates.
Some issues: I don't think some of the characters were described well and I still have no idea what the Duke is supposed to look like. I don't need every feature spelled out for me, but some more physical characterization would have been helpful for my imagination. The other thing that really bothered me is that it was really white and straight. Other than two clearly Asian characters (only identified by their very Asian names), there is one sort of person of color and no LGBTQ characters. If I'm wrong on this and missed one, apologies, but I got nothing.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am so glad to have a speech and debate book out there in the world.
Preach, Katie A. Nelson, preach.
Months before this book came out, two people had already recommended it to me because a) The Great Gatsby is my favorite piece of capital L Literature (I miss teaching Junior English just for this book) and b) coaching speech and debate owns my soul for 11 months a year.
The speech and debate side of this book is phenomenal. I was super skeptical at first because no YA book has done the actual world of high school forensics well yet. It's always "yeah, he's on the debate team...they argue about stuff" and not about the intricacies of the team, competition, and even how important it is to eat (I loved how Kelsey gets on Tanner about just having chips and a Monster at a tournament, hello the conversation I have at every tournament). Clearly Katie Nelson has been a part of this world, and I was so happy to see it so well-fleshed out and true to what the activity is actually like. (Although, man is she mad at Congress and LD? I didn't realize there was so much hostility toward those events in California...)
The Gatsby side of the book was also so great. I've read that book probably more than another other book in my life, so to see the little nods (Blake is "hulking", stop lights turning green, "mate" in lieu of another oft uttered phrase) made me really happy. Nelson stayed really true to the story, while adding some interesting updates.
Some issues: I don't think some of the characters were described well and I still have no idea what the Duke is supposed to look like. I don't need every feature spelled out for me, but some more physical characterization would have been helpful for my imagination. The other thing that really bothered me is that it was really white and straight. Other than two clearly Asian characters (only identified by their very Asian names), there is one sort of person of color and no LGBTQ characters. If I'm wrong on this and missed one, apologies, but I got nothing.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am so glad to have a speech and debate book out there in the world.
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