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Henry Avila's Reviews > The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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it was amazing

Jay Gatsby, is a mysterious young man, who gives extravagant parties on Long Island, New York, outside his palatial mansion , in the warm, lazy, summer nights. That he doesn't know the people he invites, not to mention the numerous gate crashers, might make it a little strange, but this being the roaring 20's, anything goes, rumors abound about Gatsby, bootlegger ? Who cares, as long as the free liquor flows, the great food served, and the beautiful music, continues playing. Finally attending one of his own gatherings, we discover that he's after Daisy, a lost love, she's married, which complicates the delicate situation. Nick, Daisy's cousin, arrives in town and through him, reunites Gatsby with his former girlfriend, she enjoys luxury, which is why Daisy married rich Tom and not poor Jay. A catastrophic car accident kills Tom's girlfriend, yes, he's a creep but a wealthy one, it's vague who's responsible, but her husband thinks he knows. Death in a swimming pool, ends this tragedy and symbolizes the Jazz Age ... Thoughts: Gatsby was a tortured, lonely man, even shy, who tried to become a member of the establishment. He, with all his riches, needed to enter it, to become part of it, to feel alive but could never remove the dirt and his lowly, and embarrassing origins. They (the upper class), used him and laughed at the stranger behind his back, and the illusions about Daisy , a woman who never really existed, except in his distorted mind. The truth shocked Gatsby, the pretend gentleman but he could never let go of the mirage, if he did, there would be nothing left of his soul.
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Reading Progress

March 27, 2011 – Started Reading
March 30, 2011 – Finished Reading
June 30, 2011 – Shelved

Comments Showing 1-50 of 53 (53 new)


message 1: by Yu (new) - rated it 5 stars

Yu tried to become a member of the establishment. I love this sentence.


Henry Avila Thanks Zoe.It's a great novel.


Henry Avila Yes it's a beautiful, bittersweet book,Dagny.


Florence (Lefty) MacIntosh Henry, I really liked your description of Daisy as an illusion of his distorted mind.


Henry Avila Thank you Florence!


message 6: by Renate (last edited May 18, 2013 08:57AM) (new) - rated it 2 stars

Renate I have read it a long time ago in school (obliged literature), but I didn't like it then. I now put it on my list "books to read again". Perhaps some 12 years later I might change my mind about it. Thank you for your review.


Sara Good review!


Henry Avila Renate wrote: "I have read it a long time ago in school (obliged literature), but I didn't like it then. I now put it on my list "books to read again". Perhaps some 12 years later I might change my mind about it...."
Renate,It's a classic.With an unhappy ending..


Henry Avila Sara wrote: "Good review!"

Thanks again Sara.This is a great novel!


message 10: by Sonia (new)

Sonia Gomes Nice review Henry, we see this Gatsby, Tom and Daisy everywhere, in all parts of the world.
Coincidence is that I just saw the movie on big screen, What magic!


Henry Avila Sonia wrote: "Nice review Henry, we see this Gatsby, Tom and Daisy everywhere, in all parts of the world.
Coincidence is that I just saw the movie on big screen, What magic!"


Thanks Sonia.!Have not seen the movie yet but will soon.Looks good and it's the 4th film version of the novel!1st was in 1926....


message 12: by Lynne (last edited Aug 01, 2013 02:39PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Lynne King Henry, An extraordinary review but excellent.


Henry Avila Thank you very much,Lynne.


Janine Barzyk Ackerman Hi - just finished reading this book - and I don't understand. If Gatsby was so popular, why didn't anyone attend his funeral? I guess all those "friends" were just using him all along. And what happened to Daisy??? The book left me with such an unsatisfying feeling...


Henry Avila Gatsby had no real friends.They,the freeloaders, took the free stuff.From a stranger.Daisy, returns to her husband.Resumed their shallow, but comfortable lives,Janine.


Janine Barzyk Ackerman Thanks Henry. After your comments, and reading some of the other reviews, I think I'm gaining some insight. I appreciate it!


Henry Avila You're always welcome,Janine.


Aditi This is my most favorite book. Very nice review. I don't remember how many times I've read this book Henry. Fitzgerald eloquent and colorful words makes the book really very captivating. I love this book to my heart. The next most favorite book is The Curious case of Benjamin Button. That book is very touching and emotional.


Aditi You've no idea how much I hate the character of Daisy, even after happening so much, she never returns back to Jay. She is the perfect epitome of a rich typical trophy wife of Tom Buchanan.


Henry Avila Yes she was shallow and greedy, her husband Tom a jerk.They deserved each other.


Aditi Henry Avila wrote: Yes she was shallow and greedy, her husband Tom a jerk.They deserved each other.

LOL, a perfect match made in Heaven, Henry! ;)


Henry Avila That's why they kept moving from city to city.


Aditi Henry Avila wrote: That's why they kept moving from city to city.

And surprisingly never kept their daughter with them!


Henry Avila Too selfish both, they had nannies.Poor kid,unloved.


Aditi Henry Avila wrote: Too selfish both, they had nannies.Poor kid,unloved.

No wonder Daisy calls her daughter a beautiful fool!


Henry Avila Loved the film, though, so over the top,Aditi!


Aditi Henry Avila wrote: Loved the film, though, so over the top,Aditi!

Just like the book, the movie too is very colorful, and Leo has justified the character of Jay completely, Old Sport!


Henry Avila Enjoyed him, calling everyone old sport, so amusing.


Aditi :-) Yeah Henry!


Garima If he did, there would be nothing left of his soul.

Yes. What a sad life! Great review, Henry.


Henry Avila Garima,I appreciate your words, yes, after lifting himself so high .All that struggle to come to this...


Cecily Aditi wrote: "You've no idea how much I hate the character of Daisy, even after happening so much, she never returns back to Jay. She is the perfect epitome of a rich typical trophy wife of Tom Buchanan."

Not as repugnant as Brenda Last in Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust, though.


Henry Avila Cecily, that book seems kind of interesting.


message 34: by Minh (new) - rated it 3 stars

Minh This review perfectly expresses how I think of The Great Gatsby! Fitzgerald successfully depicted a materialistic society that concerns only with the facade of itself, not to mention the beautiful prose and the thousand symbolism he sprinkled across the pages!


message 35: by Henry (last edited Oct 16, 2016 04:31PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Henry Avila It is a classic, but when first published during the 1920's, flopped,naturally, people were having too much fun, to criticize their excesses, Cassandra ...


message 36: by Minh (new) - rated it 3 stars

Minh Oh yes. I've read somewhere that The Great Gatsby initial publish was terrible. It didn't sell much. Sad about how society tends to lean towards the ignorant side.


Henry Avila Cassandra wrote: "Oh yes. I've read somewhere that The Great Gatsby initial publish was terrible. It didn't sell much. Sad about how society tends to lean towards the ignorant side." People are not always right.


Henry Avila Tran wrote: ""

Thanks for the info ,Tran.


Cecily His soul tied to a mirage. Beautiful and insightful, Henry.


message 41: by Henry (last edited Oct 17, 2016 01:23AM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Henry Avila CECILY, I thank you! This is a very important novel, because it reveals the human condition, the good and the bad...


Dolors Glad that I had this review on my feed this morning, Henry. The last paragraph is excellent, so I share Cecily's opinion above.


message 43: by Joey (new) - rated it 2 stars

Joey I appreciated the book after watching its movie adaptation starred in by Lionardo DiCaprio. The book was a bit dry for me.


Henry Avila Dolors wrote: "Glad that I had this review on my feed this morning, Henry. The last paragraph is excellent, so I share Cecily's opinion above."
Dolors , as always thanks, the book though short, is high in my estimations.


Henry Avila Joey wrote: "I appreciated the book after watching its movie adaptation starred in by Lionardo DiCaprio. The book was a bit dry for me."
A different time, in 100 years from today, it will seem dry as dust to our successors , the early 21st century, too.


Sharon Barrow Wilfong Great insight, Henry. I think that last paragraph, realizing none of it was real but not being able to face it because it would show the emptiness of his own soul particularly forceful.


Henry Avila Thank you Sharon, this is a superb novel.


Sarah Booth Great review Henry! I recently reread this book. I鈥檓 a fan of F Scott, but never cared for this one. I felt that it was really pointing out that old money and high society was always going to stick together and keep out new money. No matter the transgressions committed by old money they were going to close ranks and keep their reputations at any cost. Jay was never really going to be one of them with their established families and good reputations; he didn鈥檛 have the breeding or established money. And I too thought Daisy was beyond dreadful. The story made you resent the establishment rich and their ability to buy their way out of trouble. These days there is much less distinction between old and new money. What a different a hundred years makes.


Henry Avila Thank you my friend, this is quite a book to read and digest slowly afterwards...deep thoughts indeed.


James Thomas Great review and summary. I'm always amazed at how I didn't like this novel on first read, then absolutely adored it the second time. Maybe I was temporarily insane that first time round and later came to my senses. This book is almost perfect


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