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I don't know whether I'm trying very hard to like this book, or very hard to not like it. I felt nothing but mild annoyance at all characters except for Carraway, and for him I felt nothing at all. (view spoiler)[The real feelings began with Myrtle's death, this undulated hatred for Daisy, this angry sympathy for Tom for being so stupid and naive, and this tenderness towards Gatsby. I think I liked him so much better in his death than I did when he was alive, and living his Daisy dream. (hide spoiler)]
At any point, the book did not flow for me, I couldn't read all of it in one go because it just didn't hold me.
(Confession: I had to google Myrtle and Carraway's names even though I just finished the book two minutes ago.)

Yes, it's brilliant as a social commentary. The superficial nature pierces through. The desperate attempts to be part of a higher social class are written aptly.

Did Fitzgerald do a great job depicting society and the lower class wanting to fit in? Sure. But were his characters bland and insipid? Yes. I felt no emotion for them at all. And I cannot love a book that's just totally uninterested in its characters.


I do, however, look forward to the 2013 movie! Maybe because I did not love the book, I won't hate the movie.


Update:
After having watched the 2013 movie, I can say, I feel the book works better as a social commentary, and the movie as a commentary that hides behind a story.