Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Rating: 2 stars of 5

The Great Gatsby well illustrates the hollow misery of a life lived primarily for self and money. I did not much like the story or characters, but I can admire the way Fitzgerald used tone and beautifully crafted sentences to tell the story beneath the surface.

At first glance, the novel appears to be about pursuing the American dream and “making it,” but when you get to know the characters, you start to realize that none of them are very happy or even really care about one another. Their lives are rooted in selfishness. Rather than an inspirational tale that teaches the reader to pursue their dreams and make the world a better place, Fitzgerald serves up a cautionary tale about how life can either go wrong or descend to utter meaninglessness when priorities go awry and we forget about what is most important in life.