39. The Great Gatsby Scott-Fitzgerald

I really enjoyed reading the Great Gatsby but I have truly no idea why I did. The story wasn't the greatest story ever written, the plot was interesting but by no means radical or revolutionary, and the style of writing was clear and concise but not in a way that I will rave to all my fellow book fiends about.

All this tends to present the image again that I like whining about books, and that I will pick fault with everything. Let me make it clear, I genuinely loved this book I just can't quite place what I liked about it! It did nothing wrong, it's not clear why I loved it - and thats not just because it has taken me nearly three weeks to write the review!!

The one thing I will say for certain that I do like about it is the characters. Scott-Fitzgerald does have a canny ability to develop the protagonists of this story with relative ease. You do get a clear idea of who they are and what they are all about. Take for example Tom Buchanan:

"one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterwards savours of anti-climax"

Within one line alone you get the idea that this character is bored, seeking thrills wherever and at the same time is one of those powerful types that will take no prisoners, and woe betide anyone who gets in his way. Which funnily enough is exactly what the story proves in what becomes a fairly predictable end. 

For those of you who have read my reviews before you will now be well aware the way to my heart when it comes to good fiction is character development, and in the Great Gatsby this exists in spades. This book is one that I will definitely read again, and I will be keeping my eye out for more books by this author... hopefully he won't let me down!