A book review –The Great Gatsby

Recently I have read “The Great Gatsby”, a novel written in 1925 by F.Scott Fitzergald.This book has not only been successful but it has only been filmed starring Leonardo di Caprio. According to Wikipedia, the writer wanted to produce “something new-something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned”.

This book is set in 1922 during the Jazz Age. It tells a story of the wealth and habits of a group of New Yorker during that period of time. Through the story we are taken by narrator, Nick Carraway young Yale graduate, who rents a house next door to the mansion of Jay Gatsby. Every Saturday, Gatsby would throw an extravagant and magnificent party but he usually wouldn’t participate in it. Even though the main character Great Gatsby is rich, well not rich but mega rich, he is dissatisfied because long ago he fell in love with a young girl called Daisy. Later on, Gatsby finds out that Daisy is actually married to Tom and she is actually Nick’s cousin so he asks Nick to help him meet the love of his life once again. After they meet, they began their affair. Soon, Tom begins to be suspicious of his wife’s relationship with Gatsby. What’s more, he announces to his wife that Gatsby is a criminal who got rich through gambling and other illegal activities. After she found out this unfortunate news she and Gatsby drive back to New York. Because she was in such an emotional state, she hit and killed a woman but not any woman. She killed Tom’s mistress. However, Gatsby couldn’t imagine his life without Daisy so he decided to take the blame. Afterwards, Gorge, husband of the woman that was killed, found out that the car that killed his wife belongs to Gatsby so he shoots him. In the end, Nick arranges a small funeral and then he leaves New York.

Personally, I do not consider this as a romantic novel, even though many people do. I think it is more than that, it is an ultimate tragedy where dreaming about lost loves leads us to despair. Moreover, the most positive massage in the book is that readers should learn from the characters’ mistakes.

The book is certainly worth reading, it is one of the “must read ” books. So what are you waiting for, go read this book or if you are not into reading see the movie. You won’t be disappointed.

By Makbula