Rating: 
Summary: "The greatest American novel ever written..."
Review: Yeah right.I know this is a "classic" and a required read for any person not spending their life under a rock but quite frankly, its terribly overrated.This tale of the "American Dream" is really nothing more than people who will do anything they can to get rich.It's a tale of snobby people during the jazz age and all their affairs and problems.Just because a book is consideed a classic doesn't make it good.I'm very sorry if I have offeneded anyone who read and enjoyed this book but I don't see what the big deal is.A waste of time and money, please don't read this unless your one of those old people who never smile and drink little cups of tea with their pinky sticking out.In the words of the mighty Dennis Miller "That's just my opinion, I could be wrong..." But I'm not.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Social Commentary
Review: Fitzgerald hit the nail on the head in this book when he makes a scathing comment on popularity. He portrays popularity as a fleeting status in this book. Gatsby is the center of attention in his life with huge parties and a grandios lifestyle, but when he passes on, only a few good freinds show up at his funeral. A great book from an author who was never fully appreciated in his time.
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Summary: Strong Symbolism and the Death of a Dream
Review: Considered by many to be one of the greatest novels of our century, this book presents a vivid chronicle of the Jazz Age and is a tightly constructed work of literary genius. In the novel, Nick Carraway tells the story of his neighbor Jay Gatsby, a handsome bachelor who has amassed a fortune as a racketeer in order to build a Long Island mansion and give fabulous parties that he hopes will enable him to win back the love of the married Daisy Buchanan. This book is a story of the American dream and Fitzgerald's basic belief that the dream has been degraded and corrupted until it almost seems to be foolish to aspire to that dream because it would just make one morally derelict. The lower orders that aspire to infinite and instant wealth are trying to adopt the values and standards of the established rich class, which are already corrupt. Fitzgerald felt that American idealism had been corrupted by embracing materialism as its means. Fitzgerald believed that we are in a vicious circle, that the established wealth is corrupt but the new rich adopt to the same ideals as the old rich and they become corrupt and join the established wealth and then the new group aspires to the established rich values and so on. A strong statement of the author's personal values and beliefs, it is also a highly entertaining read.
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Summary: Beautiful Language and a Great Story
Review: This eloquently written novel, full of symbolism and wonderful imagery is set among a millionaire community on Long Island. The enigmatic bachelor Gatsby gives huge all night parties at his mansion, dancing, drugs and sex are the season's most fashionable events. His fascinated neighbour, the book's narrator Nick Carraway, makes friends with him and begins unravelling the secrets of his personality. Carraway's intervention triggers revelations about Gatsby's criminal past, and a love afair between Gatsby and the wife of the wealthy Tom Buchanan; these in turn leads to further tragedy. At the end of the book Carraway sits alone outside Gatsby's mansion, reflecting on the emptiness of the lives he has just described. Certainly this novel stands alone in range and depth. You will want to read this book again just for the beautiful flow of Fitzgerald's prose.
Rating:
Summary: Sorta' vague and boring
Review: I really thought this was going to be pretty interesting. But I was wrong. the book was kind of boring and it didn't seem complete. it was all about parties and stuff. It was also sort of vague. I felt as though I didn't know any of the characters. I just got a very brief history. I couldn't grasp them. This is the first time I have ever encountered this. This book was just plain boring. And yes, I did finish it, for those who read my 'Brothers Karamazov' review and hated it. But, I will not give up on Fitzgerald. I soon plan on reading 'This Side of Paradise,' or 'The Beautiful and the Damned.' Hopefully they will be more interesting than this one.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Masterpiece of Literature
Review: The Great Gatsby is not a book soon forgotten. I read this book for a class of mine and totally fell in love with Fitzgerald's writing style. It is one that you can identify with so easily, as if you know exactly what he is talking about. The love story is somewhat common, that of a tragic nature, yet one truly feels completely saddened for young Gatsby at the end. Fitzgerald not only makes the reader eager to read, but you will find yourself eagerly grabbing for his other novels, all of which are equally superb.
Rating: 
Summary: An entertaining read
Review: Though it starts off slow (like most novels) and doesn't have a lot of descriptive detail, which I like, the characters and rest of the story are well done. I thought the theme and underlying message (i.e., image & materialsm don't equate happiness) was good. When reading the one review where the guy says he identifies w/Gatsby, I chuckled, thinking, 'Must be a doctor or lawyer' and wouldn't you know, he was a lawyer. What is it about these 2 professions? Maybe they're in their occupations for the shallow prestige and phony status, similiar to what Fitzgerald talked about. Enough of my ranting. Overall I'd say it was a good and worthwhile read.
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Summary: like a fine wine, it gets even better with age
Review: I'm troubled that many young people in these reviews don't seem to appreciate this novel. Even when "forced" to read it in high school, I loved it. I've read it for probably the tenth time recently and I can say that every single time it's better than I remembered it. I was prompted by the character is Haruki Murakami's book Norwegian Wood who carries it with him and reads it to cheer him up. This narrator calls it the most perfect book ever written and says that you cannot find a page that's not perfect. I have to agree -- it's not just the plot, it's the beautiful writing and incredible characters and scenes that stay with you years later. Even after years, who can forget the scene when Gatsby shows Nick all his custom made shirts, or Nick describes his first vision of Daisy by comparing her posture to someone balancing something on his/her chin, or any of Gatsby's parties, or the broken nose -- you get the idea. For some reason, rereading this book reminds me of picking up a relationshp with an old friend. It's so very comforting to read the best prose you can find in English and find that certain passages are almost committed to memory. Don't miss out on this one. If you didn't like it in high school, try it again when your reading tastes mature.
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Summary: Exemplifies the Rise and Fall of the American Dream
Review: This masterpiece take place in the 1920's in New York's West Egg Village, a suburb of New York City. The narrator of the story is Nick Carraway, a young man quietly carving out a living selling bonds and securities. Nick moves into a meager house located next door to the great Gatsby mansion. Nick is in awe of the fabulous Gatsby home. Lavish parties are the norm there, with prominent guests coming and going, and music and laughter filling the Long Island air. Jay Gatsby, however, is a mystery to Nick. Soon Nick receives an invitation from Gatsby himself to attend one of his parties. People are filled with uncertainty about Jay Gatsby. How did he become so wealthy? Where was he from? Who was he? Gossip stirred and rumors abounded. Although they were not from the same social circle, Jay Gatsby took an immediate liking to Nick Carraway and befriended him. But he had other motives too. Nick was cousin to the beautiful married Daisy Buchanan, a woman who Gatsby once loved and lost. Through Nick, Gatsby desperately tries to rekindle the romance with Daisy. At one point Nick tells Gatsby that the past cannot be repeated. Gatsby's reply is, "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!" The characters in this book (with the exception of Nick) all share one common thread. They are striving for more of everything...love, success, money, notoriety, and a sense of self-worth. Yet they chase after their ambitions blindly. Feelings are hurt, friendships are destroyed, and tragic events unfold. What they thought would bring happiness only brings sorrow. Fitzgerald's insight into social interactions is profound. Through the voice and eyes of Nick, he helps the reader empathize with even the most loathsome characters. The prose is beautiful and oftentimes heartwrenching. Even after 75 years, the keen observations made by Fitzgerald (Nick) about people and society ring true today. History changes, but the human condition holds steadfast. Unforgettable...
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the greatest American novel.
Review: It is very difficult for me to understand why the average rating given The Great Gatsby by reviewers isn't five stars. In my view this is one of the greatest novels ever written -- perhaps even THE great American novel. This book is so well written that it would be a pleasure to read even if it didn't have a plot. But it does have a plot -- one that is both well constructed and quintessentially American -- as well as characters so well-developed one feels that one knows them. If you haven't read the Great Gatsby yet, please do so -- and find out how good truly great writing can be.
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