The Great Gatsby the graphic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted by Fred Fordham and illustrated by Aya Morton

Summary from Goodreads:

A gorgeously illustrated, first-ever graphic novel adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved American classic.

First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby has been acclaimed by generations of readers and is now reimagined in stunning graphic novel form. Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, and the rest of the cast are captured in vivid and evocative illustrations by artist Aya Morton. The iconic text has been artfully distilled by Fred Fordham, who also adapted the graphic novel edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. Blake Hazard, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great-granddaughter, contributes a personal introduction.

This quintessential Jazz Age tale stands as the supreme achievement of Fitzgerald’s career and is a true classic of 20th-century literature. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy is exquisitely captured in this enchanting and unique edition.

Review:

Something always resonated with me and this story. Maybe it’s because I had an exceptional AP English teacher in high school. I can still recall a conversation about Gatsby staring at the green light at least 15 years later. It’s devastating to me that my husband (a fellow bibliophile) has not read this book. And when I asked him why, he asked, “Isn’t it a very sad story?”

I had to remember that it was sad. Isn’t that strange? I first remembered Nick (same name as my husband) getting sucked into this extravagant world of old money versus new money, of lazy afternoons, and of ridiculous parties where no one knows who the host is or if they were even invited by him. Then I remembered the love story and Gatsby clinging to his past, and that green light again. Of course, I then remembered the soap opera type drama, the car ride, and then, then I remembered the tragic end. But is it weird, that when I think of this story, I don’t think of it as a sad story? In fact, I only remembered one of the tragedies at the end, not the other. The graphic novel reminded me.

Maybe this is one of those books that is meant to be read over and over and can mean different things to you each time you read it. But, I still don’t think of it as a sad story. I still think of it as a love story more than a tragedy. And one character’s ending is so perfectly poetic, I almost can’t imagine it any other way.Reading it now, knowing what I do about consumerism, economic divides, sexism, racism, the Depression, Prohibition, gun violence, gambling, war, and all the many, many other things that come up in this short book, I still see it as a love story.

And the pictures in here are stunning. They really make the graphic novel special. Each page is like it’s own watercolor painting of this time period. It’s beautiful. I keep going back to it to look at it some more (the sunsets, the big bay windows, the pool, the dresses, and the romance of it all).

The words didn’t quite resonate with me in the same way they did in the original. But, a lot of the most important quotes are still there. I still got Goosebumps in certain moments. It still resonated –just not as much. I’m not sure if this is because of the format, because of it now being my third go through, my age, or what. But all in all, I’m glad to have found this book. Maybe I’ll find another version in another 10 years or so. I give this one a 9/10.