"The Summer We Read Gatsby" by Danielle Ganek
I’ve read a lot of “heavy” books lately, so I was thrilled to read a true guilty-pleasure summer read. Can you remember when you read the greatest American novel, The Great Gatsby? I was a sophomore in high school, and I remember thinking it was interesting, but not AMAZING like some others believe. I just remember hating the ending and feeling jaded. (I don’t think I could even tell you the ending.) It was on my summer reading assignment list, so that too could have affected my rating. Anyway, The Summer We Read Gatsby is a fun story following two mis-matched half-sisters, Peck and Cassie (i.e. Stella Blue). Peck and Cassie are completely different in every way even though they share the same father. Peck is outrageous, loud, and a typical New York wannabe socialite. Cassie is an aspiring writer living in Switzerland and recovering from a recent divorce. The girls are united in the Hamptons because their beloved Aunt Lydia bequeathed her modest home nicknamed “Fool’s House” to the girls upon her death. The girls must take the summer to figure out what to do with the house. Also to make matters more interesting, Fool’s House was a refuge for artists and writers throughout the year, so there is always a “Fool in Residence” who lives for free in the upstairs section of the house. The love interests for the women in the story are a bit dull, but the flamboyant gay neighbors definitely improved the story a bit.
The book has a small mystery accompanied since a painting is stolen from the house during a party. The characters are fun and well-written for the most part. I really loved Peck’s character the most since she was the most fun and adventurous. I like to read about a little old-time-glamour in the present day. Also, the character of Aunt Lydia is very sweet and is a fun addition even though she is dead throughout the entire book. It’s not rocket science, but it was a fun and fast read!
Jen’s Rating: ***