In Gatsby, Jane Crowther masterfully reimagines F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic The Great Gatsby, transplanting the opulent world of the Roaring Twenties into the hyper-connected, social media-driven age of today. The result is a stylish, contemporary tale that explores the dark side of fame, fortune, and ambition in a world where truth is as elusive as it is necessary.

The protagonist, Nic Carraway, finds herself on the fringes of a glamorous, wealth-obsessed society when she leases a summer house in Long Island next to the enigmatic Jay Gatsby. Known for her fame, murky past, and massive online following, Gatsby is the picture of new money and elusive allure. She hosts extravagant parties where the world’s A-listers mingle, but her real motivation is more personal—a desperate need to reconnect with her past, specifically with Nic’s cousin, Danny Buchanan.

As the summer unfolds, Nic becomes entangled in Gatsby’s world of excess, ambition, and lies. The tensions grow as Nic’s own ambitions collide with the wreckage of Gatsby’s carefully curated life. Through her eyes, Crowther presents a world in which nothing is quite as it seems—where wealth and fame come at the cost of self-deception, and where ambition drives characters to betray their own truths in pursuit of the American Dream.

Crowther’s writing is slick and captivating, capturing the decadence and peril of a life lived for appearances. The characters are both charming and deeply flawed, each playing a dangerous game of masks and manipulation. As Nic tries to navigate this treacherous world, she must confront the question: can anyone tell the truth in a place where deception is a currency, and self-presentation is everything?

Gatsby is a brilliant exploration of how social media amplifies the illusions of wealth and success, making it a perfect, contemporary update of a timeless story. Crowther’s take on Fitzgerald’s classic is sharp, evocative, and thought-provoking, with a perfect blend of style and substance. Highly recommended for those ready to join the party, where the stakes are high, and no one is truly what they seem.

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2,75 stars

I've never read "The Great Gatsby" because the writing style just didn't work for me. The same is, unfortunately, true for "Gatsby" as well. The writing is too flowery for my tastes and the protagonist is incredibly pretentious which made getting through this rather short novel a slog for me.

Much like Fitzgerald, Crowther’s prose is gorgeous and poetic, romanticising the sights and sounds of modern Long Island with precision and originality. Her ability to turn a phrase and have us understand exactly the feeling or thought she wants to convey is remarkable, and that, along with my familiarity with the source material, made Gatsby such an insatiable read. Crowther’s ability to capture not only the essence of The Great Gatsby, but the melody of Fitzgerald’s prose is uncanny, and the dissection of how we treat women in the media is both powerful and prescient. A modern retelling of Gatsby, but with influencers, social media, the idea of digital new money, and the toxicity of celebrity is so intelligent I’m surprised it’s not been done sooner - thank god it was Crowther, with her razor sharp pen, and her candid presentation of these characters, who brought it to life.

First of all, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, HarperCollins, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
When I saw this book, I knew I had to apply. As a big fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the concept of a modern retelling immediately intrigued me.

This is a magnificent debut! Crowther brilliantly imagines what Gatsby would be like if he (or, in this case, she) lived in 2024, amidst the world of social media. The story deftly explores themes like the pressure of constant public scrutiny, cancel culture, and the ways people think they know you simply because they follow you on Instagram. It’s a fresh, exciting twist on one of the most iconic novels of all time.

One of the things I really appreciated is the gender flip, with Gatsby reimagined as a social media influencer. Because in today’s world, that’s one of the few industries that’s overwhelmingly female-dominated. It feels like an update for our times, with a new context that still captures the original’s essence. Themes like public scrutiny, cancel culture, and the illusion of intimacy online are woven deftly into the narrative, making this retelling both timely and timeless.
The glamour and opulence of the characters’ lives shine through on every page. Crowther brings the characters to life with such vivid descriptions that you can practically hear the laughter at Gatsby’s extravagant parties or picture them gossiping over cocktails. It’s clear that these characters are a little unhinged, but that’s what makes them so compelling.

The prose is stunning. There were moments when I’d stop and marvel at a beautifully crafted sentence or paragraph, thinking, "Wow." It’s a testament to Crowther's skill as a writer. That said, I’ll admit I had some difficulty fully immersing myself at times. Given how iconic Gatsby is and how well-known the original story is, I often found myself comparing the two instead of simply enjoying this retelling. This is no fault of the author—she did an amazing job—but the weight of the original novel’s legacy can’t be ignored. I did find myself wishing for a bit more originality and some fresh ideas beyond the established narrative.

While the modernized version of Daisy (Danny) still carries the same allure and complications as her 1920s counterpart, I found that Danny and Gatsby’s interactions in a world governed by social media added an extra layer of depth—where every word and gesture could be dissected online and they had to hide so no one would see them and post it. The modern Gatsby, too, is a very vulnerable figure inside, driven not just by ambition but by the pressures of online persona management. The idea of “performance” in today’s influencer culture fits seamlessly with the way the original characters operated in their pursuit of fame and status, making the entire story feel both timely and timeless.

Crowther’s retelling subtly critiques the very fabric of influencer culture, where authenticity often feels like a commodity and every relationship is tinted by the lens of public perception. It feels like a commentary on how today’s ‘greatness’ can often be just as shallow as the old-world pursuit of wealth and status. The parallels between the two eras are striking, and it made me reflect on how much of our lives are now governed by an audience, whether real or imagined.

I think this retelling has a lot of potential to engage younger readers and introduce them to the classics. If more authors did something like this with classic novels, it could potentially spark a whole new wave of interest in them. Imagine a series of modern updates—wouldn’t it be a great way to make the classics feel relevant to today’s generation?

Gatsby is set to release on April 10, 2025, exactly 100 years after the original’s publication. That’s a little detail I absolutely love, and it serves as a reminder of how timeless the themes of the novel are, even with a contemporary twist.

Final Thoughts: If you're a fan of the original Gatsby or if you're curious about how the world of social media impacts classic literature, this retelling is a must-read. It’s both a nostalgic journey and a fresh exploration of themes that continue to shape our culture today.

I found this a little difficult to fully immerse myself in. Gatsby is such an iconic character and his story is so well known to many, including myself, that it was hard to picture a modern reimagining. The writing was also a little hard to digest in parts, I couldn’t tell what exactly the author was trying to say. It was an interesting concept and I appreciate the modern twist on the story, it was just a little clunky in parts.

I found this one a bit difficult to read. I liked the author’s writing style and they way they wrote characters but I think because I am so familiar with the original text (I studied it very closely at college), it brought me out of the book. I was always thinking and comparing rather than getting lost in the story like I usually do. This is no fault of the author, who I think wrote a good book, but I just really found it difficult to read.

Interesting modern retelling of the classic I love. Interesting take on the story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Same but opposite of the oringinsl Gatsby....

I don't know really what I thought of this book. It's like the author read the original and then changed a few things and came up with a similar story. I enjoyed my reading time but would have liked something more original...

I liked the modernity and the glam and I liked the writing and storytelling.. I'm going to find something else from this author to see how it compares..

What a cool twist on one of the most famous and classic tales of all time! This would make a great series or way to get youth involved in reading the classsocs to better help them be interested and understand them