Review by Booklist Review
A few years after the events of The Chosen and the Beautiful (2021), Nick Carraway still hasn't found his footing. Paper man that he is, he's always felt a little fragile in the world, and now in the late 1930s, the world itself feels like it could break apart at any moment. But the hardest bit is that Nick has never let go of the summer of 1922, and of Gatsby. He wants to know where Gatsby's gone, and he's willing to sell his soul to do so. This novella extends the magical world that Vo forged around F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic, depicting shady deals with demons, covert magic, and the same old social biases as ever. Nick's journey in this novella is painful and emotional, the story of an unrequited love so self-destructive that it could bring about Nick's very end, and yet he's past caring about that. Vo's writing is as charming and rich as ever, and Nick easily carries the story as protagonist, all while giving little Easter eggs and nods to Fitzgerald's original.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Hugo Award winner Vo's mesmerizing companion to The Chosen and the Beautiful, Great Gatsby narrator Nick Carraway, here imagined as a paper doll brought to life via magic, encounters a ghost from his past. Nearly 20 years after Jay Gatsby's death, Carraway hears Gatsby's unmistakable voice during a near-fatal encounter, launching him on a supernatural quest to uncover what became of Gatsby's essence. As Carraway delves deeper into this mystery, he confronts unsettling truths about his own past and reckons with how the magic that keeps him alive also continues to pick away at him, preying on his desires, memories, and pain. While familiarity with both The Chosen and the Beautiful and The Great Gatsby enriches the reading experience, this haunting tale stands confidently apart from its predecessors and newcomers will have no trouble diving into Vo's lyrical exploration of identity, longing, and the price of immortality. Meanwhile, the expansion of the paper magic system, previously glimpsed through Jordan Baker's perspective, adds fascinating depth to this alternate history. It's an unadulterated joy to return to Vo's queer, phantasmagoric take on Fitzgerald's world. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
A haunting follow-up to The Chosen and the Beautiful, Vo's brilliant reimagining of the aftermath of The Great Gatsby places Nick Carraway at the center--20 years older, world-weary, and haunted by the past. Gatsby lingers in Nick's thoughts. One night, Nick sees Gatsby while trapped in and alley with a group of queer men anticipating a beating from the police. In this magical universe, Vo explores themes of creation, destruction, and the high cost of bargains struck with devils--who usually come out ahead. Narrator Barnett brings gravitas and maturity to Nick, a man shaped by regret and shadowed memories. His incisive performance enhances Vo's lush, lyrical prose and the novel's surreal settings, where Nick crosses paths with demons, wax women, and other fantastical beings. A standout moment is Barnett's delicate delivery of an old memory unearthed by the unexpected arrival of a "friend from home" who comes not in kindness but to extort. VERDICT Vo has an extraordinary gift for entwining magic with everyday life, and Barnett's performance beautifully complements her novel's more complex and mature Nick Carraway. Best appreciated as a sequel to The Chosen and the Beautiful.--Christa Van Herreweghe
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