This graphic adaptation of Fitzgerald's Jazz Age classic hits all the beats of the novel’s plot and, while it isn’t quite able to carry all the richness of the symbolism and metaphor of the original, the illustrations add atmosphere and mood.

The palette of pastel yellows, terracottas, and lilacs fit the 1920’s setting of East and West Egg and Gatsby’s house and parties are evocatively brought to life, along with the famous green light. Woodman-Maynard recreates the “valley of ashes” where Tom Buchanan’s mistress lives with sickly grays and New York is washed in darker reds and blues.

The character illustrations, however, feel a little caricatured, perhaps deliberately: Nick has no definition, Gatsby’s jaw is absurdly square, and Tom looks like a Tintin villain, though the author deliberately avoids stereotyping Wolfsheim.

The author plays around with interesting placement of text, frequently using block capitals across parts of the scenery to share Nick’s commentary.

Gatsby is still read in high schools and this graphic adaptation might serve as a good introduction to students before they get immersed in the novel.

Thanks to Candlewick and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

As the author noted in his notes on this adaptation, he was trying to capture the feeling of the original. While that spirit is there as well as many of the ic ic lines, it doesn’t have the depth that the original had. While this would work as a great companion piece, I would not suggest it to use to understand the full depth of The Great Gatsby.

I loved the great Gatsby when I read it in highschool. I appreciate all versions of the movie. But I think that is where my appreciation wanes. This adaptation is beautifully illustrated but I feel like some of the story is lost. It does not have the richness of language that the book did, and the graphics take away the dazzle and give it a soft loving feeling instead of a bright excitement. Overall it’s not badly done, it’s just no for me.

The Great Gatsby was one of my favorite novels back in highschool English, so when I saw this ARC on @netgalley by @candlewickpress, I had to get it! It’s a great graphic novel adaptation of the classic, highlighting memorable lines from the original piece and capturing the atmosphere of the roaring twenties. I really liked the style of the art which also draws out some of the ongoing themes in the book. Definitely a book to have in your classroom library.

Everyone knows the classic. But no matter if you love the book or only vaguely remember it from your English class, this graphic novel adaptation will make you look at the story in a wholly different way. The art style fits the mood of the book perfectly, and the artistic interpretation of the well-known lines adds a whole new layer to the story. The adaptation stays faithful to the original text, but feels undeniably modern, managing to tell a graphic story with an unreliable narrator in a convincing and innovative way. The graphic novel manages to bring the feeling of the classic to the page; I loved it so so much!

I love The Great Gatsby. I mean - it's been 7 years since I've read the book but I remember really enjoying it. This graphic novel adaptation was a bit off for me. The art is beautiful, I love the watercolor feel but the placement (and font) of the text was a bit off. Some of the quotes just seemed out of place or didn't make sense, I had to reread some of the pages a couple times to understand the context.
Overall - it's pretty but I wouldn't keep it on my shelf...

This is a beautifully illustrated adaptation of The Great Gatsby. It does not contain the full text of the novel, but does feature many of its iconic passages and is generally faithful to the source. The illustrations also capture the personality of the characters quite well.

In the classroom, I think this would be a very helpful companion for students who find the original novel challenging to understand.

As a lover of classic novels and graphic novels, this book fulfilled my love for both genres. The story is as compelling as ever and the illustrations are amazing. The illustrations depict the story-line very well.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed any other graphic novel adaptions of other classics.

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite classic stories, so when I saw this graphic novel I didn't hesitate to request it. I am glad I did. While the drawings in this book were different than your traditional graphic novel, they were beautiful non the less. I loved how narrated details were often written within the picture of the story instead of in a box, like those found in a superhero book. For example, on one page words are added to the side of the building. While apart of me would have liked to see bolder colors in this story, the pastels also work and I can see the appeal. One thing that did not appeal to me was the faces of the characters. I found that they often lacked emotion- thus taking away from the story. I did appreciate how the graphic novel remained true to the classic without exactly replicating it.

I remember having to read Gatsby in high school and then I ended up teaching the novel later on when I became a teacher myself. It is a staple in the high school classroom. I would have done a lot better as a student if I'd had this graphic novel version. It takes the most important parts of the story and illustrates them beautifully. It even includes some of the most important quotes. A very well-done adaptation of this classic novel.

The Great Gatsby: Graphic Novel Adaptation is exactly what the title says it is. This graphic novel takes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale and transforms it into a visual form. If you have read the Great Gatsby I highly recommend reading this Garfield novel adaptation as it is a beautiful and new way to read the classic story. If you have somehow managed to not read The Great Gatsby and possibly have some hesitancy towards picking it up, I recommend taking this graphic novel route instead. You will be able to read the amazing story and get the. Wonderful additions of the artwork. Lastly, if you need to read the Great Gatsby for school, read the original and then come back for this graphic novel.

The artwork is different than I had expected it to be when I heard “Great Gatsby Graphic Novel,” but I do not mean that to be taken in a bad way. The watercolors create these delicate scenes and I love how each character is true to their descriptions from the original book. Another interesting detail I found to really enjoy where the different shaped word bubbles. It is not something I have seen done before, but I love how it helps give a tone to each character and their speech.

Overall this graphic novel was a great way to revisit a favorite story and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to read or reread The Great Gatsby.

This is my first time writing a review for a graphic novel, so it should be known that my rating is for the presentation and artwork rather than the original source material of The Great Gatsby.

The watercolors in this are absolutely beautiful. I've noticed that multiple graphic novels of The Great Gatsby are starting to be published, and I'm hoping that eventually, one will use the vibrant and extravagant artwork and colors that match with the facade Jay Gatsby puts on for everyone. This is not that novel, but I appreciated the colors and style all the same. Important quotes are presented in a unique way that helps them stand out on certain pages. Some of the symbolism and overall themes are presented in a way that could make them more accessible to struggling readers. I think some worthy analysis could be done of the color choices for the artwork in this text and how that matches the mood of certain scenes, as well.

Chapter 7 with the scene of Tom finding out that Myrtle is going West was done well; it chooses quotes that I think would help students focus on the significance of that scene without getting caught up in all of the language, which some students often find difficult. I also felt that Chapter 9 with the flashback of Gatsby and Daisy was particularly beautiful, and possibly one of my favorite scenes in this version of the text.

I think it's worth saying that this definitely isn't a replacement for the novel in a classroom setting. However, I do feel this would be a great supplemental text to have students compare to the original as well as other graphic novels of Gatsby. Truthfully, the author's note is what is most worth teaching. It is mentioned that Meyer Wolfshiem's depiction was changed to avoid the anti-Semitic caricature he is originally described as in the novel. This would be an easy way to help teachers discuss the problems of Fitzgerald's work. The author also explains their inspiration and reasoning for all of the artistic choices made, which could be valuable in showing young readers the choices that go into creating a novel or any work of art.

Overall, if you still teach The Great Gatsby, I recommend checking out this version.

This is my first reading of The Great Gatsby and knew little of the original when reading the graphic novel. I read the graphic novel through students’ eyes and was immediately drawn to the artwork. The artistry within this graphic novel is amazing and fits the time period so well. The art adds so much to the story. The story has a few surprises and events that will surprise students, but many (my students) may not understand the lives that are ready about. Students will probably have a hard time relating to the characters but most should be able to continue the story until the end. Once the title is released, it is something I will probably reread again at a slower pace and recommend it to students.

The Great Gatsby is one of the classics that I somehow missed in high school, and though it is well-loved it was one that I never felt compelled to read. Maybe I just wasn’t that interested in the roaring twenties, but there was nothing about the various descriptions that I had read that pulled me in. I even skipped the film adaptations, I just can’t explain why I had no interest in this story.

Despite that, when I was offered the opportunity to read a graphic novel adaptation, and my husband expressed to me how much he enjoyed the novel, I decided to give it a try. Heavens how wrong I was to skip over this story for so long! I ended up flying through the graphic novel, I ate up the story and immediately ordered a copy of the novel as soon as I finished.

Since this is an adaptation of a piece of classical literature, I will not comment on the story itself since I have yet to read the novel. However, I do want to cover how well this graphic novel does at adapting the story.

The art is excellent, it reminds me of older drawing styles that is fitting for the time period. The pages are beautifully watercolored and are bursting with fun details and color, Gatsby’s parties look whimsical and wild. Where the adaptation suffers is in the format itself, where much of the story is shown to us in pictures instead of told through narrative. There is some dialogue to carry the story, and random blocks of narration, while artfully placed in the background, make the story feel like there are some holes. It makes the reading experience feel a bit like an abbreviated version of the story, showing the major events like a storyboard without any of the detail in between.

Despite this, I feel that a graphic novel adaptation is great because it introduces a wide audience to classic literature in a way that is easy to digest. It helped an uninterested reader like me to take an interest in reading the original work and that I feel is the major goal of any adaptation. In all, I’m thankful to this graphic novel for expanding my horizons, and it is one that I would gladly recommend.

So, The Great Gatsby. An iconic 20th century American novel. I personally love it, I know others hate it, but such is the way of things with classics. Being that TGG is widely known amongst Americans, myself included, and often part of school curricula, I’m not reviewing characters, plot, or anything to do with the original novel. Instead, let’s talk adaptation!

A graphic novel is an inherently different form of storytelling from a traditional novel. In this adaptation, that meant Woodman-Maynard made some choices about what to keep from the original text and what to translate, including slimming down the themes while working to keep that uneasy ethereal quality to the oeuvre. I think she was successful in this endeavor.

The soft watercolor palette translates better on paper than online, so I encourage readers to preorder hard copies! I loved the airy quality to the work. Gatsby’s world is a semi-constructed fantasy, so elements like having text on walls and characters that at times appear not to occupy limiting forms, add a new dimension to the novel.

One of my favorite parts is the color palette. Gorgeously saturated and calm due to use of watercolors as a primary medium, chapters are interspersed with monochromatic multi-page layouts as well as full-detail full-color panels. Woodman-Maynard made smart choices about using the simultaneous sumptuousness and translucence of watercolor to represent TGG’s opulent world.

I think it’s a good idea to read The Great Gatsby as a novel, first, though. This is good supplemental material, but there’s so much nuance in Fitzgerald’s original that much had to be cut in order for the adaptation to not feel cumbersome. It’s wonderful from an artistic perspective, and obviously loyal to the plot and characters, but if you’re looking for the intricacy of language to convey theme… well, it’s a graphic novel. Look elsewhere. I would have loved to see more bulk, plot-wise. I think it would have been okay to extend the novel by 20-30 pages in order to capture more text and stay involved in the themes of the original.

Overall, I give The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation 4/5 stars, and I would definitely add it to your TBRs! Out January 5, 2021—a great start to our new Roaring ‘20s!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I am a bit mixed on this one, mostly due to the art and integration of the original text. Sometimes the art really works (like the first time we see Daisy) and sometimes it just falls really flat. Also, sometimes the placement of the text works really well and other times it really doesn't.

It is still a good adaptation of this classic novel.

3.5 stars.

Will make an excellent addiction to any book collection. This graphic novel adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" is filled with beautiful artwork. Meanwhile, it captures the moods of the novel, which adds such a nice level to the interpretation. I recommend reading this in addition to the original. It will really add some spice. Also, the Author's Note at the is great, explaining any literary or artistic licenses taken. Finally, some of the best art in this one is the word art which creates a perfect visual of Fitzgerald's poetic prose.
Expect this to inspire readers to reach for the classics.
I received an early release copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Giving this one 5 stars, this artwork deserves nothing less.

This book was received as an ARC from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite literary classics of all time. I have been waiting for a graphic novel for this book for a long time and the artwork is fascinating. Re-reading the dialog and seeing the corresponding artwork made the story come to life and it made me love it even more. The characters I thought were the best interpreted were Gatsby and Tom. The descriptor's in the story matched very well to the artwork and captured the essence of the story very well. I know a lot of our English Teachers would be curious to read the graphic novel and I definitely am anxiously waiting for their opinion.

We will consider adding this title to our graphic novel collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

As someone who was never required to read The Great Gatsby in school, I thought it would be an interesting experience to read a graphic novel adaptation of a classic and well-known novel and I wasn't wrong. The art style in addition to text and the manipulation of physical perspective regarding the words was stunning, and I can't wait for this book to be released in the mass market.

First of all, it's a little daunting trying to review a Gatsby adaptation--where do you start?! Woodman-Maynard takes on this challenge herself with beautiful splashes of water color. I love this medium for this particular graphic novel since it seems to match the green light across the bay imagery so well. I enjoyed the art, as it felt both ethereal, light, and serious when needed.

I appreciate Woodman-Maynard's adaptation since it provides a new method of access to Fitzgerald's work to readers that may not be able to access it, with exception of the movie. For classroom use, a strong teacher would be able to pull out many themes (but not all) that match the original text. If you're looking for an exact replication, you won't find that in this graphic novel, and I don't say this as a criticism; Woodman-Maynard directly calls this an adaptation, so expecting it to be the same as the Fitzgerald would be crazy.

At times I think Woodman-Maynard could've slowed down and spent a bit more time with aspects of the story--I didn't think we got a lot of Daisy and Gatsby; it seems they spent 2 or 3 afternoons together, even though at one point Gatsby does quickly mention that Daisy had been visiting. But overall, I thought this was a great, accessible introduction to a classic story.