Twenty years after the events of The Great Gatsby/The Chosen and the Beautiful, Nick Carroway is back in New York City, as the world changes again on the brink of another war. He grapples with his borrowed identity, the events of the past that he kept alive with his novel, and more urgently, with what may or may not be the reappearance of Jay Gatsby.
Vo did a really impressive job capturing Nick's voice. It read a lot like The Great Gatsby. Also, the concept of this book is cool: a follow-up to both The Chosen and The Beautiful and to The Great Gatsby. The magic system was deeply intriguing, but even though this is a companion novella, it can be read without having read the first one. I really liked this. I wonder if the series will keep going, because what was that ending??

I read The Great Gatsby in high school (aka 10 years ago). I was worried about two things with this book:

1) I hated my reading experience fo the Great Gatsby
2) I wouldn't remember enough to get the references to the Great Gatsby

But luckily, I had a great, creepy, atmospheric time! This is a very short story, but with the help of the already established character relationships of the Great Gatsby, Don't Sleep With the Dead only needs to spend time on the magic-system world building and not the character history explanations,. I thought this was really weird, creepy, and fun. If you hated the Great Gatsby but love deals with demons, past lives, and reconciling the (sometimes very real) ghosts of your past, I'd totally recommend Don't Sleep With the Dead!

This was haunting and unsettling. It was also very surreal and dreamlike and I'm not really sure what happened in the end. Or at any point really. The Nick Carraway at the eve of WWII is so very different than the Nick Carraway Jordan thought she knew in 1922. Or at least from the one she presented to us in the Chosen and the Beautiful.

Nick knows he is made of paper. He is haunted by Gatsby. Everything that happens is in a hazy did it or didn't it sort of way. The devils are creepy and unsettling and strangely alluring while at the same time being utterly repulsive and sinister.

I do love that he is still in touch with Jordan. Even if he never takes her advice. It was nice to get a glimpse of her.

It was a lot shorter than I was expecting, but at the same time it was just as long as it needed to be.

The audiobook was well done. The narrator did a good job capturing an older, more jaded, more worn thin Nick Carraway. His voice fit the tone well.

*Thanks to Tordotcom and Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy for review.

3 stars. Vo's writing style is really great, and I feel confident that I would LOVE her other works, but this should not be advertised as a standalone novella. I have read true standalone novella's before and there is just too much information missing from this to enjoy it. I didn't realize this was a sequel or think to look for the first in series until I was halfway through and feeling so confused. I would love to give this a higher rating as the writing is truly incredible and the premise is clearly amazing, but I was just so confused.

I didn't realize this was a companion to The Chosen and the Beautiful when I requested it but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized. I loved The Chosen and the Beautiful and it was so fun to be back in this world, albeit briefly. Vo's writing is as lush as always. I admit I was a little bit lost at first when trying to reorient myself into this world since it has been years since I read TCATB, but eventually it all came back to me and I really enjoyed this listening experience. The narrator does an amazing job.

I love audiobooks elevation of stories and this author kills it with how their books are brought to life with the audio ... 10 out of 10 no notes

Such a fun retelling. Nghi has a great way of making you feel fully emerged in the story. I love it! This is my second book by Nghi I have read and it did not disappoint! Can’t wait to read more. Thanks NetGalley!

Don't Sleep with the Dead is a queer historical fantasy following novelist Nick Carraway - or rather, the version of Nick Carraway that Vo creates in her fantasy retelling of The Great Gatbsy, The Chosen and the Beautiful. Here, Carraway's life is thrown into chaos when he sees Gatsby twenty years after the famed party host's death.

This is the second novella by Nghi Vo that I've read, the first being The Empress of Salt and Fortune, which is set in an imperial China-inspired world. One of my favorite elements of Vo's writing is her ability to evoke the past in a mesmerizing way that goes beyond vivid physical descriptions to convey the overall feel - the spirit - of the setting and time period. Whether it's a New York winter right before the start of World War II, as in Don't Sleep with the Dead, or a fantastical rendition reminiscent of imperial China, Vo's strength lies in immersing her readers fully in the worlds she creates.

This book features devils, Faustian bargains, and demoniac (a potent drink made from the blood of said devils), all of which converge with Vo's high-quality writing to make for an intriguing and entertaining read!

My only criticism is that this book is marketed as a companion novel that can be read as a standalone, which I don’t think is necessarily true. I was a little confused at the beginning, and while that confusion faded as I read on, I think coming into this book with more knowledge of Vo’s Gatsby retelling would have helped. The world is different enough from the original Great Gatsby to warrant some initial disorientation without more context.

First of all, I was not aware that this was a companion novel to The Chosen and the Beautiful. I was glad to have read it as I am always intrigued by Nghi Vo's work.

I enjoyed Don't Sleep with the Dead. Short, sweet, and I loved diving deeper into Nick's character. Written as beautifully as all of the other works Vo has done; this novella is.a perfect sweet treat.

I am feral for Nghi Vo’s writing! I love everything she writes.

Nghi Vo’s Don't Sleep with the Dead is an exquisite, melancholic fever dream—a novella that blends the supernatural with longing, identity, and the weight of memory. Set twenty years after The Chosen and the Beautiful (a full length novel written by Vo that is a reinvention of The Great Gatsby), this story follows Nick Carraway as he searches for Gatsby in a New York touched by hell itself. It’s a tale of obsession and loss, wrapped in Vo’s signature lush prose.

Even at just over a hundred pages, Vo makes every word count. The writing is hypnotic—sharp, atmospheric, and brimming with an aching sort of beauty. Through Nick’s eyes, we’re pulled into a world that is both dazzling and nightmarish, where desire and grief blur the lines between the living and the dead. His desperation is palpable.

That said, this is a story that rewards familiarity with The Chosen and the Beautiful. While it can technically stand alone, the full weight of its themes and character arcs is best appreciated with that foundation. If you previously loved Vo’s previous take on The Great Gatsby, then you will find much to admire here.

Overall, Don't Sleep with the Dead is a beautifully haunting, queer reimagining of love, devotion, and the ghosts we refuse to let go of. If you’re a fan of Vo’s lyrical, dreamlike storytelling, this novella is well worth your time.

I absolutely adored the Gatsby fantasy retelling, The Chosen and the Beautiful. So, when I found that this was a short story companion to that one, I was very excited to listen. I loved delving back into the lush writing and creative world that Vo built upon with the first novel, but through the lens of Nick this time. Nick is haunted by Gatsby and it was wonderful to see how that would all play out. This isn't a long listen, so it didn't impact me like the first book did, but it was worthwhile and I liked it overall. The narrator was great and I enjoyed the little snack of a story.

Don't Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo, a companion novel to The Chosen and the Beautiful, is a great reimagining of the characters of The Great Gatsby. Nghi Vo’s writing style is beautiful and the narration by Greg D. Barnett was stunning and engaging.

This was my first experience with Vo’s writing and I am left craving more. This book left me inspired to continue exploring this author’s work.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC and ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars
Audio Release: April 8 2025

Tags:
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@macmillan.audio
#DontSleepWithTheDead
#NghiVo
#netgalley

Thanks to NetGalley for the Audio ARC!

Narrator and production value - wonderful! Clear, enjoyable to listen to, and easy to understand.

If you loved "The Chosen and the Beautiful", you'll likely love this too. Both were just okay for me, but regardless if I love the story or not - I always love Nghi Vo. Her writing is lyrical and buttery in such a unique way, she always has my attention, even if I can't fall totally in love with the world. This is a fascinating twist on the classic story and an even more interesting expansion on its predecessor.

A short story that is satisfying but also leaves you wanting more ! I read this outside of the Chosen / Beautiful books but familiar enough with the Great Gatsby, I still enjoyed it.

An interesting take and engaging!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 4/8/25.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 Stars)

Nghi Vo delivers a mesmerizing and haunting reimagining of The Great Gatsby with Don’t Sleep with the Dead, a novella that takes Nick Carraway’s story in an entirely new, supernatural direction.

Set in the late 1930s, long after the events of The Great Gatsby, Nick has built a life among New York’s high society, mastering the art of pretending—pretending to be human, pretending to be straight, pretending he’s forgotten everything from that fateful summer in 1922. But memory is a tricky thing, and when an old, familiar face returns, it becomes clear that Gatsby—dead or not—isn’t finished with him.

The atmosphere in this book is absolutely intoxicating, blending Jazz Age glamor with an undercurrent of eerie, inescapable dread. The writing is sharp, poetic, and filled with an aching melancholy that fits Nick’s character perfectly. At first, I felt a little lost, but then the story hooked me so completely that I had to know how it all ended—and that ending? Brilliant. The way the final words literally trail off left me breathless, lingering on the edge of a cliffhanger that felt both frustrating and exactly right for the story.

The audiobook narration by Greg D. Barnett was just as phenomenal as the writing itself. His voice carried the perfect balance of nostalgia, detachment, and quiet longing that made Nick’s story feel even more immersive. His performance truly elevated the experience, making every haunting moment hit even harder.

This is a must-read for any Gatsby fan, especially those who love speculative fiction and gothic, supernatural twists. I need a physical copy for my library, and I can’t wait to read more from Nghi Vo. Highly, highly recommended!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Tor.com, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

If you've read the original (The Great Gatsby) and Nghi Vo's retelling (The Chosen and The Beautiful), then this novella is for you! Taking place twenty years after Vo's take on the classic and told from the perspective of Nick, this continues the magical realism of the first, and brings back many familiar faces while upping the supernatural elements. For me, it was an attempt to "keep reading and it will all make sense" as I didn't quite remember enough of the first (and I've never read the original), and while I never did quite figure it all out, Vo's writing was beautiful and I enjoyed the process.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the writing style of Nghi Vo and I love The Great Gatsby. I didn't love it when I had to read it for school but reading it again as an adult, it's just such a beautiful piece of work.
This story takes place years later and has the magic realism I expect from this author while still evoking the mood of the original novel. It felt sad and nostalgic but beautiful. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook. The narrator knew how to bring out those nostalgic feelings

1939, seventeen years after the frenetic parties and events of 1922, Nick Carraway has his comfortable existence jarred out of line when he sees the ghost of Jay Gatsby. Not all is as it seems, and Nick knows better than to take anything at face value.

Like Nghi Vo's other work, this is an intriguing novella. It's billed as a companion novel to The Chosen and the Beautiful rather than a sequel, which is why I picked it up, as Vo's debut is her only backlist book I have not yet read. I suspect many readers may feel more comfortable with picking up The Chosen and the Beautiful first, but I enjoyed the air of mystery presented in Don't Sleep with the Dead. We have a seventeen year gap in plot, and it's clear that Vo's paranormal spin had big implications, but we never get all the details. But the beauty of a novella is that you have to feel a little uncomfortable with the incomplete knowledge, whether you were given that knowledge in a prior book or not. But if you know the characters of The Great Gatsby, you'll be able to navigate this.

I enjoyed the audio and felt that the narration increased some of the mystery around the book. Just know that if you are listening, the book does not cut off at the end unintentionally. The last punctuation of the book is, in fact, an em-dash.

I love Nghi Vo - she is an auto-read author for me, but this one just didn't grab my attention. I enjoyed her original Gatsby re-imagining, but this one just lost me. I don't know - it wasn't for me. I wasn't invested in Nick's life, I felt like the story started with a cool premise and then didn't build on it, I just was very disappointed. I'm sure it will be perfect for the right reader; it just wasn't for me.

nick carraway is haunted by more demons than his own.

smashing! this was phenomenal. i very much enjoyed vo’s previous dip into fitzgerald’s seminal work, but this novella was utterly captivating. i love vo’s examinations of death and ghosts, and i think this was maybe her best work on the topic to date. i was reminded of the writing style of haruki murakami in this, and i mean that as a big complement given my personal love for his books. i especially liked that conjuring, given his own professed love for fitzgerald.

my expectations were absolutely exceeded with this one, and they were by no means low to start with. the audiobook narration was also stellar.