Here's my take on The Beautiful and Damned, which I've read in June (more to follow).
🔅 Anthony Patch is a self indulgent young man, an heir to a wealthy grandfather.
🔅 Irresponsible, lazy, and drunkard.
🔅 Gloria Gilbert is a self absorbed beauty.
🔅 Imagine the two combined in a marriage. The most unlikely couple who bring their own ego to the marriage.
🔅 Their only similarity is their decadent life of partying and excessive alcoholisn, seeking pleasures while waiting with assurances for Anthony's upcoming inheritance.
🔅 The story takes place before, during, and after the Great War in the early 1920s. Anthony even served briefly in the army during WWI.
🔅 It is considered to be based on Fitzgerald's marriage to Zelda.
🔅 Anthony has no idea what to do (all the time!) besides spending money.
🔅 Gloria's only concern was her own beauty (and spending money too).
🔅 In the midst of one of their craziest parties, the rigid-almost-puritant old Mr. Patch crashed the party, and the next morning disinherited Anthony.
🔅 The couple hired a lawyer to appeal against the testament for years, and meanwhile seemed to be paralyzed. Anthony only live for the future (with the money), and Gloria can't see a future when her beauty is fading.
🔅 Anthony Patch is a self indulgent young man, an heir to a wealthy grandfather.
🔅 Irresponsible, lazy, and drunkard.
🔅 Gloria Gilbert is a self absorbed beauty.
🔅 Imagine the two combined in a marriage. The most unlikely couple who bring their own ego to the marriage.
🔅 Their only similarity is their decadent life of partying and excessive alcoholisn, seeking pleasures while waiting with assurances for Anthony's upcoming inheritance.
🔅 The story takes place before, during, and after the Great War in the early 1920s. Anthony even served briefly in the army during WWI.
🔅 It is considered to be based on Fitzgerald's marriage to Zelda.
🔅 Anthony has no idea what to do (all the time!) besides spending money.
🔅 Gloria's only concern was her own beauty (and spending money too).
🔅 In the midst of one of their craziest parties, the rigid-almost-puritant old Mr. Patch crashed the party, and the next morning disinherited Anthony.
🔅 The couple hired a lawyer to appeal against the testament for years, and meanwhile seemed to be paralyzed. Anthony only live for the future (with the money), and Gloria can't see a future when her beauty is fading.
A quite difficult reading, and not at all my favorite, though you'll get to see glimpses of Fitzgerald's beautiful narration here and there. If you feel like giving up mid story, just hang on patiently, for the final twist is worth the waiting!!
Rating: 3,5 / 5
Our daily news is so often full of our battle with the delta variant, at the moment, it can be hard to remember that other countries are going through the same or worse. But I aware that Indonesia is not doing well with delta. Sorry to hear it's causing a blogging slump for you - lockdown lethargy is real and your idea of jotting down notes is a great idea. I may have to borrow it to get on top of my backlog of books!
ReplyDeleteTake care Fanda, stay safe xo
Hi Brona, sorry for only replying today.
DeleteWe are safe & healthy at the moment, thanks <3
This review idea seems to suit me better at the moment; I might, perhaps, use it at least until the end of the year.