Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society―she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She’s also queer, Asian, adopted, and treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her.
But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. In all paper is fire, and Jordan can burn the cut paper heart out of a man. She just has to learn how.
Nghi Vo’s debut novel reinvents this classic of the American canon as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess, and introduces a major new literary voice.
My Take
The Night Circus was a tough act to follow for writing quality and this book met the challenge, beautiful and eerie in its own way. I found it on Kindle Unlimited and snapped it up right away, because I love her Singing Hills Cycle. Then I forgot about it, until I double-checked before canceling KU and realized I had one more book to read. Yay, I finished in time! It’s been ages since I read The Great Gatsby, so I barely remembered the plot. From what I remember, I like this retelling better. For one, there’s more focus on the women, and for another, I like how she weaves in the immigrant and Asian-American theme. It adds another dimension to the book without taking away from existing themes. The magical elements are lightly touched on but blend with the Roaring 20s scene.