Library Journal - Audio
04/01/2022
The women closest to the late Jay Gatsby finally have their say in Cantor's (The Lost Letter; Margot) retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary classic, The Great Gatsby. It begins with Gatsby lying dead and the women in his life being questioned about their connections to the young New England millionaire by the detective in charge of investigating Gatsby's murder. Daisy Buchanan may have loved Gatsby as a young woman in Kentucky during the war, but she has moved on now and is trying to save her troubled marriage to Tom Buchanan. Cantor's Daisy still loves Tom, despite his affairs, and wants their marriage to work for the sake of herself and their young daughter. Jordan Baker, Daisy's confidante and childhood friend, is pursuing her own passions, which include professional golf and a forbidden lifestyle. And suffragette Catherine McCoy, who remained Gatsby's friend after their brief romantic relationship, has unknowingly helped Gatsby—while he was still alive—use her sister Myrtle to get close to Tom Buchanan and further erode Daisy's marriage. The audiobook of Cantor's historical novel is narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Elizabeth Evans, George Newbern Brittany Pressley, and Julia Whelan, who deliver the perfect amount of subtlety as they read for characters based in New England and the American South. VERDICT Cantor's is an engaging and well-written reimagining of The Great Gatsby from the perspective of women of differing backgrounds and social classes in a 1920s United States.—Laura Brosie
From the Publisher
Jillian Cantor’s shifting kaleidoscope of female perspectives makes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale of Jazz Age longing and lust feel utterly modern. A breathtaking accomplishment.” — Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
“In Beautiful Little Fools, Jillian Cantor gorgeously captures the complex lives of the women in The Great Gatsby, creating a delicate and intricate story that dovetails perfectly with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s. It was engrossing to the final page.” — Jill Santopolo, New York Times Bestselling author of The Light We Lost
"Glittering with intrigue, full of fast-paced tension, and saturated in Jazz Age decadence, this powerful exploration of the women of The Great Gatsby will forever change the way you see the American classic—and perhaps, too, the role of women in all the stories we take for granted." — Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars
“This is the untold story we’ve all be waiting for! Lush, beautiful, and dazzling, Jillian Cantor transports readers back to an era of hot summer nights, jazz music, and lounging poolside at one of Jay Gatsby’s infamous parties. This book is an instant classic.” — Shea Ernshaw, New York Times bestselling author of A History of Wild Places
“Jillian Cantor beautifully re-crafts an American classic in Beautiful Little Fools, placing the women of The Great Gatsby center stage: more than merely beautiful, not so little as the men in their lives assume, and certainly far from foolish. Both fresh and familiar, this page-turner is one to savor!” — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code
"Both heartbreaking and satisfying, Cantor's gorgeous reimagining of Fitzgerald's classic novel gives each of its female characters the depth she deserves, by placing the women center stage. Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan shine as they navigate a gin-soaked summer rife with the dangers of male egos struggling for power. I could not stop turning the pages as I rooted for each of these women, balancing the tightrope of societal expectations while daring to dream. Jillian Cantor is a sparkling talent in the genre of historical fiction." — Meredith Jaeger, USA bestselling author of The Pilot's Daughter
"Cantor succeeds brilliantly with this audacious revisionist murder mystery featuring characters from The Great Gatsby. . . . Cantor successfully captures the style and tone of the 1925 novel with vivid details. . . . Proving once again that it is 'hard to forget the past,' Cantor’s admirably convincing act of literary skullduggery offers many rewards." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This Gatsby retelling reveals more about the women in the story by casting them as humans, not decorative baubles. Cantor asks and answers: Who were the real fools in Gatsby’s world?” — Kirkus Reviews
“Unlike the original destructive, self-absorbed characters and the pervasive issue of class, Cantor focuses instead on portraying Daisy and her fellow females in a sympathetic light, reimagining and empowering them to speak to readers with a feminist bent.” — Booklist
"The women of The Great Gatsby finally take control is this re-crafting of the American classic . . . Think Big Little Lies but in the jazz age." — E! Online (15 Books to Fall in Love with this February)
"The story of The Great Gatsby is reimagined and retold by three of the novel's women, Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Catherine McCoy in this sharp, compelling recasting of the classic." — Town & Country (Must-Read Books of Winter 2022)
Shea Ernshaw
This is the untold story we’ve all be waiting for! Lush, beautiful, and dazzling, Jillian Cantor transports readers back to an era of hot summer nights, jazz music, and lounging poolside at one of Jay Gatsby’s infamous parties. This book is an instant classic.
Booklist
Unlike the original destructive, self-absorbed characters and the pervasive issue of class, Cantor focuses instead on portraying Daisy and her fellow females in a sympathetic light, reimagining and empowering them to speak to readers with a feminist bent.
Meredith Jaeger
"Both heartbreaking and satisfying, Cantor's gorgeous reimagining of Fitzgerald's classic novel gives each of its female characters the depth she deserves, by placing the women center stage. Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan shine as they navigate a gin-soaked summer rife with the dangers of male egos struggling for power. I could not stop turning the pages as I rooted for each of these women, balancing the tightrope of societal expectations while daring to dream. Jillian Cantor is a sparkling talent in the genre of historical fiction."
Kate Quinn
Jillian Cantor beautifully re-crafts an American classic in Beautiful Little Fools, placing the women of The Great Gatsby center stage: more than merely beautiful, not so little as the men in their lives assume, and certainly far from foolish. Both fresh and familiar, this page-turner is one to savor!
Fiona Davis
Jillian Cantor’s shifting kaleidoscope of female perspectives makes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale of Jazz Age longing and lust feel utterly modern. A breathtaking accomplishment.
E! Online (15 Books to Fall in Love with this February)
"The women of The Great Gatsby finally take control is this re-crafting of the American classic . . . Think Big Little Lies but in the jazz age."
Kristin Harmel
"Glittering with intrigue, full of fast-paced tension, and saturated in Jazz Age decadence, this powerful exploration of the women of The Great Gatsby will forever change the way you see the American classic—and perhaps, too, the role of women in all the stories we take for granted."
Jill Santopolo
In Beautiful Little Fools, Jillian Cantor gorgeously captures the complex lives of the women in The Great Gatsby, creating a delicate and intricate story that dovetails perfectly with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s. It was engrossing to the final page.
Booklist
Unlike the original destructive, self-absorbed characters and the pervasive issue of class, Cantor focuses instead on portraying Daisy and her fellow females in a sympathetic light, reimagining and empowering them to speak to readers with a feminist bent.
Town & Country (Must-Read Books of Winter 2022)
"The story of The Great Gatsby is reimagined and retold by three of the novel's women, Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Catherine McCoy in this sharp, compelling recasting of the classic."
