Beautiful Little Fools

A Novel

By: Jillian Cantor

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Julia Whelan, Elizabeth Evans, Brittany Pressley, George Newbern

USA Today bestselling author Jillian Cantor reimagines and expands on the literary classic The Great Gatsby in this atmospheric historical novel with echoes of Big Little Lies, told in three women’s alternating voices.

On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. To the police, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of murder/suicide when the body of George Wilson, a local mechanic, is found in the woods nearby.

Then a diamond hairpin is discovered in the bushes by the pool, and three women fall under suspicion. Each holds a key that can unlock the truth to the mysterious life and death of this enigmatic millionaire.

Daisy Buchanan once thought she might marry Gatsby—before her family was torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy that sent her into the arms of the philandering Tom Buchanan.

Jordan Baker, Daisy’s best friend, guards a secret that derailed her promising golf career and threatens to ruin her friendship with Daisy as well.

Catherine McCoy, a suffragette, fights for women’s freedom and independence, and especially for her sister, Myrtle Wilson, who’s trapped in a terrible marriage.

Their stories unfold in the years leading up to that fateful summer of 1922, when all three of their lives are on the brink of unraveling. Each woman is pulled deeper into Jay Gatsby’s romantic obsession, with devastating consequences for all of them.

Jillian Cantor revisits the glittering Jazz Age world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, retelling this timeless American classic from the women’s perspective. Beautiful Little Fools is a quintessential tale of money and power, marriage and friendship, love and desire, and ultimately the murder of a man tormented by the past and driven by a destructive longing that can never be fulfilled.

Meh

I feel pretty indifferent to this book. There were a few times that I was listening to it that I gasped at what had occurred, but overall, I thought the book was just okay. It may be because I already had an opinion of Gatsby, but I didn't like how he was portrayed in this book. I also could understand the feelings (or lack thereof) Daisy had for Gatsby when they finally met up again, but at the same time, I was hoping for a different outcome for them, despite their narcissistic and materialistic natures. However, I did think the ending was great. Jordan gets a bad rap in Fitzgerald's version, and I like that she redeems herself in Cantor's version.

Honestly, what I loved most about the book was the personal essay from Jillian Cantor explaining her fascination with The Great Gatsby and her idea of giving the women of the story a voice.

They picked the perfect voices to play the parts as well.

A Must!

The book is amazing! I loved the Great Gatsby, this book answers so many of the questions you have when reading. I can not get over how amazing this book was. It's a mystery and twist, but fits so well!

New Spin

Such a great new spin on The Great Gatsby. I was unsure at first how I felt, but as it progressed, I loved it.

Nice re-telling of a classic

It was clear from the outset that Jillian Cantor has a deep passion for The Great Gatsby. I share that passion, having read or listened to The Great Gatsby more times than I know. In Ms. Cantor's reimagining of the story, we get more of the back story and more strength in the women characters. The Great Gatsby is a literary masterpiece, and Ms. Cantor does not try to outshine or upstage it, rather she gives it a new, updated voice and honors the original well. Listening to Beautiful Little Fools, my passion for The Great Gatsby was deepened. Yet Beautiful Little Fools stands on its own - it includes a little more of the history, complete character development, and a rich, story of complicated relationships centered around Jay Gatsby ending in the same tragic events with just a hint of a secret best kept. I was first drawn to consider Beautiful Little Fools because I so love everything Julie Whelan has written or narrated. Then the writing and the story pulled me in and enveloped me. Beautiful Little fools does honor The Great Gatsby in an original way. I am looking forward to listening again soon.

Engaged from start to finish

I thoroughly enjoyed the authors take while she stuck to the important parts of the original book. I liked that I didn’t like the characters(especially Tom & Gatsby) but still found myself curious what was going to happen next. The ending felt natural and I’m pretty sure I’m going to go back for a second listen. Oh yeah! The narration was perfection itself!