The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay - by Ryan Douglass (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"Douglass sets a classic on fire with an inspired recasting that strips away time and all expectations." -- Rita Williams-Garcia, New York Times bestselling author of A Sitting in St. James

From New York Times bestselling author Ryan Douglass comes a gripping and tender reimagining of The Great Gatsby about the pursuit of happiness--and love--in a society built on cruelty and secrets.

Seventeen-year-old Nick Carrington wants nothing more than to leave Greenwood, Oklahoma, behind and make a name for himself in the papers. But when tragedy strikes, dreams turn into a twisted reality. Forced to start anew in Harlem, only a letter of acceptance from the prestigious West Egg Academy is able to pull him back into the world.

But the supposedly integrated private boys' school is more of a catchy headline than a fact, with the same prejudices Nick left behind back home. And his secret but growing feelings for the founder's wickedly charismatic son, Jay Gatsby Jr.-- who dances past society's conventions with practiced ease--only add more complications.

When Nick's cutting pen exposes dangerous truths about West Egg and leads to perilous consequences, he and Jay must decide whether to spend a lifetime outrunning trouble or be the ones to light the match. Can they not only fight back but triumph? Or will the powers that be win yet again?

• The Great Gatsby Romance You Deserved: Subtext takes center stage in this slow-burn reimagining where Nick and Jay finally get their shot.
• Rewrite the American Dream: In a world where the scales are never balanced, falling for each other might be Nick and Jay's boldest rebellion yet.
  

Review Quotes

"Douglass sets a classic on fire with an inspired recasting that strips away time and all expectations." - Rita Williams-Garcia, New York Times bestselling author of A Sitting in St. James

"Ambitious, fluid, and remarkable! An enthralling story that inspects race, identity and queerness with the nuance and insight that is required." - Amber McBride, National Book Award Finalist

"A big-hearted book that sings with desire and rage." - Jas Hammonds, award-winning author of We Deserve Monuments

"A gorgeous ode to love, activism, and to the power of the written word." - Abdi Nazemian, Stonewall Award Winning Author of Like a Love Story

"Douglass has written a story that truly shatters and rebuilds you, a testament to how love and truth can burn brighter than cruelty's darkest shadows." - Jay Coles, author of the critically acclaimed Tyler Johnson Was Here and Your Final Moments

"This layered reimagining illuminates our history while giving insight into our present and providing inspiration for our future." - Aaron H. Aceves, author of This Is Why They Hate Us

"Thought-provoking social commentary effectively centers issues of race, class, and identity." - Publishers Weekly

"A refreshing and dreamy retelling." - Booklist

"Douglass pens a romance in the truest, bitterest, and most enchanting sense--from its delicate representations of intimacy to its careful retooling of Gatsby iconography." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books