Book Review for Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

 Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor 

Paperback, 336 pages

Publication: January 4th 2022 by Harper Perennial

Genre:  Historical Fiction

 

From Goodreads:  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.

My Thoughts:  I had just told a friend that asked what I was reading that I was looking for a good 1920’s era book. Beautiful Little Fools was next on my TBR pile, and it was exactly what I was looking for. The story starts with Jay Gatsby and George Wilson being found shot.  The story continues as a who-dun-it with many twists and turns.

I love the female characters. The strengths that they show while all trying to find their ways in life are inspiring. The friendship of Jordan and Daisy has been lifelong and the way they protect each other shows how important they are to each other. Catherine stands up for women’s rights and when her sister, Myrtle, finds herself in a tough situation she does what she needs to try to help her out. I liked that each character had flaws, but those flaws just made them real. While each woman is unique, they come together in Beautiful Little Fools to make this an unforgettable story.

This retelling of the Great Gatsby through the women’s eyes was perfect. I love every word and recommend picking up your own copy.

***Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Jillian Cantor has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. She is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 13 languages. Jillian’s next historical novel for adults, Beautiful Little Fools, will be published in January 2022. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.