Reviewed by Donna Paichl



The Great Gatsby has always been one of my favourite books. And to me, Jay Gatsby has always been a blonde, brooding Robert Redford and Daisy Buchanan a ditsy Mia Farrow, as cast in Jack Clayton’s 1974 film version. But in the newest incarnation (a graphic adaptation) of Fitzgerald’s classic, Nicki Greenberg’s The Great Gatsby, Gatsby appears as a mournful seahorse and Daisy as a long-necked dandelion with a bird’s beak. With these seemingly bizarre characterisations, Greenberg has brought new life to a well-loved classic.

Graphic novels are comic books aimed at adults, and have never been of much interest to me. I would generally prefer to read a novel, and create my own pictures of the characters. But I was attracted to this one because I was curious to see what had been done with the well-known and greatly-loved novel. As something of a literary purist, however, I was prepared to be disappointed by the result. On the contrary, I was totally enchanted. Greenberg’s cleverly illustrated work is a beautiful homage to the original text.

For a start, the book is very attractive to look at. It has the appearance of an old-fashioned photo album. Each illustration is framed, surrounded by a black background. The pictures have only one colour, a kind of sepia green, and are simple, almost child-like in style. The only real colours in the book appear on the pages that divide each chapter. But it is through these simple illustrations and the accompanying captions that Greenberg re-tells the tragic tale of Jay Gatsby, at the same time providing a new insight into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s savage indictment of the American Dream.

The familiar characters appear in a wide range of guises, their forms cleverly reflecting their personalities. Tom Buchanan is a hulking ogre with enormous ears and a hairy chest, a perfect reflection of his aggressive character. In contrast, George Wilson is an insignificant creature, dwarfed by Tom. But he is drawn as a scorpion, a hint of the dangerous role he will eventually play in the story. Jordan Baker resembles an octopus, with swirling tentacles and a sulky mouth and MyrtleWilson is a one-eyed monster, as large as Tom, with two udders and a big hat.

Nick Carraway is depicted as a slug, retaining his original role as narrator and observer. But, just as in the original novel, it is Gatsby who is at the centre of the tale. His enigmatic seahorse is just as mysterious as Fitzgerald must have intended, and Greenberg evokes his sadness and hope beautifully with just a few lines on the page. Not all of the original text has been reproduced, but many of the most memorable of the lines are there. When Nick tells Gatsby he shouldn’t expect too much of Daisy, that you can’t repeat the past, Gatsby’s reply: “Can’t repeat the past? Of course you can” retains its poignancy.

The Great Gatsby is Melbourne-based Greenberg’s first graphic novel. She has previously written and illustrated picture books for children, most notably a series called The Digits. Her cartoons are also widely published. This work, clearly a labour of love, took her six years to complete. I was totally enchanted by this new take on an old favourite. Greenberg has created a book that complements the original, and will hopefully introduce the story to a whole new audience.


The Great Gatsby
(2007)

by Nicki Greenberg
Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781-741-751-338
316pp AUD$39.95