F. Scott Fitzgerald tale 'West of Sunset' draws critical praise
The book 鈥淲est of Sunset鈥� by Stewart O鈥橬an is drawing critical praise for its portrait of F. Scott Fitzgerald鈥檚 time in Hollywood.
The novel was released on Jan. 13 and was selected as one of Amazon鈥檚 best books of January. 鈥淚'm a bit of a Fitzgerald fan ... and this is just extremely well-done," Amazon editorial director Sara Nelson said of the title. "It's the ultimate historical novel.... [Fitzgerald's] Hollywood years are so interesting.鈥�
And the book is drawing critical praise elsewhere as well. reviewer Julia Jenkins wrote of the book, 鈥淥'Nan brilliantly, sensitively portrays Fitzgerald's internal drama with a tone of wry wit and doom. The nuances of Zelda's character are apt and appropriate, and appearances by Dorothy Parker, Hemingway and Humphrey Bogart add color and humor. O'Nan's characterization and dialogue are spot-on, and his choice of the less-glamorous years of his subject's life yields a beautiful, elegiac novel worthy of its model.鈥�
Meanwhile, reviewer Reba Leiding of Virginia鈥檚 James Madison University Library found the book to be 鈥渁 realistic piece of historical fiction鈥�.Fitzgerald comes across as a haunting, multifaceted, sympathetic character鈥� and called it 鈥渁 sympathetic portrayal of a troubled genius... O'Nan has masterfully re-created the feel and ambience of the Hollywood studio system in the late 1930s.鈥�
, however, received the title less well. PW's reviewer wrote, 鈥淭he book is thoroughly researched, featuring a huge supporting cast of famous players 鈥� but it feels more like a television docudrama than a fully realized novel.鈥�
