This Side of Paradise

F. Scott Fitzgerald's first big hit appealed to the hedonistic youth of The Jazz Age, its immaturity aiding its popularity. Sorely dated, it nonetheless contains vigorous writing and strong characterization. It's a romantic self-portrait of a time in which the hero enters Princeton as a spoiled brat and, after several love affairs, instructive friendships and intellectual awakenings, matures, if that's the right word, into a penniless and sadder but wiser copywriter. Energetic Dick Hill has a good time with this formless novel. In so doing, he chews up a lot of scenery, but the grandiloquent author would probably approve. Indeed, he manages to take the edge off of the "romantic egoists" who so charmed one generation while seeming obnoxious to the current one. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Fitzgerald's first novel is a remarkable, if overly self conscious, period piece that captures the ennui of youth in the years following the Great War. Jeff Woodman's narration doesn't immediately seize the listener with its power, but he proves himself adept at handling the novel's sometimes difficult structure. (There's a fair bit of verse in the narrative, and one chapter is written as a play.) In some cases, he takes judicious liberties with the text to make it more appropriate for the audio format. More often, he's simply excellent at handling dialogue, not through elaborate acting, but by changing the timbre of his voice just enough to cue the changes in speaker. D.B. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine

With this autobiographical novel, Fitzgerald established his reputation as a writer of graceful prose and timely themes. It traces Amory Blaine's intellectual and moral development, from pampered childhood, through prep schools and Princeton, love affairs and WWI, to maturing self-acceptance. Actor Peter Marinker, using an urbane, Fonda-like voice, interprets the many diverse characters well. A lesser narrator could have easily fallen into parody. He also renders the poetry, letters and the section written as a play with appropriate versatility. Most importantly, Marinker doesn't rush the reading. With polished enunciation, he allows Fitzgerald's elegant, rhythmic writing an aural dimension it deserves. P.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

This production may intrigue Fitzgerald devotees, but only the most diligent fans are likely to find it a rewarding listen. While Fitzgerald's brilliant GREAT GATSBY is ideal for the audio format, the structure of this novel proves tough to follow. Robertson Dean makes a worthy attempt with his performance, but he tends to rush past section titles, giving them an air of sentence fragments rather than guideposts. Furthermore, he sounds almost impatient during his readings of interludes involving snippets of poetry or dramatic dialogue. Dean's renderings of individual characters are fine, but the characters themselves lack appeal. L.B.F. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

Romy Nordlinger narrates F. Scott Fitzgerald's first novel with genuine warmth and enthusiasm. The story follows the early life of Amory Blaine, a wayward and initially privileged young man, through his college years at Princeton and later disappointments. Fitzgerald deconstructs his protagonist's character as it forms throughout this period. Nordlinger's friendly tone puts a positive spin on the narcissistic character of Amory. Her vocal portrayals smoothly shift between characters, especially in the experimental dramatic dialogue that Fitzgerald incorporates into the second part of the book. In the scenes with Amory's most compelling love interest, Rosalind, Nordlinger deftly captures her slight Southern accent and sensuous candor while catching the falseness behind Amory's confidence. The energy in Nordlinger's narration complements the novel's movement. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine