West of Sunset by Stewart O'Nan

Final Rating: 2.9/5

 
The man behind the stories for a new audience

   West of Sunset is a convincing 8x10 glossie of late 1930's Hollywood and a dramatic collaboration of fact and imagination that shares the last troubled years of F. Scott Fitzgerald's life with a new audience. The story begins with the author Fitzgerald in a darkened corner of his life, his professional and private life in shambles we can sympathize with this broken figure who battles many demons as he grasps at the last shreds of limelight and luck that have bypassed him for many years. Money can't come quick enough and so a risky venture to Hollywood is seized by a hopeful Fitzgerald and what follows is one of the golden requirements of screen writing and drawing an audience; the possibility of happiness or heartbreak to follow the desperate.

   In the end, I personally enjoyed much of what this novel had to offer. Last year I found myself reading different fiction about the 1920's and in a quite a few titles the golden couple of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his fascinating wife Zelda dominated the topics. I believe I enjoy the champagne years more than the after-party years though and that's possibly why I didn't love the whole experience with this novel. Unfortunately also the fact that so many ghosts of addictions and demons run in a rampant montage in this work and certain details and the endless parade of cameo appearances all felt repetitive ultimately slowing the pace for this reader. A few other debatable topics were presented but perhaps it is just my understanding of facts versus the spice of the drama. Still West of Sunset was a chance to look at the man behind the notoriety and by the ending the multiple sides of F. Scott Fitzgerald were clearly evident even if they were jagged shards. Overall I did enjoy much of West of Sunset and I would recommend this title to those who love a convincing story, setting and a behind the curtain look at the famous.

* I would like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Viking and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy West of Sunset