My gosh, it's unbelievable how Fitzgerald wrote this book at the age of 22 (wrote during 1919, published in 1920). At such young age, he exhibited his wide knowledge of literature, poems, philosophy, politics and romance. He was capable of deep understanding of emotions as well as self-criticism. Yes, he is a young egotistic and a romantic, but he is also aware what his weakness are. Although the writing style is kind of messy (blending all different kind of styles of writing...), it shows how ambitious and serious he is about writing (if he failed, he will never get Zelda back...). This is his début as a novelist, and it shows prominence, as he later established himself as a master in writing with The Great Gatsby.
I really like Fitzgerald's writing. The first half of the novel is that not appealing to me. There were times when I felt like putting down the book. Luckily I didn't, because the second half was well worth it. He is really talented at depicting a particular sense of feeling, when he pins them down in words, the feeling becomes a reality. So often while I was reading the book, I know just exactly how he felt and what he thought, yet it's not exactly my personal experience, and somehow I can really reflect these feelings. "I know myself, and that is all---"
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