If you have been reading my blog, you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of my role models so I fear this review is going to pain me significantly....
Oh, by the way - thank you to everyone for your birthday wishes. I really do appreciate it!
Fitzgerald - yes that is where we were before I got off track. "The Last Tycoon" was published after Fitzgerald's death in 1940. It would have been his fifth novel - if he would have had the courtesy of finishing it before he died. The book was approximately half finished when Fitzgerald had a massive heart attack and died. He left that half finished part and his outline and notes for the rest of the book, which was compiled by his friend and published in 1941.
I personally think he would have edited it a bit more because the completed part is jumpy and does not follow well. It starts off by introducing the character of Cecelia, the daughter of a Hollywood movie executive who is on her way home to Los Angeles from college on the East Coast. On the plane ride, she runs into some gentlemen who work for her father - Pat Brady. They talk and whatnot but the point of that scene in the book is to begin to introduce the protagonist of the story: Monroe Stahr. Stahr (as everyone calls him) is a mogul in the movie industry and is considered one of the best in the business. He is single, mainly because he lives only for his work. Cecelia is smitten with him but because Pat works with him, he does not get on that bus right away. Stahr instead falls madly in lust with another character in the story: Kathleen Moore. Kathleen is mysterious and not all gaga over Stahr, which makes her more attractive to him. He does get on that bus however after only a spin or two around the block, he gets kicked off said bus because the bus is already promised to another passenger (if you understand my convoluted illusions you deserve a prize). Then the book ends.
So the whole 17 or so chapters is just character development. We know that Stahr is an important person but we don't know how important and even if he is "the last tycoon". From Fitzgerald's notes - which the remaining plot summary and outline accompany the book - it is determined that he does get on the Cecelia bus for awhile but gets off because he misses the old bus. Him and Pat have a falling out and murder plots are hatched. Stahr, flying across country decides that he is being childish and decides to call off the hit he has put on Pat when they land however that flight ends in cartwheels and tears.
So a whole lot of character development and really nothing after that. Kind of like a bad high school date. I know that my Princeton guy Fitzgerald would have written an awesome book had he not so selfishly died before it was done. However, I do have an obligation as a...serious journalist....to evaluate his work based on what is written and not on what I think he would have written. As such, "The Last Tycoon" earns:
On no, I ran out of gas! (a somewhat b*****it rating on my motorcycle scale of awesomeness)
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