ARC Review: Great by Sara Benincasa

Great by Sara Benincasa
Release Date: April 8 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen 
Format: ARC Paperback
Pages: 272
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Synopsis
Everyone loves a good scandal.

Naomi Rye usually dreads spending the summer with her socialite mother in East Hampton. This year is no different. She sticks out like a sore thumb among the teenagers who have been summering (a verb only the very rich use) together for years. But Naomi finds herself captivated by her mysterious next-door neighbor, Jacinta. Jacinta has her own reason for drawing close to Naomi-to meet the beautiful and untouchable Delilah Fairweather. But Jacinta's carefully constructed world is hiding something huge, a secret that could undo everything. And Naomi must decide how far she is willing to be pulled into this web of lies and deception before she is unable to escape.Based on a beloved classic and steeped in Sara Benincasa's darkly comic voice, Great has all the drama, glitz, and romance with a terrific modern (and scandalous) twist to enthrall readers.



My Thoughts:
I honestly am not quite sure how I feel about this one. It had a create concept and wonderful setting but there is still something that is off.   I enjoyed the character's and I loved the concept and the setting but I think that Naomi was lacking some depth. I don't think that she was that believable. Considering that Great is a modern re-telling of The Great Gatsby, I think that Sara did a good job but I think that Naomi could have been built up a bit more. It was a nice quick read.

I really liked Jacinta and Delilah. They had great chemistry. I honestly liked the side characters more than I did the main. I think I kept reading more for them than anything. 

The ending was off to me as well. I feel like it was too abrupt. I didn't feel like there was any real closure. But now that I think of it I think that was the whole idea. The abruptness to this tragic love story was a little disconcerting. I thought that Delilah would have done everything she could for Jacinta. But maybe it was all for show? 

Socialites and multi-million dollar teenagers tend to get whatever they want and this book was great at demonstrating that. 

I didn't hate it but I wasn't overly in love with it either.