The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay

by Ryan Douglass

“Douglass sets a classic on fire with an inspired recasting that strips away time and all expectations."" — Rita Williams-Garcia, New York Times bestselling author of A Sitting in St. James

From New York Times bestselling author Ryan Douglass comes a gripping and tender reimagining of The Great Gatsby about the pursuit of happiness—and love—in a society built on cruelty and secrets.

Seventeen-year-old Nick Carrington wants nothing more than to leave Greenwood, Oklahoma, behind and make a name for himself in the papers. But when tragedy strikes, dreams turn into a twisted reality. Forced to start anew in Harlem, only a letter of acceptance from the prestigious West Egg Academy is able to pull him back into the world.

But the supposedly integrated private boys’ school is more of a catchy headline than a fact, with the same prejudices Nick left behind back home. And his secret but growing feelings for the founder’s wickedly charismatic son, Jay Gatsby Jr.— who dances past society’s conventions with practiced ease—only add more complications.

When Nick’s cutting pen exposes dangerous truths about West Egg and leads to perilous consequences, he and Jay must decide whether to spend a lifetime outrunning trouble or be the ones to light the match. Can they not only fight back but triumph? Or will the powers that be win yet again?

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Retellings, LGBT, Historical, Queer

Audible Audio

First published January 27, 2026

About the author

Ryan Douglass is a queer author and poet from Atlanta, Georgia. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston, and his short fiction appears in All These Sunken Souls and Night of the Living Queers. His poetry is featured in Poemhood: Our Black Revival and He/She/They/Us. When he’s not writing, he’s probably baking something sweet or making a playlist for a story he hasn’t written yet.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isn’t this cover gorgeous? That alone almost earns the book five stars. I’m also a huge fan of retellings, and this one really delivers because of its rep Nick is Black and queer, Jay is biracial (Black mom, white dad), and their dynamic is great.

But in the end, I couldn’t give this wonderful story five stars. Not even a full four. Even though this retelling was wonderful, I didn’t really feel it. I kept reading but never found myself on the edge of my seat, smiling, or holding my breath.

So yeah, 3.5 stars, rounded up to four because I think a lot of you will love it. And again … that cover is a gem.

Thank you, Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley, for this ARC!

Follow me on Instagram

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down.
I like the concept of a retelling of the great Gatsby with black queer men, but that's it. Oh, and the cover is very pretty.
I felt detached from the story and the characters. The beginning made it look like the book would be strong but then it started to fade and I can't say I care about anything that happened here. The best part is without doubt the historical setting, it is very well done and it's the only part that made me feel(rage, helplessness, defeat, sadness).
But yeah, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

[Lance]

Bring on ALL of the queer BIPOC retellings of The Great Gatsby!

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A YA retelling of The Great Gatsby set in early-1900's Harlem following queer Black characters! This is an interesting take on the classic, set in the same time and nearly the same place and yet it becomes very different. Nick is new to New York, looking for work and starting at an integrated school founded by the wealthy Jay Gatsby Sr. But race and class are divides not so easily bridged and most of the poor Black boys find themselves in the "Blue" house destined for jobs involving physical labor. But there is an attraction between Nick and the biracial Jay Gatsby Jr. Conflict, secrets, illegal liquor, and questions of who gets to speak in journalism come together in a conflagration that impacts the entire community. I enjoyed this and liked the twist to the ending as well. Note that it is on the upper side of YA due to a non-explicit sexual scene. The audio narration is good and seems to fit the vibe and time period. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Noah]

The answer is... yes, I'm going to read another gay Great Gatsby retelling.

[Papillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Admittedly, I had to stop reading this book several times and eventually forced myself to just start over because I was just going through the motions rather than actually reading the story.

I believe this is a nice spin to the original that twines in its own creative flair that allows it to stand on its own. I’m glad certain characters and events were given a makeover because I actually /still/ hate the original Daisy to this day, book and movie versions alike.

I came in expecting things to go a certain way, and I’m very glad to be wrong on this one. This was more than a decent read.

[Denise Ruttan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading more MM again but it's been a struggle finding ones I like. This one had me at a BIPOC retelling of The Great Gatsby, and on that front it did deliver in ways I didn't expect but appreciated, but I didn't emotionally connect to the romance and I found the prose awkward and corny.

In this world Jay Gatsby is the white-passing son of a white wealthy man who does bootlegging on the side during the Prohibition, and a Black woman. His love interest, Nick, runs away from home in Oklahoma after a race raid kills his family. He joins his cousin in Harlem and gets enrolled at a school run by the Gatsbys, where he sparks up a complicated friendship with the son that blossoms into something more. I found the history to be rather realistic; it wasn't just a Bridgerton retelling of the regency. It showed real racism and wasn't an aspirational vision of history. This part I appreciated. It was quite true to the book and Gatsby's character.

I struggled with the romance, though. I found them awkward and didn't see the sexual tension until it was told to me. Nick didn't seem to spend enough time wrestling with his sexual identity or feelings, he went straight from friendship to love and acceptance of his queerness without hardly any angst. True to the book, Jay was a narcissist who manipulated people with the gift of his attention, but for a romance with a hard-fought HEA, I didn't find that a very attractive love interest. They would have worked better as star-crossed lovers, so the romance felt forced.

I found the prose corny because there was an exclamation point used in almost every paragraph that became kind of annoying.

All that would have been all right except for the over the top plot twist at the last 30% of the book. Mild-mannered, risk-adverse Nick decides he needs to turn into a Luigi style character to right the scales of justice, not murder but robbing the rich in an elaborate scheme, and it was all just too much for me. I would have liked it better had he stuck with journalism instead of a queer Bonnie and Clyde on the run.

So alas, this had a lot of potential but it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[KMart Vet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this retelling, and I say that as someone who’s read a handful of Gatsby reimaginings already. This one feels very intentional about what it wants to be: a story about two young men in love, set against racial injustice and rigid class systems, that chooses hope over tragedy. It keeps the bones of the original while reshaping the emotional core.

I appreciated that the book doesn’t soften its portrayal of racism or pretend the era was kinder than it was. The setting is vivid, and the social tensions feel present in every single interaction. Jay, meanwhile, is charismatic in that Gatsby way, and also deeply flawed. I struggled with the romance because of that imbalance: it often felt like Nick was far more emotionally invested than Jay, and I never fully believed they were in love in the same way. There’s yearning, but it’s lopsided, which made it hard for me to root for them as a couple rather than just for Nick’s happiness.

Tonally, this reads very young. Intense feelings, big declarations, lots of emotional highs and lows. But it is young adult. The melodrama is kind of baked in. I also wished Nick had spent more time grappling with his sexuality internally; his transition from friendship to romance felt smoother than I expected for the time period, and that took away some emotional depth for me.

My biggest issues came in the second half. The story shifts from journalism and social observation into more action-heavy territory, and that’s where it lost me a bit. The stakes escalate quickly, the plans feel shaky, and the resolution comes together too neatly. The ending, in particular, felt overly optimistic for a Gatsby-inspired narrative. I didn’t hate it, but it did feel rushed and surprisingly tidy for a story built on disillusionment. Still, I recognize that this is the point: Douglass isn’t trying to recreate tragedy, he’s rewriting it. He’s telling a version where wrongdoing has consequences, where love gets a chance to survive, and where power doesn’t always win.

Overall, this was a solid and thoughtful retelling with a clear emotional goal. I loved the historical atmosphere and the added diversity in Gatsby. If you want a Gatsby remix that prioritizes young queer love and the possibility of justice over despair, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thanks so much to Colored Pages Tours and Epic Reads for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[thosemeddlingkids · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ouch, my heart hurts.

I've read a couple YA Great Gatsby 'remixes' and this one is probably my favorite. Excellent narration, so much historical context woven in, from Oklahoma to New York City.

There's such care and thoughtfulness into the writing and story, from the glaringly obvious of racism and segregation, to the more nuanced - ie the colorism between Jay and Nick, and Jay having a white dad.

ARC from Netgalley.

[lexx t · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something incredibly powerful about watching a character slowly come into themselves, and that’s exactly what Ryan Douglass delivers in The Great Disillusionment of Nick & Jay. Nick’s story unfolds with patience, pain, and purpose, making his transformation impossible to look away from. From the moment the story begins, the weight of loss and survival is present, and Nick’s journey from Greenwood to Harlem feels both devastating and necessary. This book does not ease you in, it asks for your full attention right away.

Harlem becomes a place of possibility and disillusionment all at once. As Nick begins to rebuild his life, he is introduced to new people, new ideas, and a world that feels larger than anything he has known. With the help of his cousin Daisy, along with his aunt and uncle, Nick slowly starts to find his voice and stand up for himself. West Egg Academy promises opportunity but quickly reveals something much darker beneath the surface. Watching Nick begin to question who truly benefits from systems built on false hope was one of the most compelling parts of the story, especially as his love for writing begins to mirror his father’s legacy.

Nick’s personal journey is just as compelling as the larger mystery unfolding around him. His exploration of his sexuality is handled with care and honesty, showing how fear, desire, and self acceptance can exist at the same time. The relationships he forms, especially with Jay and Zihan, allow him the space to be seen in ways he never was before. Being introduced to Harlem’s queer community and its hidden spaces adds both warmth and tension to the story while reinforcing the risks of living openly.

What truly stayed with me was how this book centers growth through guidance and consequence. Nick is shaped by strong, supportive adults like his father and the men who encourage his integrity, curiosity, and sense of right and wrong, while also being forced to witness how power and ambition can corrupt others from the inside out. The story does not shy away from showing how greed, influence, and self preservation can lead people to betray their own community, or how good intentions can be twisted when attached to the wrong people. Daisy plays a key role in pushing Nick to stop shrinking himself and start taking up space, and by the end his evolution feels earned and deeply satisfying. This story reads like a historical crime drama layered with identity, resistance, and heart, and it is easily one of my top reads of the year so far.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

GOT AN ARC FROM LIBRO.fm

YESSSSS NEW RYAN DOUGLASS we are long overdue for something from this incredibly talented writer and I’m so glad that’s finally being rectified.

I think I’m one of the last people on earth who didn’t have to read the original Gatsby in a high school English class so my knowledge is entirely osmosised from retellings and the Baz Luhrman movie lmao. That being said, I don’t think you need a super intimate knowledge of the original to read this. It’s a reimagining that takes names and places for a brand new story and not a straightforward retelling, so if you go into this expecting a one to one you’re probably gonna be disappointed! I did enjoy this though, it packs a lot of feelings into a story that is incredibly relevant today and I can honestly say the ending was much happier than I expected.

[Sha · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ A fresh, thoughtful, and imaginative reimagining. ✨

This story pulled me in from the very first page and kept me wrapped up in its atmosphere, emotion, and creativity. Ryan Douglass takes a world we think we know and flips it, giving Nick and Jay a depth and vulnerability that feel both modern and timeless. The way he weaves identity, longing, and belonging into this narrative? Beautiful. It’s nostalgic, it’s new, and it hits in all the right places.

The writing flows, the characters feel so alive, and there’s a quiet emotional weight that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

A strong, captivating read that brings something meaningful and necessary to the table. 💛

Highly recommend — and a huge thank you to Ryan Douglass for this advance copy! 📚✨

[Aaron Aceves]

RTC

[Jonathan David Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted for this to be a five star read. But after finishing it, I was a bit let down.

I really believe that this was a very ambitious story, that was weighed down by attempting to do too much at once, while also being very lengthy. Nick starts off as a very compelling character. He is young with a passion for writing, but is discouraged by his father— who understands the danger that comes with putting the truth on paper. After tragedy strikes he is forced to leave home and forge his own path all alone. I was locked in. When Nick arrived in New York we meet his cousin Daisy (who has a secret life), are introduced to West Egg Academy, and first hear the name Gatsby. When Nick is accepted in to West Egg, I was expecting a whirlwind of adventure and self-discovery mirroring the fantastical elements of its source material. But unfortunately this is where the clear direction of the novel kind of ends.

What begins as a secret friendship between him & Jay Gatsby Jr., turns into a Sherlock Holmes style mystery. It was hard for me to follow all of the new twists on familiar characters, blended with reimagined scenes from The Great Gatsby (i.e. The Speakeasy, and dinner at the Buchanans). And by the time we got into the romance, in the last quarter, I was tired. Maybe I was possibly “disillusioned” as a huge fan of The Great Gatsby.

I think this would be a good one for teens that haven’t read the source material. The writing is not bad, but at 384 pages, it could have been a bit clearer. It leaned on so many of the character names, and events from the original text without the symbolism, moodiness, and mystery that made The Great Gatsby so fascinating.

3-ish/5 stars (rounding to 4 because we support Black authors)

[Lucky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, tangible, reflective, and chock-full of historicity, The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay was the best possible book to end my year of reading.

Fans of Fitzgerald's novel will be pleased by the innovative takes on classic characters and events, though the interpretations are certainly unique enough to be their own.

I have never encountered a more deeply lovable Nick. His thoughtfulness, drive for justice, and deep care for those around him immediately endeared him to me. His relationship with Jay is gorgeous and devastating in equal turns. His angst about whether or not to trust Jay had me sweating on the edge of my seat for the whole book.

I was perhaps most compelled by the way this story interacts frankly with race, class, queer culture, and how/ whether social progress can be enacted. Douglass brings a lot of knowledge and thoughtfulness (along with a dash of hope) to a story made all the richer for his contributions.

If you're looking for an immersive and achingly yearning queer historical romance that examines the cost of social progress and the communities working towards it, you have found the right book. I certainly loved it.

[Stanjay Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick, one of the two main characters at the center of this story, is someone I believe will linger with me long after finishing the book because of how complex and ever-evolving he is. Early on—about twenty percent into the novel—Nick experiences a life-altering event involving his father, a man whose approval he deeply seeks and whose path he hopes to follow. This moment sets him on a course in early adulthood that he never anticipated.

Throughout his journey, we witness Nick’s sorrow and joy, his determination, his process of self-discovery surrounding his sexuality, and his growing disappointment with the society he encounters, particularly its racism and classism. The author does an excellent job capturing this period, crafting a story that invites readers to approach Nick’s experiences with empathy and a sense of longing as they watch a young man navigate life in the 1920s.

[Kendra Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you do a retelling that is even better than the original. I am absolutely obsessed with this book!
Nick is looking for life beyond small town Greenwood, but when tragedy strikes, he is forced into a new world without a plan and without time to even grieve. New York is far different from his old home in Oklahoma, but can he fit in? His world changes when he meets Jay...

This book had me in an entire chokehold. I really couldn't put it down, and when I had to, I would pop in an earbud and have my phone continue reading it to me. Ryan Douglass did an amazing job writing some very descriptive and intense scenes that truly makes it immersive for the reader. And while this is a retelling, there were still times where I was gasping and in shock of the twists and turns of the story. I really wish this was the book we read in high school instead of The Great Gatsby.

Favorite quote of many: "We'll be the stars that salt the night with light, the dogwood shedding petals in a brutal hurricane. Our tears will wet the earth like rain in the fall, when it's time for a season to start anew."

[Trisha]

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026: 4.25

[mazzy of silence · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
не сталося любові з великим чи малим ґетсбі і тут, не моя історія все ж. початок був потужний, і я за ним сумую

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique and diverse reimagining of The Great Gatsby! It follows Nick and Jay, two queer people of color in the 1920s. It's a fresh new perspective on an old classic. This is a powerful, historically accurate novel perfect for teens!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(I got this as an ARC from Rainy Day Books)

[Owen Lach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy reading The Great Gatsby in high school. A clear product of the early 1900s, its societal critiques felt dusty and distant rather than daring, with enough problematic elements to frequently make me cringe. A century later, Ryan Douglass gives us the sharp, relevant remix we actually need.
Setting the opening during the utter devastation of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre grounds the entire story in a horrific reality Fitzgerald largely ignored. This narrative choice completely reframes the original critique of the American class system, a devastating, necessary examination of how racial violence and exclusion are the very foundation upon which American wealth and class are built and maintained. Douglass emphasizes this point with Nick’s experience at West Egg. That specific feeling of achieving access but never quite belonging—of straddling two worlds and being truly seen by neither—hit me hard.
This is the vulnerable space where Nick’s relationship with Jay thrives, making their bond the complex, compelling heart of this story, full of dangerous temptations and devastating thrills. The story excels because it grounds that classic pursuit of happiness in unfortunately timely issues of racial and sexual identity and systemic injustice. And Douglass used the historic setting to full effect, elevating Jazz Age New York almost to a character of its own, depicting the 1920’s Black, Queer experience with unflinching realism.
While The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay arrives a full century after Fitzgerald's original, that’s kind of the point. It powerfully demonstrates that the secrets, the cruelty, and the desperate pursuit of love against rigid societal rules haven't faded, they've just changed party clothes. It’s a sharp, smart, and necessary entry to the Young and New Adult spaces that should be required reading a century later.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed bag for me.

Here's what worked for me: first, I loved that this turned out to be something other than a "retelling with a twist." The Great Disillusionment reshuffles large chinks of the original novel into a entirely new story. I especially liked the first half of the story, which starts in Greenwood (do the words "Tulsa Race Massacre" ring a bell??) and follows Nick to New York, which is pitched as a shining city on the hill. It is, in fact, far from utopian. While powers within the city claim to be integrating, the city is still segregated and gentrified. Nick is given a front row seat to this in his new school, where students are divided into blue (collar) and white (collar) houses based on the jobs that they're being primed for. Guess how that goes.

I adored "The Green Light," a queer bar Nick stumbles into early on in the novel. Great callback, but also what a lovely moment of Nick seeing the possibilities of his own life for the first time. There's another beautiful scene later in the novel where Nick finally accepts his identity and questions the purpose of labels against the emotional and physical realities of his own relationship with Jay Gatsby, Jr.

Most of my complaints arise in the latter half of the novel. Nick and his friends start planning a series of... heists? Spy missions? At any rate, there are a series of action sequences that are poorly planned on the part of the characters and made little to no sense when put into practice. The last 10% of this novel simply didn't make much sense at all, and was resolved too quickly. On top of that, the story hinges on the idea that the main characters will find proof of, and print, a scheme to segregate Harlem. For one thing, the fact that they find letters that basically say, "Here is my evil plan to do the thing that everyone knows I'm doing, in detail!" is... odd. But also, we live in 2026. We know that proof of wrongdoing changes pretty much nothing, when the audience for your newspaper support a billionaire villain. It frustrates me that we're still telling this narrative to kids who are watching people justify horrors in the real world on a literal daily basis. Proving that a white man is doing racism for profit isn't a "gotcha" when a) all the Black characters in this story already know that, and b) all of the white characters are actively participating in racism for profit already. I'm not saying that there's no value in printing the truth, only that this story, like so many others, suggests that printing the truth is enough to solve the problem, and when you've already acknowledged that the problem is widespread, systemic, and deliberately propped up, I don't see why Nick would be willing to risk his life in the specific way that he does during the novel's climax to seek out the specific materials that he's looking for.

Anyway. Without delving into the specifics of why each of Nick's "plans" had me scratching my head, I will say that there were plot holes beyond this ideological gap mentioned above. I was on board with this book's politics, and there was a lot to like here, but I wish Nick's plans had been better thought-through, rather than acting as plot devices to keep the action heightened without moving the emotional arc of the story forward.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. My mad ramblings are my own and are being left voluntarily.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and HarperCollins for providing an eARC of this novel!

I just want to preface this review by saying that I have never read The Great Gatsby. I watched the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio once when it came out in 2013. The majority of my knowledge comes from the Family Guy parody, which I also haven't watched in years. So, just know that I am going into this review with little understanding of the work this is based on.

Anyway, this book was a big disappointment. I absolutely loved the first half of this novel. The story felt so grounded and I loved Nick. While it wasn't particularly subtle in the way it depicted racism, it never felt excessive or "in your face." I liked the way we see Nick come to terms that her wasn't free from racism in the North, the racism just looked different now. I particularly liked the portrayal of "race traitors" (I feel like there is probably a better word for this but I do not know what that word is). The black characters who actively take part in suppressing their own race in hopes that they will be the exception. It was just so well done. Even though there were so many different facets of racial discrimination being tackled, it never felt like the story was being bogged down.
I also liked Nick's relationship with Jay. I was particularly interested in how his mixed race background would impact the way he was treated. As well as just the fact that he came from money.
However, all of this changed at around the 60% mark. The plot just went completely off the rails. Nick, Jay, and Daisy sneak into an Italian Mob owned casino to try and track someone down. Action ensues and we see Nick and Daisy just beating up on mobsters for some reason. There is literally a scene where Nick distracts a mobster by flipping a coin in the air. The mobster is pointing a gun at Daisy and Nick stops said mobster by flipping a coin in the air. And the mobster doesn't shoot because he decides to watch the coin flipping in the air instead. It was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read in my entire life and I almost quit reading the book right there. If this wasn't bad enough, later in the book Nick, Jay, and Daisy perform a money heist and a prison break. Why? It was just so ridiculous and I hated it. To make it even worse, I think the author knows how batshit crazy the second half of the book is, because of this quote at the end (paraphrased since this is an ARC and you aren't supposed to directly quote ARCs): The stone statues looked exquisite upon entering, but now seemed to represent the ending of a horrible novel. A novel that tricks readers into thinking it's something it isn't.
So Douglass knows. He knows that the ending of this book is bad and did it anyway. The only reason I can think as to why it went to crazy at the end was because the American dream is unattainable, so the only way the characters were able to achieve it was by doing something ridiculous and nonsensical. But like... then just have them not attain the American dream. Let the book have a sad ending. More books need to have sad endings.
Anyway, loved the first half of this book, hated the second half. All of the commentary and complex themes were pushed to the side for wacky hijinks. So disappointing.

[Carrie Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite classics, and I love finding queer retellings of it. The best part of this reimagining was how differently Ryan Douglass took the story. There are the familiar elements. We have versions of Nick, Jay, Daisy, Jordan, Tom, West Egg/East Egg, the Green Light, etc., but the story goes off in a direction I never expected and highly enjoyed. This is a young adult BIPOC queer retelling which deals with the Harlem Renaissance and starts in the Tulsa Massacre. Nick is a black man and Jay is a biracial man (his mom is black and his father is white). Both are queer.

I love when a retelling of this story takes the relationship between Nick and Daisy and builds onto it. Daisy is one of the best characters in this novel. The bond she and Nick formed was beautiful and one of the most touching parts of the book. This story deals with a lot of tragedy, especially when Nick comes to Harlem after the events of the Tulsa Massacre. The beginning of this book is heartbreaking, and it was heartwarming to see Nick's family take him in and help him through his grief. Daisy also helps with Nick's self discovery and helps him learn he needs to speak his mind.

Nick's personal journey throughout the novel was one of the most compelling and integral parts of the story. Watching his growth and journey to self-acceptance, from the beginning of the novel until the end was beautiful. His other important relationships are with his father, a friend named Zihan, his aunt and uncle, and his romantic relationship with Jay Gatsby Jr. I love how the adults in Nick's life play important roles in his story. Nick learns a lot from the supportive adults in his life, including his father, his old boss Mr. Wallace, and his Uncle Beet. He also learns from some of the adults what corruption and greed can do to a person's character.

Nick and Jay's sexuality is depicted with such care. It was beautiful seeing Nick connect with not only Jay but also Zihan and get introduced to the Harlem queer community. I loved the use of the Green Light, a queer bar, and how it helped with not only Nick's romantic relationship but also with his acceptance of himself. Such a clever way of bringing one of the most important images of The Great Gatsby into this story. Also, I adored how important writing was to Nick and his story as a whole.

The only element of this book that I didn't enjoy as much was how "the mystery" was wrapped up at the end of the novel. I did enjoy the resolution but some of the steps Nick, Jay, Daisy, and Zihan used took me out of the story a bit.

The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay is one of the most beautiful retellings of a classic I have read in a long time and I highly recommend it. Ryan Douglass took elements from a story I have adored for almost thirteen years and created a new world which I could not get enough of. I will definitely be adding this beautiful book to my collection.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

[Prof. Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

NetGalley Review

Ryan Douglass’ The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that expertly weaves together themes of ambition, identity, and societal prejudice. Set against the backdrop of 1950s America, the story follows Nick Carrington, a determined seventeen-year-old from Greenwood, Oklahoma, whose dreams of journalistic success are shattered by tragedy and forced relocation. The plot’s premise—a talented young writer navigating the treacherous waters of a supposedly integrated but deeply flawed private school—immediately immerses the reader in a world rife with tension and complexity.

One of the standout strengths of this novel is the fantastic background information Douglass provides. The author’s portrayal of Greenwood and Harlem during this turbulent era is vivid and historically rich, grounding the story in a palpable reality that enhances the emotional weight of the characters’ struggles. The social and racial dynamics feel authentic and intricately detailed, giving readers a nuanced understanding of the obstacles Nick faces beyond his personal ambitions.

Character development is another area where the book truly shines. Nick’s evolution from a hopeful young man eager to escape his past to someone forced to confront harsh truths is portrayed with sensitivity and depth. His relationship with Jay Gatsby Jr., the enigmatic and charismatic son of West Egg Academy’s founder, adds layers of complexity to the narrative. Jay’s fluid navigation of societal conventions and his magnetic personality create a captivating dynamic that draws readers in, making their secret feelings and the risks they take together feel both genuine and heart-wrenching.

The novel’s exploration of prejudice within a supposedly progressive environment is handled with nuance, avoiding clichés while highlighting the persistence of systemic injustice. Nick’s sharp, incisive writing within the story acts as both a weapon and a beacon, driving the plot toward moments of tension and revelation. However, at times, the pacing can feel uneven, with some sections lingering longer than necessary on background details, which might slightly slow the momentum for readers eager for plot progression.

Overall, The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay is a powerful narrative filled with rich historical context and compelling character arcs. Ryan Douglass offers a story that is both a personal journey and a broader commentary on societal challenges, making this a must-read for those interested in layered storytelling and complex relationships. While not flawless, its strengths far outweigh its minor shortcomings, earning it a solid four-star rating.

[Ivoree Malcom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Disillusionment of Nick & Jay by Ryan Douglass presents itself as a retelling of The Great Gatsby, but that comparison ultimately feels like quite a stretch. While the nod to a literary classic may have been intended to draw readers in, the connection often comes across as more of a marketing façade than a meaningful reinterpretation. I found myself wishing the author had invested more deeply in the accuracy and internal logic of the historical fiction elements instead of leaning so heavily on the Gatsby parallel.

The novel opens with Nick losing everything during the Tulsa Massacre, a devastating & pivotal moment that forces him to retreat to New York to rebuild his life with family & seek refuge from overt racial violence. What the story does well is expose the irony of that move: New York is just as racist, only far more covert. This contrast is one of the book’s stronger thematic elements, effectively highlighting how systemic oppression adapts rather than disappears.

Where the book truly shines is in its exploration of Nick’s personal growth. His journey of coming into his own—emotionally, socially, & politically—is compelling & heartfelt. The intersectionality of queerness & Blackness is thoughtfully explored, making this a genuine coming-of-age story that centers identities too often marginalized in historical narratives.

That said, the novel seriously stumbles at the ending. The decision for the trio (especially Nick) to return to or relocate back to Oklahoma is baffling & frankly illogical. After establishing Oklahoma as the site of unimaginable racial violence—& the place they would almost certainly be first searched for—this choice undermines both character motivation & narrative credibility. Rather than feeling hopeful or full-circle, the ending comes across as rushed & poorly thought out, deflating much of the emotional & thematic buildup that preceded it.

While there are moments of underdevelopment, I can’t rate this title too harshly, as it is clearly aimed at a YA audience. Within that context, some simplification of complex themes is understandable. Still, I remain frustrated by the insistence on aligning this story with a “white” literary classic rather than allowing it to stand confidently on its own. The story is strongest when it steps out of Gatsby’s shadow & tells the characters' stories on its own terms—something the ending, unfortunately, fails to fully honor.

An imperfect but meaningful YA historical coming-of-age novel that succeeds most when it embraces its original voice rather than its Gatsby branding—& falters most when it sacrifices logic for symbolism.

*I received an advance review copy for free & am leaving this review voluntarily.*

#ThankGodForARCs

[Chalon J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflective, tender, and aching with yearning, The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay by Ryan Douglass is a reimagining of The Great Gatsby that lingers long after the final page. Douglass takes familiar characters and reshapes them into a powerful story centered on Black survival and desire in the early 1920s. The novel follows Nick, a seventeen-year-old who survives the Tulsa Race Massacre and arrives in Harlem carrying profound grief and loss, and Jay, the mixed-race son of the co-founder of West Egg Academy, a school celebrated as progressive for integrating its student body, while quietly exploiting and controlling its Black students. As Nick and Jay grow closer, Nick is forced to confront not only his deepening feelings for Jay, but also whether he is willing to expose the truth about West Egg and risk everything he’s begun to build.

What I loved most about this book is how deliberately it subverts its source material to center queer Black experiences during the early 1920s. Grounding Nick’s story in his escape from Tulsa adds emotional depth that makes his melancholy, anger, and yearning feel earned and devastating. His move to New York is not an escape from racism, but a collision with it in subtler and more insidious forms. Douglass vividly renders Nick’s world, from juice joints that serve as havens for queer Black life, to the stark contrast of West Egg’s separate and not at all equal dormitories, so fully that you feel as though you’re walking beside him through each space.

At its core, the novel wrestles with the tension between idealism and activism. Nick longs for connection, safety, and love, while increasingly recognizing the cost of silence and assimilation. His efforts to help Jay see the broader systems at play create a persistent conflict that underscores the novel’s emotional weight. The result is a story that not only interrogates power, privilege, and progress, but also asks how much has truly changed, and how much hasn’t.

🎧 Audiobook Commentary:
Narrated by Desean Terry, the audiobook is a must-listen! Terry masterfully captures Nick’s vulnerability and grief, as well as Jay’s magnetic allure, bringing the longing and tension between them vividly to life. His narration heightens the emotional stakes, allowing listeners to fully feel the romance simmering beneath the surface and the quiet devastation of the choices Nick must make. Experiencing this story in audio made its beauty and heartbreak even more immersive.

✨ If you love slow-burn queer romances and historical fiction that confronts power and belonging head-on, The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay belongs on your reading list.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧 Audiobook +📗 eBook: The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay

✍🏾 Author: Ryan Douglass-new to me author

📃Page Count: 384

📅Publication date: 1/27/26 | Read: 1/22/26

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 10:14

🌎 Setting: Greenwood, OK to Harlem 1921

👆🏾POV: 1st person single

Genre: Historical Fic, AA Interests, LGBTQIA+

Tropes: retelling-The Great Gatsby, dark academia, self-discovery, toxic masculinity, Robin Hood H

⚠️TW: racism, segregation, murder, bullying, homophobia, Tulsa Massacre, prohibition, arson, protest, police brutality

🗣️Narrator: Desean Terry voices all the characters with standouts from Nick, Jay, and Daisy. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

Summary: After Nick suffers personal tragedy, he leaves Oklahoma for Harlem to be with his extended family. He applies and is accepted into a private all boys school -West Egg Academy- hoping to fulfill his dream of becoming a writer like his father. The academy is supposed to be integrated, but Nick faces racism and homophobia. Wanting to provoke change, he plans to expose the secrets of West Egg and its founders.

👨🏾 Hero: Nick Carrington-17, wants to be a writer like his father

👨🏾 Hero: Jay Gatsby Jr- attends West Egg Academy, an integrated private school for boys-his father is the co-founder

🎭 Side Characters:

* Isaiah-17, groundskeeper for the wealthy Vanderbilts in OK, Nick's 1st love
*Mr. Wallace-Nick's shoe shiner boss
*Nick Sr.-Nick's father who denied his son an apprenticeship while senior editor @ the Tulsa Star
*Charlie and Cannon-bullies Nick when he starts @ academy
*Daisy-Nick's cousin who works for Tom Buchanan as a maid
*Lorraine Whitley-Nick's aunt & Uncle Beet-Daisy's parents
*Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby Sr-Charlie and Jay's father-business partners
*Vinny-Nick's roommate
*Zihan-new student @ West Egg who Nick befriends

🤔 My Thoughts: A great history lesson on the Great Migration, Tulsa Massacre, and gentrification told by Nick-an outcast who wants to be seen. With Daisy, Jay, and Zihan's help he robbed the rich to help the poor, joined the bootlegging business, and reveal a plot to erase blacks from Harlem. It had romance, betrayal, and ends in an unexpected HEA.

*Spice: 2/5 🌶️
*Rating: 5/5 ⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins & HarperCollins Audio, and Ryan Douglass for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

[Devanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay
Author: Ryan Douglass

Genre: Teens, YA, and LGBTQIA+
Series:Standalone
Spice: 1/5
Setting: NYC (West Egg & Harlem)
POV: Main Character POV
Tropes: friends x lovers, forbidden love, hidden identity.

My Thoughts:

As a fan of the original Great Gatsby, I found this book to not only make me fall in love with the new generations of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carrington but also shed a new light on 1920s NYC for African American individuals.

When I started this novel I did not expect Nick’s background and the fight he had to go through – Nick was young and did not deserve the hand he was dealt. From losing the only family he knew to journeying to NYC alone, I really felt heartbroken for Nick. Douglass’s writing blew me away and had me feel true emotions for Nick, who thought NYC would be his big break and he had to transition from the trauma he endured.

Nick meets Jay, who from the first meeting falls for Nick. Throughout the story, it became less about Jay’s rich upbringing and more about social justice for all African Americans in Harlem as rich capitalists wanted to tear down their haven in Harlem.

When I tell you I could not put this book down – both audio and physical – I was truly in love with this story. As someone who reads a lot of LGBTQIA+ fiction, this story not only intertwined both character’s sexual orientation but also their identities in a world that did not favor African American individuals – with the fight still leading today for equal treatment.

As a white queer individual, I will never understand what African American individuals and all people of color went through and go through now – but hearing and reading stories like this one really put into perspective how the fight Nick and Jay carried must be carried on today so all individuals are equal.

If you have not read this book, please go get it. It truly has been one of the best books I’ve ever read and I give all praise to Douglass for the beautiful story.


Read if you like Cemetery Boys, Magic in Manhattan Series, and the Great Gatsby

A special thank you to HarperCollins Children's, Netgalley, and Ryan Douglass for the audioARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.