"Self-Made Boys" is a book that offers a unique and twisty take on a beloved classic, and one of my most anticipated reads since last year. But it has left me with mixed feelings.

First of all, I absolutely loved the characters Nick and Gatsby and their sweet, endearing relationship. The fact that they are portrayed as trans adds an intriguing and enjoyable twist, which drew me to this book in the first place.

However, I am not a fan about the drastic changes to Daisy's character.
In the original story, Daisy turned out to be as awful as Tom; a cold and shallow person, willing to pin the blame and abandon those who genuinely care about her for the sake of saving herself. Turning her into an “empowered feminist lesbian” didn't sit well with me, as it seemed to romanticize a character who should be seen as flawed and morally questionable.

Daisy's character represents the social climbers who prioritize personal gain over moral conscience, and she isn't meant to be seen as a victim or romanticized in any way. Altering her character's essence does feel forced and unnatural.

Similarly, I felt that the portrayal of Tom as entirely negative wasn't entirely fair. Even though Tom had his faults, he also had redeeming qualities in the original version: protecting Daisy when she confessed to hitting Myrtle with the car, despite her infidelity with Gatsby.

Another aspect that didn't entirely make sense to me was Gatsby's actions towards Daisy without romantic intentions, especially if both knew they were gay.

While unexpected twists can be exciting, I feel that sometimes they lean too much toward wish fulfillment. If you're familiar with the original story, these alterations can mess with your expectations and leave you longing for the depth and darkness of the original.

If the argument is that original version of the story is "too dark for YA”, I don’t think it’s too dark or complicated for teens to learn that even their family members could be selfish or shallow. It happens everyday.