AKRON - Who doesn’t enjoy reading classic books? Everyone loves them, and we believe you, too. If you do, chances are you will enjoy the modern twists in these top four of the classic book makeovers recommended by Akron-Summit County Public Library. Also, it’s summer; the perfect time to visit and read them at your favorite library in town!
Without further ado, let’s hop on to the list!
As the 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ has now entered the public domain, anybody who loves the classic tale can rewrite the story, put their modern twists in, and publish a book. Michael Farris Smith, for example, has rewritten this book with the point of view of a character named Nick.
The story took place before Nick Carraway moved to West Egg. In the rewritten novel, you will find him along the trenches of World War I. Read as he embarks on a transcontinental redemptive journey that takes him from one place to another, such as Paris and New Orleans.
If you love ‘The Great Gatsby’, a reviewer at Town & Country highly recommend this book, saying: “… Smith paints a smart, vivid picture of a shady, messy world that birthed one of literature’s best known characters and has written a must-read for Gatsby fans and newcomers alike.”
Ali Benjamin’s ‘The Smash-Up’ took on the classic Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. The novel focuses on a small-town love triangle.
In the modern version, we will meet media start-up co-founder Ethan and filmmaker Zo, for whom life used to be simple. They moved to a rural community in search of serenity, but it all turned upside down.
Zo is enraged by the national political scene and transforms their home into a local headquarter for the Resistance. Ethan’s business partner and former college roommate face the “Me Too” allegations. Then in the midst of it all, enter a young, fun, millennial Maddy Silver as a guest to their life. Ethan and Zo begin to question their past, their future, their marriage, and what they value most.
Taking on a classic novel, ‘An American Tragedy’ by Theodore Dreiser, The Anatomy of Desire by L. R. Dorn is a modern tale of striving ambition, envy, desire and murder. This reimagination of Dreiser’s novel is told in the form of docuseries similar to that of ‘Making a Murderer’ and ‘The Jinx’, with characters speaking through “transcripts” of recorded interviews.
If you like Anne of ‘Green Gables’ by L. M. Montogomery, then you will love its makeover: Anne of Manhattan by Brina Starler. Set in New York City, the tale gets a modern twist with a more romantic touch. The story follows Anne, who has to say goodbye to her foster parents and move to the isle of Manhattan for grad school. She is not alone, though. In her journey to take on the world, she is accompanied by her best friend, Diana Barry.
If you’re interested in reading any of the books, don’t forget that they are available to read at Akron-Summit County Library. See you there and happy reading!