Reviews for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Tales

The average rating for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Tales based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-04-04 00:00:00 Chris Reed I didn't like this short story. Maybe I was expecting more because the concept has so much promise. But it was short, sad, and I could not willingly suspend my disbelief regarding how people reacted to Benjamin, from the doctors in the beginning to his very own family throughout. I also found it a little bit difficult to believe how Benjamin reacted in turn, as well. It read more like a synopsis than a story -- Fitzgerald doesn't explore any of Benjamin's relationships; it's more like a play-by-play of each decade of Benjamin's life. The one part that I did like about the story was the end, Benjamin from "ages" 15 through 1. Reading it felt like going from black and white to full color, or watching a time-lapse film of a plant sprouting backwards in fast motion. The effect of seeing Benjamin lose mental development while gaining the clarity and joys of childhood was fascinating. I suppose this story has some merit when viewed as the product of a writer of the "Lost Generation" of WWI. But reading simply for pleasure, I was disappointed.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-02-15 00:00:00 Peter Raab I really liked The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I might even put this story up there with The Great Gatsby. The Diamond as big as The Ritz and O Russet Witch were pretty entertaining stories, but Tarquin of Cheapside was just okay.