interesting!!
now that i read gatsby for the first time in years recently, i can appreciate more what nghi vo is doing in these books! i think she captures the style and the themes of fitzgerald's work better than other retellings.
that being said! still not a big fan of the magical elements of the story. i never know what is going on. also, i don't really understand the rules or the why of the magic!

I love when Nghi Vo puts out a gay lil novella just for me.
Wonderful companion to The Chosen and the Beautiful.

Didn't realize that this is a companion novel so was pretty confused at first. Eventually things started to make sense, but I would highly recommend reading the other novel. I never liked the Great Gatsby so maybe that was why this failed to capture my interest.

Getting caught in a raid never ends well for anyone queer on the cusp of the Great Depression, but it should end a lot more unpleasantly for Nick. Indeed, the police are poised to take down the lot of them, trapped as they are between two walls of windowless brick. But then a phantom flame cuts through the winter cold and creates just enough chaos for Nick to escape, as he hears the phantom voice of a man he knows has been long dead.

The whole episode sets Nick alight with unease and, in his malaise, he inadvertently agrees to a meeting with a long-lost cousin that he has been studiously ignoring. Instead of satisfaction at discharging an unpleasant familial duty, however, Nick gets accosted for a huge sum of money, attacked, and saved by a shape-shifting devil. All the while, Nick is haunted by that longed for voice and, now that he has a connection to something otherworldly, he’s determined to use it to chase down his ghost.

In chasing after the dead, Nick goes on a macabre journey. His devilish contact sends him to talk to a so-called anatomical beauty hidden away in a labyrinthine maze beneath a hospital. When her answers don’t suffice, Nick quietly tries his luck at various nefarious clubs. Soon, he manages to corner the one devil who can give him answers–who can give him everything he’s ever hoped for. But in so doing, Nick also realizes that he may well never get what he wants, because you can’t have what was never meant to be.

Don’t Sleep with the Dead is a companion story to Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful. It stars Nick Carraway (if you know, you know; if you don’t, more on that under the spoiler below) as a newly middle-aged author living a comfortable life in 1939 New York. The whole short story is told from Nick’s perspective, but there is a single page between the title page and chapter one that simply reads, “for unreliable narrators and the stories we tell.” It was a hell of a way to start the story and, I think, went a very long way in keeping my mind malleable to the events that were about to unfold.

From the first scene, there are elements that I might consider paranormal in this book. There’s a flame that grows from nothing and ephemeral hands that manhandle Nick out of harm’s way during what basically amounts to a stampede. There’s the voice that Nick is obviously familiar with and, as we find out, one that he longs after–and it belongs to a man who is undeniably dead. Then there are the devils and other dark creatures nestled in the midst of normal human life offering to share what they know with Nick…for a price. Later, though, I began to wonder who Nick himself was supposed to be. In the (unreliable!) narrative, it’s clear he could be just like the infernal beings he’s been seeking out. During one such scene, Nick reaches out to his friend Jordan and that sparked my memory of half-forgotten details from The Chosen and the Beautiful.

As per my usual, I jumped into this story cold–no looking up the story before starting to read, no checking the blurb, no reading my review of the first book or any notes/highlights I made of it. For me, I think this went a long way towards helping me enjoy the book a whole lot more than if I’d done the “homework.” To try to preserve the same experience for other readers, details are behind this spoiler cut. (

Spoiler title
I was halfway through the story before there were enough overt context clues for me to realize that fact. In truth, I think this mix of ignorance on my part, being so far removed in time from the first book, and the overt paranormal elements in this story created a space where I had this tremendous sense of magic and possibility. I don’t think this would have been as spellbinding for me if the story wasn’t unearthing all the cultural zeitgeist that surrounds
Spoiler title
The whole tone of the story was engrossing to me. The time period comes shining through in descriptive texts, where neighborhoods are aged by whether or not they have glass lighting, or Nick takes a trip to the automat for a hot lunch. The way time has marched on in the areas Nick moves through felt like they reflected the years Nick has put on since losing someone dear to him. Plus, Nick’s own narrative about how being older makes him realize no amount of time can pass before things start to feel the same again–that’s a folly of youth. So it felt like Nick was partly acting without a care in the world as he blazed through the eerie places of New York looking for answers about what happened to the man he loved. And when he finds out, the scene unfolds exactly how you would expect–both Nick and the reader preparing for the worst while hoping for the best and being left with…something strangely more and less profound.

I found out after that it was better to have read The Chosen and the Beautiful as this novella would've made more sense. Because of that I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I potentially could've.

Thanks to TorDotCom for an e-ARC & Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Full disclosure, I have not read THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL prior to reading this novella. However, that was a mild hinderance in my overall enjoyment of this story. I loved how Nghi Vo had portrayed Nick Carraway and this version of New York City. We start the novella head on, which was disorienting for me, but I was able to steady myself within the world in a few chapters. Nghi Vo is truly a master at writing stories in short form, whether a short story or novella. She had captured this dark and magical version of New York City in the late 1930s quite vividly and explored this version of Nick Carraway with such desire for Jay Gatsby. I will definitely read THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL very soon thanks to this novella.

CWs: homophobia, body horror, rape (past, not descriptive), sexual content, war (mentioned), death, grief

The decadent debauchery of the 1920s has been put to bed, but Nghi Vo still has a story to tell. Vo returns to her Gatsby retelling with a companion novella, Don’t Sleep with the Dead, to expand on Nick Carraway’s story. I have avoided spoilers for The Chosen and the Beautiful in my review, but a quick search for Don’t Sleep with the Dead will pull up a summary that spoils EVERYTHING. The secrets that Jordan Baker uncovers in Chosen are too delicious, and I would hate for an innocent search to ruin it. So you’re safe to continue on here, but I encourage you to read Chosen first.

It’s twenty years later, and Nick Carraway still runs in high society circles. But instead of losing himself in the overwhelming glamor of it all, he reports on their activities in a newspaper column. Nick is well-known for his writing now, but not so much for his secret love affairs that he enjoys in the darkest corners. Even after all this time, Nick is still a lost soul looking for himself in a fun-house-mirror of a life he’s created. But when an old lover from his past seems to be haunting him, Nick will chase down every lead he can to uncover the fate of the man he loved.

There is something so intoxicating about Vo’s prose, especially when the setting is in our world, but bent with magic like it is in Don’t Sleep with the Dead. Every story I’ve read from Vo is like an out-of-body experience. She can put us in the most familiar settings yet finds a way to mold them in a way that feels surreal, magical, and uncanny. She is the queen of obtuse storytelling angles and always finds narrative approaches that feel fresh and new. It can be either an amazing or uncomfortable experience, depending on how she wants you to engage with the scene. Vo is a masterful writer and always transports me into a world that seems within reach, which makes it even harder to leave.

The first thing I noticed in this story is how much the world has dulled in comparison to the one showcased in The Chosen and the Beautiful. Nick’s story picks up after 20 years, and much of the magic has been lost alongside the culmination of the roaring 1920s. The glittering era that was tinged with the demon drug, demoniac, is gone. Once, cocktail glasses used to sweat in the summer heat, but now Nick trudges through a cold, miserable New York City. Once, lovers were shared and raucous parties attended, but now, Nick writes alone in a small room. This cold, stark, and lonely world sets the tone for Nick’s story and his state of mind. World War II is looming, the world is changing, and Nick can’t seem to outrun his ghosts. The loss of the magic and frivolity from Chosen is not only true to history but a powerful element that shows us that the party is over, and it’s not fun to see what’s left after the lights come on.

The theme of Don’t Sleep with the Dead hits on identity and all the complications of being told what type of person you are, the expectations people have of you, and the person you actually desire to be. These layers make up a distorted image of Nick Carraway, and the competing ideas have taken a toll on him over the decades. In Chosen, it was much easier to ignore when Nick could drown out the noise with demoniac, booze, parties, women, men, and all the social calls that were a grand ol’ time. Without all the distractions, Nick’s past had caught up to him, and he’s still desperately searching for pieces of himself in old haunts and old lovers.

Don’t Sleep with the Dead is not only an intriguing continuation of Nghi Vo’s Gatsby retelling, but a grim and hopeful lesson in letting the past die. Only then can you move forward and become the person you ought to be.

Rating: Don’t Sleep with the Dead - 8.0/10

As a fan of Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills cycle - I knew it was about time I chanced myself with more of their work hoping I’d love it as much as those and it was so easily to fall in love with this world and this story.

It’s so fiercely imaginative and darker than expected, it’s heartbreaking and hopeful almost; unreliable narrators galore.

Nghi Vo knows how to write a novella, that much is certain. The characters immediately have a distinct voice, the world is easy to latch onto and you find yourself sinking into the pages so quickly you’re surprised when you have to leave. You are not the parts of your guilt that belong to other people, you can let it go.

This book is beautifully written and I thought the story was interesting with the magical and supernatural elements. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had read The Chosen and the Beautiful first. Though it is advertised as a standalone companion novella for this book, we're definitely missing some context by diving blind into it.
So for maximum enjoyment of Don't Sleep With the Dead, I highly recommend reading The Chosen and the Beautiful first!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC!

This was so weird, so sharp, so very Nghi Vo—in all the best ways. Don't Sleep with the Dead is a companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful, which I haven’t read yet (though now I definitely will), and it still worked perfectly on its own. If you're into surreal, speculative storytelling with queer characters, metaphors that bite, and a dreamlike atmosphere, this is your next read.

The world here is smoky, slippery, and a little grotesque in the most compelling way. There are women made of wax, men made of paper, and shadows of the past that refuse to stay buried. It’s imaginative and haunting and doesn't bother with hand-holding—you're just dropped into this strange, magical version of New York in the late '30s where people pretend to be what they're not: straight, alive, human. At the center of it all is Nick Carraway, older now, still haunted by Gatsby, and trying very hard to pretend otherwise.

This novella has teeth. It’s got that aching, messy queerness threaded through every interaction—characters who long and hurt and lie to themselves just to survive. It plays like an extended epilogue to The Great Gatsby (and more directly, to Vo’s retelling), but what I love is how well it stands as its own beast: part ghost story, part love story, part reckoning.

A haunting Gatsby-adjacent tale released during the novel’s 100th anniversary? There’s something beautifully intentional about that.

It’s short, strange, and stunning. Just enough to give you chills and make you want to dive headfirst into Vo’s other work. Loved this one.

Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio, Colored Pages Book Tours, TorDotCom Pub, and the author for the complimentary copies. I adored being able to read along to the amazing audiobook. Highly recommend this format, in particular, because the narrator is top tier.

This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

(3.75/5 stars)

Don't Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo is a companion novella set nearly two decades after the events of The Chosen and the Beautiful.

This is technically a standalone, but I think it's a good idea to read TCatB first, because it would definitely provide a lot of context! Both DSwtD and TCatB are queer fantasy reimaginings of The Great Gatsby, which is celebrating its centennial this month!

Nick Carraway is our point-of-view character in this novella, while Jordan Baker (reimagined as a Vietnamese adoptee) is who we follow in TCatB. She has a cameo appearance in this work as well. Greg D. Barnett does a pretty good job with the narration; I think he absolutely nailed Nick's entire vibe. He's a self-admitted unreliable narrator, not knowing what is absolutely true about himself for reasons I won't spoil if you haven't read TCatB.

As with all writings by Vo, this has a lot of vibes and I was here for them. Her prose is beautiful, lush, and often lyrical; her dreamlike quality is one I really enjoy. While there were some points where I was a little confused about what was happening, I was absolutely along for the ride.

3.50 - First book I read from Nghi Vo. Her writing is really beautiful and it captured my attention right away. Loved the supernatural element to the book. The characters were enjoyable. Nghi really painted the picture with her words to give the book life. Sometimes I laughed and other times I was stuck with my jaw dropped.

I do wish i had read The Chosen and the Beautiful before this book. There were times i was a little like “what’s going on?” So that’s on me. Other than that I had a good time reading this.

Quotes/moments:
-“Once or twice, some orderly or clerk gave me a fleeting frown, but if you are a white man of indifferent looks, you can walk for a long time without being stopped, if you only do so quickly.”
-“The problem of course was that anyone who tells other people stories first must tell themselves stories.“
-“Kindness was never promised, and neither was sympathy.”
-“Hesitantly, I unbuttoned my shirt, and he handed me a steak knife from the kitchen. It was serrated and sharp, and I thought briefly of the Sheffield razor my great-uncle had used to take his own face off. It hurt, of course it hurts to take out your own heart.”

Thank you Colored Pages Tours, NetGalley, and Tordotcom for this opportunity.

Don’t Sleep with the Dead is a companion novella to Nghi Vo’s Gatsby-inspired novel, The Chosen and the Beautiful.

It’s December 1939 in NYC. Nick Carraway sees Jay Gatsby walking around the city, but that’s impossible -- Gatsby is dead. He needs to know what happened to Gatsby, going as far as making a deal with a demon to get answers.


This short story is gorgeously written and deserves your full attention. I love Vo’s choice to introduce queerness and magic into The Great Gatsby.

You don’t ‘have to’ read The Chosen and the Beautiful prior to reading this novella but I do recommend it. Full transparency: I thought I did read it. Turns out I was thinking of a different Gatsby-inspired novel. I didn’t know this was a world of magical realism and demons, so that made for a slightly confusing reading experience initially.

Once I finally read The Chosen and the Beautiful I fully expect to go back to Don’t Sleep with the Dead -- I think it will have an even larger impact the second time.

💎DON'T SLEEP WITH THE DEAD💎 by @nghivowriting is a saucy little novella companion to THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publishers, @tordotcompub and @macmillan.audio for the e and audio-ARCs.

This was a companion novella to THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL, a retelling of the GREAT GATSBY, but make it queer! The novella gives us one last look at the Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway love story conjured up by the author. It is very gay, sentimental, ethereal, melancholy and full of magic and macabre.

It was a joy to revisit this classic world with Vo's queer twist! I am such a huge Stan for Vo and absolutely love her writing and world building. This one just came out on Tuesday and is in stores now!!

This was so unique and I absolutely loved it. The mix of past and present, the gay angst, the supernatural, the complex love, all chefs kiss. So much was packed into just over 100 pages and I would absolutely devour more of this story.

I will definitely be checking out more by this author!

Book review: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: fantasy retelling
Themes: The Great Gatsby, lies hiding in plain sight, pretending

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if the first line interests you, you are sure to enjoy the rest of the novel. A Truth that has been confirmed again here.

I read this one in tandem with the audiobook and thank goodness I had two copies of this book because I needed to read it twice to figure out what the heck was going on! The audiobook was excellent and perfect for the narrative given that Nick is a writer and tells his stories in first person. That being said I needed to also read this in written format to savour the words and absorb the oddities of this tale. Thank you to @Macmillan.Audio and Tor for giving me the chance to review both advanced copies of this book.

Paper soldier Nick Carraway has been made famous with his novel about Jay and Daisy. His keen observation of New York high society continues as Nick tries to hide parts of his true identity. He is pretending to both be straight and human - I know, not what you were expecting. Pretending to forget, until he forgets he is pretending because memories are only partly real.

This twist on The Great Gatsby is certainly unusual and creative with face swapping and devils, paper boys and burning hearts. It has a Tim Burton-esque quality will Hell intertwined with the golden sheen of NYC. And of course, Jay himself must make a reappearance. When Nick learns that someone has been watching over him, he discovers that even the dead hold sway. Confused? I wouldn’t blame you.

This is a companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful so I would really recommend reading that first. As a standalone, this was a wild and wacky queer short novel, but it reads as one long satisfying epilogue. Nick is a notably unreliable narrator so when things get weird you start to question reality. It is dark and strange, full of unrequited love and an identity crisis. There was a nice big reveal that directs the storyline, though I still can’t ascertain what is true and what is not. The writing was poetic in nature and the inclusivity is made for a modern world, but a lot of the character development and backstory is based off of the previous novel. So as a standalone I would rate it around a 3⭐️, but it hikes up to a 4⭐️ if you’ve read The Chosen and the Beautiful beforehand. After all, a story is only ever over when you say it’s over.

In Don’t Sleep with the Dead, Nghi Vo has catapulted the reader into a haunting and queer story that explores identity and longing in this reimagining to the Great Gatsby. From the very moment you begin this story, you will find yourself captivated by Nick, whether you are familiar with Vo’s original novella The Chosen and the Beautiful or the Great Gatsby. With it’s exploration of whether we have souls, what price we will pay for immortality and how the dead so often haunt us, this novella will keep you absorbed.
I love the little nuances of the story, the way Nick is made of paper, the reinvention of the world to allow magic, devils from hell, and the dead rising. I also like how it tackles the idea of resolution with the dead, are we able to let go or will the dead haunt us forever? And part of what makes this story so engaging is that Nick is somewhat an unreliable narrator, one who abruptly leaves at the end leaving the reader with more questions than answers. The story will stick with you long after you finish it.
If you like paranormal stories, with compelling characters and a reference to the Great Gatsby, you will enjoy this novella, especially if you have read The Chosen and the Beautiful or the Great Gatsby. I like the themes of identity, the way the story is haunting and queer at the same time. I hope the words in this story haunt you the way they did me.

i loved the first book in this duology (?), but this didn't feel like a standalone companion. it felt very reliant on the first book, and i didn't find the same magic within it.

loved the atmospheric, dark, and gothic world. The writing was beautiful and poetic.

This is a companion novel to Nghi Vo’s “The Chosen and the Beautiful”, which is a queer reimagining of The Great Gatsby. It follows Nick as he navigates to being a paper soldier and deals with the aftermath of the events in 1922 in the previous novel.

While this can be read as a standalone, I recommend to have some background knowledge of “The Great Gatsby” and read the first novel by Nghi Vo. I found that lacking familiarity with both made it difficult to fully grasp what was happening.

I found it interesting, and would definitely checking out other Nigh Vo work.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.