Trimalchio would have been an important book in its own right, had it been the version of The Great Gatsby which was ultimately published. The storyline is not significantly altered in arriving at the final text, and almost all the great passages are present here that are present in Gatsby. What makes me appreciate the final masterpiece even more are the subtle and not-so-subtle changes Fitzgerald made. Individual word choices and minor rephrasings, such as substituting "gave me some advice" for "told me something" in the novel's opening sentence. The specificity this and other amendments create deepens the novel's impact. Interestingly, it is also the omissions, the removal of details and explanations, that add to the mystic of the story. Whereas in Gatsby, Daisy's intentions and resolve are only addressed in the scene at the Plaza, here she clearly states, in the early stages of the affair, what she plans to do now that Gatsby is back in her life.

The introduction compares reading Trimalchio to listening to music you know well, but with significant changes in the key and mechanics of the music. This is an apt comparison. As I stated in my review of Nick, I love The Great Gatsby. Rereading it for me is like singing along to my favorite song. However, I have to disagree with another statement in the introduction: Trimalchio is not a "separate and distinct work of art." The differences between Trimalchio and Gatsby are insufficient to render this anything more than a near-final draft, despite the sub-title mischaracterizing it as an "early version." Read this novel simply to witness and appreciate the ways in which Fitzgerald converted a fine work into one of the greatest novels in literature. ( )