Oh Amory Blaine, Amory Blaine. I must confess that I am glad I am finally done with you and can put you back on the shelf. Don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy This Side of Paradise. However, it did remind me of when I had to tediously labor through The Great Gatsby in high school. I am sure I could get much more out of the Great Gatsby today, but I ran into the same problems with it as I did TSOP. Namely, the main character (and even the not-so main ones) seem to have no redeeming qualities. They are self-centered, egotistical hedonists. From what I've studied, Fitzgerald was the same way.
That being said, this is an amazing piece of American literature. What is more amazing is that it was Fitzgerald's first novel, written at the age of 22. I'm simply awed by the giftings God has given to some people. This novel seems a bit less polished and less balanced than Gatsby. What really struck me was the ending. Evidently, some editions have the last sentence ending in a period, and some with a dash. I found this pretty fascinating, especially since I've read "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" and have come to realize a bit of the power that such a decision holds. And with this particular story, ending it with a dash or a period completely changes the nature of the ending!
If you like classic literature, you would be well served reading This Side of Paradise.
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