kendylldrilling's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kcoccia's review against another edition
2.0
I HATE Scarlett O'Hara! She has to be the most selfish, annoying, bitchiest character ever written.
I couldn't even try to enjoy the story because every time she opened her mouth it was to whine about how people weren't dotting over her every move and kissing her feet....Or she was scamming.
Also, my audiobook cut off half way through and I couldn't find the other half anywhere and decided I didn't care enough to continue...so I read the Spark Notes just so I knew what happened. Ill still buy the book and one day possibly read it.
I couldn't even try to enjoy the story because every time she opened her mouth it was to whine about how people weren't dotting over her every move and kissing her feet....Or she was scamming.
Also, my audiobook cut off half way through and I couldn't find the other half anywhere and decided I didn't care enough to continue...so I read the Spark Notes just so I knew what happened. Ill still buy the book and one day possibly read it.
isamerel's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book! Scarlett frustrated me, but then again, don't all lead female characters at some point? This time period in the U.S. is one of the most interesting to me and this story was informative and constantly engaging, despite being 1,024 pages long. I absolutely loved the story because, like I said, Scarlett really frustrated me and that made me want to keep reading to see if she would continue on her path of destruction or finally make a good decision. I also loved this story because it gave me better insight into slavery, 1800's lifestyles, industrial revolution, love, and my own personal values. I enjoyed this book a TON and would 100% recommend it to anyone that is willing to take the time to read it. It's even one of those stories that is engaging right from the start, so the first day you begin reading, you'll be sucked into Scarlett's never-ending cycle of poor decision-making.
bbratzke710's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ferris_mx's review against another edition
3.0
It's not that I hated it. I just hated Scarlett. And I didn't think there was anything so great about the great love.
dorothy_gale's review against another edition
5.0
5★: I CAN’T THINK ABOUT THIS NOW; I’LL THINK ABOUT IT LATER. I write this ‘review’ for my children, and hopefully my grandchildren. I consider my thoughts and feelings on books a part of my legacy. And this particular book is a favorite so, unlike other reviews, it will include some background as to where I was in life when I read it.
In October of 2010, I set out on a road trip to finish the last eight states in my bucket list goal of visiting all 50. They were all along the eastern seaboard, so the general plan was to fly into Atlanta, drive up the coast, and fly back from Boston. And of course partake in sightseeing along the way, including “leaf peeping” and Ben & Jerry’s in Vermont. It was on this adventure that I first encountered Gone With the Wind, the novel.
I had taken a 15-state road trip six months prior with my then-husband of two years, and it was a terrible way to find out that he was not cut-out for road trips. We were never able to synchronize our bathroom stops or music preferences, and he did not like waking up in a different place every day (I loved it!) Years after we divorced, he told me he regretted his poor attitude and behavior on that trip. It had been my first big road trip and, in the planning stages, all of the driving seemed daunting. But once we were out there, it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. Upon return, I began planning a “Final Eight” trip and it never even crossed my mind to include my husband. The two trips couldn’t have had a more stark contrast. I felt unparalleled freedom, joy, and peace as I ventured out on my own and did whatever the hell I wanted to do. As I write this twelve years later, it remains the best trip of my life so far.
The Atlanta kick-off for this wonderful solo trip included sitting at a news desk at CNN, sampling ALL of the 50+ worldwide flavors at Coca-Cola (
In October of 2010, I set out on a road trip to finish the last eight states in my bucket list goal of visiting all 50. They were all along the eastern seaboard, so the general plan was to fly into Atlanta, drive up the coast, and fly back from Boston. And of course partake in sightseeing along the way, including “leaf peeping” and Ben & Jerry’s in Vermont. It was on this adventure that I first encountered Gone With the Wind, the novel.
I had taken a 15-state road trip six months prior with my then-husband of two years, and it was a terrible way to find out that he was not cut-out for road trips. We were never able to synchronize our bathroom stops or music preferences, and he did not like waking up in a different place every day (I loved it!) Years after we divorced, he told me he regretted his poor attitude and behavior on that trip. It had been my first big road trip and, in the planning stages, all of the driving seemed daunting. But once we were out there, it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. Upon return, I began planning a “Final Eight” trip and it never even crossed my mind to include my husband. The two trips couldn’t have had a more stark contrast. I felt unparalleled freedom, joy, and peace as I ventured out on my own and did whatever the hell I wanted to do. As I write this twelve years later, it remains the best trip of my life so far.
The Atlanta kick-off for this wonderful solo trip included sitting at a news desk at CNN, sampling ALL of the 50+ worldwide flavors at Coca-Cola (
karaklos's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book and I hated it. Being over 1,000 pages long, I thought this author really needed an editor but I never got bored. It’s a very rich story with many plots and sub-plots, complex characters, and history. The last 50 pages were so engrossing, I raced to finish it.
The history was the most interesting part to me. I didn’t know very much about the civil war outside of what I learned in history class. Learning about the Battle of Atlanta, Reconstruction, and the ensuing corruption was fascinating...particularly from the perspective of the confederates.
Racism is prevalent throughout the book. There are a number of offensive racial descriptions that made me uncomfortable. To read this book, you have to set aside those feelings and put yourself in the time it was written. It was surprising to me that so many classes and subclasses existed in society (e.g., a “house” slave would look down on a “field” slave and poor whites).
The origins of the KKK was also surprising and it made me wonder how real a threat there was to warrant its creation. There were no actual events described to explain why protection was needed.
Now for Scarlett...When I was a kid, whenever Gone With the Wind was mentioned, my mom would rant about how horrible Scarlett O’Hara was. She was right! Scarlett is quite possibly the most selfish and clueless character I have ever come in contact with. I did respect her ability to take charge, think for herself, and not go along with the social norms of the time when they did not suit her. However, she was a horrible friend and mother. The descriptions of how she felt about everyone and the way she treated Rhett (and how he treated her) made cringe.
I’m really glad I finally read it.
The history was the most interesting part to me. I didn’t know very much about the civil war outside of what I learned in history class. Learning about the Battle of Atlanta, Reconstruction, and the ensuing corruption was fascinating...particularly from the perspective of the confederates.
Racism is prevalent throughout the book. There are a number of offensive racial descriptions that made me uncomfortable. To read this book, you have to set aside those feelings and put yourself in the time it was written. It was surprising to me that so many classes and subclasses existed in society (e.g., a “house” slave would look down on a “field” slave and poor whites).
The origins of the KKK was also surprising and it made me wonder how real a threat there was to warrant its creation. There were no actual events described to explain why protection was needed.
Now for Scarlett...When I was a kid, whenever Gone With the Wind was mentioned, my mom would rant about how horrible Scarlett O’Hara was. She was right! Scarlett is quite possibly the most selfish and clueless character I have ever come in contact with. I did respect her ability to take charge, think for herself, and not go along with the social norms of the time when they did not suit her. However, she was a horrible friend and mother. The descriptions of how she felt about everyone and the way she treated Rhett (and how he treated her) made cringe.
I’m really glad I finally read it.