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kmhst25's review against another edition
3.75
Strengths:
- Making you care about truly reprehensible people. The male and females leads are both exceedingly unlikeable, and it can be hard to make an unlikeable character compelling. Mitchell does it with ease.
- The South's perspective of the Civil War. There's a lot of emotional context for what the war was like for people in the South. The writing makes you sympathize for the characters, even though you can't sympathize for their cause.
- Sheer readability. It's so dramatic that you can read it for hours at a stretch.
Weaknesses:
- The length. The book spans 12 years and is over 900 pages long. No book needs to be that long, and this one is no exception. There are sections that drag, specifically in the years before and after the war.
- The South's perspective of Reconstruction. The racism in this section is truly off the charts and the history is one-sided at best, downright lies at worst. This is a disappointment, because the history of the Civil War section holds up.
- No neat wrap-up. Mitchell has said that the book's theme is survival, which I would agree with, but I wouldn't say that there's a definitive takeaway or clean ending. It simply ends.
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Slavery, and War
Minor: Rape
Rape is frequently discussed/mentioned, and there are some scenes with questionable consent and/or attempted rape. There are no explicit rape scenes.taralikesbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
jeslis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- New favourite book of all time right here!!!!
- This book is so long so quick favs: America circa Civil War setting, Rhett Butler is a hilarious and such an exciting character (he's my fav), exploration of how war and general contexts can change people, how sometimes people don't change in the way you want them to (Rhett viewing Scarlett, Scarlett viewing Ashley)
- Writing style was amazing! It flowed so well and was really captivating and I think it speaks to her writing ability as to how deeply impacted I was by the atmosphere she can create in this book
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
Minor: Child abuse
malmark's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and War
mastrisofha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and War
lemonflower's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
elgringochapin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and War