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noesbookishthings's review against another edition
5.0
Best book I have EVER read. It's intimidating at first at 1037 pages, but I couldn't put it down.
mjr313's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
5.0
Tara Plantation, near Jonesborough, near Atlanta, Georgia
Katie "Scarlett" O'Hara is the most charming Southern belle, gathering the attention of beaux all over the surrounding areas. But when she learns the man she had been psuedo-courting, Ashley Wilkes, is marrying Melanie Hamilton from Atlanta, his cousin, she schemes to win him back. When he refuses, she immediately marries Charles Hamilton in spite. But Civil War has come to the South, and Scarlett quickly finds herself a widow, stuck in Atlanta, with a child, unable to be the pretty belle she had been a few months prior. Will Scarlett ever get Ashley? What about the strange Rhett Butler character, who is constantly tweaking her? Will Scarlett and her family survive the war?
Let me preface my review with this: I don't read a lot of historical fiction or chick lit or romance or anything. My speciality is science fiction, fantasy, and urban fantasy. However, this book absolutely, positively blew me away!
At first, I found the novel a bit slow. There were so many characters, and at first, it seemed like nothing happened. But that wasn't to last. Quickly, I became interested in Scarlett's schemes to snatch Ashley away from Melanie, all the while hating her for her bad behavior. By the end of the book, there were points were I was in near tears.
Scarlett wasn't my favorite character. She was a rude, bitter, selfish woman. But I completely understood her predicament. To the reader, she was completely honest, despising her first husband's death (and life!), her dislike of children (don't see that much in romance do we!), her dislike of women's poor station (always having to act "silly" in front of the menfolk), and taking the reigns of business to make a life of her own. So while I didn't like her, I also didn't hate her. I understood what she was trying to do and found myself rooting for her against the odds. She is a brilliantly written character, so dynamic, multifaceted and full.
Melanie Hamilton was probably my favorite character. This might seem odd as she does come off as a Mary Sue--perfect and sweet to everyone, always right, yada, yada--and I hate Mary Sues. But I really never found Melanie a Mary Sue. Scarlett repeatedly downplays Melanie's beauty. Melanie is strong-willed and works diligently, but tires easily (such as when she works at Tara in the cotton fields). Like Scarlett, Melanie was definitely not a 1-D character. She appeared weak on the outside, while maintaining strenght in the face of danger, in the face of childbirth, in the face of hard times. She was a true inspiration to me.
Rhett Butler made me so furious, sometimes I wanted to slap him like Scarlett! But other times, he was so charming and debonair, that I wanted to melt in his arms like butter. I loved how forthright he was, how practical and realistic he was, and yet how at times, his passionate nature came through (joining the Confederate army at the end, for example).
Side characters, such as Miss Pittypat, Mammy, Dilcey, Pork, Uncle Peter, Mrs. Meade, Belle Watling, and more, jumped out at me. They felt like real people, people influenced by dreams, desires, and feelings. Probably one of the sweetest moments was when Dr. and Mrs. Meade were talking and she mentioned she would rather him be at Belle's than dead. Given what Mrs. Meade had been through, what she held dear, it was particularly poignant.
I could go on endlessly about the amazing life lessons and themes and symbols in the book. Quotes about the status of women at the time, about changing with the changing times, about strength of character, about being who you are, and about what is really important in life abound in this book. Most of the ones that really touched me may be found on my profile page, though the whole book is brimming with it.
As this deals with the South during the Civil War, there is much talk of slavery; one of the reasons, I believe, it has been so frequently placed on the Banned Books list. Some people believe that it shows slavery in a favorable light, that blacks were/are children that need to be tended by whites. My opinion is this: it shows how many white Southern plantation owners viewed slaves. Not all slave owners were Mr. Simon Legree of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Conversely, not all slave owners are like the O'Hara's. Yes, there are a lot of black stereotypes (Mammy, Prissy, etc.), but this is a snapshot into the past. You can't take this book and try to force modern views of civil rights and racism into it. However, I do believe it makes a brilliant discussion piece: comparing Scarlett and other Southern whites' views of blacks with other accounts (such as Uncle Tom's Cabin or the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn).
All in all, this is a brilliant book, made more excellent by the narrator, who deftly interprets the Southern dialect and accents for the listener. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was heart-broken, but inspired, when it ended. I highly recommend, even to those, like me, who aren't big into historical fiction.
Katie "Scarlett" O'Hara is the most charming Southern belle, gathering the attention of beaux all over the surrounding areas. But when she learns the man she had been psuedo-courting, Ashley Wilkes, is marrying Melanie Hamilton from Atlanta, his cousin, she schemes to win him back. When he refuses, she immediately marries Charles Hamilton in spite. But Civil War has come to the South, and Scarlett quickly finds herself a widow, stuck in Atlanta, with a child, unable to be the pretty belle she had been a few months prior. Will Scarlett ever get Ashley? What about the strange Rhett Butler character, who is constantly tweaking her? Will Scarlett and her family survive the war?
Let me preface my review with this: I don't read a lot of historical fiction or chick lit or romance or anything. My speciality is science fiction, fantasy, and urban fantasy. However, this book absolutely, positively blew me away!
At first, I found the novel a bit slow. There were so many characters, and at first, it seemed like nothing happened. But that wasn't to last. Quickly, I became interested in Scarlett's schemes to snatch Ashley away from Melanie, all the while hating her for her bad behavior. By the end of the book, there were points were I was in near tears.
Scarlett wasn't my favorite character. She was a rude, bitter, selfish woman. But I completely understood her predicament. To the reader, she was completely honest, despising her first husband's death (and life!), her dislike of children (don't see that much in romance do we!), her dislike of women's poor station (always having to act "silly" in front of the menfolk), and taking the reigns of business to make a life of her own. So while I didn't like her, I also didn't hate her. I understood what she was trying to do and found myself rooting for her against the odds. She is a brilliantly written character, so dynamic, multifaceted and full.
Melanie Hamilton was probably my favorite character. This might seem odd as she does come off as a Mary Sue--perfect and sweet to everyone, always right, yada, yada--and I hate Mary Sues. But I really never found Melanie a Mary Sue. Scarlett repeatedly downplays Melanie's beauty. Melanie is strong-willed and works diligently, but tires easily (such as when she works at Tara in the cotton fields). Like Scarlett, Melanie was definitely not a 1-D character. She appeared weak on the outside, while maintaining strenght in the face of danger, in the face of childbirth, in the face of hard times. She was a true inspiration to me.
Rhett Butler made me so furious, sometimes I wanted to slap him like Scarlett! But other times, he was so charming and debonair, that I wanted to melt in his arms like butter. I loved how forthright he was, how practical and realistic he was, and yet how at times, his passionate nature came through (joining the Confederate army at the end, for example).
Side characters, such as Miss Pittypat, Mammy, Dilcey, Pork, Uncle Peter, Mrs. Meade, Belle Watling, and more, jumped out at me. They felt like real people, people influenced by dreams, desires, and feelings. Probably one of the sweetest moments was when Dr. and Mrs. Meade were talking and she mentioned she would rather him be at Belle's than dead. Given what Mrs. Meade had been through, what she held dear, it was particularly poignant.
I could go on endlessly about the amazing life lessons and themes and symbols in the book. Quotes about the status of women at the time, about changing with the changing times, about strength of character, about being who you are, and about what is really important in life abound in this book. Most of the ones that really touched me may be found on my profile page, though the whole book is brimming with it.
As this deals with the South during the Civil War, there is much talk of slavery; one of the reasons, I believe, it has been so frequently placed on the Banned Books list. Some people believe that it shows slavery in a favorable light, that blacks were/are children that need to be tended by whites. My opinion is this: it shows how many white Southern plantation owners viewed slaves. Not all slave owners were Mr. Simon Legree of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Conversely, not all slave owners are like the O'Hara's. Yes, there are a lot of black stereotypes (Mammy, Prissy, etc.), but this is a snapshot into the past. You can't take this book and try to force modern views of civil rights and racism into it. However, I do believe it makes a brilliant discussion piece: comparing Scarlett and other Southern whites' views of blacks with other accounts (such as Uncle Tom's Cabin or the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn).
All in all, this is a brilliant book, made more excellent by the narrator, who deftly interprets the Southern dialect and accents for the listener. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was heart-broken, but inspired, when it ended. I highly recommend, even to those, like me, who aren't big into historical fiction.
shareuhlin's review against another edition
made it 34% into the 48 hour audiobook before DNF'ing and watching the movie, I'mma count it
yaakovakiva's review against another edition
5.0
This is just an amazing book. The history isn't always accurate, but the feel of the time period and imperfection of the passionate, selfish, misguided love story just reel you in. This is one of those books I can pull off the shelf every once in a while and read it from cover to cover in a few days, just to remember it all over again.
teatoto's review against another edition
5.0
Che libro immenso. Mi porterò per sempre il ricordo di Scarlett e Rhett e Melanie
nctascha's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
suzeclark's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
venusinfurs16's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-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
4.75
ambergamgee's review against another edition
5.0
There is nothing I can say about this book that hasn't been said before. A sweeping, epic journey that left me devastated.
I thought this would be a classic that I "should" "get through." But it has definitely earned its position as one of the most read classics of all time. It's engrossing, beautifully paced and written. It took me 7 months to read because I kept getting distracted by holds from the library and book club books, but I kept thinking of it and wanting to get back to it ASAP.
If you're here at my piddly review and wondering if you should go for it. Do it. It's time.
.
(spoilers from here)
.
One of the reasons I thought "it's time I read this one" was because in Anne Bogel's book Reading People she compares one of the personality frameworks to literary characters. I ended up compared to Scarlett O'Hara. At the beginning of the book I was offended, "that test must have been wrong!" but as the book went on, I saw more and more of myself and my life journey in Scarlett. Although my childhood starts more at her desperate lows (so in that way I'm more Wade), I am also fuelled into strength and solitude/loneliness by the memories of hunger and severe poverty. (Not Civil War, Sherman's march levels, but still pretty severe.)
I didn't do it on purpose, but I saved those devastating final 50 pages for all at once. I was sobbing so much I thought I was going to wake up my children. But then I wouldn't have minded, because I wanted to hold my babies close.
God, what an incredible, epic novel.
I thought this would be a classic that I "should" "get through." But it has definitely earned its position as one of the most read classics of all time. It's engrossing, beautifully paced and written. It took me 7 months to read because I kept getting distracted by holds from the library and book club books, but I kept thinking of it and wanting to get back to it ASAP.
If you're here at my piddly review and wondering if you should go for it. Do it. It's time.
.
(spoilers from here)
.
One of the reasons I thought "it's time I read this one" was because in Anne Bogel's book Reading People she compares one of the personality frameworks to literary characters. I ended up compared to Scarlett O'Hara. At the beginning of the book I was offended, "that test must have been wrong!" but as the book went on, I saw more and more of myself and my life journey in Scarlett. Although my childhood starts more at her desperate lows (so in that way I'm more Wade), I am also fuelled into strength and solitude/loneliness by the memories of hunger and severe poverty. (Not Civil War, Sherman's march levels, but still pretty severe.)
I didn't do it on purpose, but I saved those devastating final 50 pages for all at once. I was sobbing so much I thought I was going to wake up my children. But then I wouldn't have minded, because I wanted to hold my babies close.
God, what an incredible, epic novel.