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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think I was twelve or thirteen the first time I read this book. Reading it again as an adult was pretty eye-opening to all the things I had either forgotten or overlooked. Scarlett is a fantastic example of a well-written unlikeable character. The reader may hate the things she’s done, but she’s written in a way that makes us understand why she does them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
FLAMES. FLAMES OUT THE SIDE OF MY FACE. If I could give this negative stars I would. I was seething the entire time I read the book. I would never say get rid of a book, because history forgotten is history repeated; and this book is a deep look into the mentality of people from the south and why they feel the way they do even today. But, I wanted to throw it into the ocean. The fact is, that it's still revered for all the wrong reasons. It's seen as a strong female empowerment and love story that's a glimpse into the glamor of the old south. Is it a feminist book? For white cis women. Is the love story intense? Yes, and also abusive and terrible; this is not a healthy relationship for which to strive. It has the most harmful stereotypes for people of color and for enslaved people. NO THERE WERE NO GOOD ENSLAVERS. PERIOD. The "good" heroic man she loves (Ashley) IS IN THE KKK. AND THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A GOOD THING. What the actual f*ck. Also, it's the most toxic relationship known to humans. To quote one half of the worst couple in history, frankly, "I don't give a damn" about this book, or about the racist author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Colonisation, War, Classism
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
Whew. What can I say about GWTW that hasn't been said before? The characters are just so real--every single one from the smallest character to Tara and Atlanta itself. The last quarter of the novel I lived in dread knowing the famous I-don't-give-a-damn statement was coming. Also, very much wondering how much of the South and reconstruction are true and how much researched or imagined. I just loved every bit of it.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Always wonderful no matter how many times I've read it.
I loved reading this book. She really draws you into this world and this story. It's difficult and heartbreaking, but also thoughtful and hopeful. I cried many times. But I felt as though I went on a journey with these characters and it was really something to experience.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's hard to know where to start with this epic Civil War era tale.
First of all, this book is problematic at times. It's very pro-antebellum south and can be extremely racist, which was very uncomfortable and rage-inducing to read. It's very apparent that these were the views the author had, even though the book was written 60 years after the Civil War ended. Unfortunately, even now, in 2025, there are people that still have these views. These views did make me question how I would rate this book and if I could truly enjoy it.
But there is much more to this book. There are a lot of very complex characters in this book. Probably none more so than the main character Scarlett O'Hara. Scarlett is a character easy to hate, she's selfish, conceited, greedy, manipulative, and that's just to start. But she's also determined, ambitious, and strong. I do love a book with a questionable FMC.
While there are a lot of characters in this book, most are fleshed out and have both good and bad characteristics.
The settings are well-descibed so you can easily imagine them. And it was interesting to read about Atlanta in its early days and through the wars.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, spending time with the characters and the range of emotions it took me on. This one will stay with me for a long time.