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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
I read this in sixth grade and it made me want to move to the South. I was hooked, mesmerized, transfixed...even if I was too young to understand what Rhett and Scarlett were going to do once he carried her up to his room.
Unbelievably long and incredibly detailed, but really good. There were some parts that were slow and painful to read, but the character development and historical background more than made up for it.
Gone With the Wind isn't just a love story, it's also the story of how a world in the South disappeared within a short period of time and how the South's citizens had to fight for survival and learn to live in a completely new world. I found this part of the book fascinating; all the customs and habits of people in the South helped me to understand the human behavior component of the Civil War.
And Scarlett--I liked her character a lot. It's got to be hard to invent a character that is selfish, cold-hearted, and greedy among other things, while making her likable to the readers--but obviously not impossible. All the other characters were unbelievably detailed too, and for such a long book, it's incredible the amount of work Mitchell put into keeping it so detailed.
The ending may disappoint some, but to me it's the perfect ending. This book always sticks out in my mind as one of the best books I've read, not just for the plot itself but the little tidbits of information that revealed what life was like during this time period.
Gone With the Wind isn't just a love story, it's also the story of how a world in the South disappeared within a short period of time and how the South's citizens had to fight for survival and learn to live in a completely new world. I found this part of the book fascinating; all the customs and habits of people in the South helped me to understand the human behavior component of the Civil War.
And Scarlett--I liked her character a lot. It's got to be hard to invent a character that is selfish, cold-hearted, and greedy among other things, while making her likable to the readers--but obviously not impossible. All the other characters were unbelievably detailed too, and for such a long book, it's incredible the amount of work Mitchell put into keeping it so detailed.
The ending may disappoint some, but to me it's the perfect ending. This book always sticks out in my mind as one of the best books I've read, not just for the plot itself but the little tidbits of information that revealed what life was like during this time period.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-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:
Complicated
I first watched the movie adaptation when I was probably around the age of 8 (second grade I believe). At such a young age I was very caught up in the vanity and romance of the book. I loved the huge crinoline dresses and thought Scarlett was absolutely breathtaking. I also couldn't help but wish I were Scarlett because she always had all the guys and to my young self, that seemed to be one of the most important things in life.
When I was in 4th grade (around age 10) I read the book (after realizing that it was actually a book). My mom tried her damnedest to convince me to find another book because GWTW was on an 11th grade reading level. I refused to change my mind. So we took the book home and read it together so that my mom could explain some of the more intense scenes in a way that was appropriate for my age. My teacher had assigned us all a book report in the form of a project. I chose to make a timeline of the events. Because there are so many different people and lives and events that you learn about throughout the book, my timeline stretched from one end of the classroom to another. All the other students were stunned and the teacher asked that I choose only 3 or 4 events to talk about. That was a terribly hard decision considering there were so many pivotal parts of the plot that needed to be shared.
To this day, Gone With the Wind is still one of my all time favorite movies and eventually I plan on rereading the book because I now, at the age of 19, realize that there was so much more to the plot and the story that I couldn't even begin to understand as a young child. To me at that age the most scandalous and crazy parts of the movie was Rhett's final words. Now I can use my slightly greater knowledge to apply different happenings from the time period and see what the author's true message was, or at least what I feel that message was.
This book will always be 5 stars for me and I can't wait until I finally get to reread it.
When I was in 4th grade (around age 10) I read the book (after realizing that it was actually a book). My mom tried her damnedest to convince me to find another book because GWTW was on an 11th grade reading level. I refused to change my mind. So we took the book home and read it together so that my mom could explain some of the more intense scenes in a way that was appropriate for my age. My teacher had assigned us all a book report in the form of a project. I chose to make a timeline of the events. Because there are so many different people and lives and events that you learn about throughout the book, my timeline stretched from one end of the classroom to another. All the other students were stunned and the teacher asked that I choose only 3 or 4 events to talk about. That was a terribly hard decision considering there were so many pivotal parts of the plot that needed to be shared.
To this day, Gone With the Wind is still one of my all time favorite movies and eventually I plan on rereading the book because I now, at the age of 19, realize that there was so much more to the plot and the story that I couldn't even begin to understand as a young child. To me at that age the most scandalous and crazy parts of the movie was Rhett's final words. Now I can use my slightly greater knowledge to apply different happenings from the time period and see what the author's true message was, or at least what I feel that message was.
This book will always be 5 stars for me and I can't wait until I finally get to reread it.
honestly...I don't even remember if I actually finished it...
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Been reading this for two and a bit years now. Amazing book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
5 stars for the lush prose & character work. It’s clear that Margaret Mitchell was a master writer. Her strength of craft is clear. I went into this book seeking an understanding of “how did we get here, as a nation, in 2025?” I certainly feel as though I have a better understanding after reading the novel. Mitchell certainly knows how to write a range of female characters, and clearly recognizes the strength that women have always had in carrying themselves and their families through crises.
Equally strong, however, is the strength of her racism. It is steeped into every page. If you are familiar with the film, know that the film’s language and message feels like a Disney adaptation in comparison with the book. Every character exhibits blatant racism and uses language that would shock us today. There is abundant use of the n-word. The narration — both from Scarlett’s perspective and as an omniscient commentary — is difficult to read at times. Perhaps the most difficult section is about two-thirds of the way through the book, where every single male character actively participates in a Klan raid, which the women knowingly cover up. Old, harmful ideas (“enslaved people were happy as slaves!”) abound.
It’s hard to say if I would recommend this book. While I don’t necessarily believe that just because something is “a classic” it retains merit, I also don’t believe that we need to cast off all problematic works. I walked away from this book with a better understanding of a lot of ideologies that abound in America today, and I’m not sorry I read it. But this is a book that must be engaged with very critically and carefully.
Equally strong, however, is the strength of her racism. It is steeped into every page. If you are familiar with the film, know that the film’s language and message feels like a Disney adaptation in comparison with the book. Every character exhibits blatant racism and uses language that would shock us today. There is abundant use of the n-word. The narration — both from Scarlett’s perspective and as an omniscient commentary — is difficult to read at times. Perhaps the most difficult section is about two-thirds of the way through the book, where
It’s hard to say if I would recommend this book. While I don’t necessarily believe that just because something is “a classic” it retains merit, I also don’t believe that we need to cast off all problematic works. I walked away from this book with a better understanding of a lot of ideologies that abound in America today, and I’m not sorry I read it. But this is a book that must be engaged with very critically and carefully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, War
Moderate: Death, Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Alcohol