Gone With the Wind - Buddy Read

[Leona]

I finished yesterday. I have seen the movie many times but my first read. I gave it a 5 star rating. I have plenty of bookmarks in the pages. I use a scrap piece of paper with a note and a page number. Now, I need to put them on one sheet of paper.

[Samuel]

Just finished. Gone with the Wind is one of my favourite movies and the book lived up to my expectations and then some. It was hard to put down, specially towards the end and the major characters like Scarlett, Rhett and Melly have been stuck in my memory since the first time I met them.

[Laura]

I stayed up through the night reading and only finished at 6am! I loved this book! Samuel, I agree, I've been thinking about the characters all day. Towards the end I was frustrated with Scarlett and Rhett and getting Wuthering Heights, Cathy and Heathcliffe vibes from them! Such an epic story!

[Shaina]

Finally, I guess everyone is done reading this and I can share spoilers.

Laura@ I'm starting Wuthering Heights in March so hope I will understand those vibes.

I loved the last sentence where Scarlett is so confident of winning Rhett over again! I loved her spirit. She doesn't give up..ever.... I felt really bad for Rhett. He keeps losing out throughout the story..first his family then he joins the war he said he wouldn't. Despite saving everyone he doesn't get their respect till he strives for Bonnie's sake. He still loses Scarlett and eventually his child.

The three most practical people in the story, Scarlett, Rhett and Will lose out on what they love most.

[Laura]

I agree that it's Scarlett's spirit that made me admire her. She's so unlikeable otherwise!
I hadn't really thought about Rhett that way - that he's always losing out. I think he had misjudged Scarlett and how she might react if her told her he loved her. He's trapped by his own affectation of nonchalance. It's so frustrating as they could have been happy - if the weren't trying to protect themselves so much!

I really dislike Ashley - he's weak and selfish and not at all as honourable as he makes out.
For me Melanie was my favourite - I loved her integrity and loyalty.
This was such a great story and will definitely stay with me for ages.
I hope to watch the film next weekend.

[Shaina]

I agree that Melanie was the most balanced character of the book. She did not break the rules of polite society and yet did what had to be done when required. Yes, Ashley turned out to be weak but he accepted that he was a dreamer and weak.

As for Rhett, I think he was right. There was a scene when Scarlett thought he loved her and she starts to plan how she would now have him wrapped around her finger. I also believe she would not have valued it and treated him like she did other men. It is only when she realised her feelings that she found his love of value.

[Laura]

Yeah - I know Scarlett always seemed to think that she could control people that loved her. They both needed to realise!
It was her romanticised idea of love that made her think she loved Ashley - she didn't realise that Rhett was always there for her and the person she could actually be herself around!

I'm interested how you find Cathy and Heathcliffe when you read WH.