Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion
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Gone with the Wind
2021 Reading Challenges
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A Weighty Tome: 2021 Challenge: Gone with the Wind
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Part 3: pp 291 - 510
Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "chapter 26 Possibly my favourite so far. I loved Scarlett here [spoilers removed]"
Just finished Chapter 26 myself. The last few chapters have been something! Having never seen the movie, and knowing little about the story, I have been surprised by the direction it has taken. Scarlett, while seriously flawed and not always likable, is certainly a very interesting character to read about! And the trials the characters are facing feel decidedly real. The shiny veneer of the beginning chapters has been ripped away to show the hard facts of life underneath.
Chapter 27 Wow this is getting so good! My heart is warmed at how Scarlett and Melanie are growing closer. Though I was quite shocked and laughed when Melanie knocked Scarlett out during the kitchen fire thinking in a different story this would have been a striking moment for Melanie to take revenge to Scarlett for pawning after her husband all that time!
Suhailah wrote: "Chapter 27 Wow this is getting so good! My heart is warmed at how Scarlett and Melanie are growing closer. Though I was quite shocked and laughed when Melanie knocked Scarlett out during the kitch..."
It is nice to see...but then Scarlett will still say something like she has to begrudgingly admire her, or she's not so bad. 😅
Ah I know! You're right! I cringe every time I see it cause I just want them to get along and fight to survive together. Ashley isn't even in the picture anymore! Scarlett is too stubborn but maybe she will keep coming around. Life experience is maturing her some.
Finally finished Part 3!What a rollercoaster! There is sooo much more here than the movie ever showed and I think some of what happened would've been more interesting than what the screenwriters chose to have in it. (view spoiler)
As others have said, Scarlett is now using a lot of her negative, character flaws for the better. Without her (view spoiler) She is able to persevere through things most of us will, thankfully, never have to experience! I also like how she is starting to thaw towards Melanie throughout all the ordeals they go through together. Although, with the (view spoiler) maybe this will start to cause a rift or possibly (view spoiler)
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As we head into August, we are reading:
Vol 2
Part 4: pp 511 - 824
Chapters 31-47
Over August and September :)
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Eldarwen wrote: "Weeeeell, I am finally going to start it this month. Only 7 months late hahaha. But that is typical ;-)"I started it in July. Glad I'm not the only one 😁
Some catching up to do.
I didn't get far when I started and it's been so long since I read any that I may have to restart. But now TT is over I will be focusing on this more.
I'm only two chapters behind, so not too bad. The TT crunch was real.
Yep, woefully behind. couldn't be wasting TT time reading a book that we weren't going to get points for! lol.
maybe... now's the time to actually properly start this past chapter 1, TT being done and 5 weeks to go before uni starts up again
Just finished Part 3, so getting back on track! Curious to see what happens next!
Just picked up my kindle, and it's completely out of charge. I think the universe is trying to tell me something, lol.
True to my style, I've purchased the book but haven't gotten past page 30. I'm going to give this ago in 2022. I can apply it to my cleaning out the closet challenge.
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Possibly my favourite so far. I loved Scarlett here [spoilers removed]"
Just finished Chapter 26 myself. The last few chapters have been something! Having never seen ..."
I haven't seen the movie, but I agree about Scarlett. She is unlikeable but hard not to respect what she has gone through and how she is basically holding that whole family together.
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What a rollercoaster! There is sooo much more here than the movie ever showed and I think some of what happened would've been more interesting than what the screenwriters ..."
And what a great rollercoaster!
I'm really enjoying the book. Loved this section and the development of Scarlett and Melanie. As you said, I think (view spoiler)
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Fair enough. I have the kindle and the audio, and the narration is quite good. Not sure if you are an audio listener, but it could be a good option :)
Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Laurie wrote: "Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "chapter 26 Possibly my favourite so far. I loved Scarlett here [spoilers removed]"
Just finished Chapter 26 myself. The last few chapters have been something! Hav..."
You haven't seen the movie?! It's epic. Make some popcorn or brownies, get a beverage of choice and spend a couple hours with Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. It is a fantastic film. Although, maybe wait until you finish the book. Of the few bits that I had read, I kept picturing Scarlett from the film and when it didn't quite fit it left me a little disjointed.
I'm sure I will end up watching the movie at some point once I've finished the book. I'm not sure why I have never seen it...I even had the collectible Rhett and Scarlet Barbie/Ken dolls as a kid because my grandma bought them for me. But they didn't mean much to me. 😂
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I'm not sure why I never watched it. It was probably just too long for one of the weekend classics that were on when I was a kid, and then as I got older I moved to DVDs and then streaming services with bright shiny things ;)
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The film is very well done despite the leeeength, but then, it is also a really long book and they tried to do it justice.
Laurie wrote: "I'm sure I will end up watching the movie at some point once I've finished the book. I'm not sure why I have never seen it...I even had the collectible Rhett and Scarlet Barbie/Ken dolls as a kid b..."I want those dolls😫😫😫
Yes, it's very long but it's pacy. I was a child of the 80s, it was a terrible period for film, there was a lot if "me generation" crap, much of which didn’t appeal to a child/preteen. And we definitely didn’t have the joy of streaming. So it was whatever was on tv or from the video (vcr!) store. There were also a lot of made for tv movies back then and threy were all dreadful. Gone with the Wind would've been an easy choice considering the schlock it was up against.
Keli wrote: "I want those dolls😫😫😫"Aw, I'd send them to you if I could, but I got rid of them a long time ago. I'm pretty sure this was the Scarlet I had. I guess there were a few different versions/outfits.
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I can't wait to watch the movie again!! Plan on doing that as soon as I finish the book.
Laurie wrote: "Keli wrote: "I want those dolls😫😫😫"Aw, I'd send them to you if I could, but I got rid of them a long time ago. I'm pretty sure this was the Scarlet I had. I guess there were a few different versi..."
I remember her! I should have bought her when I had the chance. Though she'd just be sitting in my attic with all my other barbies.
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Like a lot of others, I feel v sorry for Wade. Scarlett is definitely not a natural mother. As Laurie said, Melanie seems to have lost her mind thinking Scarlett is a good person to look after her son if she dies.
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Added to it was the usual masculine disillusionment in discovering that a woman has a brain.
I wish this statement didn't still feel so relevant and accurate. I know a lot of men are better, but there still seems to me to be an assumption that women are less intelligent/competent than men.
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As much as this book is called sexist and racist, unfortunately there are still parts that happen today
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I’m into chapter 43 and I think the racism is considered as acceptable, particularly comments on how it is ethically wrong to use convicts whereas slavery was not wrong.
The sexism is interesting as at times it is called out - like the quote you wrote - and at other times it is written as facts. Like a man that kills his wife because she cheated on him is not sorry. There doesn’t seem to be judgement passed on this.
Scarlett herself is doing scandalous things for a woman of the time which makes me wonder if the author was trying to push the boundaries or if we are meant to also think Scarlett is outrageous in her actions.
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The sexism I thinks she has a more complicated relationship with. I feel like she wants to call it out, but also knows that wasn't the way it worked then or when she was writing. Looking into her background, her mother was a suffragist, and took her to women's rights events so she was much more conscious of those issues.
I have somehow fallen off this wagon...
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I’ve since read some articles where Mitchell was interviewed and I think she didn’t see racism in the book which is telling in itself as to her viewpoints!!
The further I get into it the more I am thankful with how far we have come (acknowledge though still a lot more can be done) both with the racist and sexist aspects of this book.
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I finally picked this up again. I'm still way back towards the beginning. I intend to get to chapter 8 today which will mean I finish the first part of Volume 1. I am going to make this my main focus so I should catch up soon.
Keely wrote: "I finally picked this up again. I'm still way back towards the beginning. I intend to get to chapter 8 today which will mean I finish the first part of Volume 1. I am going to make this my main foc..."This is so funny because I just got back on the wagon again today too! 😂 It looks like I can finish on time if I read two chapters every week from now on.
And I'm finally getting to the part that matches my Barbie above! So cool!
I saw people talking about it on the Cleaning out the TBR Closet challenge and remembered it was a thing I was going to do too :P I'm listening to an audiobook version and I plan to do at least an hour a day and as I listen to it on 2x speed, it should only take me 20 more days. But I will probably listen for longer on some days.
Just finished Chapter 25. Every time I think Scarlet can't do anything else to shock me...she does! 😅
I just reached Vol 1 part 3 (chapter 17). I forgot to read some for a couple of days, but I am making progress. Ideally I would like to finish the book before Wheel begins, but that is quickly approaching so I would be happy if I at least catch up to the schedule.
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message 246:
by
Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado
(last edited Sep 27, 2021 10:44PM)
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
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I paused reading to stick to the schedule but I will get back into it and finish it soon. I’ve really enjoyed it and it has been nice to pick up and down over the year
I've fallen a bit behind! About halfway through Part 4. Got side-tracked with work, 6 month year old, my wedding next weekend and criminal law classes :'D. Slowly but surely!
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The thing with this whole section (view spoiler)
I've gotten really far behind because I've not been reading during challenges. done a little today though, and am up to 30%I'll do a little more tomorrow and Saturday morning, then put it aside and hopefully finish over Christmas :)
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Possibly my favourite so far. I loved Scarlett here (view spoiler)[ so unexpected when she pulled the trigger. And I love how she has taken the reigns of Tara. Her character flaws are now becoming her strengths as she gets older and takes on more responsibility (hide spoiler)]