Prompted by Engie's recent reviews of Gone with the Wind; I pulled out my copy, dusted it off and sat down to re-read this classic novel.
I can't remember how many years ago it was when I last read this book - but I'm guessing it's been more than 30 years (and probably about the same amount of time since I saw the movie). And as I told The Husband when I finally closed the giant book this afternoon - I remembered the basic plot but apparently, I had forgotten 90% of the story.
It is a period piece, so we have to keep that in mind when reading about slavery, etc. If those problematic pieces would have been left out; it wouldn't have been a very believable read of the times in which it was set. Much like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. You can't whitewash the past, unfortunately.
And yes, I have to agree with Engie's assessment of Scarlett. Despite everything she endured and the successes that she achieved despite the hardships she faced; she is not a nice person at all. Therefore, the ending was fitting for Scarlett.
I thoroughly enjoyed this re-read and would suggest, if you haven't read it in some time - or if you've never read - now might be a good time. Yes, it's a tome (clocking in at 1,037 pages) but it is well written; a sweeping saga will hold your attention straight through to the end - a book you, most likely, won't regret reading or re-reading.
