new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: romance reading challenge, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 7 of 7
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: romance reading challenge in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
Mitchell, Margaret. 1936.
Gone With The Wind.
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need...
--The Rolling Stones
Because I used to love her, but it's all over now...
--The Rolling Stones
Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were. (5)
Thus begins Margaret Mitchell's classic novel Gone With The Wind. Does it surprise you that Scarlett O'Hara "was not beautiful"? Can you conceptualize (fancy word for imagine) a Scarlett O'Hara that isn't beautiful? Try. Really. I bet you can't help but think of the beautiful Vivian Leigh. And that is where I think Hollywood did a huge disservice to the world. I have a love-hate relationship with the movie. I do. The movie has its moments of brilliance. Moments I love. But the movie has little to do with what Margaret Mitchell actually wrote. It got a few of the surface details right, I think, but it makes a mockery of it in places. Mitchell's novel has heart and soul and substance. Actual substance. The movie? Well. It's more stereotypes. Hollywood's version of the South is far from the South portrayed in Mitchell's pages. Especially when it comes to Scarlett and Tara. (But I digress.)
What did Scarlett look like? We're told that "it was an arresting face, pointed of chin, square of jaw. Her eyes were pale green without a touch of hazel, starred with bristly black lashes and slightly tilted at the ends. Above them her thick black brows slanted upward, cutting a startling oblique line in her magnolia-white-skin" (5).
Even if you've never read the book, I would imagine you've got a fairly good notion of what Gone With The Wind is about. At least on the surface. It's the story of the spoiled-rotten Scarlett O'Hara and her quest to win her heart's desire through any means possible. Scarlett is one that doesn't ask if it's wrong or right. She only lives by this question--does it get me one step closer to what I want? If it does--then look out!
Scarlett. Rhett. Ashley. You probably know the basics. A woman wants what she can't have. She wants it until she can have it. The moment she has it. She doesn't want it anymore. Scarlett is in a perpetual state of frustration. The man in her bed doing her bidding is rarely the man in her heart.
The book is about much more than Scarlett and her quest for love, however. It's a love story, I won't deny it. But there is much more than love at stake in the novel. War. Reconstruction. Civilization. Society. Culture. Class. Race. Money. Politics. Survival. It's a novel of contrasts. The Old South vs. The New South. Conformity vs. Individuality. The haves vs. the have-nots. If asked to sum up Gone With The Wind in one word, most would probably say "Love." I'd say gumption. People who have it; people who don't. What do I mean by gumption? Partly spirit. Partly courage. Partly determination. Partly ambition. People with gumption act. They do what they must when they must.
One of my favorite non-love scenes from the book is Scarlett's conversation with Grandma Fontaine. A wonderful, wonderful character by the way. The setting is after Gerald's funeral. Scarlett is pregnant with Frank Kennedy's baby. (Yes, the movie killed Gerald, her father, off too soon.)
"We bow to the inevitable. We’re not wheat, we’re buckwheat! When a storm comes along it flattens ripe wheat because it’s dry and can’t bend with the wind. But ripe buckwheat’s got sap in it and it bends. And when the wind has passed, it springs up almost as straight and strong as before. We aren’t a stiff-necked tribe. We’re mighty limber when a hard wind’s blowing, because we know it pays to be limber. When trouble comes we bow to the inevitable without any mouthing, and we work and we smile and we bide our time. And we play along with lesser folks and we take what we can get from them. And when we’re strong enough, we kick the folks whose necks we’ve climbed over. That, my child, is the secret of the survival.” And after a pause, she added: “I pass it on to you.”
The old lady cackled, as if she were amused by her words, despite the venom in them. She looked as if she expected some comment from Scarlett but the words had made little sense to her and she could think of nothing to say. (709-710)
It's a novel that goes above and beyond the central character of Scarlett. Even if you hate Scarlett, I'd imagine you'd find some character to love. Be it Melanie. Rhett. Mammy. Uncle Peter. Grandma Fontaine. How could you not? There are so many characters, so many individual stories. Stories of triumph. Stories of loss. Stories of hope. Stories of disappointment. Stories of survival. Stories of failure. There is depth and meaning that the movie doesn't even try to accommodate. Depth and meaning that even diehard fans can't help but learn something new with each rereading.
I don't want anyone to think I'm glossing over some of the book's issues. You'd have to be a fool to not realize that Gone With The Wind has more than a little potential to be racially offensive. It could be seen as abrasive even. It uses these words interchangeably: n-word, darkie(s), slaves, and Negroes. A good many of uses of the n-word come from slaves/servants conversing with one another. But there are many that aren't. And regardless of who is speaking it in the novel, the context of the novel, you can't escape the fact that it is a white author. There are phrases, there are scenes, that you can't deny are racist. You just can't. It's no wonder that this book is challenged in some places. But I'm not a book banner. Obviously.
My rule is context, context, context. My second rule is that it is better to discuss and employ critical thinking skills than it is to deny, hide, or censor. There are two contexts for reading Gone With The Wind. The first is that of the author. Margaret Mitchell. A Southern woman growing up in turn-of-the-century America. The 1920s and the 1930s. These were the years that Margaret Mitchell was living and working on her novel. This is the culture and mindset of the author and of the original audience. Gone With The Wind is not alone. It doesn't stand out from the crowd. Many books, many authors used the n-word without batting an eye. Many wrote with the mindset that whites are superior--intellectually at least--to blacks. It doesn't make it true then or now. But that is the mindset. The second is that of the setting of the novel. 1860s-1870s America's South. You can't be true to history without going there. It's a fact in America's history. There's no disputing or denying it. It's not pleasant; it's often ugly. But there you have it. You've got to know where you've been so you can measure how far you've come. And so you can measure how far you've still got to go. America--both as a nation and as a people--has never been perfect. Will probably never be perfect.
As a reader, I can enjoy the story without being brainwashed. I can see. I can question. I can realize when I'm being fed bull. Lines where the former slaves still faithful servants are talking about how they've never wanted freedom??? about how they've never wanted money or independence??? I think I know that Mitchell was full of it. I think most readers can make that division. I hope.
Changing topics now. I just want to bring to your attention one more thing. The last chapter was written first.
(The first few chapters were written last.) Margaret Mitchell had in her mind how the story would end. It was these characters in this last and final state--the frustrated and pleading Scarlett and the resolute and pitying Rhett--that were her characters. Her characters just as she wanted them; just as she first imagined them. Everything that comes before is leading up to this grand emotional finale. Every scene, every conversation. All the little plot twists. All were to lead up to this. It wasn't the other way around. The ending wasn't tacked on because Mitchell didn't know where to go next. This unhappy and emotionally draining scene was her perfect ending. Which is why I find the idea of sequels so laughable.
There is so much more I could say. How much I love Melanie. How much I love Rhett. How irritating Ashley can be. How unforgettable most of the character are when you get down to it. But if I were to post every thought I had on GWTW... then that would be much too much. If I were to share every *favorite* quote...again much too much.
I first read Gone With The Wind when I was eleven or twelve. (I had first typed elven. But I've never been elven.) I've read it maybe seven or eight times since then. I read it every year for a while. But around the age of twenty, I outgrew it. Moved on. This was my first time to read it since then.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. What can I say? I didn't love it like I loved (or loved, loved, loved) Persuasion or Pride and Prejudice. It was so different to Northanger Abbey in a way which makes it more difficult to compare. But in its favor, I didn't dislike it like I disliked Mansfeld Park or Emma. (A word on Emma's behalf. Emma, the character, annoys me. I know she's supposed to be annoying because she represents the young and foolish and rich and selfish and spoiled stereotype. But still. It's hard to like someone like that. It would be like reading a book told from Lydia's perspective. I wonder if anyone has done that???)
Sense and Sensibility is the story of the Dashwood family. The mother has recently been widowed. She's got a step-son who's inherited everything, and her own three daughters. She's also got a daughter-in-law from hell. Really. This woman would make even a saint think that. The two are somewhat indirectly pushed out the door by the couple--Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood. They're insufferable to live with. And they're rude and pushy. Contemptible really. The only good thing that happens is that Elinor meets a young man, Edward Ferrars, and falls in love. Though nothing is promised or exchanged between them.
The Dashwoods (mother and three daughters: Elinor, Marianne, Margaret) move to a cottage quite a distance away. (Barton I believe is the place where they're staying.) While there, Marianne 'makes' two men fall in love with her. Colonel Brandon, a respectable but older gentleman, and the young and dashing and ever-so-handsome Mr. Willoughby. Marianne sees only Willoughby. Brandon doesn't stand a chance. They also meet many people in the neighborhood--Mrs. Jennings, the Middletons, the Palmers, the Steeles, etc.
The story centers around the love lives of the two older sisters Elinor and Marianne. Often the two are down on their luck. Money plays a big role in the novel. But Jane Austen loved happy endings so never fear. It may take a good many pages, but Marianne and Elinor are assured of finding men that suit them perfectly one way or another.
368 pages.
Originally published in 1811.
First sentence: The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex.
Quinn, Julia. 2003. To Sir Phillip, With Love.
To Sir Phillip, With Love is the fifth in the Bridgerton series, a historical romance series set in Regency England. To Sir Phillip, With Love, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, and When He Was Wicked are the three of the series that are most tightly woven together. The action of all three occur within the same few months of 1824.
During the ball scene (the big reveal) of Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton was noticeably absent. There was a big reason. She used her sister and brother-in-law's party as her getaway. She, partly out of jealousy, has decided to do something a bit bold and a bit out of character. She's off to meet her pen pal, a widower with two kids. Their correspondence began the previous year when she wrote condolences upon his wife's death. The letters have given them both a bit of comfort, and on his suggestion, she is on her way to meet them. He wants to see if she'll suit him as a wife.
Phillip never expected Eloise to be attractive. He was expecting a spinster. An unattractive but intelligent companion. That is what he wanted. He definitely didn't expect to find someone so talkative, so opinionated, so set in her ways, so spunky.
But Eloise forgot one thing when making her journey. Okay, she forgot two things. She forgot to write him that she was coming so he hasn't a chaperone ready to receive her and supervise their courtship. But more importantly, she forgot that her family would be worried and quite frantic about her sudden disappearance. She forgot to count on her four brothers--three older, one younger--hunting her down in angry pursuit!!! Poor Phillip. I almost feel sorry for him!
Phillip's kids are another story. A set of 8 year old twins--one boy, one girl. And they're more than a handful. But if anyone can handle this situation, it is Eloise.
The book is enjoyable. The kids add something more to this historical romance novel. I've not read too many Regency romance novels where kids play a role--a big role--in the action.
372 pages.
Quinn, Julia. 2002. Romancing Mister Bridgerton.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton is my favorite and best. It is the fourth in a series of Regency romance novels by Julia Quinn focusing on the eight Bridgerton siblings: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. The fourth novel focuses on Colin Bridgerton. If you've read any of the previous novels you know that Colin is the favorite of many--both in and out of the family. His charm, his wit, his good nature make him quite the natural choice. (The other novels are The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, and An Offer From a Gentleman. All feature glimpses of Colin.)
Penelope Featherington is not alone in her admiration of Colin Bridgerton. But she might be voted the least likely to marry a Bridgerton. In all honesty, she'd probably be voted least likely to marry anyone. Whether seventeen or twenty-eight, Penelope has always been Penelope. On the outside looking in, always waiting and watching and hoping all the while knowing that this spinsterhood is her destiny.
This is not our first introduction to Penelope. She has appeared in most of the other Bridgerton novels as well. (She has quite a memorable scene or two in An Offer From A Gentleman. And she played an important role in The Duke and I as well. I can't remember if she's got any lines in The Viscount Who Loved Me or not.)
Let me say now that this novel had me at hello.
On the sixth of April, in the year of 1812--precisely two days before her sixteenth birthday--Penelope Featherington fell in love.
It was, in a word, thrilling. The world shook. Her heart leaped. The moment was breathtaking. And, she was able to tell herself with some satisfaction, the man in question--one Colin Bridgerton--felt the same way.
Oh, not the love part. He certainly didn't fall in love with her in 1812, (and not in 1813, 1814, 1815, or--oh, blast, not in all the years 1816-1822, either, and certainly not in 1823, when he was out of the country the whole time anyway). But his earth shook, his heart leaped, and Penelope knew without a shadow of a doubt that his breath was taken away as well. For a good ten seconds.
Falling off a horse tended to do that to a man.
The book opens in 1824. Penelope has had plenty of years to dream and dream and dream about Colin from afar. As the best friend of Eloise, Penelope has long been a regular of the Bridgerton household. For teas. For visits. For parties and dances and balls. There's not a week that goes by where she hasn't spent several hours in the company of one or more Bridgertons. Colin does know she exists. He just doesn't see her in that way. He's not alone, no man thus far in her life has seen her in
that way.
Besides being friends with the Bridgerton clan, Penelope has a rather chummy relationship with Lady Danbury, a woman in her seventies who's not afraid to speak her mind when she gets the notion. And lately Lady Danbury has been struck with the notion that Penelope is quite wonderful; unfortunately, not many people are aware of the fact of just how amazingly wonderful she is. But if Lady Danbury has her way, Penelope will soon have her day to shine.
It all starts with a dare, a bet. At a gathering (ball, party, dance), Lady Danbury startles everyone with a proclamation. Wouldn't it be fun to solve the riddle of who this Lady Whistledown really is? She offers a monetary reward. Solve the mystery and win the money. Lady Whistledown, for those unfamiliar with the novels or unfamiliar with my earlier reviews this week, writes a gossip or society column. Twice a week, the ton happily reads about themselves hoping to find praise and anxious to see who will be insulted.
The mystery is eventually solved and it might just keep you guessing for most of the novel.
I loved practically everything about this novel. The characters of Penelope and Colin are special favorites of mine.
Quinn, Julia. 2000. The Viscount Who Loved Me.
The Viscount Who Loved Me is the second novel in the Bridgerton series, a series of regency romance novels by the talented and prolific Julia Quinn. Our hero is Anthony Bridgerton. Our heroine is the spunky Kate Sheffield. The setting is 1814, London.
The novel opens with a quote from Lady Whistledown's Society Papers:
The topic of rakes has, of course, been previously discussed in this column, and This Author has come to the conclusion that there are rakes, and there are Rakes.
Anthony Bridgerton is a Rake.
A rake (lower-case) is youthful and immature. He flaunts his exploits, behaves with utmost idiocy, and thinks himself dangerous to women.
A Rake (upper-case) knows he is dangerous to women.
He doesn't flaunt his exploits because he doesn't need to. He knows he will be whispered about by men and women alike, and in fact, he'd rather they didn't whisper about him at all. He knows who he is and what he has doen; further recountings are, to him, redundant.
He doesn't behave like an idiot for the simple reason that he isn't an idiot (any moreso than must be expected among all members of the male gender). He has little patience for the foibles of society, and quite frankly, most of the time This Author cannot say she blames him.
And if that doesn't describe Viscount Bridgerton--surely this season's most eligible bachelor--to perfection, This Author shall retire Her quill immediately. The only question is: Will 1814 be the season he finally succombs to the exquisite bliss of matrimony? This Author thinks...
Not.
Our heroine Kate is the older sister of Edwina. Edwina is young, beautiful, and quite the "it" girl of the season. Since Edwina's debut, Kate has been sharing the attention only because her sister let it slip that she would not marry without the consent of her older sister. So Edwina's beaus (or is it beaux?) are making sure to dance with her, to bring her flowers, say a few kind words. There intentions are obvious: they want to win Edwina's heart. Edwina knows (or thinks she knows) what she's looking for in a husband. Kate is also full of wisdom. And Kate is sure that a RAKE is not good husband-material no matter how attractive and charming they may be. So when Anthony Bridgerton starts courting Edwina, Kate lets her disapproval--her indignation--show!
Anthony and Kate have the kind of chemistry as Benedick and Beatrice. In other words, they don't get along. At least not at first. Yet the more time Anthony spends in the company of the Sheffields--both sisters--the more he's drawn to Kate. He doesn't want to admit it, not at first, but she is slowly but surely driving him crazy. But the good kind of crazy.
Anthony is not a perfect hero. He's not every girl's dream. For one thing, he has no intention of marrying for love. He has no intention of being faithful. He fears love more than he even fears death. Perhaps I need to back track a bit further, Anthony fears that he will die young. His father died at the age of 38. Anthony wants to marry and have a child or two. But love isn't part of the equation in his opinion. It would be just that much harder for him to die at peace. So he thinks. But his fears, his ideas, his plans will all begin to shift, to change as his encounters with Kate increase.
Anthony's three goals which he lays out at the very beginning:
1) She must be reasonably attractive (no raving beauty required)
2) She could NOT be stupid; he could live without intelligent conversation himself, but he didn't want stupid children.
3) She couldn't be anyone with whom he might actually fall in love.
The Viscount who loves me is a delightfully charming romance novel. Julia Quinn is always enjoyable and always trustworthy.
376 pages
Quinn, Julia. 2000. The Duke and I.
The Duke and I is the first novel in a series of eight books focusing on the Bridgerton family. There are eight Bridgerton siblings: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. (4 boys. 4 girls.) Each of the novels focuses on a Bridgerton and on the soon-to-be significant other of the Bridgerton in question. The Duke and I is narrated by Daphne and Simon. Simon is actually Simon Arthur Henry Fitzranulph Basset. (At his birth he was already an Earl, Earl Clyvedon). A child destined for greatness, upon his father's death he'd be the tenth Duke of Hastings.
The prologue sets Simon up as a troubled, bitter, and angry young man. His mother died giving birth to him. His father rejected him because of a childhood stutter. He's been raised by servants. His father lived on another estate and pretended he was dead. It was even hinted that he faked mourning for his son. (Though I could have misread that passage.) If there is one thing that is clear about Simon it is that he hates his father. Hates with a capital-H. He despises everything about him. Because of this angsty adolescence, Simon is not the marrying kind. He doesn't want to fall in love; he doesn't want to get married; he doesn't want to have children; he doesn't want to pass on his title.
The first chapter introduces us to two important characters. (Well, more than that really. But hear me out.) Lady Whistledown. The secret, mysterious authoress of a London's society (gossip) paper. Every chapter of this book (and most of the other Bridgerton series books) begins with a glorious snippet of juicy gossip from the pen of Lady Whistledown. These bits are pure fun, a pure delight to read. The book opens with Daphne and her mother reading that morning's edition of Lady Whistledown.
The heart of this novel revolves around marriage. Violet Bridgerton, the mother, is anxious (extremely anxious) to get her oldest son and oldest daughter married off. She has even given lists of eligible prospects to both. Anthony, as the head of the family since his father's death, is a Viscount and quite a catch. He is the one responsible for overseeing Daphne's courtship. (I don't know if that's the right word. He's in charge of who is allowed and not allowed to call on her, to decide who is a proper enough escort, etc. And ultimately the one to give "permission" for her hand in marriage.) Daphne is a lovely girl but one without many suitors. It's not that there are none, she was proposed to by several men in their late fifties and early sixties, it's just that no man has all of the necessary factors: the intelligence, the wit, the wealth, and the attractive appeal to win her heart or win her respect.
It is when Daphne is fleeing from an ardent (and quite drunk) gentleman, Nigel Berbrooke, that she meets Simon. (The setting is a dance, a ball. A ball at Lady Danbury's home.) Simon is ready to rescue this damsel in distress. Didn't he overhear her telling the gentleman to back off, to leave her alone? It's his duty, his privilege to save her. But before he has a chance to act, Daphne lets Nigel have it. He's down for the count. (I don't think she meant to floor him though! But she's used to standing up for herself and has certainly watched her brothers fighting.) Now Simon and Daphne are in cahoots about the situation. How to get him out of the hallway without causing a big scene. She isn't aware of who he is, but he knows almost from the very beginning that this dynamite of a girl who can pack a punch is the little sister of his good friend, Anthony, whom he attended school with all those years ago.
As soon as she does learn his identity, she lets it slip that her mother told her to stay away from him because he was a Rake. (A.K.A. mad, bad, and dangerous to know) Simon can't let this golden opportunity go, he tries to "scare" her with his ardent charm. It fails miserably. All he does is succeed in giving her the giggles. She tells him, "you shouldn't be so melodramatic. It doesn't suit you. . .Well, actually, it does suit you, I ought to admit . . .You looked quite dangerous. And very handsome, of course. . .That was your intention, was it not? Of course it was. And I would be remiss if I did not tell you that you would have been successful with any other woman besides me." (57) She proceeds to tell him, "I'm quite flattered you thought me worthy of such a magnificent display of dukish rakishness...or do you prefer rakish dukishness?" (58)
The chemistry is there alright. The banter between the two, the easy-going friendship of sorts that starts to form from the very beginning. It all makes for an interesting proposition. Not that kind of proposition either. He wants to woo her, to court her, to keep all the other Ambitious Mamas away along with all their daughters for the season. She agrees because she knows that being wooed by him will make her attractive to all the other men. After she's really and truly fallen in love with someone, she can be the one to end their engagement or courtship or relationship. They both think it's a good (and slightly manipulative) way to maneuver in a society obsessed with the marriage mart. (Her mother won't be after her to find a man because she thinks her daughter is being courted by a duke...quite a catch.) The one with the doubts? Anthony. He knows Simon's reputation. He shares Simon's reputation. He knows exactly the kind of man Simon is. Can he really trust Simon to keep his hands off his sister?
This is a delicious novel. As you can imagine, Simon does put Daphne in a compromising position. And Anthony is all for a shotgun wedding or a duel.
Can Daphne persuade Simon that marriage with her really would be better than certain death?
There is a reason--a very very good reason--that Julia Quinn is my favorite romance novelist. Her books are always well written. (Formulaic in parts yes, but always well written.) Her Bridgerton novels are especially delightful. For Quinn's novels are always always always more than just a lame excuse for (corny) graphic sex. It really is about the characters. Really is about the story. In my opinion, most other novelists have flat characters. The whole book revolves around the smut. You could essentially mix and match heroes and heroines from any romance novel and the novels would read the same. I don't like [insert-name-here] love scenes. I don't. Which is why an occasional Quinn novel will slip into my tbr pile. Yes, it's a guilty-pleasure to indulge in adult romance novels. But reading Quinn is not as guilty and as shameful as indulging in other authors. (She has more nutrition and nourishment for the mind than most others.)
Posted on 8/3/2007
Blog:
OUPblog
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Blogs,
A-Featured,
laureate,
simic,
depository,
monopoly,
ambassadors,
ozomatli,
congratulations,
celebrates,
Add a tag
The history of Monopoly.
Congratulations to Charles Simic, the new Poet Laureate.
A great look at The Book Depository.
Ozomatli as Cultural Ambassadors?
Books, Inq, celebrates the anniversary of Wallace Steven’s death.
Share This
(The first few chapters were written last.) Margaret Mitchell had in her mind how the story would end. It was these characters in this last and final state--the frustrated and pleading Scarlett and the resolute and pitying Rhett--that were her characters. Her characters just as she wanted them; just as she first imagined them. Everything that comes before is leading up to this grand emotional finale. Every scene, every conversation. All the little plot twists. All were to lead up to this. It wasn't the other way around. The ending wasn't tacked on because Mitchell didn't know where to go next. This unhappy and emotionally draining scene was her perfect ending. Which is why I find the idea of sequels so laughable. 
great review!
GWTW is one of my all time favorite novels...and I like the film too.
The movie and the novel are different in more ways than one.
Rhett is my favorite character. I like how the novel reflects how he loves Scarlett, better than the movie does.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
I recently read Rhett Butler's People, by Donald McCaig, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The focus is Rhett, and the story is taken a few years beyond the ending in GWTW. There are some GWTW fans who do not enjoy other authors' liberties with the story, but I enjoyed McCaig's version!
Awesome review Becky! GWTW is one of my all time favorites as well!
I recently read Rhett Butler's People and I was disappointed. He didn't keep all the characters in their character, especially Melly, IMHO. But I gave it a 2.5/5 so a bit better than fair, but not quite good.
Of GWTW is a 5+
I really must read this again at some point. I love the film and the book and remember enjoyed Scarlet as well but not quite as much.