Book Review: Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

 Hello everyone! Today I've done a lot of reading. . . and I mean, a LOT of reading. I finally finished Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (I only had about 40 pages left--don't worry, I didn't read all 733 fine print pages in one day like a psychopath) this morning, read The Fault in Our Stars (I'll probably review that one soon), and read the last 80 or so pages of this book I started awhile back called Tuck Everlasting. I've started so many books, so it's nice to be able to go back and finish them when I have the time.

Surely I'm not the only one who actually feels like I'm on an adventure with the characters when I really get into a book? C'mon. . . I can't be the only weird bookworm out there!

After all that reading, I'm thinking I'll binge watch Criminal Minds tonight, hehe. 

Anyways, I'm pretty excited to be doing a review for Gone With the Wind. This was a book I've been wanting to get my hands on for awhile, and my parents bought it for me for Christmas this year (thank youu). I think it took almost a month to get here because of mail delays, but hey, I got it! I'm pretty sure the book is like 1000 pages long originally, but my copy was fine print and like 733 pages long. It's taken me awhile to read it. . . definitely not because I'm unfocused and have a bad habit of starting multiple books at once. :)

The only good word I know to sum up this book is "masterpiece". Gone With the Wind is an absolute masterpiece. 

To sum it all up

Gone With the Wind is about a spoiled, selfish girl named Scarlett O'Hara. She has everything she could ever want: a prospering plantation, a loving family, fancy clothes, and the most beaux of any girl around. But everything changes when the love of her life, Ashley Wilkes, betrays her and marries the sweet, plain Melanie Hamilton, and the dreaded Civil War forever destroys life as she knows it. As her worst nightmares come true, Scarlett must adapt to survive in this strange new world--even if that means forfeiting her dreams of one day becoming a great lady like her mother.

Characters (10/10):

Look at that--10/10! When I say that the characters are incredible, I mean it. They are so deliciously real and authentic and unique.

For example, we have our protagonist, Scarlett O'Hara. She's not your average female protagonist, and I'd go so far as to say that she's at loathsome, despicable, and cold-hearted. She is terribly selfish, used to getting her own way and using her charms to find a way to when she doesn't. But the one man that she wants, Ashley, is tauntingly out of reach, and she can't bear not being able to get him no matter what she does. Maybe you're wondering why you would want to follow a spoiled, conceited little brat 1000 pages through a book, and that's a great question. But as I read on, I felt like I was following Scarlett on a long, winding journey full of twists and turns as she struggled to find herself, and by the end of the book, I found myself pitying her. 

Rhett Butler is the town's most hated man, a professional Scallawag. He and Scarlett eventually form a peculiar friendship, and because he can read her like a book, he delights in tormenting and insulting her. He is selfish, greedy, and conceited, never afraid to speak his mind. He couldn't care less about what others think about him. He is a charming yet cruel man, and Melanie is pretty much the only one who sees any good in him after the war.

Melanie Hamilton, the woman Ashley marries, became one of my favorite characters. While Scarlett, blinded with jealousy and hatred, describes her as "plain as an old shoe", sweet little Melly has a heart of gold. She sees the good in everyone. She receives everyone with loving, motherly arms, from Yankees to dangerous convicts. Even when Scarlett abuses her and takes her friendship for granted, Melanie finds a way to excuse her behavior and remains as loyal to her as ever. 

Ashley Wilkes, in my opinion, just wasn't born for this world. He was born for books and music, and after the war he seems to be lost in a practical world where he must struggle to survive. Since he's an honest, chivalrous man, he is conflicted by his love for Scarlett and his devotion to Melanie. 

Plot (9/10):

In my opinion, Gone With the Wind started off a bit slow, but that can be expected from a classic--especially one this lengthy! Once the plot really started to unfold--one big event after another--I was totally hooked. Suspenseful action scenes are bridged by scenes of romance, tragedy, and character development. 

The plot really changes not only Scarlett but so many others around here. Life changes, as do the characters, and they have to adapt to survive. It's absolutely incredible to watch how Mitchell can develop the characters so beautifully and change the setting so smoothly, all while the plot continues to progress.

Writing Style (7.5/10):

Mitchell's sentences can be a bit lengthy and flowy at times, which I don't care for too much, but as you may have noticed by now, I can be picky about writing styles. To each his own, though! I think that an author's writing style is essentially their voice, so it's kind of a personal thing. 

Overall (8.5/10):

While this book was a bit slow in some places, I think it all came together so nicely, and it was an incredible read. I hope you'll read it and let me know what you think! Margaret Mitchell was a talented writer with a marvelous story to tell, and this was probably one of my favorite classics I have ever read.

Thank you for reading! Have a nice week :)