After seeing the movie Gone With The Wind for the umpteenth
time and once again being disappointed there was no happy ending (sorry you
classic lovers, but the ending where Scarlett says she’ll find a way to win
Rhett back just begs for the rest of the story!), I was glad there was a sequel
even if it had to be written by someone other than Margaret Mitchell.
SCARLETT satisfies the
romance lover’s need for the ending we crave. It tells us what happened to
Scarlett and Rhett after he left her,
when she declared her love for him and he told her he didn’t give a damn.
The story begins in 1873, as
Melanie, Scarlett’s lifelong friend, is buried and the mourners standing around
gossiping about Scarlett, saying she’s “all business, and no heart.” When
Atlanta society shuns her, Scarlett is left very much alone. It’s the bane of a
strong woman’s existence, that people think she doesn’t care and hate her for
it when, in fact, she cares very much though she doesn’t allow herself to show it.
Of course, in Gone With The Wind,
Scarlett was selfish and spurned Rhett’s love when offered. And when she finally
realized she loved him, it was too late. He believes she only wants him because
he doesn’t want her. But stay tuned…Scarlett is about to grow up.
Where you wanted to slap Scarlett
in the movie, now you will want to hug her as she triumphs over trials that
would break any other woman on the way to learning how to love.
For much of the 823 pages, the
story is told through Scarlett’s perspective. Though Scarlett shows great
kindness to others and pursues Rhett because she genuinely loves him, her
motives are often misunderstood and others, quick to judge, reject her. Society
snubs her and Rhett is cold, even cruel. His only aim is to get out of the
marriage, describing her as a drug that will destroy him. (It was easy to see Clark
Gable saying those lines.)
The book is divided into four
sections, each finding Scarlett in new place:
Lost in the Dark (Atlanta)
High Stakes
(Charleston)
New Life (Savannah)
The Tower (Ireland)
Ripley paints a compelling picture
of Ireland, its people and their struggles, with wonderful characters, rich
dialog and emotional scenes. We mourn the lost history of the O’Hara family as
Scarlett seeks to regain her family’s land. And we cheer Scarlett as her
incredible intelligence and courage rebuild, at least a part of, what was lost.
If you are used to the pace
of a normal historical romance, this story may seem a bit meandering. (There
are whole chapters where Scarlett and Rhett never encounter each other.) Still,
I found it a very satisfying love story and it kept me reading late into the
night (two nights in a row!). When the “black moment “ came, it was the
blackest I’ve ever experienced. But the ending is a sweet reward.
The book is a treasure, a
keeper. I recommend it!
Buy it on Amazon.
I shouldn't have listened to the news and gossips and friends and relatives...who said that it would not be good like the original Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. But that's in the past. But now that I've read your review, I'm gonna give this sequel a "go," Regan! Thanks for your post. jdh2690@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI think you'll like it. Just remember I did not read Mitchell's book; I only saw the movie. Scarlett dovetails nicely with the movie.
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