The Safe Pages Rating
Romance
Gone With the Wind is an epic novel that is centralized around the romance between Scarlet and Rhett. Scarlet flirts with a lot of men and she marries and has children, but there are not many intimate scenes. There are a few scenes of kissing, but nothing goes beyond that. Everything else is implied, typically by the presence of a baby.
Violence
With the stage of the book being the civil war, there is violence throughout the book. There are shootings, war wounds mentioned, buildings burning, thievery, and many other instances of violence. Most of the scenes are not graphic and describe more of the emotion of the violence instead of the violence itself.
Language
There were a few instances of “h*ll” and “d*mn”, but there were no other swear words. There are derogatory terms used towards the slaves, even after they are free, which did make me uncomfortable. There were some derogatory terms towards women as well. I was able to read through it by understanding the time period, but it made me grateful for the world we live in now.
Drugs and Alcohol
The characters casually drink often, and several of the characters are drunk at different parts. The drunkenness is not described in detail for the most part, but wine, brandy, and other alcoholic drinks are mentioned throughout.
Diversity
The book takes place during the civil war and with that being said, there are many different characters with different political views. There are both white and black characters with different personalities and backgrounds. A reader does have to understand the time period, because there is definite racism between characters.
Demographic
I would suggest this book to readers above the age of 18. The book is long and dense and will probably be better understood by someone who has more reading experience.
Storyline
I was upset with myself for taking so long to read Gone With the Wind. The length had always deterred me from reading it, but I am so glad I finally decided to read it. I loved the writing, the characters, the history, the drama, and pretty much everything else. The book provided a lot of insight for the time period and made me grateful for how we live today. However, the story was still intriguing. I think Scarlet is a character to route for not because she is good, but because the whole time we are waiting for her redemption story.
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