Product Description
The timeless tale continues... The most popular and beloved American historical novel ever written, Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind is unparalleled in its portrayal of men and women at once larger than life but as real as ourselves. Now bestselling writer Alexandra Ripley brings us back to Tara and reintroduces us to the characters we remember so well: Rhett, Ashley, Mammy, Suellen, Aunt Pittypat, and, of course, Scarlett. As the classic story, first told over half a century ago, moves forward, the greatest love affair in all fiction is reignited; amidst heartbreak and joy, the endless, consuming passion between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler reaches its startling culmination. Rich with surprises at every turn and new emotional, breathtaking adventures, Scarlett satisfies our longing to reenter the world of Gone With the Wind, and like its predecessor, Scarlett will find an eternal place in our hearts.
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 Wonderful!
I loved Gone With The Wind, but "Scarlett" was a close match. I absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down. Well done! I didn't want it to end.
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 Fine Writing, but not fit to be the sequel to GWTW
I finished reading Gone with the Wind, wondering what would happen to Scarlett and Rhett. When I learned there was a sequel, I eagerly picked it up, even though it was written by a different author. I had many expectations when I began reading. The first thing I noticed was that it drew me in very quickly, and Ripley had obviously made a considerable effort to imitate Margaret Mitchell's writing style.
However, as the book wore on, the plot seemed to drag and get extremely boring at parts. It was a bit like Ripley had been ordered to fill up a certain amount of pages and she had to add in unnecessary detail to stretch the story. For example, she described in superfluous detail trips to the market and little tea parties. These scenes could be taken out and the story would be able to move along fine.
The characters Ripley added seemed very shallow, and the old characters seemed to unravel in their complexity. They seemed to disappear completely near the end of the book as Scarlett made her home in Ireland. Wade, Ella, Aunt Pitty, Ashley, Mammy, Will, Suellen, etc, escaped all mention, as if Ripley wanted to create her own little world for Scarlett.
And how can Scarlett so recklessly give up Tara to Suellen, the sole thing she worked and sweated and schemed for in "Gone with the Wind"? How can she just shrug off the fact that Suellen, her absolute rival, is running HER Tara, and Will and Ella are extremely happy without her? Scarlett is a very selfish and possessive soul, who would definitely want her past children to love her, and would do anything it took to achieve that goal.
I also wonder how Ripley came up with the commonplace name "Cat" for her last little girl, the center of Scarlett's life. "Cat" is not a name that the old Scarlett would even consider. I think that Ripley may have given some effort and four years of research, but the story overall could be MUCH better and Mammy shouldn't have gotten rid of so quickly.
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 Separate yourself from GWTW and enjoy for what it is
Of course, there's no possible way to follow Gone With the Wind and be as powerful. Despite that, I greatly enjoyed this novel. It gives me some closure to the Scarlett/Rhett saga, albeit not what Margaret Mitchell likely would have imagined. Take into account that this is not Mitchell, and just enjoy it for what it is, a well-written alternate ending to your favorite film. The movie version was even well-done, there is no comparison to GWTW, but they're not attempting to match or better the prequel, just satisfy some appetites. I think both are enjoyable. Maybe someday some other writer will live up to GWTW, but for now I'm happy with SCARLETT.
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I read it and liked it ( no_belle1 )
I think many of the customer reviewers here are basing their comments on their feelings about GWTW (which I also read) and not on the merits of Ripley's work. While GWTW is a great novel, I don't feel that it is a sacred text so I didn't mind that a sequel to it had been written.
Ripley's work is well-written and her research impressive. I have lived in Charleston and it is clear that she spent a lot of time there. I recommend this book. It's really entertaining!
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Far Superior to Rhett Butler's People
After reading Rhett Butler's People, I have a much greater appreciation for Alexandra Ripley. While her novel, Scarlett, may not be GWTW, at least she tried, and was occasionally successful. This book is FAR SUPERIOR to Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig. FAR SUPERIOR.
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