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Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

enchantingdragon
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Post by enchantingdragon » Wed September 9th, 2009, 5:51 pm

I just bought this. I finished GWTW this weekend and have to say Rhett is the soul of the book to me so I wanted to read anything more on him. My 2 friends both love GWTW and both said that this book wasn't up to snuff but I guess I just wanted to see for myself. Its next on my list so will let you know when Im done.

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Miss Moppet
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Post by Miss Moppet » Wed September 9th, 2009, 6:24 pm

Enchantingdragon, I'd be interested to know what you think. I noticed RBP on the shelf at the local library last week but I've passed it over so far.

Yes, Rhett is fascinating. There are so many tantalising hints in GWTW about his backstory...the knife fight in a California goldfield, the ward in New Orleans - just makes you want to know more!

Reading GWTW at 14, I thought he was the greatest hero of all time. Don't quite take that attitude now as I think he is too idealised (alpha male who is capable of monogamy, reads his partner like a book, likes shopping etc) and also he is unfair to Scarlett in that he encourages her to break with convention then blames her for the isolation from polite society he helped to bring about. In one sense, he ruins her life, then walks away.

But still, one of the most attractive and complex characters ever written.

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robinbird79
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Post by robinbird79 » Wed September 9th, 2009, 8:03 pm

I hated this book. Absolutely hated it.

The author did indeed rewrite Mitchell's wonderful story. He butchered the characters, changed scenes...it was horrible. I too was hoping this would be a story full of things about Rhett's life before Scarlett but its mainly just "letters" to and from different people in Rhett's life and you never really get into Rhett's head. You never know what he's really thinking or feeling - a big let down.

I think one of the things that really got me was Melanie's letter to Rosemary Butler (how in the world Melly met Rhett's sister is beyond me) which included her mentioning that "she really wanted to have intimate relations" with Ashley. I'm sorry...Melly would NEVER have written anything like that to a family member, let alone someone she can barely know.

There also is NO MENTION of little Bonnie's death except a sentence or two in a letter from Melly to Rosemary. This death was a HUGE impact on Rhett and there was nothing about it or how he really felt.

This book was such a disappointment. I could go on and on and on about it but I won't. I wish the MM people would leave well enough alone. I love GWTW and I'd love more beyond it but if the two sequels that have come out are any indication of the authors they'll get to do this, they need to just stop.
Currently Reading: Crown in Candlelight, R. H. Jarmen

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Wed September 9th, 2009, 9:03 pm

I rather enjoyed RBP. I'd give it three and a half stars rounded up to four. But then it's a while since I've read Gone with The Wind. It hasn't stayed with me particularly, but I thought it was an okay read - nothing to write home about, but not a wall banger.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

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Vanessa
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Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
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Post by Vanessa » Wed September 9th, 2009, 9:06 pm

I have it on my TBR pile. I also have Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley. Has anyone read that one?
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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Miss Moppet
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Post by Miss Moppet » Wed September 9th, 2009, 10:34 pm

[quote=""Vanessa""]I also have Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley. Has anyone read that one?[/quote]

Not me. About ten years ago, when doing a temp receptionist job, I didn't take a book with me and thus had nothing to read when the phone wasn't ringing. But there was a book left behind by the person I was covering for: Alexandra Ripley's Charleston. I took a look, but didn't like it much. As I remember it was overwritten and full of very unlikely stuff. So I've given Scarlett a wide berth. Scarlett sold hugely though, so I guess someone enjoyed it.

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Thu September 10th, 2009, 12:09 am

I would definitely not recommend reading RBP too close on the heels of GWTW. If it's fresh in your mind you will most likely get very ticked off at what he does with those famous scenes and sticking "his" people in them. I didn't let myself get far enough to see what he did with Melly.

After reading through critical reviews on Amazon I decided to leave well enough alone and pass on Scarlett. I did read Charlston, if I recall I gave it a three.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Miss Moppet
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Post by Miss Moppet » Thu September 10th, 2009, 12:38 am

[quote=""Misfit""]I would definitely not recommend reading RBP too close on the heels of GWTW. If it's fresh in your mind you will most likely get very ticked off at what he does with those famous scenes and sticking "his" people in them. I didn't let myself get far enough to see what he did with Melly.
[/quote]

This is the thing. GWTW is always fresh in my mind. I've re-read it probably every year for the past 20 years. I just did this quiz to check how good my knowledge really was and I got full marks. So if RBP does indeed mess with canon facts, I am going to be chuntering all the way through it.

Still, I'm curious now.

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Thu September 10th, 2009, 1:48 am

As much as people carry on about not posting negative reviews and the proverbial "if you can't say anything nice" attitude, the negative review/opinion really doesn't stop you does it? It just sends you in with your eyes wide open.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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robinbird79
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Post by robinbird79 » Thu September 10th, 2009, 1:51 am

[quote=""Vanessa""]I have it on my TBR pile. I also have Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley. Has anyone read that one?[/quote]

I actually liked it much better than RBP. Probably because the author didn't mess with characters and scenes from the original. The actual story IS a bit far fetched but I enjoyed reading it.
Currently Reading: Crown in Candlelight, R. H. Jarmen

http://almostcrazymommy.blogspot.com

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