Rhett Butler’s People

I Still Love That Man!

Hey, Belles & Beaux,

I finally finished one of the most outstanding reads on my currently reading list. So with me finally finishing this one, I love my darling Rhett Butler all the more. If you have read the authorized sequel to Gone with the Wind entitled Scarlett then you will find issue with this book as it doesn’t follow that storyline. I honestly love both as Rhett and Scarlett get a happy ending so either one is fine – this was just a shorter read.

The main reason I picked this book up so long ago – via my original Kindle – is because I thoroughly enjoy learning more about characters that I love. So any book that gives me a more in depth character study is five stars on my list. Plus, I think I enjoy the idea as well because – if you didn’t know already – each of the men that Scarlett married were based on men in Margaret Mitchell’s life, which includes my dear Rhett Butler. I know he’s not the most ideal of a man, but there is just something about him or more so something about Clark Gable who portrayed him in the movie. However, this is about Rhett’s story.

The biggest thing that I noticed about this book is that it flashes back a lot between things and the people Rhett grew up with. So if you aren’t a fan of books that shift between different characters, this is definitely not for you.

We’re introduced to all of Rhett’s family and the truth behind his relationship with Belle Watling which is much more interesting than I had previously imagined because we didn’t get a lot with them in the movie, but there was a great deal of their relationship covered in the original book.

Rhett came from a family whose reputation was decently ruined due to Rhett’s idea of moral friendship. His sister still married well, but even then it ended during the war when her husband was killed during a battle in Franklin, TN.

As I said, the book jumps pretty decently between the new characters and the original characters which includes a bit of Melanie centered chapters which I quite enjoyed. I think it was mostly because I always saw her as a mousy character and this gave a little more life to her, especially when it came to Ashley’s surprise party after Scarlett and Ashley were caught alone together at the sawmill. I also enjoyed the letters Melanie sent to Rhett’s sister after they became close. Melly still died of course, but I think it would have been wrong not to continue with that character’s death because it did impact Scarlett greatly and it would have ruined that change in character on her part.

But in truth, this really shows why Rhett Butler was the way he was, willing to really help anyone who he knew needed it without truly expecting anything in return. Which if you’ve read the original novel is not something that comes through in his character easily as Scarlett always believed he expected something from her. The truth is he just wanted her to love him as he loved her.