The Winds of Tara

by Katherine Pinotti

The Unauthorised Sequel.

The most infamous love affair of all times continues on with The Winds of Tara.

Scarlett O'Hara, headstrong and beautiful, contrives to win back the love of her estranged husband and children. Broken hearted, she returns home to Tara, only to find the plantation in jeopardy by a greedy overseer and her sister's reputation threatened. Determined to succeed against overwhelming odds, she spins a web of lies and deceit that force her to choose between the man she loves, and breaking a solemn promise that would expose a secret that could destroy her family's honor forever.

416 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2008

About the author

Katherine Pinotti, a native Texan, grew up in rural North Carolina in a small town on the South Carolina border. Physician, teacher and author, Katherine currently lives on a small east Texas ranch with her husband and children, seven dogs and fifteen cats. She spends most of her free time traveling, rock-hounding, gardening, and of course writing constantly.
--from the author's website

Reviews

[Laurie V]

I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. The story is compelling enough. It picks up where GWTW left off, with Scarlett going back to Tara after Rhett leaves her. Carreen figures very heavily into the plot of this book, which I liked because of the possibility of getting to know this minor character better. The back cover copy also teases that Scarlett will work to repair her relationships with Wade and Ella, which I also thought would be interesting. It's not the plot of the book that I objected to. It's the fact that this author must have never read GWTW, or at least didn't read it all that closely.

Anytime I would start to get into the story, the author would make some completely ridiculous claim that anyone familiar with GWTW could have corrected for her. For example, did you know that Will Benteen was actually the son of a wealthy plantation owner who died and left Will with nothing? Or that Tara was the premiere provider of cotton in the ENTIRE South after the war? And that they grew sugar cane in addition to cotton and rice? And that Bonnie was eight years old when she died? WTF?? If that wasn't ridiculous enough, the consistent misspelling of Belle Watling's name was so irritating and such an easy editing fix.

I also have to mention my objection to the characterization of Scarlett. Scarlett finally goes through a significant change at the end of GWTW, realizing that her actions have alienated her and destroyed her personal relationships. I thought this book might explore the new Scarlett, but when I read on page 8 that Rhett was "so mean" for leaving her, I knew that wasn't happening.

The plot had possibilities. In the hands of a better author, this might have been a decent read. I had to order this book from Abbey's Bookshop in Australia because it's still banned in the USA. You can find it at www.abbeys.com.au if you want to check it out.

[Tiffany]

My fabulous sister-in-law hauled this copyright-defying "Gone with the Wind" sequel all the way from Australia for me - thanks, e! However, since only truth is published on the internet, I'm forced to report that "The Winds of Tara" was disappointing for me. To be fair, I'm such a fan of GWTW that satisfying me would have been a near-miraculous achievement. The first time I read "Scarlett," Alexandra Ripley's GWTW bodice-ripper that was commissioned by the Mitchell estate, it didn't do much for me. But after reading "The Wind Done Gone" (interesting, but in my opinion more about provocation than the writing or the story), "Rhett Butler's People," and now "The Winds of Tara," I can't help but think that "Scarlett" was the best of the sequel bunch. "The Winds of Tara" isn't terribly written. Sure, a few weird editing mistakes crept through (like substituting homophones - a little professionalism, please!), but in general I had the sense that Pinotti could stitch together a coherent story in passable English. Unfortunately, I did *not* get the feeling that Pinotti had actually *read* GWTW. Cover to cover. And certainly not more than once. There were all kinds of weird direct contradictions to the canonical storyline, like a pointless digression into the abductions of Mammy, Dilcey, and Pork from Africa during their childhoods. Nonsense, of course, since in GWTW Mammy repeatedly huffs that she's not an African and was raised in the Robillard house, and Dilcey's entire physical appearance is based on her "Injun blood." Treating "Mammy" as a derivation of a given name instead of a reflection of her job (and the presence of all the other "mammies" referred to by other characters) is just bizarre. And what was with the weird comment about Scarlett's older brother being killed in a duel by Rhett? I wish I had the book in front of me so I could quote that passage directly - it stymied me for a good half hour before I was able to move on. I was also perplexed by Pinotti's lack of understanding of Scarlett's basic character, particularly regarding her relationship with her family (especially Suellen). The storyline made interesting use of secondary characters like Careen and Jonas Wilkerson, but I just had trouble getting past the integration problems to accept "The Winds of Tara" on its own. I take responsibility for that as a reader - but in the meantime, I continue searching for that perfect - or even just believable - return to moonlight and magnolias.

[Jayanna]

This is a terrible book and a disgrace to the memory of Margaret Mitchell. The author plays fast and loose with the GWTW template, characters and history, and her juvenile and poor writing skills are cringe-worthy. The Mitchell estate has rightfully sued to keep this off of the shelves in the U.S. and this mess of a book is only and thankfully available in Australia. Don't pine for it - it is not worthy of the paper it is printed on, much less the inflated cost of trying to find it online. This is easily one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read. If there were a listing of "no stars" - this book would have my vote placed more appropriately there.

[Rayna]

I was so excited to receive my copy of The Winds of Tara! I had to pay a fortune for it and wait an exceptionally long time to have it delivered from Australia. To my dismay, it was an extreme disappointment! I can certainly understand why the heirs of Margaret Mitchell would not endorse it.

I question if the author actually read Gone with the Wind, as she is not familiar with details of the story. Perhaps she watched the film a few times? A few glaring errors:
• This author describes Gerald O’Hara’s death as it happened in the movie, NOT the book! Although the manner of Gerald’s death is the same, the two events happened for different reasons and at very different times in the story.
• The name of the character Belle Watling is changed to Belle Watlin!
• Jonas Wilkerson is suddenly brought back to life after being killed by Tony Fontaine!
• The one-legged Will Benteen now walks with a slight limp and dances easily.
• The author says Will’s father “lost” his plantation – Ms. Mitchell’s character was a poor cracker farmer!
• Scarlett is 28 at the end of GWTW and this book supposedly opens just months after Melanie’s death. Yet, the author says Bonnie would have been 9 on her next birthday, and Suellen and Will had been married for 10 years, which would put both events happening during the Civil War and totally disrupts the story’s timeline.
• It is unconvincing to have Tara hosting a ball with ladies in gowns such a short time after the end of Reconstruction.

The story is predictable and very soapy. The quality of the writing could be improved, but this is a minor point in a book with so many other concerns. The editing needs work as well, since “peasants” are hanging from the belt of a hunter (page 164) and homonyms are mixed.

Sadly, this book does not belong on my bookshelf with Scarlett, Rhett Butler’s People, and The Wind Done Gone.

[Karen]

GONE WITH THE WIND unauthorized sequel. If you are a fan, you will love this book. It follows where the story left off and takes you on a satisfying conclusion to the Scarlett/Rhett love story but with some interesting twists. At times, predictable and maybe even trite, but still a fun, satisfying read. FAR better than the authorized sequel SCARLETT from a few years back. I had to buy it out of Australia due to the fact it isn't available in America or the UK because of copyright laws. Evidently, they let the laws lapse in Australia, and that is why they were able to publish and sell it there.

[Donna Edwards]

You will be surprisingly swept away by The Winds of Tara, assuming you can obtain a copy to read. It is unavailable in the United States. Due to copyright infringements and the lack of authorization from the Mitchell Trust, the book was pulled from bookstore shelves. Fortunately, since the copyright does not apply in Australia, diehard Gone With the Wind fans, can buy The Winds of Tara there, albeit having to pay high shipping costs. [return][return]Once I overcame the logistics of obtaining the book, it was well worth the wait and expense. I was held captive again by Scarlett and Rhett as I was as a teen. [return]Again, Tara is the rock that holds the family together and nothing is more sacred or valued more, than the lives and reputations of those who live there. It is delightful to enjoy the banter again between the Butler s as they continue to prove they are truly made for each other. Neither trusting each other, both madly in love with each other, both stubborn and unyielding. Without the Civil War as the backdrop, Scarlett is busy trying to save her marriage and recover her reputation as well as maintaining the social status of the family name.[return][return]Katherine Pinotti has succeeded in masterfully matching the tone, style, dialect and personalities of the original characters created so lovingly by Margaret Mitchell. It is obvious that the author took great care when writing the sequel to maintain a continuum that would be believable and have the same passion as the original. Her success should be celebrated as she has not altered the integrity of Mitchell s novel, nor has she detracted from the novel s birthright. On the contrary, Pinotti, has enhanced the legacy of Gone With the Wind by breathing a new soul into a story fans have yearned to hear. [return][return]Although it has been said that Mitchell never intended a sequel, many have attempted to provide a resolution to GWTW. Scarlett written in 1991 was rather dull and disappointing. Recently, Rhett Butler s People, by David McCraig out in stores, provides another perspective. Both of these sequels were authorized despite Margaret Mitchell s wishes. Another version bestselling, The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall is from the slave s perspective. This book was allowed to be sold only after a court decision ruled in favor of the author. [return][return]Katherine Pinotti s version fulfills an enormous void for those fans who wish to reclaim the magic of Tara. The Winds of Tara is an astounding success. It will captivate your attention and you will believe. [return][return] God s nightgown! , as Scarlett would say. [return]It is such a waste to finally have a worthy sequel, and not be able to support the demand for anyone wanting to read the book in the US. If you loved Gone With the Wind, you must send for The Winds of Tara today.

[Virginia]

There are a lot of problems with this book, from bad editing, to the amount of time women sashay and saunter around, to the fact that every single flower in the book drooped it's head at some point. Nonetheless, the book ends up being fairly entertaining. The story did drag on a bit, and I was getting impatient with the amount of time both Rhett and Scarlett spent thinking about each other and telling other people that they still loved each other. It's frusterating to me when two characters who should be together aren't simply because they're too stuborn to figure it out. It annoys me in real life, too.

[Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies]

As a huge fan of gwtw I ached to know what was going to happen next. Mitchell truly let fans hanging at the end. I think Pinotti really knew the story like the back of her hand and just took the characters on a ride of her own. Who cares if you agree with it or not. I was riveted from page one and satsisfied with each chapter. I couldn't wait for Rhett to finally come into play and overall I just loved going back to Tara again.

[Cynthia]

Loved this story! Very well written!

[Laura Cupp]

This one of the best sequels I've read. If you are a fan of GWTW read this book.

[Valerie Sanford pinotti]

This book was an excellent read..

[Teresa]

Waaaaayyyyy better sequel to Gone With The Wind than Scarlett could ever hope to be❤❤❤❤ If you're a GWTW fan; you need to get yor hands on this book. Wish she would write a sequel to this book!!

[TeresaMarie]

Much better than the sequel Alexandra Ripley wrote; ie Scarlett. Mitchell's estate messed up by not authorizing this to be the sequel.

[Veracity]

Scarlett O Hara is one of fiction s best-loved heroines, albeit a flawed one. She s beautiful, feisty, selfish, vain, ambitious, savvy, ruthless and, above all, a survivor; everything a proper Southern lady, as exemplified by Melanie Wilkes, isn t. And so we know that - even as her world comes crashing down around her ears at the end of 'Gone With The Wind' - Scarlett will, somehow, get through this setback and prosper. No wonder we have all fantasized about what happens after the curtains close on Scarlett declaring that "After all, tomorrow is another day!"[return:][return:]'The Winds of Tara' bravely attempts to satisfy our curiosity about what happens to Scarlett and Rhett; a daunting task when our dreams are so romantic and our expectations so high. Even more daunting is the Mitchell estate, which successfully banned Kattherine Pinotti s unauthorised sequel from the US and other major markets. Somehow or other, a new edition has been published in Australia which apparently cleverly bypasses the ban.[return:][return:]Scarlett s separation from Rhett and the death of her staunch supporter, Melanie, has caused her to look at herself and her life in a new light. Returning to Tara to take comfort and regroup, Scarlett finds nothing is as she expects it to be; Suellen has grown a backbone, Jonas Wilkerson (the former overseer) believes he owns part of Tara and Careen has fled to the convent suffering from a mysterious illness and a broken romance with a Yankee. Scarlett resolves to fix all of that, repair her strained relationship with her children and get Rhett back to boot - and the first step is to find out what is going on with Careen. What she discovers at the convent sends Scarlett to England and back in a bid to save her family from a serious scandal. [return:][return:]Clearly, Ms Pinotti wants to provide Scarlett with the means for character growth and development, however the magnitude of the change we see, even in the first few pages, is somewhat unbelievable. In a few short months, apparently, Scarlett transforms into a caring, selfless person whose stubbornness is probably her only remaining fault (but, ah ha! that s really a virtue, too). Careen s predicament, which serves as part of the fuel for Scarlett s change, is too convenient, a mere plot device. Similarly, the threat of divorce seems too modern and too simple; surely Rhett and Scarlett would simply agree to a genteel separation rather than brave further scandal with divorce, regardless of how maverick they both are. And, really, the ultimate fate of their relationship is never in doubt.[return:][return:]Although 'The Winds of Tara' is not, in my opinion, entirely successful in its approach to Margaret Mitchell s characters and narrative, I am certain that 'Gone With The Wind' fans will enjoy the book. Despite its faults, this book fills in the gaps between tragedy to the happily ever after we all want for Scarlett.

[Lala]

*

This unauthorized sequel to Gone With the Wind starts right where the novel left off, with Scarlett on her way to Tara and determined to get Rhett back. Once at Tara, Scarlett takes time to reconnect with her family, who are being hounded by Jonas Wilkerson, and discovers something is wrong with her youngest sister, Careen.

There are many inconsistencies within this book with incorrect ages, dead characters that are now alive, changed backstories, and name misspellings- at first I thought Belle Watlin was just a typo, but no, that's her name throughout the whole book. There are are a few mirrored scenes from Gone With the Wind, and some plot similarities to Alexandra Ripley's Scarlett- namely Scarlett going to Europe and her and Rhett attaining another daughter- although to be fair, the circumstances for both were different.

The book also has a small scope, really only focusing on one conflict and its repercussions. And for Scarlett trying to get Rhett back, she doesn't spend much of the book trying very hard. The only thing I did like was the emphasis on the children, and Scarlett attempting to have a real relationship with both Wade and Ella, something the other sequels haven't done. Still, this was pretty disappointing, and by far the worst of the GWTW sequels I've read.

Personal history: I was lucky enough to find a used copy for a reasonable price.

[Mary]

When Gone with the Wind ends we know that Rhett and Scarlett love each other but that their pride and complicated personalities keep them apart. However, we know that Scarlett never gives up when she decides on something and when the first book ends she has decided to win Rhett back. We also know that Rhett always does the right thing when show comes to push. He is stubborn, but he humbles himself when he has to, like he did when he decided to join the war in its final stages.

Based on this assessment the plot is logical on the background of the foundation that Gone With the Wind provided.

This is a good book. I think the author for the most part captured the essence of Gone With the Wind.

[Kathy Brattain]

The Winds of Tara by Katherine Pinotti is a wonderful sequel to Gone With the Wind. It picks up in just the right place, and then it never lets you down! I was so disappointed with "Scarlett" that I almost passed this book over. But being an avid GWTW fan and collector, I had to read it. I don't understand why the Mitchell Trust won't recognize this book for the true treasure it really is. Maybe one day they will realize that all true GWTW fans are going to find a way to e eventually own this priceless sequel to the priceless story that is Gone With the Wind.

[Donna Edwards]

2008-Spring,historical fiction,American Civil War,Unauthorized sequel,Gone With the Wind,romance,Katherine Pinotti,Scarlett O'Hara,19th century

[Kayla]

Truly sub-par fan fiction with a binding. There are much better efforts which can be read, and for free, at the GWTW fan fiction page.

[Sassy_siti]

i want read this book.. but it still not in malaysia..

[Wendy Currey]

A bit ordinary, think I need to grow a woman's heart to appreciate it. Just a little tacky.