That was a trip and a half.

For being such and unwieldy mammoth, the tension never lets up. Everything goes to shit fats and through infinite pages. Something to have in mind before taking a stab at it. Gave me quite the bit of anxiety (which is part of what I liked but, you know).

The set up had my mind working. I was raised in a small town, so I could more or less envision most of the human-failure troubles to come (though here they were running on a rocked fueled schedule), but some of the environmental issues I had not considered till I read about the stream. Then I knew that even in fairytale land everyone was fucked. And King does not write "friendship is magic" worlds. He likes to put the devil at the wheel.

There are many bit thoughts running through my head theme wise, like cooperation vs dictatorships, the cruelty of children, the old terrible memories of shame and guilt, that remark about how skewed the numbers between genders were (because who do you think gets scalded first, when the water starts heating? Duh), their positions (librarians, doctors, press, liberal priests, smart kids), guilt for bad deeds vs guilt for having enjoyed them. Also, the surprising bits that made me laugh (mostly bleak Gilligan's cuts that proved I have a very dark sense of humour) and the bits that made me suck my snot (most of Sammy Bushey, Ollie and Ames).

I don't know that it is a book for everybody, even King's fans, and many of the paths trailed are a rehash of The Stand in a way, but I actually liked this one's pace a lot better (grueling is not always my choice, but it's a good one when I go for thrillers or scares, so plus).

On the whole, there were no big surprises, but I quite like it. And I'm exhausted.

This is the good stuff. Epic fantasy with about as much patience with the "wait for the answers while I hint you to death" bullshit as I have, an uninformed protagonist that refuses to carry the idiot ball nonetheless, funny and wise wizard, and heavy hitter female (though I got tired of her "let me die before I hurt you" thing waaay before the end). And of the main villain's three appearances (yeah, neat on the rule), the squicky ruthless first, and his eminently charismatic second were a wonder.

Even better: it is pretty much self contained. We are left a lot of issues to pursue in subsequent volumes, but the adventure we start on we finish (and thank god, given all those pages).

It wont be soon, but I'm likely to keep reading this saga.

Slowly doing this to myself. Like last volume, Tyrion is a saving grace.

Long Audiobooks are a blessing through absent-minded seasons and interesting times.

*sigh* Well... I'm depressed.

Way nostalgic, incredibly biased, yet a mammoth that deserves to be tackled.

The pace is slow and full of description and social commentary yet it gets you into the swaying rhythm easily. The main characters reminded me of Wuthering Heights, so compelling despite their heavy flaws. The story takes us through the Secession War and the reconstruction while we follow Sacrlett's downward spiral.

I can hear all the complains: immoral characters, bias, hypocrisy, racism, historic apology. I can see how anyone touchy about any point would chuck this one to the wall. I read it as the characters view of the world, and it worked. I regarded Scarlett as I did Kathy Earnshaw, and it worked too.

Scarlett is a selfish, sociopathic creature, shined with the southern belle coat her mother fixed on her. She's a naive, spoiled kid whom the war forces to take great burdens, and it so happens that she has the strength in spirit to carry them, even if she crosses every moral line in the process (not that she ever cared much about those, just the appearance).

Rhett is the educated, male version of Scarlett. He's more aware of himself and the world, and so succeeds better in many a point that trips Scarett, social graces and political foresight being the very obvious. He can not only see the futility of social  trappings (which he teaches Scarlett), but their use (which she forgets), and can don them if motivated, though he tires fast.

Their mix is an inevitable tragedy. Both of them tend to spoil any they touch, even in help; their combination is ruination.

Actually, out of all relationships, the only one that really works is Melly's and Sacrlett's (despite Scarlett too), the first taking care of society, the second of the practical aspects. While there is no man around, their teaming manages very well. It actually reminds me of a married couple's classical roles.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I have a lot of little thoughts about this one, and I think I posted most of them as I was going, but the gist is that I really liked it. It's sad and harrowing, and will push many peoples buttons, but it's beautiful too, and funny: every exchange between Sacrlett and Rhett always hit hilarity while ruining the gamut of emotions, and there were so many situations that made for dry or hypocritical humor.

An almost five stars for a different read.

And I'm left with a mighty stock of nightmares, misty eyes, a lump in my throat and a cast that will forever live in my heart.

Holy fucking shit, this book was amazing. Full of triggers, for those worried about those, but so very good. I'll be hung over for a while.