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littletaiko's review against another edition
not really sure why I never got into this book, but every time I picked it up I just didn't care about what was happening. Chalk it up to just not being the right book for me.
retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition
3.0
A fictional background for Mammy in Gone with the Wind. From Haiti to Charleston to Savannah to Upcountry Georgia. Well-written but convoluted... Mammy's husband was involved in Denmark Vesey's rebelllion and sentenced to hang by the judge who later turns out to be Rhett Butler's father.
re_oanslay's review
2.0
For a book literally titled "Ruth's Journey", I often found myself wishing to spend more time on our titular character instead of the white gentry. McCaig clearly spent time and care crafting something that would be in the spirit of "Gone with the Wind" (which explains why the Mitchell Estate authorized the novel). Still, I was longing to hear more of the thoughts and the feelings of our protagonist. Ruth is fleshed out wonderfully, but each time the narrative pulled away from her perspective, I found my interest plummeting.
missamandamae's review
3.0
I had some trouble with this book, though the premise intrigued me a lot. The title is Ruth's Journey, but you really don't get to Ruth's story until at least halfway through the book, and even then it doesn't get to where you want the story until a ways after that. Before that, Ruth is present, but the story is focused on Scarlett's grandmother Solange, and is rather slow-moving and wordy. I think McCaig would have done better switching POV by chapters instead of this approach.
But once we actually got INTO the story of Ruth/Mammy, the pace really picked up. The story of Ruth is well-constructed, and historically accurate. You do really feel for this poor woman who endures a considerable amount of tragedy, and chooses to devote herself to her mistress Solange and Solange's daughter Ellen, and then Ellen's daughter Katie Scarlett, the character we all know so well. I appreciated McCaig's interpretation of Ellen's failed love affair with the mysterious Phillipe that is briefly mentioned in Gone With the Wind.
I will have to agree with another reviewer that the whole "Scarlett riding a horse in boy's clothes" plot was pushing it. Sure things like that happened back then, but I think it was too much of a stretch for the character of Scarlett. She could have had a tomboy/rough 'n' tumble childhood without cross-dressing and racing for money. And the transformation of Scarlett going from that tomboy into the fascinating lady she became could have used a little more fleshing out, in my opinion. It was mostly skimmed over quickly. I read McCaig's Rhett Butler's People, which I did enjoy... until it went past the end of Gone With the Wind and just seemed more far-fetched than based on what the characters would actually do. (And it had a few factual errors as I recall). McCaig has a good sense of story, but perhaps not the best grasp on the characters as a whole that most fans will appreciate.
So, overall not a bad read, but not quite the experience I was expecting.
But once we actually got INTO the story of Ruth/Mammy, the pace really picked up. The story of Ruth is well-constructed, and historically accurate. You do really feel for this poor woman who endures a considerable amount of tragedy, and chooses to devote herself to her mistress Solange and Solange's daughter Ellen, and then Ellen's daughter Katie Scarlett, the character we all know so well. I appreciated McCaig's interpretation of Ellen's failed love affair with the mysterious Phillipe that is briefly mentioned in Gone With the Wind.
I will have to agree with another reviewer that the whole "Scarlett riding a horse in boy's clothes" plot was pushing it. Sure things like that happened back then, but I think it was too much of a stretch for the character of Scarlett. She could have had a tomboy/rough 'n' tumble childhood without cross-dressing and racing for money. And the transformation of Scarlett going from that tomboy into the fascinating lady she became could have used a little more fleshing out, in my opinion. It was mostly skimmed over quickly. I read McCaig's Rhett Butler's People, which I did enjoy... until it went past the end of Gone With the Wind and just seemed more far-fetched than based on what the characters would actually do. (And it had a few factual errors as I recall). McCaig has a good sense of story, but perhaps not the best grasp on the characters as a whole that most fans will appreciate.
So, overall not a bad read, but not quite the experience I was expecting.
silverlotus's review against another edition
3.0
Gone With the Wind ranks as one of my top ten favourite novels, and I am also a fan of Donald McCaig's other authorized prequel, Rhett Butler's People. Sadly, even though I had high hopes for it, I don't think Ruth's Journey is even half as good as either of those books.
I found both the beginning and end of this book weak. While it was interesting to learn how Ruth came to Solange, too much time was spent on Solange herself. And, at the end, Mammy's narrative seems to loose cohesion, almost as if she is beginning to loose her mind (but we know from Gone With the Wind that she still has many years left).
The meat of the book is the middle section, where we see Ruth grow up, become a Mammy, and move amongst the families of Savannah and Charleston. Many of the events dovetail nicely with those mentioned Gone With the Wind and Rhett Butler's People. Although, I feel like the timeline doesn't work out quite right.
A large portion of the novel is written in pre-Civil War black vernacular, and may be difficult for some readers to read.
I received a free uncorrected ARC of this book from the publisher.
I found both the beginning and end of this book weak. While it was interesting to learn how Ruth came to Solange, too much time was spent on Solange herself. And, at the end, Mammy's narrative seems to loose cohesion, almost as if she is beginning to loose her mind (but we know from Gone With the Wind that she still has many years left).
The meat of the book is the middle section, where we see Ruth grow up, become a Mammy, and move amongst the families of Savannah and Charleston. Many of the events dovetail nicely with those mentioned Gone With the Wind and Rhett Butler's People. Although, I feel like the timeline doesn't work out quite right.
A large portion of the novel is written in pre-Civil War black vernacular, and may be difficult for some readers to read.
I received a free uncorrected ARC of this book from the publisher.
queeniereads1962's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book very much and have a keen interest in all things GWTW. I wish the ending was stronger and perhaps delivered us to the end of her life.
dolphinlvr0920's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.5
It took me about 120 pages to really get into the book. I loved Rhett Butler's People so I was determined to learn Mammy's story.
suannelaqueur's review
1.0
GAAAAAAH! So badly written with so many GLARING mistakes, it was embarrassing.