Rating: 
Summary: Literature...Not At Its Best, Perhaps
Review: Although having read it years ago, I was never really a die-hard 'fan' so to speak, of the whole saga of Tara and GWTW, and especially the romantic 'allure' of it. Therefore, having no expectations along these lines, I'd still have to say that unfortunately, this book was just very poorly written. There are many components which make truly great 'literaure' what it is. The Wind Done Gone, (in my own opinion...of course) was rather lacking across the board in areas such as: voice clarity and consistency throughout the story, sentence structuring, plotting, story pacing, etc., etc. On any level of reading, I think it could be safely said, that it wasn't an easy read -- and not a very good one either. However, I did like the concept Alice Randall seemed to have in mind when writing this story, so I am very open to reading other works from her in the future.
Rating: 
Summary: This is literature - not a historical romance
Review: I thought this was a fantastic read.
Re-reading GWTW a few years ago, I was surprised to discover how much of the racial/slave story I had managed to overlook the first time round. This novel was a refreshing look at what might have been going on in those secondary plots. The writing is at a higher level than Mitchell's book; this is not an easy read, nor is it intended for devoted fans who are primarily interested in the love story of the original.
Rating: 
Summary: What Can I Say ?
Review: I've just finished this book, and I'm now racking my brain for at least one good thing to say in its favor. Unfortunately--I'm really coming up empty here. What was Ms. Randall thinking, and why was her editor obviously "asleep at the wheel" when deciding to take this story on after she wrote it?? Some of the writing appears to be in some sort of an erratic "code," that the reader has been duly charged to decipher. I originally thought a book like this would tell a "different" kind of story, and ultimately be a great read. But after reading a wonderful book like "Cane River," this one is a true disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I hurried to the store as soon as the book hit the shelves. I could not wait to read this book, boy what a disappointment. The book was awful plain and simple.
Rating:
Summary: The Truth About Slavery
Review: Alice Randall's "The Wind Done Gone" gives a vivid picture of the pre and post war South. Randall depicts life on the Gone With the Wind Plantation-through the eyes of the family's slaves. The main character who is the master's love child, is unremarkably intelligent and displays her inherent childishness, even into her adulthood. Randall portrays most of the relationships between whites and blacks as consensual, ignoring the history of slave rape-but nevertheless creates a believable plot. I thoroughly enjoyed her method of story telling, that often required you to pay close attention to the text. (Hence why someone stated in their review that they didn't understand the ending, and revealed some of the plot) Overall I think she did a wonderful job while using a lot less paper than the orignial novel.
Rating: 
Summary: It's A Parody!
Review: Alice Randall is a great writer and thinker! You will probably have to read the book twice because the first time, you read what's on the surface; the second time, you read what is really there. Her writing makes you look so far beyond the surface. Each word means what it says and more! Alice Randall is an English Teacher's dream student!!!!! The words on the pages of her book ARE alive! A must read!
Rating:
Summary: Fan-fiction?
Review: Most of what I think about this book has been said, and said well. The writing is mediocre at best, and it's NOT a parody. It strikes me as a sorry attempt at fan-fiction, and Cindy/Cinnamon/Cynara makes for a fine example of a 'Mary Sue'. Had the author intended to write the story from the view of the slaves at Tara, well, there were plenty of established characters to pick from. Why not write the story from Mammy's view, for example? Now that might have been interesting to read. But no, she had to invent a character... the super-beautiful, intelligent, mistreated but feisty half-sister. Good grief.
Rating:
Summary: If only the wind blew this book away
Review: This novel is sort of told in Diary form. Cynara, Cindy, or Cinnamon, whatever she calls herself in each chapter is the daughter of Planter and Mammy, making her Scarlett's half sister. She tells us she is more beautiful than her sister and that she is living with her husband R. She will also have us believe that Mrs. O'Hara was engaged to her first cousin and was also a negro. Oh, and Ashley was gay and having an affair with Prissy's brother. Oh, Please! Other than the far fetched story, the writing was disjointed and hard to follow. The author bounced all over the place, so much so, that you hardly know when or where you are. I was looking forward to a much better story, and the makings are there, but it went with the wind.
Rating:
Summary: The Worst Book I Have Ever Read
Review: This book was just bad. When I first heard about The Wind Done Gone I thought it was a great idea. Then I read it. Ms. Randall's writing was bad and it isn't worth the money. How did this get published? I'm a historian and love to read historical fiction but I was unable to finish this VERY thin book. It was dull and dry. I would suggest Cane River which is a great book. Please don't buy this.
Rating: 
Summary: Something to make you think
Review: Initially, I avoided this book because of all the newsworthy controversy surrounding its publication. Having read it, I must agree it is controversial, sometimes funny, and very often sad. What makes this a worthwhile read is the thought provoking premise that Ms.Randall delicately shoves down the reader's throat.
Margaret Mitchell's GWTW is a stand-alone classic and its impact on literary and film history can hardly be demolished or demoralized by any subsequent work of fiction. However, The Wind Done Gone takes the reader beyond the facade of the ante-bellum and reconstructed South and poses the question 'what about the slaves?'
Randall's main character Cynara narrates this book through journal entries, giving the reader the opportunity to examine the grittier aspects of slave society (mulatto babies, slave markets, jealousy and manipulation) and the similarities of all people, irrespective of race (love, loss, and longing).
While Cynara's story is significantly shorter than her half-sister Scarlett O'Hara's it is no less real or touching.
This novel serves to remind readers and history that stories previously untold, are still worth telling.
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