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eiramaniger's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Child death, Rape, Alcoholism, Cancer, Racism, Death, Sexual violence, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
pbraue13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Cannibalism
sammerp219's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body shaming
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Rape
jazlynaw's review
2.0
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape
soniuz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Racism, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Murder, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: War
blueshirt's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
To her credit, the author attempts to address the gaping economic and social disparities between black and white people. But be prepared for a lot of outdated thoughts and phrasing. This book was written in the 1980s, and it shows.
One character, Evelyn, is a middle-aged housewife living in the 1980s. She has A LOT of off-color internal thoughts, including ideas about how black people are "just happier" than white people. I do not think the reader is supposed to interpret Evelyn's thoughts as reflecting the author's opinions...I think this is very much supposed to demonstrate that she is a sheltered, uneducated woman of her time.
Having said all that, this book is so tender. My favorite parts included:
- After Idgie and Ruth got together, Idgie's father sat her down and told her that she now had a woman and a baby to care for, so Idgie better settle down and get a real job. It was just not at all what I expected, haha.
- Big George loved his little girl so much he couldn't even stand to be in the house when her momma spanked her for being naughty.
- Idgie, Big George, and the elephant.
I fully recommend this book. I knocked a star off for the outdated ideas about race, but I honestly don't blame the author too much considering the subject matter and the time it was written.
Also, warning for cannibalism. But it's not at all graphic and is actually kind of hilarious.
4/28/2024 edit: I have such fond memories of reading this book that I bumped my rating up from 4.0 to 4.75. It's not a perfect book, but it did make me so happy.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Medical trauma and Rape
Minor: Cannibalism and War
kleinekita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, and Death
Minor: Cannibalism, Cancer, Murder, and War
celery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Dementia, Sexual violence, Gore, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual harassment, Classism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Medical content, Addiction, Cannibalism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Murder, Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Vomit, War, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Child death, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Infertility, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail
mckinlay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Rape
cwg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
Read this Summer of 2022 when I was feeling dour. Cheered me up a bit.
Light-hearted reading. Easy to read, easy to love characters.
Interesting narrative structure (past and present, narrative embedded within narrative).
Product of its era, not just in the sense of it being set in 1920s and 1990s South (approximation) — do mind the TW’s if you’re wary — but if you can get past that, it’s a lovely story about community.
It’s also got elements of “found family,” which, while I won’t give details, was easily my favorite segment within the book (of course it’s the relationship
Moderate: Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Body shaming, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cannibalism, Eating disorder, and Pregnancy