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sneeps'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: Child death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
merlesstorys's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story seems so simple at the start, but as soon as I started reading, I discovered layers and layers.
Like the high possibility, that Idgie and Ruth queer were but never said out loud. It just showed that queer people always existed and that we always will.
Ninny‘s story was kinda heartbreaking. How she lost her husband and child, just to be alone in the retirement home at the end, but moved there for her best friend. And that she was so selfless in general, but gave Evelyn all her things.
And Evelyn, poor Evelyn. I‘m so happy for her and that she felt a lot better at the end. She found her way.
The structure of the book was interesting. The many chapters, consisting of flashbacks, newspaper articles and in-person-experiences were a lot at first (confusing and difficult to follow), but after a while I got a hang of it and it got easier to read.
In general I enjoyed reading this book a lot. Because I took my sweet time with it, the ending felt even for rewarding in the end - because I loved reading this book in a slow and steady pace. Normally I rush through a book, but I didn’t feel the need for it with this one.
Just a few things I love about this book that are maybe more of a spoiler than my review already is:
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism
Just wanted to add that this book is pretty old and therefore has some outdated content. Reading it was great anyway!frogglin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The jumping timeline can be confusing at times, but overall the past and "present" (late 1980s when the book was written) are clearly defined. The stark contrast of a nursing home compared to the warm community of Whistle Stop works well, and the sprawling cast of characters each bring their own flavour to the story.
It's a story that swings between gentle moments of community and tenderness and heart breaking horrors of racism and violence.
It's a shame the movie toned down the deep relationship between Idgie and Ruth, which is simply a marriage that never causes an issue or problem in the town.
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, and Murder
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: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
artstitute's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Blood, Dementia, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Vomit, and Pregnancy
laurataylor'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
fatherprozac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Also, the main character finds her self worth by
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, and Classism
chloenfp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Classism
lily1304's review against another edition
3.25
It's flagged as "LGBTQ+" because it prominently features a committed relationship between two women, and no one in the novel is ever weird about it. Racism and sexism are strong themes, but there is apparently zero homophobia in Whistle Stop, Alabama. It's honestly kind of refreshing, but also confusing. Everyone treats this couple like they're married, but they're described in really vague terms, almost like a "Boston marriage" romantic friendship. It's like the opposite of The Price of Salt.
The way racism is depicted is particularly interesting - the novel features the Ku Klux Klan and an old white lady with a mild discomfort around black men and everything in between. It's difficult to tell which mildly racist opinions are the author's and which are just the characters'. The N-word and the word "colored" are used with abandon. The novel also makes a big deal out of colorism among the black characters.
One of the characters, Evelyn, an older lady in 1986, goes on a whole journey about how sexism has affected her life - and her story concludes triumphantly with her at weight-loss camp, and losing a significant amount of weight is one of her victories. Unironically. Evelyn's relationship with Ninny makes it seem like the story is about to take a strong body-positive stance, but it's a total bait and switch.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, and War
Minor: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
houndoflove1985's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Murder