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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
Just don’t feel like reading this book, especially with the messy timeline
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don’t remember when I have read such a good book. It’s about nothing and everything at the same time. It’s just so comfy that invites you to keep reading.
The narration technique is really good in combining past and present. This is my first book from this author and I’m sure I’ll be reading more. I just wished I could keep reading the book indefinitely, it’s that much enjoyable.
The narration technique is really good in combining past and present. This is my first book from this author and I’m sure I’ll be reading more. I just wished I could keep reading the book indefinitely, it’s that much enjoyable.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed. The atmosphere is generally fun and light hearted, but it still manages to tackle heavy subjects like misogyny and domestic abuse without feeling jarring. The town of Whistle Stop is very endearing with a colorful cast of characters. But... there are a few things that keep me from rating this higher.
As other reviewers have pointed out, the way this book addresses racism feels a little whitewashed. It acknowledges racism and even colorism within black communities, but doesn't really do anything with that or interrogate the way back characters are treated. It's kinda like, The Help's way of addressing racism, where racism exists but of course the main white characters are super progressive for their time, and the black characters are still pretty stereotyped. It's well-intentioned, I think, but misses the mark.
I haven't seen anyone mention how weird the ending is.Evelyn breaks out of her middle age slump by... going to fat camp and joining a pyramid scheme? I don't get the feeling I was supposed to find those choices questionable, but oh man that aged badly. The fat camp part is especially wild to me, because Ninny mentions multiple times that Evelyn should be able to enjoy the food she likes without worrying about her weight, and I thought the book was agreeing with her. But I guess not?
To close it on a positive note, I really loved the relationship between Idgie and Ruth, and I appreciated the way it was treated by the novel. Characters were mature about it, and Idgie stepping up as Stump's second parent without it really being questioned was, honestly, kinda heartwarming. Good to see this kind of representation, no notes there!
Overall I think this book kinda wasn't for me (even outside the issues I mentioned, I found it overly saccharine for my tastes at times), but it was an easy and fun read!
As other reviewers have pointed out, the way this book addresses racism feels a little whitewashed. It acknowledges racism and even colorism within black communities, but doesn't really do anything with that or interrogate the way back characters are treated. It's kinda like, The Help's way of addressing racism, where racism exists but of course the main white characters are super progressive for their time, and the black characters are still pretty stereotyped. It's well-intentioned, I think, but misses the mark.
I haven't seen anyone mention how weird the ending is.
To close it on a positive note, I really loved the relationship between Idgie and Ruth, and I appreciated the way it was treated by the novel. Characters were mature about it, and Idgie stepping up as Stump's second parent without it really being questioned was, honestly, kinda heartwarming. Good to see this kind of representation, no notes there!
Overall I think this book kinda wasn't for me (even outside the issues I mentioned, I found it overly saccharine for my tastes at times), but it was an easy and fun read!
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nawet jeśli Whistle Stop nigdy nie istniało, poczułam w trakcie lektury teksturę wykładziny, usłyszałam wołania Onzell z kuchni, zaraźliwy śmiech Idgie, zobaczyłam zmarszczkę na czole Pani Threadgoode i zasmakowałam przemycanych batoników Evelyn (a wszyscy wiemy, że takie smakują najlepiej).
Smutno jest się rozstawać. Raz jest to bliski, kiedy indziej książka posiadająca duszę, historie, wspomnienia, cały uszyty świat. Fannie Flagg prowadzi nas przez wielkie i małe radości, smutki i tragedie mieszkańców małej mieściny przy torach kolejowych, po jeszcze mniejszą dzielnice Troutville, wielkie Birmingham i Slagtown. Podróżujemy między czasami, osobami, przeskakując z jednego ramienia na drugie, poznając perspektywy wspomnień, świadków i samych podmiotów dyskusji.
To książka o życiu: ludziach, miłości, przyjaźni, nienawiści, rodzinie, rasizmie, prześladowaniach, niesprawiedliwości, starzeniu się i dorastaniu, dzieciństwie, niewinności, chorobie, stracie i smażonych zielonych pomidorach za kilka centów. Powieść wydana po raz pierwszy w 1987 roku, zatem upominam was o tolerancje względem nieaktualnego już słownictwa. Cała reszta, niestety, wciąż w wielkim stopniu pozostaje aktualna.
Przeczytałam ją w ramach Sapphic Year, oczekując historii dwóch kobiet, prowadzących razem kawiarnie w latach dwudziestych, które kochały się głośno i bezwstydnie i nikogo to nie obchodziło. Spełniła je, choć w inny, zaskakujący sposób, zyskałam również dużo więcej i to okazało się być najpiękniejsze. Szczerze pokochałam Idgie, Ruth, Kikutka, Dużego Georga, Onzell, Simpsey, Evelyn, Smokeya Samotnika, Dot Weems i całą rodzinę Threadgoodów.
Może ta książka nie jest romansem, lecz zdecydowanie jest najpiękniejszymi historiami o miłości. Ta książka to miłość, o której się wspomina po wielu latach, siedząc na ławce i podziwiając zachód słońca, ze świadomością, że było się świadkiem czegoś niebywale wyjątkowego: życia.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence
Minor: Hate crime, Pedophilia
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Highly recommended in the simple grounds of this being a lovely little story.
Naturally, the book is always better than the movie. But I will give them credit that the movie, while necessarily including fewer rich details than the book, was well done in its own right.
Naturally, the book is always better than the movie. But I will give them credit that the movie, while necessarily including fewer rich details than the book, was well done in its own right.