Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

15 reviews

eiramaniger's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

5.0

This is my favourite book; I’ve read it at least a couple dozen times and I cry every. single. time. Strong women and sisterhood are major themes in this book, but it also touches on civil rights, and there is a lesbian romance although it is never explicitly stated as such. Evelyn, Ruth, Idgie, & Ninny feel like old friends at this point. Always find myself coming back to read it yet again whenever I come upon life’s many difficulties. Reading it just feels like no matter what happens, everything is going to be ok. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Rape, Alcoholism, Cancer, Racism, Death, Sexual violence, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

edwardinsane's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’m really enjoyed this book! Some things to age well in regard to race. But overall I still really enjoyed the book.

I liked the end of the movie way more than in the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Child death, Sexism, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Body shaming

Minor: Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Animal death

morenowagain's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexism, Homophobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Police brutality, and Child death

celery's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

portapages's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-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

4.75

Deeply enjoyable. We follow multiple characters from youth till death, and see how their lives unfold. The tone is rather silly and doesn't take itself too seriously, but is still deeply moving. I think it holds the record of book that made me cry the fastest. I also laughed out loud multiple times, because it was just so surprising.

This book is also contains characters who are rather queer, anti-racist, and socialist for their time, considering it's set in 1930s USA.

THAT SAID, once again, this book crosses multiple very trying times in USA's history. It was also written in 1987. The language used in the book is not something we deem acceptable anymore, especially considering the ethnicity of the writer.

However, while there were some questionable portrayals of black stereotypes (a child with blue gums is expected to be a devil and in some ways lives up to it, as compared to a black chold with a fairer complexion), I found that every person was approached with a lot of nuance. It was very artfully done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Cancer, Death of parent, Dementia, Mental illness, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: War and Hate crime

Minor: Sexual content and Adult/minor relationship

kochi's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Fatphobia, Child death, Death, Ableism, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, and Racism

laurataylor's review against another edition

emotional funny slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Addiction, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racism, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Cancer, Child death, Grief, Rape, and Sexual assault

chloenfp's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Cannibalism, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Physical abuse, and Slavery

socialpsysteph's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book! I remember liking the movie when I watched it when I was a lot younger but didn't remember a ton of specifics about it. This book tells the story of a small town in Alabama over a several decade time span, focusing in mostly on one specific family, the Threadgoodes. The story is told in a very nonlinear fashion so you have to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of each chapter.  I could not put this book down though. I love Idgie and Ruth and the whole town of Whistle Stop. There were definitely parts of this that were hard to read but I loved every second of it. This is definitely a new favorite.

This book counts for Popsugar 2022 for a book with a recipe in it and for Bookland for January 2022 for a fiction book that has been translated to the screen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Death, Child death, and Death of parent

rchristine11's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This was a great book. I knew very little about it going into it, and was pleasantly surprised at the sapphic relationship. This book is an adult novel and no character is without fault or flaw. The book is reflective and nuanced. It is told nonlinearly and touches on themes of sexism, aging, racism, abelism, colorism, domestic violence, euthanasia, non traditional family units, coming of age, and poverty. The book uses slurs continuously throughout. It’s not for everyone, and could easily offend. I usually stay in the fantasy/sci-fi/horror genres, but I ventured out for this one and I’m glad I did. I absolutely love a nonlinear story with multiple narrators. Sometimes it was an omniscient narrator, other times we are listening to ninny reminisce, or reading the weekly bulletin and the book jumps between decades, cities, and characters quickly. I really enjoy that narration style in a book.  It takes a great writer to pull all that together to create a coherent story. 
I’ve read a lot of critiques of the novel since finishing it and I think many of them miss the point of reading an adult novel (as opposed to children or YA lit). They mention the problematic nature of Idgie and Stumps relationship or the character Grady being likable while also being a KKK member. People point to colorism and racism and abelism displayed by the main characters. I feel like each criticism is saying “the narrative portrayed something bad and, because it wasn’t called out as such in the narrative, the book itself is promoting harmful ideas.” To which my response would be that this is a book for adults. As adults, we don’t need to be told when something is bad. This type of narrative style allows readers to engage critically with the issues presented and form their own nuanced opinions. 
This is not an easy read. It’s challenging, slow, and reflective. But it is a good book regardless and is full of hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cancer, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence