Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

49 reviews

pbraue13's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Cannibalism

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

madnabox's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny sad 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? Yes

5.0

I used CAWPILE (characters, atmosphere, writing, plot, intrigue, logic, and enjoyment) by Bookroast to get the star rating. This book is well written and it did make me nostalgic for simpler times. However, I cringed at the racism. It does jump around and that can be pretty confusing. But I've seen the movie so many times that it didn't bother me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Death

Minor: Cannibalism

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

booksillremember's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful sad 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

4.25

Came for the sapphic love story, stayed for the social commentary on racism, colourism, poverty, homelessness, domestic abuse, sexism, diet culture, female friendship, aging, and the dying countryside. It's not as bleak as it sounds, it's hopeful and the characters are loveable.

This is NOT an easy read in 2024 - the main narrator is your typical white grandma who means well but can't finish a thought without throwing in some well-meaning casual racism, ableism, or poor mental health advice. In this sense, she is a VERY realistic character (and we have to remember she was born in 1899). The main story is set in 1930s-50s Alabama and many of the white characters are casually racist (but very liberal for their time). The message of the novel is anti-racist and I think the book does a good job at showing its complexity. I like how the black men and the homeless man get their own chapters (unfortunately, the female black characters don't).

I found the constant time jumps a bit tiring / confusing and I wish there was more POV from Idgie, Ruth and Sipsey (whose backstory and thoughts would have been really interesting).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

Minor: Ableism

jazlynaw's review against another edition

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape

tessatea333's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, and Death

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Fatphobia

iregatto1004's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Terminal illness, Fatphobia, and Cancer

Minor: War and Cannibalism

soniuz's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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 against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

4.75

I loved this book. It was so warm, so comforting, and so sweet. But if you read it, you have to go in knowing that this book is basically fantasy. It features a lesbian couple and an extended cast of black characters living in 1920s/1930s Alabama. The harsh realities of period-typical homophobia and racism are MASSIVELY glossed over.

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Medical trauma and Rape

Minor: Cannibalism and War

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