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allytmacd 's review for:
The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop
by Fannie Flagg
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
With any other author, I would be nervous about getting a sequel to my favorite book over thirty years later. There is so much potential to be disappointed, or for it to damage your relationship with the original work somehow. But Fannie Flagg is different - she’s my favorite author because she writes characters in a way that makes you feel like you’ve known them your whole life. Because of that, before I even read it, I knew that Wonder Boy would be like catching up with some old friends. That is exactly what I felt reading this sequel. Like all of Flagg’s novels, the characters and writing are so lively, it makes for a pleasant and quick read, filled with plenty of laughs and a few good cries, and everything in between.
The only downside to catching up with these old friends, though, is the realization that the core events of Fried Green Tomatoes took place in the 1930s, and people just don’t live that long. I was surprised how much my heart ached at mentions of certain character deaths - even characters I didn’t really think I cared too much about. The new characters were a delight - I adored Ruthie almost as much as I adored her namesake grandmother. And what a satisfying ending! I’m over the moon happy with this continuation of my favorite book. I devoured it in one sitting. I truly can’t thank Fannie Flagg enough for this little piece of joy so desperately needed in 2020.
I also want to mention that I attended a virtual book tour event for this release, and Fannie Flagg is just as adorably southern as you’d expect her to be. She also mentioned something about Fried Green Tomatoes in early talks to be developed into a television show, and I am cautiously optimistic about that. The 1991 movie is a perfect adaptation and is very near to my heart, but I got the impression that the television show would be separate, perhaps telling a different story in a different time, or something of the sort. Regardless, something to keep an eye out for.
The only downside to catching up with these old friends, though, is the realization that the core events of Fried Green Tomatoes took place in the 1930s, and people just don’t live that long. I was surprised how much my heart ached at mentions of certain character deaths - even characters I didn’t really think I cared too much about. The new characters were a delight - I adored Ruthie almost as much as I adored her namesake grandmother. And what a satisfying ending! I’m over the moon happy with this continuation of my favorite book. I devoured it in one sitting. I truly can’t thank Fannie Flagg enough for this little piece of joy so desperately needed in 2020.
I also want to mention that I attended a virtual book tour event for this release, and Fannie Flagg is just as adorably southern as you’d expect her to be. She also mentioned something about Fried Green Tomatoes in early talks to be developed into a television show, and I am cautiously optimistic about that. The 1991 movie is a perfect adaptation and is very near to my heart, but I got the impression that the television show would be separate, perhaps telling a different story in a different time, or something of the sort. Regardless, something to keep an eye out for.