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thegreenship's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The amount of slurs and problematic age gaps, the normalisation of grooming, the white savior complex... the only good things were the plot twist, that actually took me by surprise, that they just straight up ate his body, so he wouldnt be found, like i did NOT expect that part! and then also the last couple of pages after the old lady died when Evelyn visited the grave and saw the letter and the flowers and when Idgie was selling honey to that family, that was kinda nice, to get at least soewhat of an answer to the question of what happened to her, after the café closed down
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma
Minor: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
alloutofwords's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia and Death of parent
graceflvnt's review against another edition
1.0
* I didn’t actually finish this book, but I need to give it a low rating*
Wildly racist, and not just in the “period-typical” way either. Author writes about Black people in a super infantilizing way: always happy to help, always happy to work, very grateful for the white people they work for who are basically part of the family (and who are still buddy-buddy with local members of the KKK?). There’s a passage where one of the main characters starts fantasizing about herself as an extreme do-gooder/superhero figure and one of her righteous acts is “single-handedly blowing up the entire Middle East to prevent the Third World War” (232).
Weird in other ways too, in terms of sex and power dynamics.
If you’re reading this for the sapphic romance, don’t bother. Yikes.
Wildly racist, and not just in the “period-typical” way either. Author writes about Black people in a super infantilizing way: always happy to help, always happy to work, very grateful for the white people they work for who are basically part of the family (and who are still buddy-buddy with local members of the KKK?). There’s a passage where one of the main characters starts fantasizing about herself as an extreme do-gooder/superhero figure and one of her righteous acts is “single-handedly blowing up the entire Middle East to prevent the Third World War” (232).
Weird in other ways too, in terms of sex and power dynamics.
If you’re reading this for the sapphic romance, don’t bother. Yikes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Ableism and Domestic abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
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).
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).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence
Minor: Ableism
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
chaoticmissadventures's review against another edition
2.0
Well. I don't get it. This is so racist, passed off as trying to be progressive. But the Black characters are all extremely cartoonish. The repeated use of the N- word was just gross. Add in the random use of the R- slur which felt very whiplash every time it was used.
The brothers, on lighter skinned then the other, and then the darker skinned one is a drinker who is arrested over and over while the lighter skinned brother is a god fearing, churchgoing do-gooder who never gets in trouble. Gross.
I remember liking the movie, I am going to try watching it and this may be one of those rare stories that is better as a film. I appreciate the story of Ruth and Idgie and wish the story was more about that. Instead of whatever the author was trying to prove about how modern she is in her views on racism, that just ended up with a very racist book.
The brothers, on lighter skinned then the other, and then the darker skinned one is a drinker who is arrested over and over while the lighter skinned brother is a god fearing, churchgoing do-gooder who never gets in trouble. Gross.
I remember liking the movie, I am going to try watching it and this may be one of those rare stories that is better as a film. I appreciate the story of Ruth and Idgie and wish the story was more about that. Instead of whatever the author was trying to prove about how modern she is in her views on racism, that just ended up with a very racist book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Beware of excessive use of slurs (Particularly the N and R words)shieldbearer's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Ok, so i can see why this book is a classic and why it's so beloved. However, even the setting and time this book is supposedly taking place doesn't excuse the way the race angle is so often framed. Why are the dark skinned Black men the one who are always getting in trouble?
And the angle with the Klu Klux Klan just feels so. performative. We're supposed to cheer for Idgie to standing up to the KKK, and while yes, of course this is a noble thing, the narrative also sees no issue with her continuing to associate with Grady- who, of course, is a KKK member who happens to be also in her special club of do-gooders with another Black character. Grady is A Good KKK Member! He Wouldn't Try To Intimidate Idgie!
This does not touch on the sheer cowardice behind the narrative decision to make the KKK members who confront Idgie over her choice to allow the business of Black patrons (from the back door, of course) at her diner not her friends and peers, but rather total strangers who she doesn't know. There were many, many red flags I ignored to get to the halfway point, but that's the point I finally called it quits on this book. Idgie stands up to strangers who are racist, but she'll break bread with a racist who is ALSO a KKK member who asked her to stop serving the Black railworkers and call him a close friend, and the narrative sees no reason to question this. Nor does it see a problem with outting a Black woman in Idgie's Special Club with a KKK member and it never feels the need to examine how she might feel about this. The narrative simply doesn't care for the perspectives and agency of the Black characters.
I don't care if this is a gay classic, the racism, colorism, and white saviorism just isn't worth it. This doesn't touch on the infantilization or villification of nearly every disabled character, either.
And the angle with the Klu Klux Klan just feels so. performative. We're supposed to cheer for Idgie to standing up to the KKK, and while yes, of course this is a noble thing, the narrative also sees no issue with her continuing to associate with Grady- who, of course, is a KKK member who happens to be also in her special club of do-gooders with another Black character. Grady is A Good KKK Member! He Wouldn't Try To Intimidate Idgie!
This does not touch on the sheer cowardice behind the narrative decision to make the KKK members who confront Idgie over her choice to allow the business of Black patrons (from the back door, of course) at her diner not her friends and peers, but rather total strangers who she doesn't know. There were many, many red flags I ignored to get to the halfway point, but that's the point I finally called it quits on this book. Idgie stands up to strangers who are racist, but she'll break bread with a racist who is ALSO a KKK member who asked her to stop serving the Black railworkers and call him a close friend, and the narrative sees no reason to question this. Nor does it see a problem with outting a Black woman in Idgie's Special Club with a KKK member and it never feels the need to examine how she might feel about this. The narrative simply doesn't care for the perspectives and agency of the Black characters.
I don't care if this is a gay classic, the racism, colorism, and white saviorism just isn't worth it. This doesn't touch on the infantilization or villification of nearly every disabled character, either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Rape
gretag's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Fatphobia, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
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
Content Warnings
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
pancake_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide