A review by booksillremember
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

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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