Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

16 reviews

frogglin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring slow-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

4.0

The last time I read this I was probably about 20, and Evelyn's struggles with being in her 40s seemed a long way off. I definitely related more this time around as I'm about her age.

The jumping timeline can be confusing at times, but overall the past and "present" (late 1980s when the book was written) are clearly defined. The stark contrast of a nursing home compared to the warm community of Whistle Stop works well, and the sprawling cast of characters each bring their own flavour to the story.

It's a story that swings between gentle moments of community and tenderness and heart breaking  horrors of racism and violence. 

It's a shame the movie toned down the deep relationship between Idgie and Ruth, which is simply a marriage that never causes an issue or problem in the town. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse

Minor: Terminal illness, Murder, Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, and Violence

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