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iregatto1004's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Terminal illness, Fatphobia, and Cancer
Minor: War and Cannibalism
soniuz's review
- 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
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
- 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
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 But be prepared for a lot of outdated thoughts and phrasing.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 I knocked a star off for the outdated ideas about race, but I honestly don't blame the author too much considering the subject matter and the time it was written.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.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Medical trauma and Rape
Minor: Cannibalism and War
kleinekita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, and Death
Minor: Cannibalism, Cancer, Murder, and War
celery's review against another edition
- 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
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
katndrsn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Homophobia, Racism, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Hate crime, and Cancer
Minor: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Cannibalism, War, Rape, and Emotional abuse
staceyinthesticks's review
- 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
Moderate: Death
Minor: Alcoholism, Murder, Racism, War, Violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
portapages's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
abigailkokitus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism, War, and Alcohol
lily1304's review against another edition
3.25
It's flagged as "LGBTQ+" because it prominently features a committed relationship between two women, and no one in the novel is ever weird about it. Racism and sexism are strong themes, but there is apparently zero homophobia in Whistle Stop, Alabama. It's honestly kind of refreshing, but also confusing. Everyone treats this couple like they're married, but they're described in really vague terms, almost like a "Boston marriage" romantic friendship. It's like the opposite of The Price of Salt.
The way racism is depicted is particularly interesting - the novel features the Ku Klux Klan and an old white lady with a mild discomfort around black men and everything in between. It's difficult to tell which mildly racist opinions are the author's and which are just the characters'. The N-word and the word "colored" are used with abandon. The novel also makes a big deal out of colorism among the black characters.
One of the characters, Evelyn, an older lady in 1986, goes on a whole journey about how sexism has affected her life - and her story concludes triumphantly with her at weight-loss camp, and losing a significant amount of weight is one of her victories. Unironically. Evelyn's relationship with Ninny makes it seem like the story is about to take a strong body-positive stance, but it's a total bait and switch.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Cannibalism, Dementia, Fatphobia, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and War
Minor: Kidnapping and Pregnancy