Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
Fried Green Tomatoes
at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg
Friendships can be wrought under
the most unusual circumstances. Take Evelyn Couch for example. She never
expected to befriend Ninny Threadgoode while visiting her mother-in-law at the
Rose Terrace Nursing Home in Birmingham, Alabama. She certainly didn’t expect
to care for and eventually love the women who would tell her stories every
visitors day about the life that she lived in a small railroad town miles away
known as Whistle Stop. But that’s exactly what happened. As Evelyn began going
through the depression and hormonal changes that were overwhelming her in the
midst of menopause, Ninny would relay bits of her history during the Great
Depression, and the Second World War. Evelyn began looking forward to the tales
told of Idgie Threadgood, Ruth Jamison and the people who frequented Whistle
Stop Café. She could imagine living in that time and being friends with the
people who meant so much to Ninny. The months passed and the friendship blossomed
all because of the memories of the Whistle Stop Café.
Sometimes it is all about the
history and the stories people share. They can get you through those rough
patches in life and make you look forward to the years to come. This is the
case with Ninny and Evelyn. Evelyn was at one of the worst places she had ever
been in her life. She was a forty eight years old, overweight, empty nester in
an unhappy marriage in the beginning stages of menopause. Then an old woman,
desperate for a friend, began telling Evelyn these stories of a time she had
never imagined and it changed her life. It changed both of their lives. Evelyn
and Ninny sparked new lives in each other with the help of the residents of
Whistle Stop.
I have loved the movie “Fried Green
Tomatoes” since I was a young girl and recently stumbled upon Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop
Café. I had high expectations when I began this novel, expectations that
were exceeded. I absolutely loved this novel. Flagg created a story filled with
characters that you would want to know personally and stories your grandma
would tell you while you sat on the porch. It was obvious with every story told
the love and history of Whistle Stop and the sense of community that existed in
that time. Evelyn represented every insecurity a woman fears, while Ninny held
all the persistence and strength that you would want to have as an elderly
woman. Idgie, Ruth, Stump and Big George became the people you would want to
know and whose friendship you would cherish. Each character was so full of
depth and integrity that you couldn’t help feeling like these were people that
really existed and really had these adventures. This novel spanned over an
extensive timeline but nothing was lost in translation. Each reflection was a welcome
trip back in time, often comical but many were stories of courage and love,
race and inequality, but most of all strength. I give this novel 5 out of 5
stars. If you liked the movie, you’ll love the book. It’s an incredible feat of
storytelling that I think most people would really enjoy.
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