As promised, I've read the Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop sequel, The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, written by Fannie Flagg and published in 2020, thirty-three years after Fried Green tomatoes became a bestseller at the beginning of the nineties.
The sequel invites readers to plunge once again into Threadgoode's family history. On this occasion, the main story focuses on Bud Threadgoode and his daughter. At the same time, some of the most remarkable characters, such as Evelyn Couch from Fried Green Tomatoes, appear delighting readers with her captivating personality.
Nonetheless, I must confess that the first part of the book is a bit predictable, whereas the second part is extraordinarily entertaining, laughing page after page with Bud's mischief.
I suppose this book hasn't met my high expectations. For this reason, I recommend reading this book before reading Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop because, as I see, The Wonder Boy is the perfect introduction to the first book.
If you are interested, here I leave this link with the author's biography:
Fried Green Tomatoes At Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg is the last book I've read this summer. It tells the story of Idgie Threadgoode, her family, her friendship with Ruth Jamison and her life at Whistle Stop, an imaginary village in Alabama, from the twenties to the fifties decade.
The remarkable point of this book is the way the author writes it. There are three different narrators, the own author, Ninny Threadgoode, Idge's sister-in-law, who tells the story to Evelyn Couch, and Dot Weems' gazette.
Nonetheless, this book not only does narrate Idgie's story but also some of the most significant citizens of Whistle stop, which are intertwined among them. Out of all the stories in this book, I think readers will find heartbreaking and amusing Evelyn Couch's story. It is 1986. She is in her forties, overweight, and living with her husband, who only asks her for food. Evelyn thinks she is living a boring life without any future expectations until she meets Ninny Threadgoode at the nursing home, awakening new feelings and thoughts of rebellion against social standards inside her.
To sum up, in one sense, I highly recommend it, because I think it is perfect for a book club session (or two). Readers might spend hours and hours talking about, for instance, sexuality, racial segregation, friendship, domestic violence, and poverty, among others.
In another sense, if readers are not English native speakers, they will struggle to understand some words, idioms and expressions. Apart from this, readers could easily lose the thread of the story. Constantly, the story comes back in time and returns to the present.
Curiosities
Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop was written in 1987 by Fannie Flagg. She is an American writer, actress and comedian. In 1991 this novel was adapted for film. Fannie Flagg co-wrote the screenplay. Most of her books are set in Southern states, such as Alabama, Missouri and Georgia.
In this video, she talks about Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop sequel, The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, which is highly likely to be my next reading.
Fannie Flagg "Fried Green Tomatoes" Interview with Steel Magnolias Podcast
