Many decades after writing “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe,” Fannie Flagg just published this sequel a few weeks ago. Like that book, this one jumps all around in time and from character to character, though this one is slightly more focused on a narrative arc than the first one. Last month I re-read the first book, a long ago favorite, in anticipation of this one coming out, and I’m glad I did, as it made it even more of a treat to see beloved characters (and their subsequent generations) as this book, while still dipping back to the 1930s, takes the action all the way to the present when young Buddy, Ruth’s son from the first book, is now a man in his 80s. A sweet, charming book that any fan of the original will enjoy.

This book took me back to my childhood. I grew up in a small, rural area, and Whistle Stop reminds me so much of my hometown. I love bringing the nostalgia to present day! Flagg has written a great book, and I highly recommend it!

Have you ever wondered about someone you knew and liked from years before, but totally lost touch with? How great it would be to catch up? The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, by Fannie Flagg, allows all of us to catch up with the beloved characters of her earlier novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. I confess that I have not yet read the earlier book, but the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, is one of my all-time favorites.

Flagg’s writing style is breezy and energetic. Chapters are short, and a bit disjointed as they jump from character to character and backwards and forward in time. Somehow, layer by layer, the characters develop nuance as the reader understands where they have been and where they are going. The is a “feel-good” book. Our friends from Whistle Stop live long and well!

I do suggest that if you have not read Fried Green Tomatoes, read it before you start this book or watch the movie. At the very least, you already will care about the Whistle Stop residents. For readers of the book, other reviewers have pointed out inconsistencies and contradictions. Be forewarned if that is an issue that bothers you.

I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve not read Flagg’s prior novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at The Whistle Stop Cafe.
Even without that familiarity with the characters, however, this was a fun, feel good read for our dark times.

Fannie Flagg brings back our favorite characters from the Whistle Stop Cafe and brings us down memory lane. It was wonderful to revisit stories from Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Some new characters are introduced and the fun continues.

Fannie Flagg has done it again! I absolutely loved this book, it made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me so angry I wanted to throw it! I was delighted to find out what life brought for all my favorite Whistle Stop residents, and how their stories concluded.

Folksy and entertaining as per usual, this was a great addition to the author's works. Always sweet. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

I love Fannie Flagg's writing. However, I found all the different time periods in this title confusing and a bit jarring. I was really looking forward to reading it, and I do thank the publisher for the arc. But overall, it was disappointing and I did not finish it.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh - Give me a cup of something, get me settled on the couch with a cozy blanket and The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop and I am in seventh heaven. Fannie Flagg brings you right back to those wonderful characters she created all those years ago. It is all so familiar even as it gets new and different. The story flips from Whistle Stop, Alabama in 1935, forward to 1991, forward to the present day and it is done seamlessly filling in the background for any neophytes who may have missed out on Flagg’s previous books.

I grinned through this book from cover to cover - Lordy it was so good to become reacquainted with all my friends from Whistle Stop

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for a copy

*The review below is being done on a Netgalley Advanced Reader's Copy of The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop. This review is my own, and I have written it in my honest opinion.
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​I was in my teens when I picked up a copy of Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop Cafe and I have to say that it is by far one of my favorite books ever read. Now 33 years later we have a sequel I never knew I needed.

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop revolves around Buddy, the now adult son of Ruth, and his family as they continue to live their lives post Whistle Stop. The beginning tends to move very quickly because it covers years of birthdays, marriages, and deaths of many of the Whistle Stop crew. We see Bud get married and have a child, and the story progresses when we see his daughter, Ruth, grow older and start to feel unneeded and broken. As she begins to come to terms with where her life has lead her, we are re-introduced to some of the themes of the previous book.

As Ruthie is going through her turmoil, Bud is growing older and wishing he could see and be part of Whistle Stop again; unfortunately, Whistle Stop has become a ghost town since a lot of the older residents moved away.

After reading this, I felt the way similarly to when Harper Lee wrote the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird- there is more hope in the world and that we can still have pieces of what we had before. Reading this book was a very beautiful reminder of what the first book had to offer. Now that I am older and have a different perspective of life, and I see the themes and messages can apply to my life. This was a beautiful reminder that life continues after people die, and that we can choose what life we want to live. We have the power to become what we want.

Thank you, Fannie Flagg, for taking us back to Whistlestop! This book is true delight. I loved every word and treasured every page. I have already recommended it to several readers and it holds a special spot on my personal bookshelf!

This book was a nice escape from reality during these stressful times. It was such a treat to relax in the world Flagg created with all the wonderful characters. The constant switching of times was a little distracting but it was interesting to see how things turned out in each instance. Deaths of loved characters were handled in a no-nonsense, matter of fact way - - just part of life.

I look forward to the next book continuing this story - - it's sure to come!!

I read Whistle Stop Cafe and the other Fannie Flagg books many years ago, but never mind the gap in time, these people seem to be timeless. As soon as i started reading I realized that I would really enjoy the diversion of humor and nice people on Election Day and boy howdy was I right. I was in danger of blowing right through the book when I had planned for it to entertain me throughout the day so had to take a couple of reading breaks. Which leaves me in the pickle of what to read next.

They say that old writers never die, and I hope that’s true. With her last novel, The Whole Town’s Talking, Flagg announced that she was done. It was her final novel. I was sad to hear it, but grateful to have been able to read every wonderful thing she’s ever written. She has given us so much! And then, imagine my joy when I opened my email to find an invitation from Random House and Net Galley to read and review this sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, which is possibly my favorite novel of all time. Over the moon, friends. And it’s for sale now.

The tricky part of a sequel to such an iconic story is in trying to live up to what’s come before. In this case, I don’t think anyone can. That said, this is nevertheless a delightful book, and I recommend it to you, although you won’t get the full advantage from it without reading the first magnificent book first.

The format mirrors that of the first novel, (and from here forward, I will refer to it by initials: FGTWSC,) with time periods and points of view that come from a variety of settings and individuals. Whistle Stop, Alabama is no more; the freeway passed the town by, and the rest of modern transportation and technology did the same. When we return there, it’s difficult to find; boarded up buildings, tall weeds, trash, and kudzu. In fact, the start of this book is depressing as hell, and for a short, dreadful time, I wondered if the author might be slipping; but no.

The protagonist is ostensibly—from the title—Buddy Threadgoode, son of the late Ruth Jamison. Again, I find myself scratching my head, because Flagg’s protagonists are women, girls, and women. And actually, that’s true here also. Buddy is an old man, and he’s been sent to live a Briarwood, a retirement home for the elite. His daughter Ruthie married the son of the local bourgeoisie, and consequently he’s been mothballed in the nicest possible place; but he hates it, of course. He doesn’t make a scene, but who wants to be warehoused if they can help it?

However, most of the action centers on his daughter Ruthie, and then later, our old friend, Evelyn Couch. (Friends have told me I resemble this character, and I’m good with that comparison.) Evelyn gained confidence in the first novel, much of it courtesy of Ninny Threadgoode, and now she’s done nicely for herself. Husband Ed has gone to that man cave in the sky, but she has recovered from the shock and then some. And it’s roughly halfway into the story that Evelyn enters the story in a big way, and with the groundwork well established, the story takes wing.

As with the original FGTWSC, the key to keeping up with the ever-changing settings and narrators is in the chapter headings. If you skip them, you will be lost. (This fact has been established by trial and error in teaching the book to honor students in literature class.)

Flagg is a feminist, and her work reflects her subtle but unmistakable passion for social justice. Again, with the first half of this book I feared she had lost her edge; once more, I see in the second half that I am mistaken. She was just warming up. Unlike so many of the novels I’ve read recently, this story gets better and better as it progresses. At 45%, it seems like a pleasant, harmless story, and a bit of a disappointment. At 56%, I’m sitting up straighter and noticing things. At 75% I’m laughing out loud. And from there to the finish, I don’t want it to end.

I’ve seen some lukewarm reviews for this book, and it’s understandable, in a sad way, because those reviewers are weighing this book against its predecessor. And no, this one isn’t quite as brilliant as the first, but if I deny the fifth star on that basis, then I need to go back and weed out at least 96% of the other five star reviews I have written, because FGTWSC is a matchless novel. If instead I weigh this story against those others, it stands up proudly.

When push comes to shove, I think all of us need a feel-good story like this one—which it is, despite the sorrowful beginning—all of the time, but now more than ever. Civic engagement is important, but stepping away and restoring oneself is every bit as crucial. Do yourself a favor. Switch off your news feed for a couple hours and snuggle down with this book. You’ll be more effective later for having given yourself time to recharge now.

Highly recommended.

Really enjoyed it and would give the book 3.5 stars. It's bee so many years since I read "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" but I still remember so much about that book. It was one of those magical books that just sticks with you. This book brings back all those characters but didn't have the same spark. It felt like I was reading book of short stories, instead of one continuous story. I enjoyed catching up with everyone but at times it seemed like something was missing. I loved Evelyn, Ruthie and Buddy. They were the highlight of the book. I wouldn't have minded reading more about them. Evelyn and Ruth were perfect for each other. I would have loved if Ruthie filled her house with 200 frog figurines. Her mother-in-law probably would have had a heart attack. Buddy is the sweetest old man. I LOVED Virgil. He is a well loved cat and gets to live a wonderful life.

Definitely recommend the book because you get to go back and revisit old friends (Ruth, Idgie and all the residents of Whistle Stop.) Whistle Stop seemed like such a great place to live back then and now. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Random House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I wanted to start off by saying that I did love this book, some of that was nostalgia. This was a follow up story to Fannie Flagg's previous novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. I love follow ups, I need to know what happens to the characters. This book did just that. Most every main character that was in the previous book was wrapped up and explained here in this novel. Some of the characters and their plots were packed up a little to neatly for my liking. I also wanted to dive more into Idgie and Ruthie's relationship. I wanted more of Idgie's story, and I wasn't satisfied how Buddy and Idgie's relationship went after Ruth died. But I did love this novel. It was like butter for my soul. I love the main characters in this story, it was a clean historical fiction read. I do however feel that you needed to read the first novel to really appreciate this one.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a wonderful, warm book revisiting beloved characters from Whistle Stop, Alabama. The book skips back and forth between time periods and characters, telling some of the side stories in between the lines of Fried Green Tomatoes.

There is one main storyline that flows through the whole book, focused on Buddy Threadgoode and his daughter Ruthie. We learn what happens to Bud and his family, as well as other characters after time passes Whistle Stop by and the town disappears. One day Bud "escapes" his nursing home and takes the train to Birmingham, intent on going back to Whistle Stop one last time. But, he gets turned around and finds himself lost in the woods. He's found just in time and while in the hospital, he and Ruthie are visited by Evelyn Couch, who has had more success in her life since meeting Ninny Threadgoode than she ever dreamed of. Evelyn and Ruthie strike up a friendship, and soon the duo concoct a new adventure to undertake.

Reading this book is like curling up on a rainy day under a warm homemade comforter with a cup of hot chocolate. I found myself smiling as I read all of the sweet goings-on in the characters' lives that we've all come to know and love. While the timelines are a bit slap-dash and don't make much sense, it all works nonetheless. The chapters switch back and forth between time periods and characters, with a several of Dot Weems' newsletters interspersed throughout. If you like cozy, warm and fuzzy books, this is just the one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Fannie Flagg’s latest book returns us to the Whistle Stop Cafe, home of the world-famous fried green tomatoes. I’ve read most of her books, which are purely heartwarming escapes. This return to Whistle Stop, Alabama is no exception.

Bud Threadgoode grew up in Whistle Stop, where his mother and aunt ran the Whistle Stop Cafe. Bud is now in his 80’s, and the town of Whistle Stop has been abandoned for years, after the railroad yards shut down. After the loss of his wife, Bud feels a little lost and decides to take a nostalgic trip to see the old ghost town. Little did he know that his trip down memory lane would change so many lives.

The narration spans 70 years, and we get little snippets of life in Whistle Stop over the years as well as what happens to the residents after the town closes. As expected, the characters are wonderful and the storyline is magical, making you wish you lived in such a place. This is just a feel-good novel, and proves that you can go home again (at least, in a Fannie Flagg novel you can). Although the beginning went from one scene to the next without smooth transitions, stick it out. It gets better, and eventually the storyline becomes cohesive.

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I really love this author’s books but this one fell flat for me half way through. The beginning felt slow and skipped around a bit too much for me with multiple characters and timelines. The last 1/3 of the book really picked up and turned out to be a cute story with a satisfying ending.


Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop
by Fannie Flagg

To have the opportunity to spend time again with the members of the Whistle Stop community, especially that darling sweet boy, Buddy, well, was exactly what I needed this week. To be able to go back in time, to one of my homes-on-pages was a rest and comfort. Since this was an ARC, the only thing missing was Fannie’s narration. Hopefully when they have an audio copy available that will be rectified. Having been raised by Southern Women (who get even more Southern when they are angry), hearing her voice takes me straight back to my youth, and in any one of her books (and I’ve read them all!) I insert myself in as an 11-yr-old and feel right at home. Are you getting it? I loved this book. Launched and read through whole nights: laughed out loud, and actually wept when time marched some of my favorite characters off the page.

I will be re-reading Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe just to remind myself of some of the loose ends left hanging, and which this book ties up straightway. One didn’t even realize these were loose ends that would be caught up years later. . . such a delight to realize while reading this book that a reader gets to feel the beat going on, and sometimes everything really is gonna be ok. . . .work out. . . be better than fine!

As a fan who has sought out - like a hound dog - the multi-format work of Fannie Flagg, I declare with enthusiasm that whether it is words, laughter, candid pranks, unexpected surprise, relevant comedy, generosity of spirit or comforting heart-squeezes, She’s Queen Of It! Long may you live in our world, dear lady. You’ll be long in our hearts for sure.

If you’ve ever read anything about Whistle Stop, you need to pull over for a day or so and tie up loose ends. Read this book.

A Sincere and Effusive Thanks to Fannie Flagg, Random House Publishing Group – Random House and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.