Have you ever wondered what happened to Evelyn Couch, along with Idgie, Buddy Jr., and Ninny Threadgoode? If so, The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop will answer those questions for you and other fans of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
It’s hard to believe that it has been 33 years since Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe was first published in 1987. I remember reading the novel in 1989 and being so excited when it was made into a movie. I can only think of one other story [ To Kill A Mockingbird] where I loved the movie just as much as I loved the novel. I watched the movie again just before reading this sequel. I still cry when Ruth dies.
The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop follows the lives of many of the residents after Whistlestop became a ghost town. Dot Weems, the former postmistress, sends out an annual Christmas letter that tells of births and deaths, and other points of interest. She often reminisces about the good old days in Whistle Stop. We learn about the lives of Sheriff Kilgore, the preacher and his son, Sipsey and her son, Big George, who were the cooks at the cafe, and Opal Butts who owned the beauty shop.
The primary focus of the novel is on Buddy Threadgoode, Jr, the son of Ruth and her estranged, then later missing husband, Frank Bennett. I didn’t remember the strange legal fact that the Threadgoode family adopted Buddy before he was a year old. Even with his missing arm, Buddy has a successful career and a loving wife and daughter. They end up living up north but still keep in touch with Idgie, who moved to Florida. Later in life, Buddy and his daughter, Ruthie, are befriended by Evelyn Couch. Evelyn’s life certainly took a positive spin after meeting Ninny Threadgoode at the nursing home. Learning about Towanda, and Idgie and Ruth’s friendship, was a lasting godsend for Evelyn.
The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop is purely for fans of the first novel or the movie. The plotline is much thinner than the original and would not be interesting to someone new to the story. 3.5-Stars rounded up to 4.
This novel will be published on October 27, 2020.
I was given an advance reader copy by the publisher, Random House, in exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you #NetGalley, #RandomHouse, and #FannieFlagg.
And now for my Recipes For Readers Recommendation:
Chicken and Dumplings for Two
