The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg

 304 pages

"Bud Threadgoode grew up in the bustling little railroad town of Whistle Stop with his mother, Ruth, church-going and proper, and his Aunt Idgie, the fun-loving hell-raiser. Together they ran the town’s popular Whistle Stop Cafe, known far and wide for its fun and famous fried green tomatoes. And as Bud often said of his childhood to his daughter Ruthie, 'How lucky can you get?'

"But sadly, as the railroad yards shut down and Whistle Stop became a ghost town, nothing was left but boarded-up buildings and memories of a happier time.

"Then one day, Bud decides to take one last trip, just to see what has become of his beloved Whistle Stop. In so doing, he discovers new friends, as well as surprises about Idgie’s life, about Ninny Threadgoode and other beloved Fannie Flagg characters, and about the town itself. He also sets off a series of events, both touching and inspiring, which change his life and the lives of his daughter and many others. Could these events all be just coincidences? Or something else? And can you really go home again?"  --from the publisher

I liked it, but didn't love it. And I'm not sure why. It has all the elements of a great book, but I feel like it just missed the mark. So much of the book is retelling incidents from the original "Fried Green Tomatoes" that I got kind of bored waiting for something new. I give it three out of five stars, but I'm in the minority according to the high Amazon and Goodreads ratings.