THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

The story of the Whistle Stop Café, a diner in the 1920’s and 30’s Alabama, run by Idgie Threadgoode and her friend, Ruth.  Evelyn Couch, befriends Ninny Threadgoode, a vibrant eighty-eight year old, who lives at a nursing home in the 1980’s.  When Evelyn Couch visits the nursing home, Ninny tells Evelyn the story of her life with the Threadgoode’s.  Evelyn, in turn, reveals her problems and secrets to Ninny.

 

The book alternates in voice and time between Mrs. Threadgoode and Evelyn Couch.

 

The author created amazing, likeable characters and sustained interesting plots in both settings. Although the story was well written and well plotted, the disturbing element of this novel was the “joke” of Frank Bennett’s disappearance.