from James:

Having never read Fannie Flagg, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was a story well-told. Though the outcome was predictable, the characters were believable. A solid weekend read. This title (and many more by Flagg) is available across formats at ACPL. ( )

I really can't decide what to rate this book. The main character, Sookie, started out as this whiny delicate dew drop. A 60 year old Southern woman who lets everyone walk all over her and as predicted, she ended up becoming a strong woman. Much of the present day dialogue was contrived and rang hollow. However, when it switched to Fritzie and her family and her adventures, I was glued to the book and I really wish it had focused more on her and her story. Especially after the war rather than being summed up in two pages. As I started reading it, I couldn't help but draw comparisons between Fried Green Tomatoes and this book. Present day middle aged woman who needs to find herself contrasted with the wild and crazy woman trapped in a time where women were expected to be quiet and content. It really bothered me at the start and I was going to quit reading. I kept pushing through though and ended up enjoying the story.

With all that being said, it was a quick read and kept my attention. I still felt emotional for Sookie at the end. It was a decent story that just needed a little work. Maybe a lot of work. I hate whiny hand wringing characters. I'll give this 3 (2.5 if it were possible). 1 star for Sookie's story and 4 stars for Fritzie. ( )

“she had learned that being a successful person is not necessarily defined by what you have achieved, but by what you have overcome.”

I owned this so I'm glad to get another book into the read by from my personal TBR but I can not say I liked it. I think, if not for the odd political climate and the pandemic, I would have found this MC quirky and silly but nothing more. Now, I just find her shallow and annoying.

The middle was interesting, as we speed along to learn about the pilots and I bumped this up a star and finishing reading it just for this. The end was predictable and really just pushed home that I didn't like this book. Just not for me. ( )

I would have liked the book more were it not for the zinger right before the end. ( )

2.5-stars, really. i found this to be a very uneven story - many characters were not well-used/developed and aspects of the book were very weak.

i was very interested in Fritzi and her family, and the history of the WASP program during WWII. i knew nothing about the WASPs, so this was definitely an eye-opening read for me in that regard. i am glad Flagg chose to highlight the program and the women involved.

as much as the story from the perspective of the Jurdabralinski family (Fritzi's clan) was enjoyable, the Poole perspective (Sookie and her family) was just not as strong. most of the characters were thinly developed as to be almost unnecessary (Sookie's husband and children). i also had trouble with Sookie and how she handled/reacted to the big reveal. it seemed really silly to me. and there was a tack-on at the end of the story that just seemed like an afterthought, or trying to get an issue into the book. (the issue itself is totally fine, i am just not keen on how Flagg dealt with this thread of the story. it wasn't done very well.)

my reading has been kind of slump-y lately, and i was looking for something a bit lighter and a bit more fun. i thought this book might fit the bill, but it just didn't work very well for me. i guess if found it a bit too simplistic and surface, with missed potential - so that's too bad. i did really hope to like this story. ( )