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by
Fannie Flagg (our bio)
What a
wonderful treat Fannie Flagg's newest trip to Elmwood Springs is.
The characters we first met in WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL and
got to know better in STANDING IN THE RAINBOW have aged, had more
experiences both good and bad, but still maintain the small-town,
folksy charm of Flagg's earlier works. The laugh-out-loud moments
are many amidst the tears, the suspense, and the fantasy.
Norma Warren's aunt, Elner Shimfissle, who was a minor character in
the other novels set in Elmwood Springs, comes into her own as the
main character and the epicenter of an emotional upheaval in the
little town.
While picking figs from her tree in the front yard, Elner
accidentally disturbs a nest of wasps and is bitten to death. Or is
she? Fannie Flagg takes liberal license with the heaven alluded to
in the Bible, but it's all in good taste and puts a very personal
spin on a place still quite mysterious to the living.
The best thing about this book is the characters, their obvious love
for one another, and the close-knit feeling of community that Flagg
captures with her razor-sharp wit and endearing charm.
Remember Tot Whooten from the Tell It Like It Is Beauty Shop? And
Neighbor Dorothy with her fabulous radio show? Macky Warren, Norma's
high school sweetheart and husband, and Dena Nordstrom, the cousin
who was a high-powered New York executive? These and others have all
returned and catching up on their lives is an experience not to be
missed.
Along the way, the reader is actually told the meaning of life and
given the formula for leading a happy and rewarding one. That's
certainly more than I expected when I bought this book.
Another bonus is the yummy recipes mentioned in the book all appear
at the end. They sounded so mouth-watering that I have Neighbor
Dorothy's Heavenly Caramel Cake in the oven as I type this.
Review by Antoinette Klein
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See also our
bio of
Fannie Flagg.
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