Welcome to the World, Baby Girl

Rating:
Summary: It ranks behind 'Daisy' and 'F.G.T.' but read it anyway--
Review: After reading her first two books almost back-to-back, I remember being disappointed that Fannie Flagg hadn't written others...I ran right out and picked this up almost as soon as it was published. Flagg's warmth, humor, and affection for her characters and the richness of small town life are still in evidence but not to the degree of her first two books. My disappointment with the plot and focus of this book, however, gave me a better understanding of the elements I enjoyed in her previous books, so that the net result (for me) is that while I acknowledge that this isn't her best work, I came away from it (once again) appreciating her as an author.

I just wish she had spent a little more time crafting an ending, rather than sprinting for the finish line.

Rating:
Summary: couldn't put it down 'till the last word was read
Review: This book was incredible. The characters were very alive and Flagg provided a wonderful depiction of Southern life. Characters such as Sookie and Norma were very well developed. Flagg also weaves a very interesting tale of the main character, Dena Nordstorm. Dena's character may have been a little boring and typical at first (blond hair, blue eyed chic), Flagg places a perfect and totally unexpected twist to her main character's life my the end of the book. A great read.

Rating:
Summary: More compelling than Sunday afternoon football!
Review: I highly recommend this book, although I agree with those who rate it below Fannie's other wonderful books. This book will suck you in and I found myself reading it instead of indulging in my other cherished guilty pleasure, Sunday afternoon football (ok..ok..I kept the games on, but the sound was muted).

Rating:
Summary: Nostalgia Supplants Humor
Review: A fan of Daisy Fay and Fried Green Tomatoes, I have to admit I was disappointed by Flagg's latest effort. While the plot and the character of Dena Nordstrom kept me turning the pages, the overly nostalgic conclusion and the sentimentality throughout made me long for the irreverant humor of Flagg's earlier novels. The story has a lot of potential -- particularly the skewering of broadcast media's obsession with the lurid and any other sort of scandal -- but is the answer to the media's lack of ethics to get married, live in a small town, and broadcast out of your backyard? Dena Nordstrom is a lovable, alcoholic screw-up in need of therapy if anyone is, yet this novel (like the novels of Wally Lamb) exhibits an idealized view of the therapist/client relationship, sometimes at the expense of real character development. Welcome to the World is certainly entertaining, but ultimately falls short of its author's potential.

Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: Found all the characters somewhat unbelievable, and by the end of the book I really didn't care what happened to Dena. Have re-named my book "Welcome to My Re-cycling Bin, Fannie Flagg!"

Rating:
Summary: Satisfactorily-woven tapestry of nuance and colors.
Review: This is a book to be enjoyed on many levels -- the story, the characters, the exploration of culture and community, the snapshots in time, the wonderful layers of writing, the spellbinding voice of an American classic writer who deserves more attention and homage. Suspense is built in a mounting, impelling manner, and the depths are shaded with satisfying ombres and lights to feed the questions that keep you turning quickly through each page to the end.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging, But Not Her Best
Review: Flagg has left the country and tried for, at least partially, a big-city story with this tale of a high-powered anchor women. She is only partially successful, and although she is a compulsively readable author "Baby Girl" is Flagg's weakest novel.

The novel is at its strongest when Flagg does what she does best, traveling back to small town southern life. Her flashbacks to Neighbor Dorothy and her corny, homespun radio show are priceless. Modern day Elmwood Springs and its inhabitants are also enjoyable. Unfortunately. the novel sags with its main character, the unlovable Dena. I never warmed up to this cold fish, and the too-pat wrap-up was simply sappy.

That said, I'd still grab Flagg's next effort and hope some of the magic of her earlier novels returns.

Rating:
Summary: A Real Page Turner
Review: Fannie Flagg is a wonderful storyteller. WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL is a real page turner that leaves you with lots to think about. Flagg takes on the fascinating issue of gossip...from small town keeping up with each other to the big blistering business of tabloids. There's nothing more interesting than people because we're all looking for where we fit in. The main character is Dena Nordstrom who has money and fame and an uneasyness about her roots. She often wonder if she really likes people. Who hasn't been there? If you like the books of Mary Higgins Clark or Jan Karon you'll like WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but the big secret is a big let-down
Review: Though a bit put off by the trite and sappy portrait of the Missouri town, I found this book engaging, and I could sympathize a bit with Dena Nordstrom and her struggles.

However, perhaps this is a good sign for my generation and how times have changed: I just could *not* relate to the significance of her mother's big "secret". I thought it was ridiculous that her mother was on the run for 15 years, abandonned her daughter, and always looking over her shoulder, for the reason given. I was imagining all kinds of horrible things, then I got to the big suprise, and I said out loud "That's it?"

I was also disappointed in the canned, predictable characters in the book - Sookie, and her mother, the spoiled Southern women, the Cronkite-type newsman, the half-deaf aunt who canned preserves all day, the sympathetic psychiatrist in a wheelchair - Ms. Flagg is a talented writer, and these characters are beneath her.

This is an entertaining book, with some very funny lines in it, but readers should not expect the kind of depth and storytelling magic we saw in "Fried Green Tomatoes".

Rating:
Summary: It's Not Fried Greens Tomatoes...but a good read
Review: I took Welcome To The World with me on an long plane trip. I was anticipating the Fannie Flagg of Fried Green Tomatoes. It is completely different. But I instantly loved reading about the characters...in olden days and current. I definitely could not put it down...until the very last page. I thought the conclusion was completely startling and unexpected. Great vacation reading!