Waffle House Rules

by Joe Formichella

The "Last Best Class" of Fish River Community School had lost one of its members every year since the second grade. Waffle Houses were popping up throughout small-town Alabama with one corporate rule: "Good Food Fast." Struggling to cope with the tragedy that shadowed him most of his life, Dr. Jimmy Ryan dedicated himself to bringing people back from the brink, driven by his own guiding principle "Ain't Dead Yet." Not until Jimmy's own death did the folks at the Waffle House in Penelope, Alabama, learn the full extent of the secrets buried with the dead--secrets resurrected over hot coffee refills at the Waffle House.

Genres: Fiction

204 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2014

About the author

Joe Formichella is the prize-winning author of two novels, Waffle House Rules and The Wreck of the Twilight Limited. He has written three books of nonfiction: Murder Creek, Staying Ahead of the Posse, and Here’s to You, Jackie Robinson, which captures the history of the Pritchard Mohawks of the Negro Baseball League and was accepted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Joe edited The Shoe Burnin’ and is currently editing The Salvage Man, written by Kurt Meyer. Known for his constant support and nurturing of new writers, Joe lives on Waterhole Branch, a retreat and inspiration for writers, musicians, and visual artists on Fish River near Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Reviews

[shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this novel is what struck me at first. Then I read the back and felt my heart racing--this sounded like the perfect book. And! It takes place in a town twenty minutes away from me. (I then looked up and realized I was in the local author section.) I was intrigued by this book because in a review on the back someone compared it to my all-time favorite novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. Oh, I just had to have this book.

I devoured it in a week's time. Oh, how I wanted to absolutely adore it. But, it left me feeling... unsure of how to feel. Upon some thinking, these are the things that didn't quite work for me:

- I felt that the transitions between past and present were completely sudden and not clear at all. I found myself often having to backtrack for clarity and not always finding it, even then.

- The characters seemed so interesting but the book seems to only skim over them. I would have liked to dive deeper into the characters. Because of this, it feels unsatisfying. Which is a word that maybe can best describe my reading experience.

- The book almost came off as too ~quirky. I felt that there was some sections that seemed forced, like this book was trying to be a cult classic. Because of the forced nature, the things that make this novel unique don't seem genuine.

Ultimately, I felt like the story beat around the bush. It wants to get to the heart of the matter, that is true, but I felt it doesn't quite arrive there. I wanted this book to pierce my heart but it missed the target.

I don't regret reading this at all and adore the coziness of it all. I just felt like it didn't fulfill anything in me and left me the same as I was before reading it.

Maybe, at a later date, another read will have me feeling differently. Until then, it rests on the shelf.

[Debra Bowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traumatic childhood events deliver their punch, in part, because a child does not know what to make of it, not having had enough living to process and fully understand the experience. The instincts to momentarily freeze, run, or fight, become embedded and the child is left to dance with it over time, re-recreating it over and over in an effort to somehow try and “fix” it. Dr. Jimmy Ryan grows up to become a wounded healer, a hero unable to heal or save himself, and driven to a mission of saving others. By dancing on the shores of the River Styx to snatch those near death, he often succeeds and steals souls from Hades and manages a little balm for himself, but he can never fix his original loss. A collection of characters, misfits really, hold space for the good doctor – his history and that of the town, honoring his mission by holding to simple truth, waiting until he needs it, and providing comfort (and humor) to his story. Sometimes dark and often humorous, Waffle House Rules holds a space for those tragic moments when the unthinkable happens and rather than face the shattering impact head on, we move, dancing for as long as we can, sometimes saving others.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up for the unique title and because I've been meaning to read more authors from Alabama. It was a good natured, kind of daffy read, not particularly memorable but not a bad ride.

The author has a striking, fast paced writing style where one character’s dialogue flows smoothly into another’s. The unusual character of the town is also conveyed well.

In some places the book became a little too kooky and it took me out of the reading experience. Not many characters feel fleshed out, though they are interesting. At times Jimmy's story felt too sentimental.

I think it may be best to read this not as realistic fiction but as something approaching magical realism, where improbably sad or sweet things happen, and it’s about what that does to a character without convincing yourself that it was likely to happen.

I also think this book is in a way written for the people of Mobile Bay, not just about them. It includes some interesting history that was new for me, and if you're from this area or otherwise interested in it, I think you'll get a kick out of this book.

2.5 rounded up to 3 / 5 stars.

[Jana Gutiérrez Kerns · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give it three and a half stars or maybe even a 3.85 because the writing is rich with this book. I think it would make a great little independent film or quirky Southern streaming series. I guess my hesitation is with the loose narrative thread. The title also goes somewhat unresolved. The book reads more like interconnected short stories or vignettes than a cohesive novel. And there is a lot of set up that gets left on the page. BUT that can just be potential for a future series? The characterization is solid and this little world compelling. Some notes of Faulkner or García Márquez? Overall this book exhibits careful craft and some recognizable Southern charm (with tinges of sass and goth) and moments of philosophical brilliance from the Phils. A pleasant read that will make you think, head to a Waffle House at 3:00am for some social observation, and definitely leave you hoping to catch a magical JUBILEE next time you’re in the Fairhope area (or Tokyo, where the phenomenon also apparently occurs).

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up on a whim at the library earlier today, and it was worth the time I spent with it for the 5+++ star Christopher Marlowe in-joke. My, goodness, but how I do love me some Christopher Marlowe in-jokes.

I enjoyed spending a little time down in South Alabama with this awfully believable group of eccentrics. I did not so much enjoy the history lessons.

And I would note that if you've not ever spent much time in Waffle Houses, then a lot of this book probably will seem ridiculous. Which is a pity, because Joe Formichella made me feel like I was sitting in one right down in that same area, just waiting on my patty melt and my hash browns diced and covered and a bowl of extra dill pickles to come out, right before I get back on the road home.

[Emily Stubbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly the narrative in this book was so off-putting. I just couldn’t get into it and had to make myself finish the book.

[Kathleen E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by a friend of my friend Donna Soto. The Phils were some of my favorite characters. Small town life in Alabama.

[Becca Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Southern from the top of its head to the tip of its toes, this book feels like home. It is a beautiful Sherwood Anderson-esque look into the life and times of those living in Penelope, Alabama.
The subject matter was southern enough, but the style was the most enchantingly southern part of this thoughtfully-crafted story. The story moves from dialogue to narrative to an entirely different conversation as seamlessly as your grandma did at a church potluck.
Highly recommend this book--my only caveat that I don't think the end did the first three quarters of the book justice. But in its defense I was a little sleepy when reading the last bit.