Reviews

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

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salmonread's review against another edition

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3.0

2016 Read Harder Challenge #8: Read a book originally published in the decade you were born

susanm_82's review

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adventurous reflective medium-paced

3.0

diwataluna's review against another edition

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2.0

Two means "It was okay". It was not as powerful or tantalizing as I expected. But it also had it's merits.

katewutz's review against another edition

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2.0

The writing was good and the feminism was good; there were parts that were brilliant. There was, however, a distracting amount of bigotry, which kept this book from being more than a 2 for me. This is probably a product of the time, as one assumes at the very least a writer now would be more aware of the unconscious biases displayed here.

francisco909's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

sonia_reppe's review against another edition

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5.0

This was first published in 1973. Sexy, smart, humorous, this story, told in 1st-person, is of 29-year-old college instructor/writer, psychiatrist's wife, Isadora, has sexual fantasies and then muses about these and tries to psychoanalyze herself; but though she goes to therapy and is filled with questions, she just seems like a healthy normal woman who has to figure out and deal with her desires; and not just sexual desires, but career-wise, and all that.

While in Europe with her husband, she falls hard for this other man, who wants to fool around with her but doesn't love her. She loves her husband, but she goes back and forth. Jong has written a realistic portrait of marriage, their fights, their love-making (which is good, and satisfying for Isadora) but Isadora can't help that she becomes obsessed with Adrian (the other man), who kind of antagonizes her, and uses her.

I love this true-to-life scenario. (Which you don't get in Romance novels--they're usually fake). I love reading about love relationships and characters that seem real. Isadora says, "I simply wanted them both. It was the choosing that was impossible."

I'm going to quote Jennifer Weiner's introduction: "Isadora's encounters tended more toward the limp, the disappointing, and the comically gross that they did toward the erotic."

I don't think I would've like this as much if I had read it ten or more years ago. I think someone would have to have had experiences with relationships in order to like it. Not jaded, but just not idealistic in their views anymore.