taffy_sea's review against another edition
1.0
HATED it. Protagonist's excessive privilege & whining did not interest me, nor did the stupid men in her life. I get that women's sexual liberation hadn't happened yet, but still.
brinastewart's review against another edition
2.0
I settled on 2 stars because I didn't like it but I don't think I quite hated it. I was disappointed in this because it was another book from a course I took and it is supposed to be one of the forward-thinking-written-by-a-woman-sexual-awakening-turn-the-tide book but it was just crude, vulgar, nasty, with a little crazy family and something you can relate to mixed in.
*Possible Spoilers*
I don't know who is turned on by someone who:
leaves #2 stains on your sheets (eww, got to be nasty all over)
taste like urine when you talk about oral
has obvious dirty toenails
It was just gross and makes me wonder why are you idealizing/desiring nasty men and why don't you set your standards just a bit higher?
*Possible Spoilers*
I don't know who is turned on by someone who:
leaves #2 stains on your sheets (eww, got to be nasty all over)
taste like urine when you talk about oral
has obvious dirty toenails
It was just gross and makes me wonder why are you idealizing/desiring nasty men and why don't you set your standards just a bit higher?
pharmdad2007's review against another edition
2.0
I can totally see how this book was revolutionary in its time, and a very important piece of literature, it just wasn't my favorite.
laurasullivan's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alexandraramz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I liked this a lot!
chaoticmissadventures's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this on audio and it made me genuinely anxious. I am unsure if it was the book itself, and how manic the protagonist is, or the reader of the thing, but had to keep turning it off because I was getting jittery!
A book about a self-obsessed woman full of anxiety about sex, relationships, sex, the state of the world, and sex. She takes us through various relationships she has had, and why they didn't work out.
I can tell it was probably explosive when first published - pushing so many boundaries about Freudian SEX. I am unsure how well it holds up
shanth's review against another edition
3.0
The quality of the writing is brilliant, but ... I think the fact that the author herself classifies it as "Catcher in the Rye for women" says all I want to say about the content. Still, there is some merit to that I guess, since we've got tonnes of novels with male navel-gazing.
laura_howard's review against another edition
2.0
I was expecting the descriptors "fearless" and "revolutionary" in regards to "womanhood" to equate to a strong feminist character, a role model of sorts and instead it equates to a woman open to multiple sexual encounters with men who end up making her feel unsatisfied, or worse...like shit, under the guise of being "liberated" AND multiple unwanted sexual encounters where she has to ward off men who feel entitled to her body and then laugh off their despicable behavior when rejected. At first the main character was disappointing, but sadly realistic in her confused, lost journey and the men were disappointing because they, too, were sadly realistic. While reading this novel, one word resonated in my mind: broken. I guess the feminist action here is pointing out reality to (hopefully!) set the balls in motion to fix it...that would be revolutionary.
thecatwood's review against another edition
4.0
Fear of Flying is the foremother of some of my favorite reads of the last year and a clear influence on writers such as Dodie Bellamy, Shelia Heti, Kate Zambreno, Cheryl Strayed. The themes are the same: the female artist, female expression within a masculine canon, sexuality and the conflict when it diverge with the socialized and sanitized norm, what constitutes a worthwhile subject for art and writing. Jong has a voice that flits between neurotic, self aware, and occasionally unreliable but never taxing. FoF contains the multitudes of shifting feelings and thoughts that a semi autobiographical novel explores. The feminism is second wave, the analysis a bit dated, but its worthwhile not only as a piece of historical feminist literature but a work that is funny, relevant, and illuminating.