Book Review – Fear Of Dying

by Erica Jong (Canongate) ISBN: 9781782117476

Who says life ends at sixty? Certainly not Vanessa Wonderman. At sixty-years-old, she is fighting the fight against ageing with as much grace and determination as she can muster. Having been a small-screen villain for many years, lived the New York high life and partied with the best, Vanessa is just not yet ready to retire.

Life however has other plans. Vanessa’s ageing parents are getting closer to death’s door and resort to emotional blackmail to get her to visit. Her wayward daughter, Glinda is pregnant and Vanessa is going to be a grandmother. Lastly, her marriage to Asher is not quite what is used to be. So, what’s a girl to do but sign up to a casual encounters website?

What ensues is a wild ride with Vanessa as she tries hard not to embrace getting older or being responsible, and fails at both. A hilarious juxtaposition of relationships, online dating, wild suggestions and normal real life issues ensues. This is a bittersweet read that will leave you thinking about mortality.

Merissa Himraj
3.5/5