Fly Away Home

A Novel

By: Jennifer Weiner

Narrated by: Judith Light

From the number-one New York Times best-selling author, a novel about three very different women who become friends while seeking refuge in an old beach house.

Sometimes all you can do is fly away home....

When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At 57, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator.

Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at 24 a recovering addict, whose mantra HALT (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) helps her keep her life under control. Still, trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achieve—a husband, a young son, the perfect home—and yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. With temptation waiting in one of the ER’s exam rooms, she finds herself craving more.

After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.

©2010 Jennifer Weiner, Inc (P)2010 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Good Book

This is the first book of Jennifer Weiner's that I have read. Judith Light did a wonderful job narrating. Story was slow in spots but overall would recommend reading.

Loved the narrator, but the story was lacking

The narration of this book kept me listening, but I feel like the story missed a lot. Not a great wrap up on the characters at the end, and a lot of wishy washy naïveté in the women characters. Selma was the best of the bunch.

And the sex scenes were weirdly placed considering how vanilla the rest of the book was. They didn't bother me, but they felt like an after thought to try and liven up what was ultimately a pretty boring book.

Enjoyable

First, I'll say that I did enjoy the book. Some books i kind of strap on and listen as if I'm logging minutes to finish. But I did enjoy this story, especially the character of Sylvie's mother, which Judith Light hit dead on. That being said, I must admit my disappointment that this is basically a story of "women's issues" which is a category of movie and book that I avoid at all cost. When I think of Jennifer Weiner, I think of quirky characters without such predictable stories. But alas, Fly Away Home is just an enjoyable story of three very predictable, stereotypical women who "find themselves" (another thing I hate about women).

One other thing, the oldest daughter's son Milo is apparently the first 3 year-old in grade school or at least that is how Judith Light portrayed him. Listening to her narration of his voice was very sad.

3 stars is just about right!

Special

Loved this book! Judith Light was amazing and so peaceful to listen to. Thank you

I love her perfectly imperfect characters!

Narrator was excellent!
I am on a Jennifer Weiner kick- this book was just in time!

Not Weiner's Best

Would you listen to Fly Away Home again? Why?

No, too many books to go back and re-read a mediocre book. But I usually do not read books twice.

Would you recommend Fly Away Home to your friends? Why or why not?

Probably not, I would recommend other books by Weiner

Have you listened to any of Judith Light’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Judith Light is a fabulous narrator, switching from male to female voices easily as well as believably. Her reading style is probably the sole reason I stuck with this book. I even went into the site to look for other books she had narrated and was disappointed to see that there were so few.

Who was the most memorable character of Fly Away Home and why?

Diana was the most memorable character for me, however, I did not like her. The story revolves around her marital indiscretions, her younger sister's addictive and juvenile behavior and their mother's attempts to "come to terms" with her senator-husband's infidelity. The story was "predictable" and lacked Weiner's usual humor and punch. The women all seemed like spoiled brats. Would not recommend. Read Good in Bed to truly get the flavor of Weiner's writing style.

Any additional comments?

Please offer more books read by Judith Light; she is on a par with Barbara Rosenblat, another of my favorite readers

Light, easy book

After listening to a really heavy novel, I needed this lighter book to ease the tension on my commute! A good story about a family that doesn't get tied into a nice little bow at the end. I really enjoyed Judith Light as the narrator as well. Best voice for an audio book I've heard in a long time!

One of her best

This is one of Jennifer Weiner‘s best ever. And Judith light as narrator was perfection.

fantastic

I didn't know what to expect from this author but I was so happily pleased. this book really warmed my heart and I thoroughly enjoyed it. highly recommended

Love Jennifer Weiner books

Great book and appreciate this book being in audio format. Jennifer Weiner books are always so descriptive, funny and real and this was no exception. The way she builds the characters and the environment around them, one can relate, picture and feel what is happening as if seeing it in real life or on a movie screen.
It was well told - sometimes a little hard to picture the character actually speaking the way it was portrayed but still well told.
Enjoyed it!