Astonish Me
By Maggie Shipstead
In the 1970s, Joan is a professional ballerina. The company she works for has the breakout star from Russia, Arslan Ruskov. Joan is the reason he is in the United States, she even drove the get-away car. Despite the fact that she loves Arslan, he is engaged to another woman and Joan knows she will never be a soloist, so she decides to leave the ballet world. Joan marries her high school boyfriend and they live a nice life, but when their son begins to study dance, Joan is forced back into the lifestyle. Will her secrets be exposed or will her son be able to follow his dreams?
Astonish Me is written with a style, similar to a performance. It is divided into different acts and the narration sets the scene as the events unfold. Several different topics are broached in this book, ranging from parenting styles to marriages to work ethics. This is a book that you will want to read with someone else, as the ending will leave you desperate to discuss with a friend who understands.
Notes:
This review was written for the My Sister’s Books bookstore. To learn more about this store, please visit their website.