sovteck's review
4.0
This book is a short chaotic rush, tied together by the themes of memory; of fame; of letting the next generation take its place. Godden explores the intensity of feeling that comes from both the beginning of a career and the end of a career, and she does it well.
jovvijo's review
2.0
I have a funny thing in that I love the behind scenes of ballet - working out, getting the dance steps right, healthy eating and all that jazz! But I find Ballet itself tragically boring to watch, oh I just can't, it's like watching popcorn bounce about the pan for hours on end without even the promise of a corn-ish snack afterwards!
What I'm getting at with the above is that this should have been a book I was all for, both feet in, let's stir up trouble! But I found it very tedious and the Madame was well... well not very nice was she? I'm just not a fan of that ol' Grand Dame type personality, it's the sort that acts all pomp and dignified and then finally snaps into one magnificent melt down when someone puts the wrong cheese on crackers...
Hilda's story was nice though and if it was the only, or even the main, story I'd have definitely pulled a few more stars from the heavens to adorn this books ratings.
It wasn't though.
Recommended for hardcore Rumer Godden fans!
What I'm getting at with the above is that this should have been a book I was all for, both feet in, let's stir up trouble! But I found it very tedious and the Madame was well... well not very nice was she? I'm just not a fan of that ol' Grand Dame type personality, it's the sort that acts all pomp and dignified and then finally snaps into one magnificent melt down when someone puts the wrong cheese on crackers...
Hilda's story was nice though and if it was the only, or even the main, story I'd have definitely pulled a few more stars from the heavens to adorn this books ratings.
It wasn't though.
Recommended for hardcore Rumer Godden fans!
mimima's review
3.0
My most recent car book, a quiet novel about a Russian ballerina, celebrating her 50th anniversary of dancing, and the school that she runs.
A sweet side story is the deep and abiding faith of her assistant. Not the strongest Godden book I've read, but I'm definitely glad that it crossed my path.
A sweet side story is the deep and abiding faith of her assistant. Not the strongest Godden book I've read, but I'm definitely glad that it crossed my path.
expendablemudge's review
3.0
Rating: 3.5* of five
All the talk around LT about Rumer Godden was making me a little hankersome for a quick dip in that pond. I dredged this oldie up, since it's a short book and a re-read, and sailed through it on a cloud of appreciative smiles.
Now, to make sure you understand how weird that is, I do not love the ballet, which is the subject of this book. I do not love it so much that I refer to it as the Charles Dickens of the dahnse: Ponderous, possessed of a cliquish, cultlike following with its own icky little patois, and able to scrutinize the itsy-ootsy-teensiest of twitches with all the seriousness that a normal person would give their bank statement.
Unpromising beginning, in short, for me and this novel. I love it. It's just stellar. The characters are so vivid and real, the stakes of the story are so vividly presented, the ending so exactly what would happen inevitably, that there is no way not to appreciate the craftsmanship of the tale.
Since I know from my own life that miracles occur, I had no problem with the basics of the plot. I don't respond to this book as a religious tract, but as a tale well told, and I think that's what Rumer Godden would want a reader to do...she slipped her messages into the book so well that I wouldn't even have clipped them out as her editor.
Know any balletomanes? Give them this book immediately! It's in print! Are you of a faith-and-family bent? Read it read it read it! Interested in midcentury writers? A minor book by a major talent of the day, but worth reading.All the talk around LT about Rumer Godden was making me a little hankersome for a quick dip in that pond. I dredged this oldie up, since it's a short book and a re-read, and sailed through it on a cloud of appreciative smiles.
Now, to make sure you understand how weird that is, I do not love the ballet, which is the subject of this book. I do not love it so much that I refer to it as the Charles Dickens of the dahnse: Ponderous, possessed of a cliquish, cultlike following with its own icky little patois, and able to scrutinize the itsy-ootsy-teensiest of twitches with all the seriousness that a normal person would give their bank statement.
Unpromising beginning, in short, for me and this novel. I love it. It's just stellar. The characters are so vivid and real, the stakes of the story are so vividly presented, the ending so exactly what would happen inevitably, that there is no way not to appreciate the craftsmanship of the tale.
Since I know from my own life that miracles occur, I had no problem with the basics of the plot. I don't respond to this book as a religious tract, but as a tale well told, and I think that's what Rumer Godden would want a reader to do...she slipped her messages into the book so well that I wouldn't even have clipped them out as her editor.
Know any balletomanes? Give them this book immediately! It's in print! Are you of a faith-and-family bent? Read it read it read it! Interested in midcentury writers? A minor book by a major talent of the day, but worth reading.
All the talk around LT about Rumer Godden was making me a little hankersome for a quick dip in that pond. I dredged this oldie up, since it's a short book and a re-read, and sailed through it on a cloud of appreciative smiles.
Now, to make sure you understand how weird that is, I do not love the ballet, which is the subject of this book. I do not love it so much that I refer to it as the Charles Dickens of the dahnse: Ponderous, possessed of a cliquish, cultlike following with its own icky little patois, and able to scrutinize the itsy-ootsy-teensiest of twitches with all the seriousness that a normal person would give their bank statement.
Unpromising beginning, in short, for me and this novel. I love it. It's just stellar. The characters are so vivid and real, the stakes of the story are so vividly presented, the ending so exactly what would happen inevitably, that there is no way not to appreciate the craftsmanship of the tale.
Since I know from my own life that miracles occur, I had no problem with the basics of the plot. I don't respond to this book as a religious tract, but as a tale well told, and I think that's what Rumer Godden would want a reader to do...she slipped her messages into the book so well that I wouldn't even have clipped them out as her editor.
Know any balletomanes? Give them this book immediately! It's in print! Are you of a faith-and-family bent? Read it read it read it! Interested in midcentury writers? A minor book by a major talent of the day, but worth reading.All the talk around LT about Rumer Godden was making me a little hankersome for a quick dip in that pond. I dredged this oldie up, since it's a short book and a re-read, and sailed through it on a cloud of appreciative smiles.
Now, to make sure you understand how weird that is, I do not love the ballet, which is the subject of this book. I do not love it so much that I refer to it as the Charles Dickens of the dahnse: Ponderous, possessed of a cliquish, cultlike following with its own icky little patois, and able to scrutinize the itsy-ootsy-teensiest of twitches with all the seriousness that a normal person would give their bank statement.
Unpromising beginning, in short, for me and this novel. I love it. It's just stellar. The characters are so vivid and real, the stakes of the story are so vividly presented, the ending so exactly what would happen inevitably, that there is no way not to appreciate the craftsmanship of the tale.
Since I know from my own life that miracles occur, I had no problem with the basics of the plot. I don't respond to this book as a religious tract, but as a tale well told, and I think that's what Rumer Godden would want a reader to do...she slipped her messages into the book so well that I wouldn't even have clipped them out as her editor.
Know any balletomanes? Give them this book immediately! It's in print! Are you of a faith-and-family bent? Read it read it read it! Interested in midcentury writers? A minor book by a major talent of the day, but worth reading.
teresareads's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
his book about a London dance school was a bit of a roller-coaster for me. The head of the school, Madame Holbein, just seemed so mean and self-centered and outright cruel to one of her most talented dancers. I didn’t really care about seeing her succeed at putting on the big ballet recital in celebration of her 50 years as a dancer. But I did care about Hilda, the young dancer and choreographer who Madame Holbein seems to resent for no reason. As the book goes on, it becomes clear that Holbein cannot deny real talent when she sees it and that Hilda could use some pushes to improve.
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