Name: Astonish Me
ISBN: 9780007525386

Maggie Shipstead

From the prize-winning author of Seating Arrangements comes an exquisitely written, fiercely compelling glimpse into the demanding world of professional ballet and its magnetic hold over two generations.

Astonish Me

Helping a world-famous dancer to defect from the Soviet Union to the United States, ballerina Joan watches her friend's career soar while her own declines in the wake of her pregnancy and marriage, a situation that eventually exposes difficult secrets. 75,000 first printing.

very well written story of dancers through 3 decades with a sort of fictionalized account of the arrival of baryshnikov in the USA. for ballet fans only, due to *gory* details of a pro dancer's life (starving, fat shaming, perfectionism, bloody feet). 
PS: didn't astonish me, but kept me very well entertained.

Jenna

I enjoyed this book. It was pretty easy to read and I liked the story. However, I didn't like the main character, Joan. She was very boring to me. I think this book was really well written. I only gave it three stars because I didn't find it moving in any way, and I didn't learn anything or change my perspective based on this book. It was simply a nice read. I do think the ending was abrupt, but I still liked it.

Meghan Truskowski

I was really excited about this book but in the end it left me a little disappointed. I felt that I knew the ending after the first chapter. Throughout the book I wanted the author to trick me, make me second guess the ending, or surprise me in not ending it the way it did. Since I predicted the ending so soon it made it difficult to complete the book.

b.andherbooks

Wow. Review to come.

Tight and compact as a ballet dancer's body, but just as full of power, grace, and movement. Astonish Me was simply a delight to read. As a non-dancer, I felt drawn into the world of ballet, and could easily visualize each movement and gesture.

Highly recommend.

Erin G.

Stephanie Honour

Denise

"From the author of the widely acclaimed debut novel Seating Arrangements, winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize: a gorgeously written, fiercely compelling glimpse into the passionate, political world of professional ballet and its magnetic hold over two generations. Astonish Me is the irresistible story of Joan, a ballerina whose life has been shaped by her relationship with the world-famous dancer Arslan Ruskov, whom she helps defect from the Soviet Union to the U.S. While Arslan's career takes off in New York, Joan's slowly declines, ending when she becomes pregnant and decides to marry her longtime admirer, a PhD student named Jacob. As the years pass, Joan settles into her new life in California, teaching dance and watching her son, Harry, become a ballet prodigy himself. But when Harry's success brings him into close contact with Arslan, explosive secrets are revealed that shatter the delicate balance Joan has struck between her past and present. In graceful, inimitable prose, Shipstead draws us into the lives of her lovably tempestuous characters. Filled with intrigue, hilarious satire, and emotional nuance, Astonish Me is a brilliant investigation into the bonds that hold us, despite the distancing of time and geography"--

Astonish Me

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