Review by Book Savant -- The Dancing Barber by AC Michael
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Review by Book Savant -- The Dancing Barber by AC Michael
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Dancing Barber" by AC Michael.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The Dancing Barber by A.C. Michael is a historical novel which deals with the grim topic of the cruelties faced by the Ukrainians during the Soviet Communist dictatorship. Reading the book, however, is far from a grim affair because it is delightfully written in a fun to read, humorous and uplifting manner.
The story moves back and forth across a time period of thirty years. In 1933 the story is set in the village of Chaplinka in Ukraine, where the people face unspeakable hardship and starvation due to the Soviet created famine. Thirty years later, the story is set in Bradford, England which is now home to many Ukrainian immigrants.
Taras is the head of one such family. He is a barber by profession but his real passion is the ballet. He loves dancing and teaching ballet, and dreams of someday having his own famous dance production. Halyna, his wife, is a strong character who works two jobs to keep the household running. She is determined to teach Taras a lesson so that he never underestimates her or takes her for granted again. Sofia, their daughter, dreams of playing lead in her father's ballet production and lives in the hope that he would someday recognize her talents and appreciate her. In their attic lives the enigmatic Klem, who loves cats, drinks endless cups of tea, writes poetry and has some mysterious connection to Voloshin, the charismatic champion and leader of the Ukrainian people.
When Halyna is paid a visit by her twin sisters, Zena and Lenka, from their village Chaplinka, their lives are thrown into turmoil. Old memories come alive, old friends and foes reappear and family secrets are unearthed.
At over 600 pages, this is a long book, but the intriguing characters and the twists and turns in the plot keep the reader hooked to the story right to the end. It is a complex story with many layers to the plot. At one level it is about the dreams and aspirations of the individual characters and their interpersonal relationships, while at the other it is also about the horrors of the famine in Ukraine in 1933, the hardships and failure of the Collective Farming strategy of the Soviet dictatorship and the aspirations of the Ukrainians even after 30 years that the world would get to hear their story and some closure and justice would be meted out. The author's treatment of the story- the humour and the hope- is what makes the reading experience even more enjoyable.
The only part of the book I did not like was the very gross and very descriptive details of the abominable personal hygiene and filthy habits of the twins Zena and Lenka. Some parts, like the detailed description of Lenka's stomach upset, made me cringe.
I rate The Dancing Barber 3 out of 4 stars as I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and found it very informative because the story talks about a period in history I knew very little about. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fast paced historical thriller and a healthy dose of humour in their reading.
******
The Dancing Barber
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Dancing Barber by A.C. Michael is a historical novel which deals with the grim topic of the cruelties faced by the Ukrainians during the Soviet Communist dictatorship. Reading the book, however, is far from a grim affair because it is delightfully written in a fun to read, humorous and uplifting manner.
The story moves back and forth across a time period of thirty years. In 1933 the story is set in the village of Chaplinka in Ukraine, where the people face unspeakable hardship and starvation due to the Soviet created famine. Thirty years later, the story is set in Bradford, England which is now home to many Ukrainian immigrants.
Taras is the head of one such family. He is a barber by profession but his real passion is the ballet. He loves dancing and teaching ballet, and dreams of someday having his own famous dance production. Halyna, his wife, is a strong character who works two jobs to keep the household running. She is determined to teach Taras a lesson so that he never underestimates her or takes her for granted again. Sofia, their daughter, dreams of playing lead in her father's ballet production and lives in the hope that he would someday recognize her talents and appreciate her. In their attic lives the enigmatic Klem, who loves cats, drinks endless cups of tea, writes poetry and has some mysterious connection to Voloshin, the charismatic champion and leader of the Ukrainian people.
When Halyna is paid a visit by her twin sisters, Zena and Lenka, from their village Chaplinka, their lives are thrown into turmoil. Old memories come alive, old friends and foes reappear and family secrets are unearthed.
At over 600 pages, this is a long book, but the intriguing characters and the twists and turns in the plot keep the reader hooked to the story right to the end. It is a complex story with many layers to the plot. At one level it is about the dreams and aspirations of the individual characters and their interpersonal relationships, while at the other it is also about the horrors of the famine in Ukraine in 1933, the hardships and failure of the Collective Farming strategy of the Soviet dictatorship and the aspirations of the Ukrainians even after 30 years that the world would get to hear their story and some closure and justice would be meted out. The author's treatment of the story- the humour and the hope- is what makes the reading experience even more enjoyable.
The only part of the book I did not like was the very gross and very descriptive details of the abominable personal hygiene and filthy habits of the twins Zena and Lenka. Some parts, like the detailed description of Lenka's stomach upset, made me cringe.
I rate The Dancing Barber 3 out of 4 stars as I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and found it very informative because the story talks about a period in history I knew very little about. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fast paced historical thriller and a healthy dose of humour in their reading.
******
The Dancing Barber
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Book Savant's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Flat Top Mountain Ranch -- the beginning by James E Doucette
