Review of Anna’s Dance

[Kennedy NC]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Anna’s Dance: A Balkan Odyssey" by Michele Levy.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Anna's Dance is all about a woman named Anna Rossi. However, it is not just about her. It is a book laced with threads of antisemitism, hate, and prejudice against a people. Michele Levy is brave in her selection of themes like sexism, death, and systematic discrimination against a set of people and their identity.

The story begins with Anna Rossi, who sets out for Europe with her friend, Claudia. However, shortly into this journey by ship, a dramatic turn of events influences Anna to continue with a young Danish, Peter Hansen, who convinces her to travel with him, this time through the East.

Their journey is not one devoid of incidents. They journey to Slovenia and later to Zagreb, where they meet a German, Max Heidl, who convinces them to ride with him to Bulgaria. This journey would change her in more profound ways than she had imagined.

This book has many positive aspects. Firstly, it treated highly relevant societal and historical issues that must be addressed in contemporary times. Even though the story is set in 1968, the themes and topics treated therein remain relevant today. Themes of discrimination, hate, and systematic prejudice, especially against the Jews, were strongly highlighted throughout the book. The reader will be introduced to historical realities, such as "the Holocaust" and "antisemitism" in Europe.

Also, the characters in this book are dynamic and distinct. They evolve gradually as the plot progresses. Readers will be pleased to follow these characters on their journeys of evolution. Also, I discovered only a few grammatical errors in this book. Hence, it was professionally edited.

However, this book is not without its negative points. The language and style employed in this book were too elevated. They do not aid an easy understanding or comprehension of the plot. Not only this, readers may find themselves overwhelmed with the threads of history and facts laced into this book. Because there is a strong emphasis on highlighting histories, people, and events, the plot seems tedious most times and progresses very slowly. Readers may struggle to grapple with all the facts and accounts contained in this book.

Due to all the points listed above, I rate Anna's Dance 3 out of 4 stars. It still received a high rating because it was educational, informative, and professionally edited. I recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction. In particular, I recommend this book to everyone who may be interested in reading about discrimination and prejudice against a specific set of people. However, if you are averse to such sensitive topics, I advise you not to pick this book. Also, this historical fiction contains threads of violence and death, which some readers may find disturbing.

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Anna's Dance
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[Kavita Shah]

Anna's dance- I thought its about Ballet, but clearly, its not. It is a journey where we see many historical prejudices, discrimination and more. Thank you for a detailed review!

[TheMazeRunner]

I thought Anna is a ballerina. Apparently, it is not. I loved your review!

[El_limitless]

Interesting plot. I'd love to know how Anna's meeting and journey to Bulgaria with Max Heidl changed her life. Great review.