Pretending to Dance

Pretending to Dance
Publisher
Age Range
16+
Release Date
October 06, 2015
ISBN
9781250010742
Buy This Book
      

Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets. She and her husband live in San Diego, where they hope to soon adopt a baby. But the process terrifies her. As the questions and background checks come one after another, Molly worries that the truth she's kept hidden about her North Carolina childhood will rise to the surface and destroy not only her chance at adoption, but her marriage as well. She ran away from her family twenty years ago after a shocking event left her devastated and distrustful of those she loved: Her mother, the woman who raised her and who Molly says is dead but is very much alive. Her birth mother, whose mysterious presence raised so many issues. The father she adored, whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison Ridge. Now, as she tries to find a way to make peace with her past and embrace a future filled with promise, she discovers that even she doesn't know the truth of what happened in her family of pretenders. Told with Diane Chamberlain's compelling prose and gift for deft exploration of the human heart, Pretending to Dance is an exploration of family, lies, and the complexities of both.

Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets. She and her husband live in San Diego, where they hope to soon adopt a baby. But the process terrifies her. As the questions and background checks come one after another, Molly worries that the truth she's kept hidden about her North Carolina childhood will rise to the surface and destroy not only her chance at adoption, but her marriage as well. She ran away from her family twenty years ago after a shocking event left her devastated and distrustful of those she loved: Her mother, the woman who raised her and who Molly says is dead but is very much alive. Her birth mother, whose mysterious presence raised so many issues. The father she adored, whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison Ridge. Now, as she tries to find a way to make peace with her past and embrace a future filled with promise, she discovers that even she doesn't know the truth of what happened in her family of pretenders. Told with Diane Chamberlain's compelling prose and gift for deft exploration of the human heart, Pretending to Dance is an exploration of family, lies, and the complexities of both.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
A moving novel that captures the nuances of nontraditional families
Overall rating
 
3.3
Plot
 
N/A
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Molly is settled and ready to adopt a baby with her loving husband in San Diego. When the adoption process starts gaining speed, however, she begins to doubt that she can’t truly leave her past behind. She’s kept secrets about her childhood in North Carolina for years, but as she gets closer to having a child of her own, past and present will collide.

What I Loved:

Pretending to Dance by Diane Chamberlain does a wonderful job of paralleling past and present events. The voice of Molly as a young girl and the voice of her as a mature adult contrasts beautifully, adjusting to the age difference but keeping the same thread of character. On both sides, Chamberlain shows the nuances of nontraditional families, never shying from the complex issues but always highlighting love that does not need blood connection. The descriptions of the North Carolina region, especially the land Molly’s family lives on when she is a child, are also a wonderful addition to the story.

What Left Me Wanting More:

The story centers around a big mystery about what truly happened to Molly’s father. The reader knows he is dead in Molly’s present, but the circumstances around his death are what Molly has kept hidden. The mystery was a bit predictable from the beginning, so the reveal is not shocking. However, the build up is nice, and I still found myself turning the pages, eager to have conformation.

Final Verdict:

Though I wanted a little more from the plot, Pretending to Dance is a moving novel of families, love, and the relationships that form us.
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0

User reviews

There are no user reviews for this listing.
Already have an account? or Create an account