Book review - The Paris Dancer

 

* I would like to thank Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me on this book tour and thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of The Paris Dancer. 

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

Synopsis

A heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of courage, friendship and resistance, inspired by the incredible true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during WWII, perfect for fans of The Paris Library.

Paris, 1938. Annie Mayer arrives in France with dreams of becoming a ballerina. But when the war reaches Paris, she's forced to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. Then a fellow dancer offers her a lifeline: a ballroom partnership that gives her a new identity. Together, Annie and her partner captivate audiences across occupied Europe, using her newfound fame and alias to aid the Resistance.

New York, 2012. Miriam, haunted by her past, travels from London to New York to settle her great-aunt Esther's estate. Among Esther's belongings, she discovers notebooks detailing a secret family history and the story of a brave dancer who risked everything to help Jewish families during the war.

As Miriam uncovers Esther's life in Europe, she realises the story has been left for her to finish. Grappling with loss and the possibility of new love, Miriam must find the strength to reconcile her past and embrace her future.

My review

Mim arrives in New York to settle her great-aunt Ester’s estate; she is depressed after losing her best friend and has all but given up on love. Esther leaves Mim her notebooks detailing her life in Paris during WWII. These notebooks contain inner turmoil, guilt, grief, and family secrets. Can Mim learn lessons from her great-aunt’s life and apply them to her own, so that she can move on and pursue love and her future?

Although Esther and Mim have had very different lives - with Esther surviving the horrors of WWII and Mim living in 2012 - we discover that they have many shared experiences. Both women have had strenuous relationships with a sister, both experienced a tragedy - that they blame themselves for, and both have had intense female friendships.

I loved reading The Paris Dancer, there were so many strong and brave female characters that I admired - some of which were inspired by real women. The author captured how terrifying it must have been to live through WWII with Jewish Heritage - parts of the story broke my heart. Nicola Rayner weaves the past and present familial parallels together perfectly. I highly recommend this fantastic book!

You can buy a copy of The Paris Dancer here

Check out the rest of the book tour