Dancing in the Dark, by Shoshana Mael

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Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
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  • #611369
    keepitcoming
    Member

    did anybody read this novel by shoshana mael? I wanna hear what u think abt it.

    #1010859
    postsemgirl
    Member

    I thought it was amazing. I cried most of the way through. I think it is important to write about these topics. Did you read it?

    #1010860

    What is it about?

    #1010861
    postsemgirl
    Member

    Two teenage girls dealing with a mother who is bi-polar. I don’t want to say much more because I don’t want to ruin it for others.

    #1010862
    Burnt Steak
    Participant

    I think Springsteen did it better. He really knows how to rock.

    #1010863
    the-art-of-moi
    Participant

    That book was traumatizing! I was shaking for hours after I’d finished it! It made me cry tonz. Are there really people going through this pain?! I mean, I always knew that some parents are abusive, but having it all down on paper… Wow. One thing it accomplished was that I now appreciate my family. Kudos to Shoshana Mael!

    #1010864

    Did the book stay true to the facts or did it dramatize them in a stereotypical way? Not trying to be cynical or c”v cause lashon hara (some people like books like that!), just to figure out if i should spend the time reading it 😀 For those who don’t know what i mean-there was a novel that came out a few years ago by an author who i really enjoyed (she tended to stay away from the stereotypical jewish novel format and her writing was a pleasure to read). The premise of the novel was that one of the main characters suffered from schizophrenia. He was diagnosed extemporaneously, and was back with his family, seemingly “cured” about 3 weeks later. The entire book was filled with cliche situations and ignorant projections of mental illness. (Sorry, i don’t think projection was the right word, but i can’t think of the correct term.) There was a similar book about a girl struggling with anorexia-the book kind of glorified the whole situation, glossed over her, and continued on without sticking to reality.

    So, back to my original question-was this researched, or was this just a drama feeding into the stereotypes and images that society has?

    😀

    #1010865
    postsemgirl
    Member

    The back of the book says that the author is a social worker who deals with teenagers and knows what she is writing about. Not someone who said hey I’ll pick bi-polar that seems interesting. It even has her email address where you can contact her. I think it’s legit but that’s my opinion.

    #1010866
    keepitcoming
    Member

    the book was very accurate actually. not gonna say my history here but i was totally able to relate. ive read some bad jewish books like smile E. face said. that makes u think the whole world is crazy. but the book makes it seem so realistic. totally read it

    #1010867
    gavra_at_work
    Participant

    I read it and thought the time spent worthwhile. Very realistic and daring for a Jewish-type novel.

    #1010868
    SanityIsOverrated
    Participant

    I was impressed as I was expecting it to be one of those typical jewish stories that don’t stick to reality. This one did. Not only were the girls trying to find their way through the darkness of their own emotions, but the author left out enough to keep the readers in the dark themselves, until the end. Basically it’s a good balance between real and emotional, and it’s also detailed yet still very clear. It has my approval.

    #1010869
    Bookworm120
    Participant

    @Burnt Steak – I was about to say the same thing, but was a little afraid to. 😛 If I’d read the book, I’d say “This book’s for buying, even if you’re just reading in the dark.”

    But I haven’t read the book yet and now I really want to.

    #1010870
    fkelly
    Member

    Wow! Just read this book, it’s probably the best Jewish novel I’ve ever read. Very accurate!!

    #1010871
    the-art-of-moi
    Participant

    It’s an emotional roller coaster. Seriously, I cried through the entire book.

    #1010872
    keepitcoming
    Member

    im gonna give it a few weeks and reread it. i bawled the entire time. healing in a kind of way. The book was pretty on the mark the whole time but in the end i found it kind of hard to believe that she was able to be so open with her therapist right away. what do u think?

    #1010873
    fkelly
    Member

    I agree keepitcoming. That part was a bit unrealistic. But other than that I thought it was amazingly accurate. Plus these are topics that frum people rarely speak about so I think it’s really great that she wrote it!

    #1010874
    1st timer
    Participant

    that was the third time you submitted a deleted post. Usually that will get you blocked. Instead you are being warned

    #1010875

    I think its a bit extreme although such cases can happen…i feel that the author, who is a social worker, took all her client’s stories and put them together and wrote a horror book on it…

    …but at the same time while reading the book i became more open to the fact that such things could happen and do happen!!! It made me so thankful for everything i have and it made me appreciate my life so much more!!! Im so fortunate!!!

    #1010876
    fkelly
    Member

    Lucky you that you think that. But I know lots of stories that are this bad and worse.

    #1010877

    Obviously i know there are such storys!!!! Thats why I’m so gr8ful!

    #1010878

    Hey-now that i finally read the book today, just thought i’d comment 🙂 It’s really well written, accurate, and doesn’t rely on melodrama to keep it going. Like others mentioned, the fact that she was so open so fast may not be the most realistic, but hey, desperate times and all that, not to mention it’s a book, not a biography. So yeah. Shkoyach!!! 😀

    #1010879
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    You mean fiction.

    #1010880

    Actually i meant it’s a book, not a feature length documentary, meaning there’s a “time limit” of sorts, for lack of a better explanation. But thank you for pointing out that i didn’t actually say that which i meant to say 😀

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