Astonish Me (by Maggie Shipstead) is a beautifully written book that gives readers a glimpse into the complicated political and professional nuances of the professional ballet world. Joan is a ballerina who helps world famous dancer Arslan Ruskov defect from the Soviet Union to the United States. While Arslan’s career takes off in New York, Joan is less successful. Her career ultimately ends when she becomes pregnant, marries her longtime friend and moves to California. Joan remains loosely linked to the ballet world as she teaches in a small studio and watches her son, Harry, become a ballet prodigy. When Harry’s talent brings him into contact with Arslan, Joan’s past and present collide to uncover a secret.
Maggie Shipstead’s elegant descriptions and fluid phrasing bring the characters and their surroundings to life in a way that immerses the reader. This is the second book she’s written, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
— Maggie Mohr, Main Library, Charleston, S.C.
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