Dancing Backwards in High Heels in Great Aussie Reads

Feb 04, 2012 Olivia rated it liked it

Shelves: aww2012-challenge, great-aussie-reads

Maddy is a forty-two year old housewife who has lost her way. Transplanted from her native USA to Melbourne, she is struggling to cope with a life that seems to put everybody before her. Then one night when she’s out looking for a doctor to take her sick son to, she notices a dance studio and it strikes a chord. Something inside her comes alive again when she decides to start taking dancing lessons. However the rest of her family aren’t so happy and Maddy has to face up to a whole new set of cha Maddy is a forty-two year old housewife who has lost her way. Transplanted from her native USA to Melbourne, she is struggling to cope with a life that seems to put everybody before her. Then one night when she’s out looking for a doctor to take her sick son to, she notices a dance studio and it strikes a chord. Something inside her comes alive again when she decides to start taking dancing lessons. However the rest of her family aren’t so happy and Maddy has to face up to a whole new set of challenges.

This is a story that many women can relate to – feeling invisible because they put all their energy into their husband/kids/house/pets. The character of Maddy captures it very well. You can feel her frustration with her life and understand how she comes to vent her anger on the real estate agent – just because he’s the one in front of her when things come to a head. Added to this universal theme, is the complication that Maddy is far from home – away from family and friends and the support networks most of us take for granted. She doesn’t even have the comfort of long-term female friends to share her woes with.

You can also really feel the way her spirit returns bit by bit as she becomes more involved in her dance class. I liked the way Maddy’s character came a bit more alive and assertive at this point. Although I could understand why she was acting the way she was before (when she was in a rut), I did get a little bit annoyed at how passive she was at times. The only other thing I didn’t really agree with was the way she considered herself to be “old” at 42. Once again, that is the character talking and maybe some women do feel that way – but being of similar age, I really don’t feel like I’m old (yet).

On the whole though, this was a very enjoyable book. Christine Darcas writes well and the story moves along at a nice pace. I enjoyed all the Melbourne references and the way she managed to work in the cultural differences between America and Australia that you don’t really think about. I also liked the positive action idea – that only you can change your life by taking some kind of action and doing something for yourself. Dancing Backwards in High Heels is a good read that kept me entertained right until the end.
...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2012 Helen McKenna rated it really liked it

Shelves: aww2012-challenge, great-aussie-reads-challenge-2012

Maddy is 42 years old and in a rut. A newcomer to Australia, she is struggling to find her feet while her two kids and husband seem to have settled in well at work and school. Desperate for a new outlet but just not sure what she wants, Maddy finds her answer one night as she searches for a doctors surgery for her ill son. A dancing studio catches her eye and on a whim, Maddy signs up for lessons - having no clue just what an impact it will have on her life.

Many women would be able to relate to ...more

Like · see review

Jan 12, 2012 Suzie rated it liked it

Many women would be able to relate to Maddy's feelings of loss of self and just going through the motions of her life (while her husband and kids are sailing along thanks to her support and encouragement). What makes it harder for her is being in a foreign country. Once again her husband and kids are fine as they have school and work to build a new social network, but she feels like she is on the fringes and will probably never settle in Melbourne. Then, by chance, she comes across a dance studi ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2012 Simone rated it really liked it

Shelves: great-aussie-reads-challenge, aww2012-challenge

Like

Mar 17, 2012 Jennifer rated it liked it

Like

From the Bookshelf of Great Aussie Reads…

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

What Members Thought

Great Aussie Reads