3 out of 4 stars
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Rating 3 out of 4
I initially thought I wouldn't be able to finish this book as it started off quite slow for me. However it quickly picked up and became very interesting with the author talking about Ukraine and what happened there in the 1930s as well as England quite some time after that. It educated me while at the same time, entertaining me in a way that stimulated my mind.
The Dancing barber is split into 6 acts and explores the complex and very little known famine of Ukraine in 1933 (Holodomor). The book is set in Stalin's Soviet Ukraine and in England thirty years later. It begins by introducing us to a few characters that turn out to be interconnected in various ways; Taras who is the main character manages to leave Ukraine and go to England only to have Klem show up and threaten his rosy existence. He can't seem to be able to escape the reality of being Ukrainian even after managing to survive the atrocities of the country he once called home.
The book begins with vivid imagery of a man lying facedown in a puddle of cold water. It talks freely of the trials of man and the relationships that define him. The author explores the differences between the Ukrainians living in England at the time and the British and manages to give hilarious commentary on their differences that ultimately make the book so enjoyable to read.
I particularly enjoyed the way the author gave each character a real but complex range of personality and engaged the readers emotions on every level.
The author also has a way of making you feel like you are witnessing the real life of a real person; giving you insight on characters' thoughts and emotions that are often overlooked by many authors. I found the characters very interesting and sometimes quite eccentric. I quite enjoyed the way the author keeps vividly describing bodily functions. It gives the books characters a certain real quality that one doesn't, often times, find. Like seeing an actor going to the bathroom in a love story.
I can confidently say that though the book began a bit slow, after that there was not a dull moment throughout this book and I honestly could not put it down once I began reading it. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical thrillers or just well written books.
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The Dancing Barber
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