Under A Dancing Star

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I read Under a Dancing Star within the space of a few hours because I could not put it down. It was impossible to tear myself away from Wood's mesmerising prose, her witty lines, and incredibly realistic characters. I was torn between wanting to read it all and not wanting it to end, but eventually I settled on practically inhaling it, and will most definitely be revisiting it line for line, word for word, very soon. Finally, our favorite side characters, which didn’t feel like side characters at all, might I add, Klaus, Ursula and Filomena. These three were somewhat exactly what you need in these coming of age stories : strong people with strong convictions and a “let loose” kind of attitude. Filomena was the mother that Bea never had, nurturing and kind, which is sad in a way, because Bea’s mom is far from dead. After losing his family to “the greatest flood Rome has ever known,” skilled white Italian swimmer Leo Danieli would never have expected that in his darkest moment he would be drafted by the European Space Agency to attend the International Space Training Camp, where teens will train to terraform and colonize Jupiter’s moon Europa for human settlement. California native Naomi Ardalan, a second-generation Iranian-American, has also been chosen for her expertise in science and technology. During a period of violent climate change worldwide, Earth’s governments are desperate to draft teens for a space mission for which they have only a few weeks in which to prepare. Twenty-four teen finalists, many orphaned by cataclysmic natural disasters, have been chosen from all over the world to compete for this space colonization mission. Warnings come to Leo and Naomi that there is a more sinister aspect to this mission, especially after things go tragically awry with other candidates during the training. The relationship that develops between Naomi and Leo feels forced, as if their meeting necessitates speedy deployment of a romantic cliché. The use of predictable plot devices, along with the fundamentally ludicrous premise, undermines any believability that would make a reader invest in such an elaborate space journey. The annoying smile remains in place and it makes me unreasonably angry that he seems so sure of himself. I squint at him, suddenly furious that his face is so perfect. Why does anyone need to have a face like that? It’s no wonder it leaves a girl feeling confused and off-balance. Wood’s use of a classic Shakespearean play to retell in this book means it already came with its own atmosphere and feeling, but yet she has still managed to make it hers. Wood has introduced characters that feel real and wonderful and has put them in a setting to match. This book is s a beautiful reading experience that I would highly recommend to anyone.

He is right, of course, and for a second, I catch a glimpse of what it might be like to be an artist, just a little of what they are doing here. And the feeling is delicious.” Such pretentious exposition affords a reader very little credit. And let’s not forget those subtle reminders of Bea’s searing agency: ‘ It’s time to take my destiny into my own hands…’ It’s just so beautiful.’ I try to find the words. “Sitting underneath the bougainvillea and all the stars, eating this food and being with you. It’s… it’s… almost too much. If I wasn’t seeing it myself I wouldn’t believe such a place was real.’Constrained by her life in England, aspiring natural historian Bea constantly battles her parents’ attempts to marry her off: “As far as my parents are concerned, daughters aren’t a terribly useful asset. I’m not supposed to go out in the world and actually do things.” But being “too big, too loud, too clever – too much”, Bea has her own ideas about her future, which she’s able to embrace when she’s sent to stay with her wealthy uncle in Italy and discovers with glee that “things at Villa di Stelle might not be so respectable after all.” Klaus nods. ‘I understand,’ he says. ‘It is why it is the perfect place to make art. It is a thrill, yes, for all the senses. As if you are seeing everything in brighter colours.’ With their new friends gleefully setting the rules for their fling, Bea and Ben can agree on one thing at least: they absolutely, positively will not, cannot fall in love… it will sweep you into a glorious, romantic summer haze!” – thebookactivist A long, hot Italian summer. A duel of kisses. The rules: sparks must fly. Dreams must dance. Neither party must fall in love.

This is it. This is them before Much Ado About Nothing. This is their perfect and wonderful summertime romance experience.

He turns to the girl on his left and for the first time I see his famous charm at work. He turns it on her like a spotlight, laughing at her jokes, teasing her, drawing her out so that soon she is laughing and blushing. I watch for a while with great interest. It reminds me of the way birds preen and sing during courtship rituals. Ben glances across, and I arch my eyebrows appreciatively, congratulating him on what is, after all, a brilliant performance. “ The setting is sumptuous and evocative. If you’ve seen the 1990s film adaptation of Much Ado directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring him and Emma Thompson as the eventual couple then you will absolutely adore Under a Dancing Star as it shares much the same feeling and mood. Rather than the play being framed around soldiers coming home from the wars, this novel is instead centred around a group of artists (writers, painters, sculptors etc.) who converge on the villa of Bea’s bohemian uncle Leo, his artsy fiancée Filomena, and his daughter Hero, for the summer in the hopes of feeling inspired and encouraged to pursue their various art forms, to be celebrated in an exhibition at the end of the summer. As far as my parents are concerned, daughters aren't terribly useful asset. I’m not supposed to go out into the world and actually do things.They’d like me to be more… ornamental. I’m just too much for them. Too big, too loud, too clever.' I read Laura Wood's debut YA, A Sky Painted Gold, earlier in 2019 and fell in love with it. It was my perfect idea of a book: historical fiction, with a romance to die for and a female heroine it was impossible not to fall in love with. Laura Wood even started my love for Eva Ibbotson's books and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, which I'll forever be grateful for.