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dancer4s4's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
Written with her adoptive American mother, Michaela DePrince's memoir for middle readers is dramatic and inspiring. Orphaned as a young child by civil war in her native Sierra Leone, DePrince lived in an orphanage until she and her friend were adopted by an American family. Though she had a loving family until age 3 or 4, her memories from her time in the orphanage are hard - and one scene, though short, was so horrific I chose to put the book down for a couple years. But I'm glad I eventually finished it. A picture of a ballerina on the cover of a magazine she found during the difficult time became her inspiration for surviving and for thriving once her new life got under way. DePrince's is a story of perseverance and grit backed up by amazing love.
ajb24's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very quick read, but it's a remarkable story of passion, hope, and family. I love the center insert of family photos, those are sweet <3
catcervone's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book that I’m so glad I finally got the chance to read! It was really well-written, which you sometimes don’t see with memoirs or autobiographies like this. Her story was inspiring and she has the most wonderful attitude throughout it all.
One thing I did miss was that she never mentioned the incredible amount of privilege she had getting adopted into the family she did that could support her ballet studies. I know she recognized it; she made some mention about her parents retiring at one point and illustrated the process of making her beautiful competition tutus instead of buying them. She also received many scholarships throughout her time studying. Still, as someone who grew up in ballet around the same time as her, I know how much these things cost. I would have appreciated a mention or statement realizing how her parents were able to provide for her in that way to receive the educational opportunities she did.
One thing I did miss was that she never mentioned the incredible amount of privilege she had getting adopted into the family she did that could support her ballet studies. I know she recognized it; she made some mention about her parents retiring at one point and illustrated the process of making her beautiful competition tutus instead of buying them. She also received many scholarships throughout her time studying. Still, as someone who grew up in ballet around the same time as her, I know how much these things cost. I would have appreciated a mention or statement realizing how her parents were able to provide for her in that way to receive the educational opportunities she did.
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
A few years ago, I watched the wonderful documentary First Position. It features a group of kids, ranging from about 10 to 18 who are competing at the Youth America Grand Prix for ballet. The featured kids are very diverse, in terms of race, socio-economic class, where they live, family situations, etc. What they all share in common is that they are immensely talented ballet dancers. If you haven't watched the documentary yet, I can't recommend it enough. It's on Netflix.
One of the most compelling stories was Michaela DePrince. At the time of the documentary, she was 14 and she was auditioning for ballet scholarships. Now she is 18 or 19 years old and is a professional ballet dancer for the Dutch National Ballet. But what makes her compelling is how Michaela began.
Michaela's memoir begins with her early childhood in Sierra Leone. She was in a loving family who, unlike most people in her country, valued girls. But her father was shot by the rebels when she about about 3 and her mother died soon thereafter from illness. Michaela was, in a sense, lucky that her abusive uncle hated girls and tossed her off to an orphanage where she was groomed for adoption by loving American parents when she was 5.
The book does not skimp on the horrors of the war in Sierra Leone. Michaela had people violently killed right in front of her and was lucky to escape death herself. The book also emphasizes that the effects of such trauma lingered long after she came to America, and still lingers at least a little today. It was both horrifying and grimly fascinating to read.
In some ways, if not for Michaela's childhood in Sierra Leone, her rise to ballet stardom would not be as significant. On the other hand, the rise of any black dancer to the professional rank is significant and this book tackles many of the stereotypes and racism that Michaela has faced throughout her ballet career. Apart from that, Michaela appears to have been raised in a loving family who sacrificed and pulled together for her ballet dreams.
I actually enjoyed reading more about Michaela's family than I did about her life as a dancer. Her parents are amazing people. They adopted 6 girls from war-torn West Africa, 3 hemophiliac boys who later died, and had two biological children. I loved reading about Michaela's relationship with her siblings, particularly her sister Mia, with whom she was best friends at her orphanage in Sierra Leone.
It's a very fast, compelling read. I got through it in a few hours. My only complaint is that I'm guessing her memories of her childhood in Sierra Leone are embellished a little. For example, she remembers many things her father and mother would say to her that doesn't sound normal to remember at 3 years old. My guess is she had vague memories and they wrote in quotes and anecdotes to fit accordingly. Calling it a complaint is a little strong. It working narratively and I'm guessing was in the spirit of the truth, but it was blatant enough that it pulled me out of the story. But who knows - maybe she really does remember it all.
Regardless, I definitely recommend Taking Flight. It's a beautiful, compelling story of a strong, determined girl rising from literally the worst situation in the world to become a beautiful person and an extremely talented dancer.
Recommendation: Buy if you're really into ballet; borrow otherwise.
One of the most compelling stories was Michaela DePrince. At the time of the documentary, she was 14 and she was auditioning for ballet scholarships. Now she is 18 or 19 years old and is a professional ballet dancer for the Dutch National Ballet. But what makes her compelling is how Michaela began.
Michaela's memoir begins with her early childhood in Sierra Leone. She was in a loving family who, unlike most people in her country, valued girls. But her father was shot by the rebels when she about about 3 and her mother died soon thereafter from illness. Michaela was, in a sense, lucky that her abusive uncle hated girls and tossed her off to an orphanage where she was groomed for adoption by loving American parents when she was 5.
The book does not skimp on the horrors of the war in Sierra Leone. Michaela had people violently killed right in front of her and was lucky to escape death herself. The book also emphasizes that the effects of such trauma lingered long after she came to America, and still lingers at least a little today. It was both horrifying and grimly fascinating to read.
In some ways, if not for Michaela's childhood in Sierra Leone, her rise to ballet stardom would not be as significant. On the other hand, the rise of any black dancer to the professional rank is significant and this book tackles many of the stereotypes and racism that Michaela has faced throughout her ballet career. Apart from that, Michaela appears to have been raised in a loving family who sacrificed and pulled together for her ballet dreams.
I actually enjoyed reading more about Michaela's family than I did about her life as a dancer. Her parents are amazing people. They adopted 6 girls from war-torn West Africa, 3 hemophiliac boys who later died, and had two biological children. I loved reading about Michaela's relationship with her siblings, particularly her sister Mia, with whom she was best friends at her orphanage in Sierra Leone.
It's a very fast, compelling read. I got through it in a few hours. My only complaint is that I'm guessing her memories of her childhood in Sierra Leone are embellished a little. For example, she remembers many things her father and mother would say to her that doesn't sound normal to remember at 3 years old. My guess is she had vague memories and they wrote in quotes and anecdotes to fit accordingly. Calling it a complaint is a little strong. It working narratively and I'm guessing was in the spirit of the truth, but it was blatant enough that it pulled me out of the story. But who knows - maybe she really does remember it all.
Regardless, I definitely recommend Taking Flight. It's a beautiful, compelling story of a strong, determined girl rising from literally the worst situation in the world to become a beautiful person and an extremely talented dancer.
Recommendation: Buy if you're really into ballet; borrow otherwise.