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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
J’avais envie de lire une romance plus complexe que légère, et j’ai enfin sorti Instructions for Dancing de ma PAL.
Je ne m’attendais pas du tout à cette histoire. Mal alors pas du tout. La danse, oui. La romance, oui. Une protagoniste désabusée par l’amour, oui. Mais alors le pouvoir de divination, absolument pas. Et je dois dire qu’au début ça m’a désarçonnée. Pareil le retournement de situation final, je ne m’y attendais absolument pas et j’ai failli fermer le livre et ne jamais le rouvrir !
Mais c’est une très belle histoire, qui comporte un beau message sur l’amour et les relations en général. Sur la trahison, sur la colère, sur le pardon. J’ai beaucoup aimé les différents leçons que ce livre offre (outre celles de danse).
D’ailleurs finalement la danse n’est pas du tout importante je trouve dans l’intrigue. Alors certes c’est comme ça qu’Evie rencontre X, mais finalement les cours et le concours ne sont qu’un prétexte pour tout le reste de l’histoire.
J’ai adoré les personnages, surtout Evie que j’ai trouvée formidable. Et je pense que nous avons tous, après une trahison été aussi cynique qu’elle. Ça m’a fait du bien d’avoir une protagoniste en colère, qui ne croit pas en l’amour, qui ne croit pas aux hommes, et qui ne leur fait pas confiance.
Mais par contre, je dois dire que je n’ai pas été absolument convaincue par la romance, je trouve qu’elle début tôt, et que c’est légèrement trop simple. J’aurai aimé plus de angst entre les protagonistes.
L’histoire familiale d’Evie est pour moi un des meilleurs éléments du roman. On voit rarement le quotidien d’enfants de parents divorcés, et j’ai adoré cet aspect.
Concernant le côté fantastique, et bien finalement on s’y fait. Et j’adore. Pouvoir voir le passé / présent / futur de chaque relation est super intéressant.
Par contre, cette fin, non. Elle m’a brisé. Je ne m’y attendais pas. Lorsque j’ai pris Instructions for Dancing je voulais certes une romance plus poussée au niveau de l’intrigue, mais pas comme ça.
Cette lecture m’a rappelé avec plaisir ma période adolescente des John Green, et j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé.
4 étoiles.
Je ne m’attendais pas du tout à cette histoire. Mal alors pas du tout. La danse, oui. La romance, oui. Une protagoniste désabusée par l’amour, oui. Mais alors le pouvoir de divination, absolument pas. Et je dois dire qu’au début ça m’a désarçonnée. Pareil le retournement de situation final, je ne m’y attendais absolument pas et j’ai failli fermer le livre et ne jamais le rouvrir !
Mais c’est une très belle histoire, qui comporte un beau message sur l’amour et les relations en général. Sur la trahison, sur la colère, sur le pardon. J’ai beaucoup aimé les différents leçons que ce livre offre (outre celles de danse).
D’ailleurs finalement la danse n’est pas du tout importante je trouve dans l’intrigue. Alors certes c’est comme ça qu’Evie rencontre X, mais finalement les cours et le concours ne sont qu’un prétexte pour tout le reste de l’histoire.
J’ai adoré les personnages, surtout Evie que j’ai trouvée formidable. Et je pense que nous avons tous, après une trahison été aussi cynique qu’elle. Ça m’a fait du bien d’avoir une protagoniste en colère, qui ne croit pas en l’amour, qui ne croit pas aux hommes, et qui ne leur fait pas confiance.
Mais par contre, je dois dire que je n’ai pas été absolument convaincue par la romance, je trouve qu’elle début tôt, et que c’est légèrement trop simple. J’aurai aimé plus de angst entre les protagonistes.
L’histoire familiale d’Evie est pour moi un des meilleurs éléments du roman. On voit rarement le quotidien d’enfants de parents divorcés, et j’ai adoré cet aspect.
Concernant le côté fantastique, et bien finalement on s’y fait. Et j’adore. Pouvoir voir le passé / présent / futur de chaque relation est super intéressant.
Par contre, cette fin, non. Elle m’a brisé. Je ne m’y attendais pas. Lorsque j’ai pris Instructions for Dancing je voulais certes une romance plus poussée au niveau de l’intrigue, mais pas comme ça.
Cette lecture m’a rappelé avec plaisir ma période adolescente des John Green, et j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé.
4 étoiles.
Piękna opowieść o tańcu, przebaczeniu, uporaniu się ze swoją przeszłością i co najważniejsze poszukiwaniu prawdziwej, wielkiej miłości.
Chociaż historia bardzo mi się podobała, a może właśnie dlatego złamała mi serce na milion kawałeczków.
Chociaż historia bardzo mi się podobała, a może właśnie dlatego złamała mi serce na milion kawałeczków.
this book not only makes me miss going to the dance studio every saturday but also breaks my heart
This may be a 5 star but I need to sit on it. The first half was an adorable and unexpected teen love story. The second half dug way deeper than I thought we would be going! A lot of great life and love quotes. I really enjoyed this book!
I can see why people adore this book but I personally don't know how to rate it. It triggered a lot of my insecurities and anxieties which made this a challenging read. A 3.5 rounded up to a 4 feels right, but I'm still sad that I didn't adore this like so many others have.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was so unexpected! At first, I was so hesitant in reading this because of the title. I am never a fan of dancing that is why I haven't anticipated it could make me feel this way.
The story sway its hips to me in the most relatable way. The main character being an avid reader says it all. It is symbolic to me how she stopped reading romance after the heartbreaking situation that happened to her parents. Letting go of something she loves (reading romance) is a way to let go of someone she loves (her father). And speaking of fathers! We both perceive our fathers to be perfect, the greatest, and the best. That is why when her father did something that distorts that flawless image, it hits me so hard because I can't imagine my Dad ruining our seemingly perfect father-daughter relationship.
The hint of the supernatural is done in the most subtle way that makes it really impressive.
“I gave you the power to see love. The heartbreak is just one part of it. It’s not the all of it. Why did you only focus on the ending?”
“Because it’s the most important part.”
“Is it?” she asks. “It wasn’t supposed to be a curse, Evie. It was supposed to be a gift.”
The power to see the future only becomes a curse if you let it consume you. Not living in the moment ruins the present... It is a reminder that no matter what the future holds, "All that matters is right now." Instructions for Dancing instructs us to give in to the the music of life, to let us feel the beat, and to take a step.
I love that this is semi-philosophical, I love the banters, I love the witty remarks, I LOVE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK. Especially the way it humanizes love; that no heartbreak can ever make us stop giving and receiving love. Today, I finished reading a masterpiece (Instructions for Dancing) and these are what it inspired me to do: (1) The rain had just stopped its disturbingly noisy pour when I decided to went out. (2) The ground was still wet when I went outside, the sky was dim, either due to the rain, or perhaps because it's getting late. Amidst my fear of getting hit by a sudden lightning, I walked bravely, and full of determination towards my destination. (3) Buying myself shawarma is so sentimental to me. It has become a symbol of how I prioritize myself, of not letting me to just starve and crave. Doing it alone is another bonus, because it requires certain amount of strength and bravery for me to be able to do such errand by myself. (4) I managed to say "thank you" to the seller of the shawarma, which I rarely do. I am often too shy to even utter a single word. (5) All in all, like a gasoline, the book fueled me to live in the moment and do these little things that actually matter. A small step in my goal of trying to be independent.
And, damn! It made me feel nostalgic that I am now older than the characters of the book I'm reading. Such a melodramatic realization...
The story sway its hips to me in the most relatable way. The main character being an avid reader says it all. It is symbolic to me how she stopped reading romance after the heartbreaking situation that happened to her parents. Letting go of something she loves (reading romance) is a way to let go of someone she loves (her father). And speaking of fathers! We both perceive our fathers to be perfect, the greatest, and the best. That is why when her father did something that distorts that flawless image, it hits me so hard because I can't imagine my Dad ruining our seemingly perfect father-daughter relationship.
The hint of the supernatural is done in the most subtle way that makes it really impressive.
“I gave you the power to see love. The heartbreak is just one part of it. It’s not the all of it. Why did you only focus on the ending?”
“Because it’s the most important part.”
“Is it?” she asks. “It wasn’t supposed to be a curse, Evie. It was supposed to be a gift.”
The power to see the future only becomes a curse if you let it consume you. Not living in the moment ruins the present... It is a reminder that no matter what the future holds, "All that matters is right now." Instructions for Dancing instructs us to give in to the the music of life, to let us feel the beat, and to take a step.
I love that this is semi-philosophical, I love the banters, I love the witty remarks, I LOVE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK. Especially the way it humanizes love; that no heartbreak can ever make us stop giving and receiving love. Today, I finished reading a masterpiece (Instructions for Dancing) and these are what it inspired me to do: (1) The rain had just stopped its disturbingly noisy pour when I decided to went out. (2) The ground was still wet when I went outside, the sky was dim, either due to the rain, or perhaps because it's getting late. Amidst my fear of getting hit by a sudden lightning, I walked bravely, and full of determination towards my destination. (3) Buying myself shawarma is so sentimental to me. It has become a symbol of how I prioritize myself, of not letting me to just starve and crave. Doing it alone is another bonus, because it requires certain amount of strength and bravery for me to be able to do such errand by myself. (4) I managed to say "thank you" to the seller of the shawarma, which I rarely do. I am often too shy to even utter a single word. (5) All in all, like a gasoline, the book fueled me to live in the moment and do these little things that actually matter. A small step in my goal of trying to be independent.
And, damn! It made me feel nostalgic that I am now older than the characters of the book I'm reading. Such a melodramatic realization...
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this digital arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
If you are looking for a read to start your summer off with, I definitely recommend Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon, even if romance isn’t your usual read. This one got me… on multiple levels. Look, I walked into this book ready for a romance. I walked away from this book with a new philosophy on life. No, I am not being dramatic. Nicola Yoon literally had me looking at life differently after I finished the book.
Honestly, it felt like romance is the side character. The main attraction of this book is actually the grief the main character, Evie, is working through after the divorce of her parents. She catches her dad in the act of cheating and her world is blown away because of it. A girl, in her senior year, who loved reading romance novels so much that she has them categorized, is thrown into a state of disillusionment. What is the point of love if it always ends in heartbreak?
Enter, a random book on dancing instruction from a little free library and a mysterious lady ala Zoltar in the Tom Hanks movie Big. Now our MC suddenly has the power to see the beginning, middle and end of a couple’s love story just by seeing them kiss. The plot thickens and Evie ends up at a dance studio and meets soon-to-be love interest, X.
I came for… the romance and dancing. People often think the tango is risqué but that bachata is dangerous when you do it right.
If you are looking for a read to start your summer off with, I definitely recommend Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon, even if romance isn’t your usual read. This one got me… on multiple levels. Look, I walked into this book ready for a romance. I walked away from this book with a new philosophy on life. No, I am not being dramatic. Nicola Yoon literally had me looking at life differently after I finished the book.
Honestly, it felt like romance is the side character. The main attraction of this book is actually the grief the main character, Evie, is working through after the divorce of her parents. She catches her dad in the act of cheating and her world is blown away because of it. A girl, in her senior year, who loved reading romance novels so much that she has them categorized, is thrown into a state of disillusionment. What is the point of love if it always ends in heartbreak?
Enter, a random book on dancing instruction from a little free library and a mysterious lady ala Zoltar in the Tom Hanks movie Big. Now our MC suddenly has the power to see the beginning, middle and end of a couple’s love story just by seeing them kiss. The plot thickens and Evie ends up at a dance studio and meets soon-to-be love interest, X.
I came for… the romance and dancing. People often think the tango is risqué but that bachata is dangerous when you do it right.
Well written, quick and easy read. I was surprise how much punch it packed for being a YA novel. Not much on the spice level, which is expected from YA, but it's a very bittersweet story.
I appreciated that this story tackled things beyond the "standard" for the genre, and it's an approachable read with a higher emotional intelligence standard than I've seen in YA romance to date.
I appreciated that this story tackled things beyond the "standard" for the genre, and it's an approachable read with a higher emotional intelligence standard than I've seen in YA romance to date.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced