The Last Dance by Anmol Arora
Book – The Last Dance
Author – Anmol Arora
Publisher – Speaking Tiger
No of pages – 307
Rating – 5/5 ⭐
About the book –
In The Last Dance, Anmol Arora explores themes of identity, love and ambition in a compelling debut novel that carries the reader along with it till the end.
The year is 1991. The Kurdish-Turkey conflict is at its peak, and eleven-year-old Ayla’s family is caught in the crosshairs. When her father is accused of anti-national activities, they are forced to flee their homeland and take refuge in Delhi.
Ayla develops a fascination for Bharatnatyam, and sets her sights on fame and success as a dancer. Keen to perform her arangetram, a dancer’s first solo performance, but Chandrashekhar, traditional in his ways, refuses to let her do so until he is sure she is ready. Ayla’s frustration leads to an abrupt and unceremonious decisions and then what follows is a tragedy. A horrible tragedy.
The ensuing journey transforms them both in fundamental ways. They begin to question their beliefs, their life-choices and assumptions, and in turn discover new possibilities.
But what is in store for Ayla and her family? What about Chadrashekhar?
Book Review –
I possibly haven’t read such a work of art, especially a writer’s debut work! The story has left me haunted and motivated at the same time.
The chapters are alternatively divided in a particular characters point of view. And the first page itself unfolds such a dark beginning which left me baffled and did not allow me to put off this book. While the second half of this book has made me cry and made my heart feel so heavy inside my body!!
The story focus on Ayla and all the struggles she had to go through once she flew to Delhi as a refugee. Mind you, the word ‘struggle’ is possibly an underestimation.
The most beautiful thing about the book are the characters. They all spoke to me in their voices.. their wishes, their desires and their struggles. The cultural are being talked about so passionately that I myself felt an urge to learn our traditional dance.
I recommend this book to everyone! The book is worth all our time and money and above all these things, the book deserves and needs to be read.
You can buy the book from here.
– Kinjal Parekh
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