A successful writer for BlackSpeak magazine, Glenda Jackson is gifted, dynamic and respected in her field. Now she's determined to take control of her emotional life. While reviewing a new play at Harlem's innovative Aldridge ensemble, she meets the enigmatic director Mark Abbitt, the driving force behind a renaissance in black theatre who proves to be as complex as one of his dramas. Against all odds, these two remarkable people step into each other's shadow... and begin to dance.
Shadow dancing is the up and down marriage of Glenda and Mark. The marriage has problems that include, Glend's insecurities, Mark's ex wife, and the lost of his beloved job. What happened to Mark at the end was a shock and unexpected. I throught this book was good, in that in didn't end with the fairytale ending that most romance books do.
Celebration of Life
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
Shadow Dancing's main character, Glenda, enters life passionately, completely, yet with clear eyes. As she says when she is recovering from an accident, "No more painkillers. They take me out. I'd rather experience the pain." Because she loves--her man, her friends, her child--she knows that she does so despite all the forces that daily assail one so vulnerable: the danger in a moment's inattention while driving, the violence in the culture, the killer instinct in her lover who has fought in a war. Even viruses. Yet through it all, she experiences the power and glory of life.A truly remarkable book.
A Love Story Worth Reading
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
I am over 12, actually 35 but can't find the review page for adults. Shadow Dancing is first rate. I sat down and read it from cover to cover. Couldn't stop reading. It's a beautiful love story, challenging and well written. The characters are well defined and I cared about them deeply to the point where I shed a tear or two.
Culturally Stimulating
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This book was a long awaited follow up to her debut, Daddy was a Number Runner. Shadow Dancing tells the story of Glenda, a writer with a magazine and Mark, the Director of a Theater, and how they were able to overcome obstacles and adversities, primarily Mark's ex. I believe the story started out strong, but towards the middle and end, it started to lose me. The main characters were not as well developed as I would have like -- I didn't feel an intimate relationship with them, so when we experienced the climaxes, I wasn't deeply involved enough with the characters to really feel anything. I found the book entertaining and enjoyed the history of black theater and culture that the author supplied, but the book wasn't memorable enough that I would choose to read it a second time.
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