“Look,” she says, “I know what you see when you look at me is a waitress. Somebody who just has to manage to get your coffee on the table while it’s still hot. But can you even conceive that that’s not all I am? That maybe I’m an artist, too, but a different kind?”
“What does that mean, a different kind?” he asks, now irritated. “All artists–all true artists–know that their art must become their passion.” He settles back in his chair.
“But there’s so much out there,” she says. “So many ways to create. I don’t like cutting off my options.”
“Ah, but then you cut off your chances of creating something important. You’re only left with mediocrity, and mediocrity is the true enemy.”
(from When We Danced on Water, page 45 in the ARC; finished version could be different)
In When We Danced on Water, Evan Fallenberg covers so much ground and takes readers on a whirlwind journey, but the book is written so beautifully and reads so easily that they won’t realize the enormity of it all until they turn the last page. When I reached the end, I just had to sit still and contemplate its depth and breadth. When We Danced on Water is a novel about passion and art, love and obsession, war and survival, and how the hurts in our past don’t have to dictate our future.
Fallenberg tells the story of Teodor Levin, a famous ballet dancer and choreographer who at 85 contemplates his legacy. He visits the same Tel Aviv café on a daily basis and befriends Vivi, a 40-something waitress still haunted by a past relationship who dabbles in various art forms. Both Teo and Vivi harbor secrets that made them withdraw from life in one way or another, but their friendship reawakens their passion and creative spirit.
Over the course of the novel, Teo and Vivi’s stories are revealed, with their flaws laid bare, their damage so apparent, and their history so fascinating. Teo was a Polish Jew living in Warsaw just prior to World War II, and his parents understood that Hilter would stop at nothing to take over Europe and oppress the Jews, so with some urging, they sent him to Copenhagen at the age of 15 to attend the school of the Royal Danish Ballet. In September 1939, on the day Hilter wages war on Poland, 17-year-old Teo is in Berlin against the wishes of his parents and the Danish Jewish family who took him in. Teo makes the fateful decision to dance his heart out and go beyond the role he was chosen to portray — a move that both saves his life and scars it permanently.
I was more fascinated with Teo’s story, but Vivi’s captivated me as well. She was in a relationship opposed by her parents, and she was in Berlin when the wall divided east and west Germany. Fallenberg masterfully juxtaposes the Berlin Teo knew before and during the war to what Vivi saw afterward — along with her desire to know the “real” city and its culture while being haunted by the wall and the past and the danger it represents. Teo’s life was changed forever by throwing caution to the wind, and despite the horrifying things he experienced during the war as a result, he pushes Vivi to see how being cautious can prevent one from discovering their passions. Fallenberg does a wonderful job showing the evolution of the characters and their relationship, and he flawlessly inserts Berlin’s tumultuous history into the narrative.
When We Danced on Water is another novel likely to make my list of the best reads of 2011. Fallenberg effortlessly merges a war story with one that centers on the creative process, and besides simply telling a darn good story, he provides much food for thought about igniting passions in our own lives that could prompt us to live more fully and love more deeply.
Thanks to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to participate in the blog tour for When We Danced on Water. To follow the tour, click here.
Disclosure: I received a copy of When We Danced on Water from HarperCollins for review purposes. I am an IndieBound affiliate and an Amazon associate.
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I have been on pins-and-needles waiting to see what you’d think of this one! I kind of want to rewrite my review of it because I’m still thinking about this book, and it keeps going up and up in my estimation. I have an interview with Fallenberg I’m posting on Thurs — with some fascinating info about how Teo changed during the writing of the book.
I wish I could decide which is my favorite part of the story, or even who.
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It really is a book you could ponder for quite awhile. I really enjoyed your interview!
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Best of 2011?! That’s awesome!
And I love books that just make you sit back and think after you turn the last page. This really sounds like a fabulous book.
Thanks for being on this tour!
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Well, it’s one of the best for sure. I’ve read so many great WWII books so far this year, it will be hard to narrow down my favorites!
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I think I would like to read this one. Something just pulls me in. Of course I can’t say if I would like it or not
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Well, you’ll just have to read it then to find out! 🙂
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I’ve read several reviews of this book and cannot wait to read it. I love stories about creative people and the Berlin wall and WWII are some of my favorite subjects to read about.
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I’m so glad you won a copy. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
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Wow this sounds amazing! I love a story that people want to rave about.
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It was amazing! Hope you give it a try!
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This sounds excellent! I just read a book set in a divided Berlin and it made me curious about the city.
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Oh, you’ll have to let me know what book it was. I’m intrigued by the city, too.
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And here’s another one that I passed up and am now beating myself up about! It sounds fantastic!
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I hate when that happens!
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I think I would love this one Anna. Excellent review.
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Thanks, Diane!
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Ooooooh.
This sounds gooooooood.
Israel, World War II, East/West Berlin AND Ballet.
I am so signed up.
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I’d love to hear your thoughts! You definitely should take this book out on a date!
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Wow, this really does sound like an amazing novel Anna. I’m glad it was such a good read for you. I love when a book does that for me.
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Those rare gems are what make reading so worthwhile!
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This sounds really good! The cover evokes a bit of melancholy.
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Yes, it really does fit the story.
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Anna – I featured this review on TLC’s Facebook page today. 🙂
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Thanks, Heather!
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Anna, I love the review you’ve done of this book! WWII literature has always been a hit with me but your praise and obvious enjoyment of “When we Walked on Water” has me wanting to seek this book out for my own reading pleasure.
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I really think you would like this book. Hope you give it a try!
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This book sounds fascinating and both Teo and Viv’s stories sound so compelling. I don’t know a lot about Berlin and want to read this story to see what it was like for Teo and Viv, what Berlin did they each know.. And now I am totally curious about Teo’s complete story ~ what was the result of his choice and did he ever see his mom and dad again are just 2 of my questions! I also wonder what he teaches Viv and life and living.
This is a great review, Anna, thank you!
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Oh, the result of his choice…you have to read it to believe it. Fascinating and heartbreaking.
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I love when you finish a book and you have to just sit there and appreciate it. Sounds like this book is ambitiou and covers quite a bit of history and life.
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It is an ambitious novel, but Fallenberg pulls it off and makes it look so easy!
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Great review! I read and enjoyed this book as well. I like your review better than my own – I think you were really able to catch the beauty of the novel!
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Thanks, Laura! There really was a lot of beauty in this book despite all the pain.
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I can’t wait to read this one, thanks for leaving your link so I could read your review.
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I hope you love it as much as I did!
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[…] 1770) 17. The Katyn Order by Douglas W. Jacobson (WWII) 18. The Sea and Poison by Shusaku Endo 19. When We Danced on Water by Evan Fallenberg (WWII) 20. Next to Love by Ellen Feldman (WWII) 21. War & Watermelon by Rich […]
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[…] When We Danced on Water by Evan Fallenberg […]
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Oh you make this sound sooooo good. Awesome review.
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Thanks! I hope you’ll add this book to your to-read list. 🙂
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