Maya & Natasha

I remember the defections of Soviet Russian dancers, and Maya & Natasha brings it all back with accuracy and feeling. Readers who spent time in a ballet studio will be transported back to that strange world, and civilians may begin to feel the joy and pain of dancing. I lost myself in the world of these identical twins and their impossible choices. I rooted for both of them, at different times, perhaps a luxury only readers have.

Twin sisters, Maya and Natasha, are Russian ballet dancers. Their mother, a dancer herself, died when they were born. This information haunts them. They compete with each other for parts and as they mature, the Cold War is taking hold. They are forbidden from dancing together, due to fears of defection.A story of ambition, family, and political divides.Interesting story which highlights some of the history and fallout of the Cold War.

Powerful read especially for former dancers. Relating to'the discipline and thick skin one needs in the performing arts to survive mentally and physically

Very well written. It's easy to get lost in the thoughtful rendering of the world. The backdrop is large and well developed, and the characters are beautifully developed. The descriptions are lush and the narrative is consistently surprising. An outstanding book!

They are twin sisters and at age 16, the are studying at the Vaganova Academy in Leningrad to become ballerinas at the Kirov or Bolshoi ballet. Stalin is out and and Krushchev is in. The self exists for the state.Each has her own style of performing and have been at the school since they were eight. They have worked hard, and are talented and competitive. They live in a time of repression, denial and too much oversight and control by the Moscow government controllers.Jealously, the desire for fame and the perks that go with it, and notoriety combine to show the gritty side of ballet dancing and what it takes to claw one's way to the top.Will their relationship survive the manipulation of mother Russia and their own motives? Will the quest for a better life and their own manipulation and plotting destroy them or make them?The characters do what they have to do to protect themselves personally and professionally, They go in and out of their bonds of being sisters. How much can they forgive ?I loved this book and carried it around with me. What happens when your biggest competition is your own twin sister?Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an Advance Reader copy of the book. All opinions are my own.