Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Dancing on Broken Glass

by Ka Hancock (Goodreads Author)

4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 · rating details · 1,059 ratings · 333 reviews

An unvarnished portrait of a marriage that is both ordinary and extraordinary, Dancing on Broken Glass takes readers on an unforgettable journey of the heart.

Lucy Houston and Mickey Chandler probably shouldn’t have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. They’re both plagued with faulty genes—he has bipolar disorder; she, a ravaging family history of breast cancer. But...more

Paperback, 416 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by Gallery Books

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Books I want to read in 2012

17th out of 395 books — 334 voters

Four Sisters, All Queens by Sherry Jones

Women's Fiction 2012

5th out of 50 books — 115 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Mar 23, 2012 Meg ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads-giveaways, own-copy

I won this through Firstreads giveaways, and I would like to thank the author for providing this book for me to read.

This book seriously impressed me. It had something for everyone. I was hooked from the first chapter to be honest, and I did not want to put it down. This book has beautiful writing, great characters, and an amazing story.

The synopsis says that these two should not have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. That has been said about so many famous literary couples, but this is...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jul 17, 2012 Nance rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, nance-s-rrr-2012-challenge, favorites, books-read-2012, tearjerkers, 10-best-books-of-2012

Okay, so I finished this novel with tears streaming down my face along with a box of Kleenex by my side. This has got to be the saddest, most emotional book that I have EVER read! All I can say is WOW! How did the author pull this off without crying herself...or maybe she did? I really just don’t know where she got the heart and sensitivity to write a book like this. I guess that’s why she’s the author and I’m the reader. So, with that being said, Ms. Hancock creates the story of two damaged sou...more Okay, so I finished this novel with tears streaming down my face along with a box of Kleenex by my side. This has got to be the saddest, most emotional book that I have EVER read! All I can say is WOW! How did the author pull this off without crying herself...or maybe she did? I really just don’t know where she got the heart and sensitivity to write a book like this. I guess that’s why she’s the author and I’m the reader. So, with that being said, Ms. Hancock creates the story of two damaged souls...Michael “Mickey” Chandler and Lucille “Lucy” Houston - each individual carrying around enough baggage that could sink the Titantic yet again. Mickey grew up watching his mother suffer from a bi-polar imbalance, which eventually plagues Mickey himself. Lucy dealing first with the fatal shooting of her father during his employment as a police officer and then watching her mother wither away from breast cancer, which eventually consumes Lucy herself. The two meet during Lucy’s 21st birthday celebration and are immediately attracted to each other. I don’t need to tell how they end up together...they just do. But what comes next is a novel that alternates splendidly through alternating voices in the past and present, first with Mickey’s dated journal entries beginning each chapter and then Lucy immediately following him reminiscing about their ups and downs as a loving couple. Now I won’t go into what BIG THING happens in their lives to totally change it even though it is revealed on the dust jacket, but I will say that it is really something HUGE that changes everything that they had planned for their future. The book touches on relationships between sisters, relationships between parents, and especially relationships between spouses. So much so, that it had me so believing that these characters were actually real. I really felt so sorry for these two people, and I couldn’t help but wonder,”How much heartache could this two individuals actually take?”. They were both such good and honest people. They really didn’t deserve all the sadness and anguish that affected their lives. You could also tell that the author did mountains and mountains worth of research or at least was very knowledgeable about the bi-polar disorder. I really have never known anyone with this disorder, but it does sound very unpredictable and highly dependent on medication. Ms. Hancock has written a touching novel filled with sadness, heartbreak, love, and mostly hope. Hope that anyone reading this novel will understand and be compassionate about the ravaging disease of cancer and the debilitating disorder of bi-polar. It’s now been almost a week since I finished reading this novel, and I can honestly say that I am still thinking about it. It’s been a long time since a book has really touched my heart like this. Please read it, you will not be disappointed!!! Can’t wait for the next Ka Hancock book to be released!! A simply outstanding debut!!(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2012 Audrey Grant rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Audrey by: Goodreads

Shelves: own, won

Thank you so much! I am so thrilled to have won this book! I really wanted to read this book and now I get to! I can't wait!

WOW!! I received the book today! That is three days from when I was told I won! I have never gotten a book to Alaska that fast!! I am thrilled! Thank you, Thank you!!

The more I read the more I was involved in their lives! I was even crying as I read, that is so very rare for me!
This book reaches in and pulls out the deepest thoughts and fears of both the wife and the husban...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Miraphora added it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-contemporaneo

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. E' una valle di lacrime, questo romanzo. Dalla prima all'ultima parola, sofferenza su carta. Mi chiedo perché certe persone debbano sentire la necessità di romanzare episodi drammatici come solo le malattie sanno essere. Perché trasformare in uno strumento per fare soldi una realtà vissuta da innumerevoli persone ogni giorno: il cancro, la morte, la sofferenza, la privazione. Perché lucrare sull'ingiustizia della vita. Alcuni direbbero che è giusto aprire gli occhi, che escludere certi temi dall...more E' una valle di lacrime, questo romanzo. Dalla prima all'ultima parola, sofferenza su carta. Mi chiedo perché certe persone debbano sentire la necessità di romanzare episodi drammatici come solo le malattie sanno essere. Perché trasformare in uno strumento per fare soldi una realtà vissuta da innumerevoli persone ogni giorno: il cancro, la morte, la sofferenza, la privazione. Perché lucrare sull'ingiustizia della vita. Alcuni direbbero che è giusto aprire gli occhi, che escludere certi temi dalla narrativa di intrattenimento è come chiudere gli occhi e ignorare il problema, ma - sinceramente - la vita è già una merda così com'è e io non sento il bisogno di tormentarmi anche mentre leggo.
Per curiosità ho guardato il sito dell'autrice - al primo romanzo, tra l'altro - è mi è sembrata una persona ben felice di farsi pubblicità, felice che un romanzo del genere le abbia fruttato un sacco di soldini. Ho avuto l'impressione che l'argomento - che non viene trattato MAI in nessuna pagina, nemmeno nel suo blog - sia solo una componente marginale, solo una storia inventata, con la scusa che ha lavorato come infermiera. Non mi è piaciuta, questa sensazione. E' come se avesse strumentalizzato un episodio, magari che ha visto vivere veramente a qualche paziente, e lo avesse trasformato a proprio uso e consumo. Guadagnarsi l'ammirazione di persone che del cancro hanno avuto un'esperienza vera.
Detto così sembra che il libro non mi sia piaciuto per niente. In realtà gli ho dato un voto alto, perché tutto il ragionamento che ho fatto è nato dopo che avevo finito di leggerlo. Dopo, quando finisci di piangere come una fontana, ti chiedi perché: forse l'autrice ha avuto il cancro? Forse una persona a lei vicina ha sofferto di bipolarismo? Sapete quello che penso.
Il romanzo non ha un lieto fine, è inutile affrontare la lettura con la speranza che è bene ciò che finisce bene. Qua si inizia tutti pimpanti, fiduciosi che le malattie - entrambi i personaggi sono malati - spariranno grazie alla sola forza dell'amore. Meglio tenere presente che LA malattia, il cancro, uscirà vincitrice, non l'amore.
Lo si capisce fin da subito, quando Mickey scrive sul suo diario, una specie di testamento da cui traspare la consapevolezza che la morte e la sofferenza sono e saranno i dominatori della sua vita. Lo si capisce perché lo spirito con cui i personaggi parlano e agiscono è di una felicità forzata, dettata quasi dalla disperazione. Una leggerezza imposta come un falso sorriso che nasconde un terrore strisciante. I due protagonisti si aggrappano ad ogni scusa per sprizzare felicità, si atteggiano a persone tranquille che vivono la loro vita ma sotto sotto sanno che hanno il tempo contato: Michael è vittima di continui e costanti episodi psicotici in cui la sua malattia lo catapulta in una realtà parallela, dove è un'altra persona. Lucy deve fare i conti sia con la malattia del marito ma anche con la sua, il cancro; combattuto una volta, ma recidivo, il cancro di Lucy è incarnato dallo spirito della morte che fluttua tra le pagine e non sai mai quando apparirà.
Eppure, nonostante le difficoltà e il futuro incerto, sia Lucy che Mickey accettano di giocare tutte le loro carte: non vogliono privarsi della gioia di vivere, ma allo stesso tempo sono troppo realisti per lasciarsi andare al caso. Decidono di non avere figli in un momento di estrema infelicità e si abituano all'idea che loro due sono l'essenza stessa della loro vita: per Lucy Mickey è la sua ragione di vita e per Mickey Lucy è la sua salvezza, la possibilità di essere una persona normale.
Ovviamente niente di tutto questo conta quando Lucy, a dispetto di tutto, rimane incinta e - neanche a dirlo - contemporaneamente scopre che il cancro è tornato ed è più aggressivo che mai. A questo punto la storia si divide brutalmente: il punto di vista di Lucy sembra estraneo a tutto. Lei decide di tenere il bambino e concentra ogni pensiero, ogni respiro, ogni briciolo di forza verso questa creatura, consapevole che sarà la sua ultima cosa bella. Lucy sente che morirà, lo sa dal momento in cui accetta di portare a termine la gravidanza e di non sottoporsi alle cure, ma è come se se ne fregasse completamente. Vive in modo distaccato il suo declino, tanto che noi ci rendiamo conto delle sue condizioni fisiche solo attraverso gli occhi degli altri personaggi. E' come se Lucy arrivasse fino alla fine integra, per poi morire.
Mickey e gli altri personaggi, invece, sono la voce della ragione. I medici le consigliano l'aborto terapeutico, Mickey vuole che abortisca perché altrimenti perderà lei - ma per lui è più una questione di egoismo puro e semplice, perché ha paura di perdere anche sé stesso -, le sorelle non vogliono che muoia e quindi cercano di convincerla. Niente, però, servirà a cambiare il corso della storia. Si arriva alle ultime pagine in un crescendo di angoscia, con Micheal che infetta ogni parola con il suo terrore, con la sua incapacità di accettare l'inevitabile e, quando si arriva alla morte di Lucy, un po' si rimane male. Quasi c'era la speranza che riuscisse a sopravvivere. Niente lieto fine, quindi. La bimba nasce, Lucy muore e Mickey deraglia: solo quando si rende conto che tiene veramente alla bimba, che lei è ciò che gli è rimasto della moglie, riesce a creare un legame con lei e -quindi- con la vita.
Dal punto di vista emotivo questa è una storia intensa, veramente drammatica e che dona spunti di riflessione davvero importanti. Ma, mentre ci si rende conto che è una storia inventata, si ha ben presente che nella vita reale succedono queste cose e che - anzi - la fortuna che questi due personaggi hanno avuto, l'amore, la famiglia, la felicità nonostante il dolore, non sono cose che capitano a tutti. Quante persone muoiono sole, oppure senza aver mai provato un amore così intenso? Quante non si lasciano dietro nulla, nemmeno un bel ricordo? Se devo essere sincera, leggere una storia che storpia così tanto la realtà dei malati di cancro, che romanza una vita di sofferenza abbellendola con la storia d'amore finta da fiction...non so mi sembra quasi una mancanza di rispetto. Non c'è bisogno di addolcire la pillola: vuoi parlare di cancro? Bene, allora fallo in modo vero, senza inventarti storie incredibili d'amore. Senza il paesello e i vicini che sprizzano amore, senza episodi stucchevoli che servono solo a commuovere, senza episodi fantascientifici di mariti fuori di testa, ma bellissimi e razionalissimi il momento dopo. Non la bevo, non ci casco e, onestamente, non credo che nemmeno l'autrice abbia sentito sul serio il vero concetto della storia: non è vero che la morte non è dolorosa. Forse, per chi ormai è andato, ma chi rimane indietro soffre da morire. Questo è il vero senso della storia: trovare il modo per superare la perdita, per ricominciare a vivere.
Dalla morte di qualcuno che si ama non ci si riprende mai.(less)

like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Rosalyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book was lovely. On her 21st birthday, Lucy Hancock falls hard for Mickey Chandler, a boy several years her senior with a history of bipolar disorder. Although Mickey does what he can to discourage Lucy (experience has taught him the hard way that long-term romantic relationships don't often work with his disorder), he can't help falling for her as well. And so they marry. Lucy, however, has her own complicated history: her parents both died while she was young--her mother of brea...more

like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Leya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-2012, all-time-favorite, library-book

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 05, 2013 Rebecca McDewell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Based on the brief glimpse at the synopsis, this was a must read. Having lived with a spouse with a serious mental illness encouraged me to jump right on board. I'm SO glad I did. I had no idea it would touch the NICU nurse in me, the petrified mother in me, the small town girl, the at-odds with her family girl, the everyone in me. Yes, it was difficult to read at times and completely flayed my heart in two. So has life - on a semi-regular basis.

This is a book about pure love through generation...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 08, 2012 Ste80 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Da www.sognipensieriparole.com

"Danzando sui vetri rotti" di Ka Hancock è un romanzo da poco pubblicato dalla Casa Editrice Leggereditore (4 ottobre) basato su una vicenda privata della stessa autrice, che ha lavorato a lungo nel reparto di psichiatria dell’LDS Hospital di Salt Lake City.

Preparatevi a leggerlo con una grossa scorta di fazzoletti accanto perché vi assicuro che verserete tante lacrime.
Credetemi, ma anche adesso che sto cercando di stendere le mie impressioni su questo stupendo roma...more

like · see review

Oct 06, 2012 Cerridwen (Emma Bianchi) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

Questo romanzo è una scheggia.

Una piccola ma appuntita scheggia, conficcata in profondità, difficile da tirare via, impossibile da dimenticare. Penetra, improvvisa, in un solo fulmineo istante fin nelle profondità più buie dell’animo e, raschiando, tocca il fondo.

Questo romanzo è simile proprio ad un pezzo di vetro rotto.

Non è stata una lettura semplice. Non è stata neppure una lettura confortante, inutile negarlo. Non è stata un’evasione spensierata dalla cruda concretezza della vita quotidiana...more

like · see review

May 19, 2012 JulesGrrl rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the concept of this book as it is rare to read a love story that involves someone with bipolar disorder. Lucy is able to see past the illness and fall in love with the man, even when the realities of the illness rear their undeniable heads. I can tell, however, that this book is a "first" book. I feel that this author is talented and hope to read her future works. That being said, this book needed about 100 pages trimmed. She showed us how people we love can help us to heal from crushi...more

like · see review

May 17, 2012 Cheryl C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

My neighborhood book club chose this book for our fist meeting in a while. It was recommended and well received. The book was a great choice for a group because of the timely topics provided by the story for discussion. I will return to those in a moment because I want to give you my impressions first.

I was extremely touched by this book. It is a raw look at life with the many health issues that are faced in today’s world. This was no fantasy or horror story, but rather a “what if” life lesson....more My neighborhood book club chose this book for our fist meeting in a while. It was recommended and well received. The book was a great choice for a group because of the timely topics provided by the story for discussion. I will return to those in a moment because I want to give you my impressions first.

I was extremely touched by this book. It is a raw look at life with the many health issues that are faced in today’s world. This was no fantasy or horror story, but rather a “what if” life lesson. So many of us today are faced with family histories of health issues that deeply impact us today as well as the generations to come. Cancer is a big one. How does someone weigh the dangers against the joys of life? No matter how prepared we are for something, we really don’t know how strong we can be until we face the challenge head-on.

This is what I felt from this story. There was love, commitment, fear, challenges, health struggles, pain, loss and so much more. I loved that Lucy took the time to get to know the illness her sweetheart faced. Her determination to love the man and see past the pathology of his condition was a great lesson for me. So many of us deal with depression, mental illness or even children with mental and physical handicaps. It’s wonderful to read a story that shows that there is so much more to a person than the medical label.

I laughed as I read this story, but mostly I cried…buckets…because it moved me so much. This is a new favorite and I’ve already recommended the book to family as a must read. The story is so well written and the characters took on their own lives. I feel like I should be able to hop on a plane and go visit with my new-found friends.

Now back to the book club. The topics were very timely because Lucy and Mickey planned to never have children. They felt like they needed to sacrifice their own desire for a family because of the burden they would inflict on their children. This is a touchy subject, especially in a Christian setting. But it was wonderful to see how everything changed with the pregnancy. In our own group, we have a mother and daughter who have had this same kind of challenging decision and we all agreed that the choice is very much an individual situation that should be approached through faith and prayer. It really shed light on the challenges some couples face when starting a family. It isn’t just the number of children or the timing of their births, but the physical challenges the infants may face. This wasn’t something I worried about in my day.

Cancer, mental illness, physical deformities and limitations, adoption, living childless. These are all part of the fears faced by couples. Dancing on Broken Glass is the best title and description for the challenges faced in the story – and in life.

If you belong to a book club, I highly recommend this story for your group. If you don’t belong to one, that’s okay. I still recommend reading this book. There is something we can all learn and then better understand someone else’s challenges through reading this book.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

May 14, 2012 Rocky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very impressive fiction debut by Ka Hancock.

I wish I could have given the book 4.5 stars, but that is not a Goodreads option.

Two people who have potential pre-existing medical conditions fall in love and want to be together, but they know the consequences if the worst case scenario unfolds. They are so concerned for each other that they even put together a contract of understanding.

Meet Lucy and Mickey. Take the lesser of two evils; cancer or bipolar disorder. No matter how you look a...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 16, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, marriage, bi-polar

Dancing on Broken Glass
Ka Hancock
On occasion a novel comes along that shows strong depth of love, a boundless love that in this throwaway society, stands firm. The kind of relationship we all long for in our souls, but would be willing to count the cost for it?
Lucy and Mickey attempt to beat the odds in their lives to pledge their undying love to one another. Lucy, whose family lineage is gone from breast cancer and has overcome herself. Mickey who is bi-polar and has a personality that can go...more Dancing on Broken Glass
Ka Hancock
On occasion a novel comes along that shows strong depth of love, a boundless love that in this throwaway society, stands firm. The kind of relationship we all long for in our souls, but would be willing to count the cost for it?
Lucy and Mickey attempt to beat the odds in their lives to pledge their undying love to one another. Lucy, whose family lineage is gone from breast cancer and has overcome herself. Mickey who is bi-polar and has a personality that can go from deeply depressed to mania. The love each other despite these obstacles and make a vow to make it work, accepting the things they cannot change.
It isn’t easy. Dealing with Mickey in and out of the hospital over the years to get his meds regulated again. Lucy dealing with cancer and the fear of dying like her own mother did at a young age. Their list of ‘rules’ for living, framed by their bedside helps them to focus. The last rule on the list is that they will not have any children to pass on these diseases to. Lucy who has had her tubes tied several years ago finds out she is pregnant. How can they raise a child with all that they deal with in their unique situation?
Ka Hancock uses her experience in the nursing and psychiatric field to paint a picture of bi-polar and the affects it has not only on the person with it, but those who love him. She does an excellent job of utilizing Mickey’s own words in a journal type format, while Lucy deals with all she does in loving Mickey. We meet up with Lucy and Mickey as they fall in love, and shift to the present and back. Catching up on their story as they deal with the here and now.
This is a heart wrenching novel, reading as if watching a movie unfold in front of you. Seeing the kind of true love that sticks it out. I love the fact that Lucy didn’t just abandon Mickey, and knew what she was getting in to prior to marrying him, or so she thought. With divorce being so prevalent in our society it is nice to have a novel where the couple despite the odds, works to stay together and in love.
Outstanding debut novel from Ka Hancock. I look forward to reading more of her works!!
I appreciate Ka providing me with a book in exchange for an honest review.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Marian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lucy and Mickey both have bad genes--in Lucy's family runs breast cancer and Mickey has Bipolar Disorder. So beside all the other rules they have in their marriage, they decided not to have children and Lucy was sterilized. What a surprise to find out after 11 years of marriage that Lucy was pregnant! A pregnancy with complications, but the choices that were made were admirable.

Ka Hancock beautifully writes Lucy and Mickey's story from the time they met, their wedding, Lucy's first battle with c...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Alison Armstrong rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although I don't usually like to read books that are described as "tearjerkers," I was drawn to this one because of the subject matter--a couple dealing with mental illness and cancer--and this book did not disappoint. It was very sad, but not depressing; I found it very moving and even inspiring in a way.

I was married to a good man with severe mental illness for twelve years, and I have to say that so much of this book rang true. Lucy, the book's heroine, resigns herself to the day-to-day uncer...more Although I don't usually like to read books that are described as "tearjerkers," I was drawn to this one because of the subject matter--a couple dealing with mental illness and cancer--and this book did not disappoint. It was very sad, but not depressing; I found it very moving and even inspiring in a way.

I was married to a good man with severe mental illness for twelve years, and I have to say that so much of this book rang true. Lucy, the book's heroine, resigns herself to the day-to-day uncertainty(and sometimes humor) that results from being in love with someone who's nuts. She is almost too patient, too saintly in handling his illness: although she gets angry occasionally, she seems to be free from any underlying resentment of being trapped in such a situation. She is more like a modern Dickens heroine, long-suffering and always good-natured like Little Dorrit or Esther or Agnes. But that's not to say that she's not believable; she's just not me.

Mickey's descriptions of his own grappling with his illness, while wanting so badly to be a good man and a good husband and father, just broke my heart. The author does a better job here of making him an intersting, complex character; he is not above trying to manipulate his illness--and manipulate others around him with his illness--from time to time. This doesn't make the reader like him less, though; it makes him more sympathetic and believable.

The one lesson that stood out, for me, from this book was the importance of family and community in successfully dealing with mental illness and grief. If we had lived in a community like Brinley, surrounded by a supportive extended family and business partners, a caring psychiatrist like Gleason (and the means to afford his services!), my husband's outcome could have been much better. Unfortunately, that kind of support is not available to most of the mentally ill in America. There is still too much stigma, too much secrecy and misunderstanding surrounding the topic. Too many of those who are dealing with illness in themselves and their loved ones are forced into denial and isolation by our society.

After my husband disclosed that he was in treatment for mental illness to a trusted co-worker--and subsequently immediately fired--his boss asked me, "Why do you put up with this? Why don't you leave him?" My response was, "If he had cancer instead of mental illness, would you be saying the same thing to me?" Of course not. Until we treat the mentally ill with as much compassion the physically afflicted, the Mickeys of this world--those who are never cured but manage their illness well enough to live a constructive life--will be few and far between. The love and understanding Mickey receives not just from his wife, but from the whole community, seems like a lovely fantasy. I hope there are truly pockets of this kind of compassion in the world.

OK, I'll get off my soapbox and back to the book review. The author does a masterful job of truthfully bringing the reader inside the minds of the characters, we really feel what they are feeling and care about what they are going through. Having lost loved ones to cancer, I also thought that her description of the heartbreak (and even strange joys) of that ordeal rang absolutely true.

Overall, this is a lovely book, hopeful as much as painful and well worth the read. I look forward to more from this author.

(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 14, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have written the first sentence multiple times and I'm still struggling how to begin. I want to be careful so I don't give spoilers without warning so I might be vague. There are so many facets of this book that I loved. I'll start with the first thing that comes to my mind.

Mickey and Lucy are complex and wonderful people. We meet Lucy first as a child as she sees Death for the first time. Death is not a verb but a noun. Death is female and not frightening. She is comforting and peaceful. At t...more I have written the first sentence multiple times and I'm still struggling how to begin. I want to be careful so I don't give spoilers without warning so I might be vague. There are so many facets of this book that I loved. I'll start with the first thing that comes to my mind.

Mickey and Lucy are complex and wonderful people. We meet Lucy first as a child as she sees Death for the first time. Death is not a verb but a noun. Death is female and not frightening. She is comforting and peaceful. At the time, her father explained to her that Death is not scary or painful. Death is also not the end but a continuation. Dying might hurt but Death does not. A few days later, Death took her father. At the age of 17, Death also took her mother. Lucy knew Death was near and felt peaceful but sad.

Lucy is a package deal. She comes with sass and two sisters, Lily who is maternal in nature but childless and Priscilla who is career driven and has ice in her veins. All of the sisters are loyal to one another but stay true to their characters. Lucy is the youngest. All live with the fear of cancer and death (even though their father said Death is nothing to fear). Their DNA dictates that cancer will come again to the Houston girls.

Mickey is 8 years older than Lucy and comes with another package. He is funny, a good business man, charismatic and bipolar. Here's what I loved at Mickey - is more than his diagnosis and makes that clear to Lucy. He also makes it clear to Lucy that being with him will be heartbreaking. He will crash and he will hurt her. It is part of the illness. He is also honest and genuine. Their marriage is not a destination but part of the journey. They accept each other and their flaws, marry and continue on. That's what I loved about their relationship. They love each other and use that love to propel them forward. Mickey hits his cycles. He becomes manic, self-medicates, hits psychosis, he's hospitalized, stabilizes, and comes home. Lucy greets him, accepts him, respects him and continues to love him. Being bipolar is one part of who he is. He's also much more than that.

At the beginning of most chapters, Mickey provides a journal entry. It's usually short but clearly and concisely, with raw honesty describes his mood disorder in a way that a textbook can't. He provides a window for the reader to comprehend why his mood escalates to something uncontrollable and how he justifies adjusting his medication. Bipolar becomes much more than a diagnosis. It has a face and personality.

Cancer is also a part of Lucy. It doesn't define her but it is a part of her. Again, Hancock doesn't gloss over anything. The doctor tells Lucy she has cancer and then we journey through her treatment with her. One character provides a truth which applies to just about everything in life. The only way through is going through it. There are no shortcuts. There are no shortcuts to a happy marriage. There are no shortcuts through cancer treatment. There are no shortcuts through depression. There are no shortcuts through death or grief. The only way through is getting up in the morning, making it through the day, going to bed. Repeat. Eventually you're at the other side.

Hancock tackles some tough issues that are not foreign to the reader. Mental illness, marital happiness or discontent, commitment to marriage vows, love, illness, loss, grief, death, dying, faith, God, peace. Many of her ideas resonated for me. I also enjoyed having a book that did not have offensive material in it. Swearing is mild, much like my own mouth. Sex is included but within appropriate context. Dialogue centers around the issues.

There is much, much more that I want to say about this but I'm afraid of spoiling it.

(view spoiler)

The book is about believing in what really matters - family, marriage, love, and faith, regardless of what life hands you. It is beautifully written and I finished in tears but filled with hope.

Loved it.(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book, but found myself fascinated beginning with the first line of the Prologue: "I met Death at a party." The main character, Lucy, maintains her strength and resiliency through tragedies in her life and through her marriage to Mickey, who has Bipolar Disorder. I don't know much about mental illness in general or Bipolar Disorder in particular, but I thought the discussion of Mickey's illness was handled very well and made the topic accessible. M...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the story of Lucy, who we learn early on in the story is a cancer survivor with a family history of aggressive breast cancer. Her father died when she was very young, and her mother succumbed to breast cancer when Lucy was a teen. Lucy falls in love with and marries Mick Chandler who struggles with a bipolar disorder. We learn that his mother committed suicide and he lives in fear of destroying his family the same way. The story is told from Lucy's perspective, interspersed with Mick's j...more This is the story of Lucy, who we learn early on in the story is a cancer survivor with a family history of aggressive breast cancer. Her father died when she was very young, and her mother succumbed to breast cancer when Lucy was a teen. Lucy falls in love with and marries Mick Chandler who struggles with a bipolar disorder. We learn that his mother committed suicide and he lives in fear of destroying his family the same way. The story is told from Lucy's perspective, interspersed with Mick's journal entries relating his struggles with his illness. But in all of this, Mickey always knows the love he shares with Lucy is something worth fighting for and he tries hard to take his meds and stay balanced. This is also the story of her relationship with her sisters, two very different people. One is surly and overprotective, openly critical of Lucy's choice of husband. Her other sister is her kindred spirit. This is the story of Lucy's marriage and family relationships, and the big decision she and Mick are ultimately required to make.

Overall, this is a genuinely compelling story (hence 4 stars)...I'd be lying to myself if I said the story wasn't engrossing. But I had to add some personal comments. As a 7yr breast cancer survivor, I felt like a couple parts of the story, from a medical perspective, didn't ring true. Clearly Lucy has an extremely strong family history of breast cancer. In my opinion, having a personal physician (in this case a close family friend) who never suggested genetic testing or counseling would be akin to neglect, if not out-and-out malpractice. Assuming she tests positive for a breast cancer gene, most competent doctors would have presented the possibility of Lucy getting a prophylactic (preventive) mastectomy at a young age. According to statistics, this prevents any occurrence of breast cancer over 90% of the time. At the very least, she probably would have gotten one following her first bout of cancer. Breast cancer is extremely aggressive in young women, and calls for equally radical treatment.

As for Mick's mental illness, I feel like the author downplayed the devastation of bipolar disorder a little bit. Mickey was a highly functional individual who rarely lost control....at least until the crisis in the last part of the story. And the author made it sound like having in-patient treatment was a bit like going away on a business trip for a couple weeks....it just didn't play out like it had that much of an impact on their lives. In reality, mental illness is absolutely devastating, and will inflict major damage on all parties involved (leaving a cumulative effect of growing anger, exhaustion, helplessness, depression and lower quality of life). Moreover, very few medical plans provide unlimited mental health coverage. They only allow a certain number of weeks per year of inpatient treatment, and/or they have a cap on the coverage amount. Most couples will find their marriages destroyed by a mountain of debt long before the illness takes a final toll. I can't figure out if Mick is rich, or he has the world's most enviable healthcare plan.

But I guess the author exercised "artistic license" in order for their to be a crisis worth writing about. (less)

like · see review

Mar 28, 2012 Shonda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012, favorites

From the first sentence, I knew Dancing on Broken Glass would be an emotional read. Lucy and Mickey were destined to be together although on paper the odds were against them. Hancock created two flawed, but endearing characters that readers cannot help but to welcome into their lives.

I felt as though Lucy and Mickey were two of my closest friends. Every time I closed the book, my mind would wander and think about them. I could not wait to find stolen moments throughout the day to pick up where I...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 09, 2013 Annette rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't write a lot of reviews, and I've totally spaced keeping my shelf here updated. But this book blew me out of the water, so I have to mention it. Lyrical, gorgeous writing, with characters that are flawed, deep, and absolutely real. I felt like I knew them so well that I'd recognize them and want to give them a hug if we ever crossed paths. It's the kind of women's fiction I aspire to write myself and it inspired me to keep digging and keep growing as a writer.

A suggestion, though: Don't...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Lightblue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book

Desideravo leggere questo libro da moltissimo tempo, sentivo che mi chiamava dagli scaffali delle librerie. E' la storia di Lucy e Mickey, marito e moglie innamoratissimi ma con un grosso peso sulle spalle: lui soffre di disordine bipolare, lei ha avuto il cancro al seno. Per questo motivo decidono di non aver figli, in quanto le difficoltà sono troppe e i rischi di far ereditare i geni sbagliati sono altissimi. La natura però, incurante di questo, farà il suo corso.
E' un libro molto dolce (for...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I happen to have had the luck of being an early reader. Though not a book that would normally be on my list I found it hard to put down and it touched at my emotions. Anyone who loves another can relate to the roller-coaster ride of the relationship. Unique challenges of love reaffirms the testament that true caring and selflessness can conquer all. If you care about someone, read it and it will make you want to be a better person.

1 like · like · see review

Oct 01, 2012 Lee Fullbright rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dancing on Broken Glass is book club majesty, a novel readers can chew on and then talk up one side and down another, like a good, thought-provoking episode of The Big C (for those who don’t know Showtime’s stellar series, The Big C, it’s about a woman with cancer—brilliantly portrayed by Laura Linney—who finally, and hysterically, begins living with gusto after getting her terminal diagnosis).

Dancing on Broken Glass (so put your combat boots on) by the very capable author, Ka Hancock (a psychi...more Dancing on Broken Glass is book club majesty, a novel readers can chew on and then talk up one side and down another, like a good, thought-provoking episode of The Big C (for those who don’t know Showtime’s stellar series, The Big C, it’s about a woman with cancer—brilliantly portrayed by Laura Linney—who finally, and hysterically, begins living with gusto after getting her terminal diagnosis).

Dancing on Broken Glass (so put your combat boots on) by the very capable author, Ka Hancock (a psychiatric nurse in her non-writing life), is like that in a way—and yet it’s not. First off, it’s not hysterically funny, and there’s no suspense or mystery, and it’s overlong. About a marriage between a bi-polar man (Mickey) and a woman (Lucy) with a long history of breast cancer in her family, it’s not even a little bit funny. Still, I started the book falling in love, even knowing the premise couldn’t possibly end well (yet hoping otherwise), because I was enamored with Lucy’s voice. Hancock’s set-ups and characterizations are flawless. I loved Lucy’s grit, gusto, and her commitment. I wanted to hang with her. I wanted a good life for her.

But here’s where the many lovers of this soap opera will begin wanting to throw their e-readers at me:

After Mickey’s first psychotic break (cringingly rendered by Hancock), before his marriage to Lucy, I wanted to hustle Lucy aside and say, “Sweetie, don’t do it! Run! If you marry Mickey, your entire life, the breadth and the scope of it, will be defined by this illness. Broken glass is nothing! Your life will be about picking your way through land mines!”

Of course, Lucy didn’t listen to me. The young never do.

I commend Hancock for wanting to show mental illness as something that can be dealt with instead of run away from—I’d like to think we can face down all the monsters living under our beds. And I agree with the premise that mental illness shouldn’t be stepped around.

Unless psychotic states are involved—and then step lively and out the front door.

Despite the argument that real committed love is often messy, were I Lucy, I’d have had to love Mickey from afar, for my sanity. Saturday night dates maybe, but only IF Mickey’s meds were humming along. Because psychotic breaks can make “regular messy” look like Christmas in Paris.

It’s for this reason I wish Hancock had depicted Mickey’s bi-polar disorder as less severe, so we’d have had the opportunity to learn how this currently almost-ubiquitous diagnosis is successfully managed.

(less)

like · see review

Mar 22, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, fiction, cancer

ARC received through the Goodreads First Reads program.

Mickey and Lucy are damaged people. Mickey suffers from bipolar disorder, and Lucy has a devastating family and personal history of breast cancer. Despite these problems, which other people might consider to be deal-breakers, the two fall in love and marry.

There were some things I really really liked about this book. I like how Death appears as a character on the first page, which lets you know from the get-go that the theme of loss will ap...more ARC received through the Goodreads First Reads program.

Mickey and Lucy are damaged people. Mickey suffers from bipolar disorder, and Lucy has a devastating family and personal history of breast cancer. Despite these problems, which other people might consider to be deal-breakers, the two fall in love and marry.

There were some things I really really liked about this book. I like how Death appears as a character on the first page, which lets you know from the get-go that the theme of loss will appear again and again during the story. As someone with a chronic illness, the exploration of how a condition can sometimes be considered a third party in a marriage resonated with me. I felt the scenes between Mickey and Lucy rang true, for the most part, especially those that dealt with the need to depend on someone, and the fear you feel when either you a) realize you can't or b) realize how much it can hurt you to be so close to someone.

Now for the flipside. I found the overarching plot to be pretty predictable. In terms of the major themes, only one thing happened that I did not expect. That's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but some of the turns the plot took were a little over the top. But hey, it's a tearjerker--one should go in expecting that sort of thing. Especially after meeting Death so early on.

Another thing that bothered me was the focus on Lucy's relationships with her older sisters. The book bills itself as a portrait of a marriage, but it's really about the sisters. Mickey is important, but he seemed almost tacked-on. Their closeness seemed artificial and almost cloying at times. Maybe this is because my relationship with my own sister is NOTHING like what I see in this book. We're close, we talk, we enjoy each other's company, but she's not the anchor of my life. If I can characterize one person as my anchor, it would be my husband (however, my husband is not bipolar).

Ka Hancock explains in the afterward that the book that I read was not the book she initially set out to write. This explains why the focus on the relationships between the sisters was so strong, and why Mickey, although central to the story, did not get as much time telling HIS story as Lucy got telling hers.

Hancock's background is in nursing, specializing in mental health. This definitely informed the novel--I found Mickey's illness to be completely believable. For me, this warrants enough to add an extra star.(less)

like · see review

Feb 25, 2013 Jennie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book left me with mixed feelings, depressing, but mixed. The beginning is so slow I almost gave up and quit reading. It's much too long and needs about a hundred pages cut. It's not really a love story though it is billed as such. The relationship between the couple doesn't show much of a relationship between the two, though we're told repeatedly how much they love each other. The real relationships are between the sisters. The story deals with one negative after another piling up until the...more

like · see review

Apr 29, 2012 Lorri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Be forewarned, there are parts of this book that will have you in tears! Two unlikely people get together, fall in love and marry. Because of their medical histories they decide against having children to spare them heartache and grief. Lucy goes through a cancer scare and almost dies and Mickey is admitted to a mental institution several times over their years together. When Lucy goes for her yearly physical not only does she find out that she is pregnant, which is unbelievable since she had he...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

At 1:30 in the morning last night, I cried my way through the end. Anyone who knows me, would probably know that chick-flick novels are not usually my thing. In fact, I somewhat scorn them. That is what I expected from this one; however, by the middle I was sucked into the character development. I felt so attached to the individuals and so attuned to their personalities and identities. Hancock did an excellent job with developing even the minor characters. This book probably meant a lot to me be...more

like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wish I could give it 2 ratings- one for the writing and one for the story. The writing is very well done, real, and unapologetic. The story is much too real, to a fault.
There might be some spoilers here:
I don't like sad stories- life is sad enough already and stories should uplift and make you happy. I read almost all the reviews on this, both on GR and Amazon, and I told myself I wouldn't read it, and then I got sucked. If you don't like sad endings, don't read it!
I tried to detach myself,...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 CJC rated it 3 of 5 stars

This very much felt like a Sunday evening tv movie where people are just a little too perfect. The whole fairy tale bit was just too much. I cry at tv commercials so the sister interactions in this one had me crying like a woman even as I was cringing at their perfection or predictable actions.

This story gave a great example of why I think people cling to religion. Having my mother battling cancer right now I often wonder if it would be easier if I could believe in a god and just hand it all ove...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 06, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dancing on Broken Glass follows the unlikely romance between Mickey and Lucy. Lucy and Mickey meet in the hospital - she's there because her oldest sister just had surgery for a breast cancer scare and Mickey is there in the psych ward because of a psychotic episode resulting from his bi-polar disorder. Mickey tries to fight his feelings, but Lucy is adament that their love will help them both survive whatever the future holds. And after a huge breakdown for Mickey when Lucy was diagnosed with b...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
It's nice here at Goodreads...for the most part.	5	30	Aug 14, 2012 06:22pm
Don't bother!	2	21	Jul 29, 2012 10:51am
Can't wait for March!!	2	18	Jul 03, 2012 02:54am
It's Fun Here on Book Club Circuit!!	3	5	Jul 03, 2012 02:53am
Loving Canada	2	7	Jul 03, 2012 02:51am
Shooting for Scintillating	2	5	Jul 03, 2012 02:50am

combine
Other Editions (4)

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Romance

10 users

Book Club

10 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

7 users

Contemporary

5 users

Mental Health > Mental Illness

4 users

Adult Fiction

4 users

Drama

3 users

Historical Fiction

3 users

Womens Fiction

3 users

Adult

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ka Hancock

Ka was born and raised in Utah in the shadow of the most spectacular mountains on earth. A lifelong learner with two degrees in nursing, her expertise is in the field of mental health. Somewhere between raising her family, going to school, working and getting the laundry done, she managed to write a novel that takes an unvarnished look at imperfect love, loss, and bipolar disorder. Her underlying...more

More about Ka Hancock...

Books by Ka Hancock

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Dancing on Broken...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Dancing on Broken Glass

“I'm sure that sounds odd, but looking at me and seeing me are two very different things.” — 7 people liked it

“I think the overriding message would be that love is serious business. True, down-to-the-crap love is not for the shallow or faint of heart. People are messy. Marriage is messy. You have to bring your best self to the game despite your limitations.” — 5 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Dancing on Broken Glass
avg rating	preview: Dancing on Broken Glass Goodreads rating: 4.19 (1059 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12245809-dancing-on-broken-glass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344390972l/12245809.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12245809-dancing-on-broken-glass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock[/url]

Dancing on Broken Glass

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website