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Dancing for Degas

by Kathryn Wagner (Goodreads Author)

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 770 ratings · 175 reviews

In the City of Lights, at the dawn of a new age, begins an unforgettable story of great love, great art—and the most painful choices of the heart.

With this fresh and vibrantly imagined portrait of the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas, readers are transported through the eyes of a young Parisian ballerina to an era of light and movement. An ambitious and enterprising farm g...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published March 16th 2010 by Bantam (first published 2009)

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Community Reviews

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Feb 20, 2010 Jeanette rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: barf-bag, all-fiction

This is the kind of book that was made for negative star ratings, which unfortunately are not an option. I would assign this one a minus 2 stars.

This book is so bad that I just want it out of my life! I got as far as page 189, then had it sitting around for weeks. I kept telling myself I should finish it and write a review because it was a First Reads win. Dumb on my part, since I now know for certain that reviewing First Reads books has no bearing on future wins.

The first 106 pages of the boo...more

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Feb 16, 2010 Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Erika by: Goodreads First Reads

Shelves: first-reads

I was intrigued when I won this as a First Reads, and delved into it as both a lover of historical fiction as well as someone with an educational background in art history. While I do think it had promise, it ultimately was just okay for me.

Of course it should be noted that I did receive an ARC - an uncorrected copy which still required editing. I do hope that an editor thoroughly goes through the book to clean up extraneous storylines and improve the writing. At times I found the prose a bit so...more

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Jan 26, 2010 Wendy Scott rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. One of the main problems with this book for me was that I never felt that the author connected the reader to the characters and thus their emotions felt flat. The other is that the plot becomes mired in a seemingly endless string of years where the dancers dance, the men choose mistresses, and Alexandrie models for Degas. I felt that the author could have either made more of the middle of the book to connect the reader more firmly to the story and more fully develop the characters or she could h...more One of the main problems with this book for me was that I never felt that the author connected the reader to the characters and thus their emotions felt flat. The other is that the plot becomes mired in a seemingly endless string of years where the dancers dance, the men choose mistresses, and Alexandrie models for Degas. I felt that the author could have either made more of the middle of the book to connect the reader more firmly to the story and more fully develop the characters or she could have cut whole sections from it without any adverse impact.

This is the story of Alexandrie, a girl from a small farming village in France. She is born into a poor family of pepper farmers and is a perpetual disappointment to her mother. Her mother is embittered by the hard work and subsistence existence of being a farmer's wife and takes it out on Alexandrie. Both parents have their hopes pinned on their son's prearranged marriage but when he instead marries a local girl from a destitute family, all eyes turn to Alexandrie to pull the family out of the hole.

Alexandrie begins ballet lessons as part of her mother's plan to send her to the ballet in Paris. Once established in Paris, she is to put every effort into becoming the mistress of a wealthy man so that she can support her family.

The pace of the story moves along fairly well until Alexandrie gets to Paris. After her introduction to the ballet, things become a monotonous depiction of ballet practice and chatter about which girls end up with which men. Alexandrie also discovers that after age 25, dancers must become courtesans (prostitutes) in order to stay in the ballet. Upon reading the author's notes at the end of the book, I found that there is no evidence that the Paris ballet functioned as a high-end brothel and I thought this was a significant and undeserved liberty that the author took with actual history.

Alexandrie eventually makes the acquaintance of Edgar Degas and begins to model for him. She finds him to be rude and tempermental but then inexplicably falls in love with him. At the same time, she is courted by Julian, a wealthy patron who wants her to become his mistress. She moves back and forth between the two men, stalling Julian while trying to encourage Edgar. Finally, Edgar makes it clear that there is no future with him and she accepts Julian's offer. As Julian informs her of his terms to be his mistress, she purposefully repulses him and he withdraws his offer. She is now left with no choice but to become a courtesan.

She accepts the offer of her first "customer", only to find that it is a wealthy American who has purchased several Degas paintings of her. Instead of buying her favors for a night, he proposes marriage and voila, she is saved. No explanation is offered as to why he waited so many years for her, why he jumped right to a marriage proposal without even knowing her, or why he waited until she was willing to prostitute herself before he came to her rescue.

This story has promise and the author does a nice job of incorporating Degas's history and a sense of being in Paris in the 1800's.

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Feb 07, 2010 Luann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, gr-authors, historical-fiction, 2010, adult

I've enjoyed the art aspects of books such as Girl with a Pearl Earring and Blue Balliett's series of children's mysteries. I am always led afterwards to read more about the particular artist and become more familiar with their work. Dancing for Degas fit right into that. I enjoyed learning more about Degas and his paintings. I also enjoyed learning about the life of a Paris Opera Ballet dancer in the late 1800s. This is a well-written piece of historical fiction - especially for a first-time au...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever had a character or a story resonate so deeply with your own life that you feel as if this was you in another life? That's what this book was for me. Alexandrie is a young girl who dreams of escaping her boring life, not to mention her family, in small town France. Her mother enrolls her in ballet lessons and Alexandrie finds the one thing in life for which she will always feel passion. As she dances her way up the social ladder to the Opera Ballet in Paris, she must learn some hard...more

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Apr 30, 2010 Christine Goldbeck rated it 5 of 5 stars

Being an artist predispositions me to read books about artists. Alas, I have found there are GREAT books, good books and no-so-good novels that re-create the lives of our master painters. "Dancing for Degas: A Novel" is a GREAT book and Wagner is a darn good writer and storyteller.

The Impressionists, visual art, dance, Paris, politics, and women's history play prominent roles in this novel, which was obviously well researched. Of course, liberties were taken. After all, this is a novel of histor...more

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Jan 16, 2010 Karalee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, winter-09-challenge, historical-fiction, fiction-general

I found this book to be utterly enthralling. Sounds dramatic, I know, but I just couldn't put it down. The story captivates to such a extent that the outside world recedes. I was reading it on the train during my morning commute and was so engrossed that I didn't realize my train had been off-loaded due to mechanical problems, a fellow passenger had to tap me on the shoulder and tell me to exit the train.

The story is set in the late 1800s in France. The main character is a young woman named Ale...more I found this book to be utterly enthralling. Sounds dramatic, I know, but I just couldn't put it down. The story captivates to such a extent that the outside world recedes. I was reading it on the train during my morning commute and was so engrossed that I didn't realize my train had been off-loaded due to mechanical problems, a fellow passenger had to tap me on the shoulder and tell me to exit the train.

The story is set in the late 1800s in France. The main character is a young woman named Alexandrie, a poor girl from a small remote village who shows promise in dance and ultimately is selected for the Paris Opera Ballet. As her career as a ballerina unfolds, Alexandrie learns much about the underworld of the ballet and the rich men who frequent it. She also feels enormous pressure from her family, who counts on her for support, to make certain choices about her career. Alexandrie, determined to forge her own path and make her own choices, quickly becomes acquainted with the artist Edgar Degas, who frequents the ballet rehearsals to sketch the ballerinas for his paintings. Alexandrie ultimately becomes his favorite model and, in spending so much time with him, falls in love. She finds, however, that pursuit of her personal dreams is not as simple as falling in love, even if that love is returned.

I have read numerous historical fiction works about famous artists and what inspires them (such as Girl With a Pearl Earring) and have enjoyed them. What sets this book apart is that it goes beyond merely what inspires the artist and addresses deeper issues of social class, the oppression of women, societal expectations and the like. All of this is told through Alexandrie's perspective, a woman of extraordinary strength, determination and independence (even if peppered with some measure of naivete). Adding to the depth of this book is a wonderfully vivid depiction of Paris during that time period. Although I found the ending to be a bit abrupt, the novel overall was superb and one of the best books I've read in quite some time.(less)

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Jan 06, 2012 Sarah added it

Shelves: general-lit

What this book does really well is illustrate the dependence women had on men during the height of the Paris Opera. Our heroine's only options are as follows: 1) Find someone to marry, 2) Find someone who will set her up as a lorette (high-class prostitute), or 3) Sell her body every night after the show. Now, it bothers me a little bit that the author indicated that the Paris Opera was pimping out their ballerinas to the patrons on a nightly basis. There was a bit of pimping that went on, but t...more What this book does really well is illustrate the dependence women had on men during the height of the Paris Opera. Our heroine's only options are as follows: 1) Find someone to marry, 2) Find someone who will set her up as a lorette (high-class prostitute), or 3) Sell her body every night after the show. Now, it bothers me a little bit that the author indicated that the Paris Opera was pimping out their ballerinas to the patrons on a nightly basis. There was a bit of pimping that went on, but there wasn't some unspoken contract that every ballerina had to give it up to every interested party on a nightly basis as soon as she turned twenty-five. That's a bit of an exaggeration (something the author admits in her follow-up notes).

There's enough drama that I didn't think the book needed that bit of fiction. The life of a ballerina in the Paris Opera was tremendously strange and demanding without also being forced into daily prostitution by their dancing masters. I get it added a sort of countdown/ticking bomb element to the story, but in truth, there is a real life countdown in the disintegration of the physical body as a dancer ages. What is an uneducated, "immoral" woman going to do with her life once she can no longer perform?

The women were treated as commodities - something that the book did a great job of capturing. It also did a good job of illustrating the sexual nature of performance and high art at that time. Anyone interested in some light reading centered around the art world and the Paris Opera would probably find this an entertaining read. The prose is light and immersive, though it has a tendency to skim over less sensational/romantic plot elements (like the war and temporary ruin of Paris!). It says a lot that I didn't hate the character, since she was in the unenviable position of deciding which man to hitch her star to. Normally I hate that kind of thing, but she was portrayed more as a modern girl trying to live in a dangerous world, than as a scheming gold-digger. The battle for her virginity got a little silly.

Other stuff I liked:
-The other ballerinas. The ins and outs of their relationships and competitiveness with each other.
-How the MC got rid of an unwanted lover. Showed intelligence and wit.

Stuff that bothered me:
-The author is clearly not a dancer. She did her research, but a few of her technical mistakes were frustrating. Described transitions between dance steps were illogical and a dancer would not perform a ballon. A ballon is a quality of movement, not an actual dance step. A ballonne, on the other hand, might work. Not to get nitpicky... but...

Anyhoo, there you go. It isn't high art, but it's kinda fun. I recommend doing some follow-up research if you find the topic interesting, because it was a fascinating time in dance history.(less)

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Jul 25, 2010 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

As I passed the "new" shelf at the library, this caught my eye. I have long had a soft spot for Ballet and Degas art, so I had to give it a try. Let me be honest and say that I had little expectations of this book, and so, I was pleasantly surprised!!

I was drawn to Alexandrie's character after just a few pages. She is very likable and trustworthy. You can trust that she will do the best she can in each situation. I found parts of her story sad, but I am glad that she ended up with some happiness...more

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Jun 14, 2010 LK Hunsaker rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
I'm a big fan of impressionist and realist paintings and Degas is one of my favorites, so this was a must read. I ordered it online and cringed lightly when I opened it to the first page and found it was first person POV. I find there are few writers who can make me enjoy a story well enough in first person. This, unfortunately, was not an exception.

I never truly connected to Alexandrie. I found her stiff and not horribly likeable. She didn't seem to have deep feelings about much of anything and...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Jinny rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-north-american, 09-2010-reads

Not a lot here for discriminating readers. The first parts of the plot are predictable, and the end abrupt and not well connected to preceding events. Most of the characters are one-dimensional, and there is little emotional nuance to plumb. As historical fiction, the book lacks a really distinctive sense of nineteenth-century Paris.

Disappointing, as the situation and scenes of the action have potential. Unfortunately, this book is a great example of the "telling vs. showing" that writing teach...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Bonny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cultural-biography, historical-fiction, stories-about-artists

I loved this book! I really enjoy reading historical novels and particularly stories about some of my favourite artists.

But more than an interpretation of Degas' life, this is also a look at the historical venue of the Opera Ballet. It is infamous for offering girls a life away from poverty on their family farms, but it doesn't gloss over the hard work an gruelling hours these girls had to put in. Nor does it diguise how most of these girls ended up, as "lorettes" mistresses or courtesians to we...more

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May 09, 2012 Tally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ballet, historical-novels

I've been trying to find a historical novel that features the ballet as a main theme for quite a while, so I was really glad when this one presented itself to me. Sadly, I didn't find it as gripping as I hoped it would be. It's not a matter of style that ruined it for me, because the author did a good job sucking me into Paris of the 1880s and I did enjoy the glimpse behind the scenes of the ballet as well as the process in which Degas has created his ballerinas' portraits. She has managed to in...more

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Jun 24, 2010 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book combines two of my favorite topics .... art and historical fiction. So how could it be bad? THe story revolves primarily around a poor young girl who overcomes her poverty and rises to be a lead ballerina for the Paris Opera Ballet at the time Degas was painting his numerous works of ballerinas. While a work of fiction, the book gives a perpsective of the role of the ballerina in society, the viewpoint of reknown artists of the time and life in Paris in the late 1800s.
Coincidentally I...more

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Jan 31, 2010 Leigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-win

I won this book from Goodreads. I was very excited when it came as I was just about to finish my other book and wondering what to read next. I entered to win this book because I have always been drawn to Degas' work surrounding ballerinas. I took dance for years and was just sure that I, too, would become a ballerina. Alas, I'm not but the movement and elegance of the dance and of Degas' work still entices me.

I've been trying to step out of my regular genre of mystery/thriller books. Maybe I've...more I won this book from Goodreads. I was very excited when it came as I was just about to finish my other book and wondering what to read next. I entered to win this book because I have always been drawn to Degas' work surrounding ballerinas. I took dance for years and was just sure that I, too, would become a ballerina. Alas, I'm not but the movement and elegance of the dance and of Degas' work still entices me.

I've been trying to step out of my regular genre of mystery/thriller books. Maybe I've just read to many of them and they seem to bore me now. This book has very little mystery and thrill to it, so it clearly is outside of my normal reading. I found that I enjoyed reading it, but was okay putting it down. I didn't think about it when I wasn't reading it - wanting to know what was to happen next.

I would suggest brushing up on your ballet terms before reading the book. The author uses many of the terms for the various ballet moves in the book. This may not bother some, but could be distracting for those unfamiliar with terms - is she jumping or turning? Maybe a brief glossary of terms in the back would be beneficial for readers new to the ballet.

Conversations in the book were at times difficult to follow. Rather than breaking between speakers, the author ran the conversation into one paragraph. On several occasions I had to reread the conversation to determine who was saying what.

I would suggest reading the interview with the author at the end. It helps put into light what parts of this historical fiction work are historical and which parts are fiction. I had heard of the association between ballerinas and prostitution during this time period, but never knew the details. This book may take that relationship further along than really was. Now I may have to really research this to find out the truth.

For those of you familiar with Degas' work, the author provides a tale behind the work. You often look at a painting and wonder about the story that made it come to being. In art class, I remember having to come up with some of these stories. She has done a lovely job of giving a glimpse of who that model might have been. I encourage those who want to escape into another land to read this and take a few moments to ponder about the stories behind the scenes you see everyday.(less)

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Jun 14, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

I couldn't pass up a historical fiction with Degas, Paris and ballet. I've always been in love with Paris. So this weekend I traversed to Paris in the 1800s and enveloped myself in tutus, silk, oil and diamonds. A quick read that showed the underbelly of the ballet in this era. I can quickly transport myself back in time and imagine Alexandrie as she saw the Paris Opera House for the first time. I was around the same age when I visited France and felt the energy of the city and the great overwhe...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting peek into the world of ballet in Paris in the 1800's. I am curious to know how factual it was, especially the portrayal that the ballerinas were also courtesans of the top patrons. If it is true, my female sensibilities are offended that parents would put their daughters in the ballet to prostitute them out so they could send money back home to support the family. I don't know anything about Degas, either, and he was depicted as a very fickle character. The story was pretty good,...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Audrey Orr added it

If you like ballet and art this takes you into their world and allows you to imagine the times and lives of the impressionists.It is told through the eyes of a young parisian ballet dancer who poses for Degas.An ambitious and enterprising farm girlshe joins the paris opera ballet with hopes of securing her place in society.As she meets Degas she is drawn more and more into the world of the painters she needs to make her mind whether she follows her initial dream of rising to the top in the balle...more

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Feb 10, 2010 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

From what I have personally seen, this book is current in the way the dancers treat each other. From the outside looking in, you have no idea how competitive those woman are. All the public sees is the grace and poise radiated from the stage. I found it illuminating what is revealed about the life of dancers off the stage in Paris during this particular time period. I would hope ballet companies no loger expect woman dancers to prostitute themselves for contributions.

Forget the love story. It's...more

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Feb 11, 2010 Daphne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

This book was compulsively readable. I won the book on Goodreads as a first read book. The historical fiction art genre that this book falls into is one of my favorites.

Set mainly in Paris from 1865-1872 the story includes life of ballerinas at the Paris Opera Ballet and Edgar Degas' art from the same. The story of Alexandrie's life from a poor young farm girl, to living in Paris as a ballerina working her way up through the ranks in the ballet and her relationship with Degas was fascinating. I...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

The begining was interesting, the end was a page turner, but there were about 150 pages in between that were really slow, really dragged. The story was about a poor 19th century farm girl who studied ballet as a way out of the poverty and bone crushing work of a farm life. When she is accepted to the Paris Ballet, she finds out some disturbing truths of the ballet. By then, she has a love of dancing and a feeling of obligation to support her family back in their small town. She begins to pose fo...more

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May 18, 2010 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is book is historical fiction, but it is hard to know where reality ends and fiction begins. It is the story of a poor French girl and her journey from poverty in her small town to a ballerina for the French Opera. Along the way she meets Edgar Degas and becomes his main model for his famous ballerina pastels, sculptures and paintings. The story is written well, but at times hard to read about such sad living conditions and the immoral society that these young girls were forced into.

I was f...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

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Feb 24, 2013 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner
Genre: Historical fiction, Belle Époque
Rating: ★★★★

It is the Belle Époque ("beautiful era") in France, a period in French history occurring between 1871 and the beginning of WWI, a time of optimism and when literature, music, theater and the visual arts flourished. Alexandrie, an ambitious and talented ifarm girl from Southern France, has auditioned and been accepted as a ballerina into the Paris Opera Ballet. A student of dance from early childhood, working fo...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Kristen Schrader (Wenke) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, france, art

This novel is really about the Parisian Opera Ballet, rather than the life of Degas.

Alexandrie is born into a poor farming family, and sees the ballet as her only escape. If only she can become a professional prima ballerina, then she'll be able to support herself and her debt-ridden family. However, when she arrives in Paris, Alexandrie learns the dark truth about the backstage life of a Parisian ballerina, and she works to forge a new road for herself.

Alexandre is a modern woman stuck in a w...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Sabina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Alexandrie is a peasant girl who, after years of ballet lessons, joins the Paris Opera Ballet, with hopes of becoming prima ballerina, as well as the mistress of a wealthy patron in order to secure the financial future of her family. She falls in love with Edgar Degas who is a frequent visitor at the ballet. She models for him for years, resulting in some of his most famous works, yet in the end has to decide what she wants her future to be.

I had expected so much more from this book, although I...more Alexandrie is a peasant girl who, after years of ballet lessons, joins the Paris Opera Ballet, with hopes of becoming prima ballerina, as well as the mistress of a wealthy patron in order to secure the financial future of her family. She falls in love with Edgar Degas who is a frequent visitor at the ballet. She models for him for years, resulting in some of his most famous works, yet in the end has to decide what she wants her future to be.

I had expected so much more from this book, although I expect to be in the minority with my opinion. The best part for me was actually the characterization of Degas, which seems to be true to life and was done in a convincing way. Wagner added (invented) incidents that would explain some of his traits and I thought it fitted in well with the story. However, she took other liberties which I feel are way over the top and completely unnecessary, such as the frequently used line about ballerinas who turn 25 having to become prostitutes with the opera functioning as some sort of high-class brothel. Patrons of course chose mistresses from among the dancers, often arranged by the girls' mothers, however the idea the ballet master of the Paris Opera acted as a pimp and women over a certain age were forced to do this if they wished to remain at the ballet is ridiculous and didn't serve any purpose in my opinion.

Overall, I don't think Wagner captured the time and place very well, beyond mentioning the famous names of the day. The writing was a bit patchy, well-written in some parts, rather high school in others. Also, I found it baffling why the author would change the narrative from past to present tense somewhere on page 105, without any reason. My biggest problem though was the main character, who I didn't like from beginning to end, and therefore didn't care what would happen to her. I suppose she was meant to be pure, idealistic and ambitious, but to me she just came across as self-righteous and self-centered.

All told, it was ok, maybe my expectations were too high.(less)

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Oct 24, 2010 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

It took a bit to get into the book -- the style improves once Alexandrie gets to Paris. For some reason the beginning felt too much like a rough diary, as if she was listing the things that happened to her. The biggest issue was the usage of words was too sophisticated for a little pepper farm girl - it read very false.

I am glad I pushed through though because I really felt for her character as a very young and naive girl who faces shocking realizations about her life and that her role in life...more

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Jul 31, 2010 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, france, 19th-c, art

Alexandrie is a typical country girl. She helps her family with their pepper farm and doesn’t really expect much more than that. She shows an interest in taking dance lessons, which is a luxury – and that is where the conflict between her and her mother comes in. Alexandrie wants to be the best dancer she can, while her mother wants her to become a famous lorrette and send money home to her family. This tension really forms the heart of this story.

Alexandrie goes to Paris and becomes a part of t...more Alexandrie is a typical country girl. She helps her family with their pepper farm and doesn’t really expect much more than that. She shows an interest in taking dance lessons, which is a luxury – and that is where the conflict between her and her mother comes in. Alexandrie wants to be the best dancer she can, while her mother wants her to become a famous lorrette and send money home to her family. This tension really forms the heart of this story.

Alexandrie goes to Paris and becomes a part of the famous Paris Opera Ballet company there. The story primarily focuses on Alexandrie and the culture and daily life of the ballerinas. I expected there to be rehearsals, and practice and shows, but there was much more. I had never thought about ballerinas being anything other than dancers, but apparently they were. Men would come to the shows to meet with the dancers afterward and hope to engage in a “post performance” – if you get the meaning. Many of these women would become lorrettes or mistresses to these men. They would be able to leave the dance life and be put up and well cared for. This is what many of them hoped for – and what Alexandrie’s mother wanted for her. But, Alexandrie wanted to be respected for her passion and dance expertise.

Edgar Degas is well known for his exceptional paintings showing ballerinas in various stages of the dance and he finally comes into play in this story around page 100. I kept waiting and waiting, thinking he would never come. He and Alexandrie form a bond and she becomes the subject of many of his paintings. During these sections you get a great feel for the character of Degas – he is a little reclusive, volatile, and compassionate for his work. I really found myself enjoying Degas personality, even though he is a brasher artist than some others I have read about lately. One thing I found interesting was the inclusion of other Impressionist artists – this reminded me very much of some scenes in Claude & Camille by Stephanie Cowell – which I loved. It helped set the story in the art world, not just isolated.

I loved getting to learn about the dance and the experiences that these young women went through. Even though today many young girls take dance lessons, not many will become famous dancers and this story was a little like living out that dream. The one thing that I had a problem with was the ending – that seems to be where books have been losing it for me lately. The ending seemed very abrupt and the character had a change in motivation. All along Alexandrie was focusing on one thing, and then…it just went away. I really didn’t see the ending coming and it didn’t feel satisfying. Besides the ending, I really, really, enjoyed the book!
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Jul 23, 2011 Erica Leigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Though providing snippets of information on the impressionist movement and history of this time period in Paris, the focus of the story was on the main character, Alexandrie – on her journey, her choices, her art and her heart. The story is told such that you imagine what happened between the artist and the model for some famous Degas paintings – how they came about and the relationship between the portrayer and the portrayed. Alexandrie is smart and determined, but she is also naïve and a dream...more

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Jul 17, 2010 Kathryn rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Having finished all the books I brought along for my European Vacation I sorted through what my mom had available and picked this one. In the same vane as The Girl with the Pearl Earring this book seeks to tell the story behind a famous painting and the "muse" that inspired the great work. Once again for me the writing falls very flat just like Pearl Earring or The Other Boleyn Girl. The author struggles to produce characters who evoke real emotions and sensationalizes the life of Degas and the...more

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Kathryn Wagner currently resides in Washington, D.C. Dancing for Degas is her first novel. Foreign publications for Dancing for Degas include Spain, Holland, Poland, and Romania. She holds a B.A. in journalism with a minor in art and has worked as a staff writer and columnist for several newspapers in North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Virginia. She is currently at work on her next novel.

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Dancing for Degas

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