মাতা হারি

by Michelle Moran, Duke John (Translator)

প্যারিস, উনিশ শ’ সতেরো। হিমশীতল কারাপ্রকোষ্ঠে মুক্তির ক্ষণ গুনছে মাতা হারি… অথবা মৃত্যুর! নিয়তির হাতে সব কিছু সঁপে দিয়ে নিজের অবিশ্বাস্য জীবনকাহিনী শোনাচ্ছে এক সাংবাদিককে। মোহিনী এ নর্তকী ও বারবনিতা কেন হঠাৎ যুদ্ধবিধ্বস্ত ইউরোপের চোখে হয়ে উঠল খলনায়িকা? এবং এর এক শ’ বছর পর কেনই বা আবার আজন্ম ভালোবাসার কাঙাল এই নারীর প্রতি ধারণা বদলে গেল সবার?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, France, War, Adult, World War I

400 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of eight historical novels. A native of southern California, she attended Pomona College, then earned a Masters Degree from the Claremont Graduate University. During her six years as a public high school teacher, she used her summers to travel around the world, and it was her experiences as a volunteer on archaeological digs that inspired her to write historical fiction. Her novels, translated into more than twenty languages, include Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra’s Daughter, Madame Tussaud, The Second Empress, Rebel Queen, Mata Hari, and Maria. A frequent traveler, she currently lives with her family in England, where she is researching her ninth book.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. I really like Michelle Moran's biographical fiction writing style, especially with stories about women not usually written about;
2. I have heard a little about Mata Hari but wanted to learn more. As a kid, I remember watching Wilma Flintstone "portray" this woman as "Mata Harrock"; and,
3. June 2022 is my "Biographical Fiction Month".

Praises:
1. authentic characterization! Moran depicts Mata Hari as a whole person with various personality facets! Although I did feel sympathy for her while in an abusive marriage, her sorrowful plight with her children, and her final moments (which brought tears to my eyes), Moran paints a realistic picture of a woman who is pretty high on herself. Due to her immoral lifestyle (which Mata Hari wholeheartedly admits to), she's not very relatable, but definitely interesting;
2. settings, fashions, and relations are very descriptive - I felt like I was a part of the story; and,
3. Moran's "Author's Note" reveals what happened to Mata Hari's daughter as well as evidence as to how this woman was set up as a spy.

Overall thoughts:
I learned a lot about this "femme fatale" - her true identity, her relationships, her occupation as an exotic dancer and her demise as one of WWI's most notorious spies.
Recommend!

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I reached for this book only, because it’s written by Michelle Moran even though the subject line didn’t appeal to me. In this book Mata Hari, Europe’s most infamous dancer, recalls her turbulent marriage. In order to escape it, she learns how to dance, which eventually leads her to stardom in Europe. I was not able to convince myself to go through this story even though Michelle Moran’s writing is good. I guess I shouldn’t be reaching for books which don’t appeal to me even if they’re written by authors I like. If subject line appeal to you, then by all means give this book a chance.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Knew little besides the basics about Mata Hari before reading this novel. Really felt this book could have used more depth, didn't ever get the feeling I knew anything about this women besides the surface facts of her life, never felt I knew what made her tick. Historical context would have perhaps added more depth as would more of her tragic back story which was only occasionally alluded to, in short blurbs. The epilogue was the best part but on the whole I finished disappointed.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3. 5 stars. I have always been fascinated with the mystery behind Mata Hari. I knew very little about her and she appeaes to have slipped into the cracks of some parts of history. Was she a loyal patriot that had been misunderstood by history? Certainly women often are. Or was she only out to make her life more comfortable with little feeling to others?

Michelle Moran sets out to answer these historical riddles focusing much of her story on the experiences of the adult life of this notorious woman. In fact, not a lot of information is provided to readers on the youthful years of our main character. I suppose there's a tendency to find little historical background in some areas of research.

I felt that the pacing was a little fast, as if Moran was eager to get readers to the conclusion of the story. Compared to the author's other works, this book didn't go as far into the surface as I would have liked.

On the other hand,I think that the story is a great idea for a nice weekend at the beach or a rainy afternoon.

[Lilisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my sixth Michelle Moran book and unfortunately, it was my least favorite. All others were 4 or 5 star books. So what didn’t work this time? The selection of Mata Hari was definitely a great choice - famous and exotic, she was accused of being a spy for the Germans and was sentenced and executed by a firing squad. What didn’t work was the writing style. It was simplistic, basic and uninspiring - wow, is this the same author who wrote Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra's Daughter, etc.? Was there a writing contract that had to be fulfilled that led to an output that is far from stellar, writing-wise? I wonder…since Rebel Queen was published in in 2015, this one about a year or so later? Despite the writing, I enjoyed learning more about Mata Hari and her background and the struggles she had to overcome after her mother died. She was considered exotic - her father was Dutch and her mother Javanese - and she leveraged her exoticism and dancing skills to become one of Europe’s most famous dancers. I wish I could have rated this Michelle Moran book higher. :-(

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

It makes me so sad that I didn't like this book. Michelle Moran is one of my favorite authors and I was really excited to read her newest book about a character I knew next to nothing about. I wanted to like this book; I really tried to like this book and care about the characters. I was extremely disappointed!



The book was on the slim side so the story never really ended up going anywhere. The book basically turned into a list of officers Mata Hari had slept with. And if that's what you want to do with your life, you do you buddy. My problem was that everything else in the novel became secondary to listing all the officers. Mata Hari just wasn't a sympathetic character; she lacked depth so I didn't care at all about what happened to her or the hundreds of fur coats she bought. The flashbacks only gave us the most basic insight into her character, but nothing within the bulk of the novel really made me root for her. More often than not I wanted to shake her and say stop making terrible decisions.



The characters were all one dimensional and the writing was repetitive.



I can only read the sentence "I crossed my legs so my sarong slid up my thigh" so many times before I want to hurl the book across the room!

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read by Michelle Moran. While I enjoyed it, I did not love it like the other two.

I enjoyed reading about a woman I knew very little about . And the book once again is beautifully atmospheric. But I was not transported there like in her other two books that I have read. And I did not feel the need to keep o n reading until the end. It was well written and informative but I remained a bit more uninvolved then I have been in regards to her other books and that surprised me .

I'd still recommended reading it though. I may not have been in the best mood to read straight through and plan to read it again to see if my feelings change. I have yet to read anything I do not like by Moran and am glad I got the chance to read this. It provides much information and is, in general, a sad and engrossing story. 3.5 stars.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mata Hari is someone who I've thought was fascinating for sometime now, but I didn't know much about her life. This book was good mixture of an interesting fiction but sprinkled with real life facts, making her feel more real and very much a human. This peaked my interest to learn more about her and even pick up a fiction book I've read earlier about her.

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down

Definitely not my favorite book by Michelle Moran, but still a good and quick read. I could have done with less talk of her various men and all the jewelry they bought her and taken more actual story, but I still enjoyed it.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Words: Fame, fortune, propaganda, war, family.

This book pretty much delves straight into the life of Mata Hari as she desperately tries to survive having come to Paris. Starting this book, I knew little about her life, only that she was executed for espionage in World War One. Throughout the story, her past is slowly revealed, information is drip fed, and my own feelings and attitude towards the character changed completely.

By the end of this book, I felt a little empty, I was a little numb with shock. Because even though I knew the historical truth, in my head I still hoped that maybe there would be a happy ending.

A lot of the story focused on the protagonist's material belongings - what she wore, what she bought, what she was gifted. It felt very sumptuous, the writing itself was rich and colourful and glittering. This was an integral part to the character, in building her up and showing who she was and why. It felt right. And as much as it threw me a little, and at first it meant that I didn't like her so much, by the end I understood completely.

I have never read this author before, but I absolutely will keep an eye out in future. And I've reserved her back-catalogue at the library.

I was provided with a copy free via the publisher for review.

[Iset · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mata Hari was a really strange book from Michelle Moran. I do think that Mata Hari would make an interesting subject for a novel, but the execution is so odd.

The book is short, and I mean really short. I took me between 3 and 4 hours maximum to read, and feels much shorter than any other novel from Moran. And yet it’s not marketed as a novella – I checked, wondering if I’d missed something.

The attention to historical detail is, as others have pointed out, absent. That is to say, Moran doesn’t make any huge historical bloopers, but tiny ones in the background setting – the clothes Mata Hari wears, the furniture in her residence – which give you the impression as you read of a rather generic setting, as if Moran didn’t exactly know all the details so she just guessed. Like a painting where the background is just a blurry suggestion. For me it’s not a big thing, it just feels slightly odd.

The weirdest thing however is the book’s shortness and writing style as a result. The narrative feels like it’s skimming over events. We get a vague, fuzzy sketch of what is happening but we never go into any real depth. Much of it is surface fluff, Mata Hari going from one performance and liaison to the next. I felt like I was waiting for the greater depth and insight into Mata Hari, or a connecting theme of the story to reveal itself… and it never did. The experience felt like being one of those stones you skip across the water –skip, skip, skip along the surface of Mata Hari’s life, but at the end there seemed little point to it all and I was none the wiser about her as a person.

It’s so short that I really have very little to say about it in review. Mata Hari seems to me like the bare bones of a novel – a first draft with all the events sketched out but none of the meat on paper yet.

3 out of 10

[Aliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unfortunate tale of a woman who was playing games in war she knew nothing about. A famous exotic dancer turned spy (for a rather brief period of time) just sounds like it'll end badly. As usual, Moran painted the picture of a woman's life I was quite unacquainted with. I had thought Mata Hari was Indian but, surprise, she was Dutch and had claimed to be born in India in order to add to her mystique. She brought dances she had been taught in Java over to Europe and gained fame for its sensuous foreignness.

Mata Hari was labelled a femme fatale but did she truly deserve the title? In my opinion, no. She was a dancer and courtesan, became a spy with little training, and then was set up by a German officer she thought she had seduced. The French government believed she was spying against them and so much of her past and present worked in their favor. What's more, they needed a scapegoat, someone to kill so they could show the country that they were capable of keeping the citizens safe from Germany and anyone involved with Germans. Mata Hari was not the first, nor the last, "spy" or "double agent" to be unjustly killed. We all know that propaganda can make or break a country in war.

[Jennifer N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love learning something new when reading historical fiction. I had really only heard the name Mata Hari before and knew that she had been a spy. This book takes us into her early life when she first became the exotic dancer Mata Hari and delves into flashbacks of her childhood and early marriage. The book is over halfway completed before the war even happens so we really get to know her as a character. She is portrayed as very well-rounded. It is heavily implied that she is a victim of her own terrible choices which is probably very close to the truth although we will never know for sure. She was definitely an independent woman who was ahead of her time.

[Shariful Sadaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moran is a great writer, and for thatreason i did wish that the book had been longer. As it stood now it did not even reach 300 pages. Which is sad cause she does brings life into her real characters. I always wonder who she will write about next.

I can't say i knew a lot about Mata Hari except how she died and that she created this personality. In this book we follows her from her start in Paris and to her end. The book is heavy on her beginning and honestly how did people buy all those lies? Silly people. She sure knew how to tell a story. A fascinating person. I liked how Morgan showed the human behind her. She was weak, but strong. She loved to spend and not think of her future. She adored a man in a uniform and did not care what people though of her. She loved her daughter dearly even if she had not seen her for years. She was a great liar i think, but could not save herself in the end.

As for the whole spying thing, i do wonder, if so she must have been bad at it. But then the way she is described here the whole thing does make sense. She could be a fool, who did not think forward.

It's a rather simple book, i read it fast. It was light and short. It was quick insight into an enigmatic woman. But she did achieve what she wanted, she is still famous.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Hello Book Friends! MATA HARI’S LAST DANCE by Michelle Moran has been on my TBR shelf for a little while and I just could no longer resist picking it up. I have read several books on this extraordinary historical femme fatale, and I was looking forward to finding out how Ms. Moran would describe her life and actions. I was not disappointed and actually like her take on Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod’s (née Zelle) life and how she became Mata Hari. If you would like to discover more about this Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I, this book is a great start.

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[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fictional story based on fact. It was well written but I didn’t like Mata Hari’s life. She was a very famous dancer in the early 1900’s. She was never really happy. She had a score of lovers and tons of money but was cut off from her daughter and by her choice, her father. I didn’t learn too much about WW1 except the French government officials were corrupt and thus Mata Hari suffered.

[Regina Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Now I understand the truth: I confused the order of things. I created pain; I danced to my own destruction."

Mata Hari, the archetype of seductive female spies, is a controversial figure in history. Supporters consistently attempt to get the French government to re-open her case to determine if the military tribunal sentencing her to death had any evidence to support their claims or if the entire trial was a sham, a propaganda stunt by the French to deflect failings in the war effort. The mention of her names conjures up salacious images of an exotic dancer and a seductress of military leaders across Europe. With a little documented past it would seem a perfect figure for an historical novel. But, and I should say I usually love Moran's work, this just fell flat for me. I think it was mainly that I didn't find her a sympathetic character in the least even with the line Moran chose to follow. I simply found her in this tale simply foolish. Or maybe it is because I come with my own bias towards Mata Hari's role in the war.

This is a typical Moran work - you will find the fast paced, page-turning aspect of her other work. However, some of it seemed a bit rushed. I found myself wanting her to paint more of a picture of pre-war Europe than she did, although I did like the tension between Mata Hari and Eduordo, the lawyer who discovered her talents. I also felt Mata Hari's time as a "spy" was rushed. But, I recognize that may have been a deliberate choice by Moran since she chose the perspective she did regarding Mata Hari's guilt or innocence. While I spent most of my time frustrated with Marta Hari, I do think Moran showed how lonely she was in the end and, I admit, I felt a tug at my heart.

For what it's worth. I do think Mata Hari agreed to pass secrets for a number of military officials. She would do anything, and I mean ANYTHING for money. There's absolutely nothing to suggest she feels the kind of loyalty she professed to France. But, I don't think she was "the most dangerous spy of the twentieth century," nor did she cause the death of the number of French soldiers for which she was accused.

Not my favorite Moran work, but she's still one of my favorite historical fiction authors. Anytime I need a quick read she's one of my go-to authors.

[J.S. Dunn · Rating 1 out of 5]

* 1.1 *
Posting this in lieu of remaining silent in hopes of warning others. By page 55, the last vestige of hope had gone for this work and the only remaining hope was that it might burst into flames and self-destruct.

Epitomizes the worst trends in HF beginning with a nearly-headless female on the cover, the image out of focus but if it were Mata Hari one wouldn't know it. A shame, because she was an interesting-looking creature especially decked out in her dancing costumes. Back to the horror show: the first few pages reveal that this will be written in sophomoric, insipid phrasing and unfortunately in first person just to add insult to injury. A grown woman in the year 1904 sounds as if she is talking to fellow 8th-grade girlfriends. She even uses the word 'movie', one of many anachronisms sufficient to bring forth an actual scream and hiss from any sensible reader.

Description of setting for either Paris or the interiors of 1904 et seq, is superfluous when there is any description. Research: such a bother. So the apartment purchased for Mata Hari is said to have 'cedar' beams ( highly doubtful, for a number of reasons) and the carpets are 'Persian'. This is what happens when a middle class writer attempts to write about luxury. Maybe oriental rugs are a big deal in the milieu of Ms. Moran in the 21st century, but at 1904 a Savonnerie or Aubusson gracing the floor would be the ne plus ultra for a courtesan. Even the detail of a flower Mata Hari puts in her hair seems wrong: a camellia? Why not a gardenia for the scent.

There is little tension, no overall theme, no plot other than Mata Hari lurching from one male assignation to the next, at regular intervals. Again, a bit of in-depth research might have resulted in an actual story to tell. The subject deserves much better.

There are typos, like 'widow' rather than 'window'. Big 5 publishers must really be having austere times not to line edit even the junior titles like this one. Things continue to deteriorate to the bitter end, which it must be confessed was avoided. Could not finish this book.

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I read Moran's Nefertiti many years ago she has remained one of my go-to historical fiction authors. She has a knack for bringing strong female leaders from history to the forefront telling their stories with vivid detail and heart. Historical women such as Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Madame Tussaud, Josaphine Boneparte and India's Queen Lakshmi have had their stories shared by Moran and I've enjoyed them all.

Going into this book all I knew about Mata Hari was that she was a beautiful, seductive spy during WWI. Unfortunately, after reading this book I don't feel like I got to really know the woman behind the famous name. That said, this would have been a hard book to write because, although Mata Hari is famous, little is documented about her which leaves Moran to piece together the story and her idea of how events transpired. Even today Mata Hari's death is veiled in suspicion and conspiracy.

Unfortunately I didn't feel as drawn into this book as I have with Moran's previous works. I didn't have a connection with Mata Hari and felt that the book lacked Moran's usual depth of story and emotion leaving me with little sympathy for Mata Hari's decisions which were often selfish and quite immature. I think if more time was focused on Mata Hari's past I could have gotten a better understanding of how and why she became such a well-known historical figure.

Instead the focus was on Mata Hari's numerous romantic conquests where the names and status of these men began to blend together with few of them being memorable. The political scene, an important part of Mata Hari's story, was alluded to but not enough detail was given leaving me to feel like I wasn't quite grasping what was going on.

Due to the fact that Mata Hari's life continues to be shrouded in mystery this book was a big undertaking. And while this book wasn't my favourite book of Moran's she still remains one of my favourite authors and I look forward to her next book.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Touchstone books for providing me with an e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.

[S H A R O N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find my review on my blog too! The Back Porch Review

Everyone has those authors that are "auto-buy" authors. For me, Michelle Moran is one of those authors. She always manages to seamlessly blend history and fiction. When I saw her latest endeavor at the bookstore -- Mata Hari's Last Dance -- I had to pick it up. No questions asked.

In Mata Hari's Last Dance we follow the famous exotic dancer/courtesan/spy through the start of her career up through her tragic end. The story is told by Mata Hari herself and is peppered with flashbacks to her childhood and formative years. We travel Europe with the dancer as she conquers news headlines and hearts and causes not a few scandals everywhere she goes.

Compared to her other novels, I feel as though Mata Hari was a smaller book. I was able to read it in about a day. I don't mind smaller novels, however, I left Mata Hari's book wanting more. She was such a colorful character (to put it mildly) that I couldn't help but want to dive in deeper. I'll confess - I don't know much more about Mata Hari historically other than that she was an exotic dancer/courtesan and accused of/executed for spying during WWI. Moran paints a picture of a woman with a troubled past who's formative years may have shaped her later life and ultimately led to her final fate.

The pacing of this book was...odd? The bulk of the book is spent showing Mata Hari doing what she (I guess?) did best - dancing and seducing. It almost became a bit repetitive until Moran branched off into more frequent glimpses of Mata Hari's past life. Just about the point where I finally felt like we were actually getting a glimpse of the TRUE woman behind the Mata Hari mask, Moran takes the story down yet a different vein - espionage. At this point I was almost 2/3 of the way through the book and the text just seemed to sprint through the final, tragic events in Mata Hari's life.

In the end, I really did enjoy this book. Moran is a master of historical fiction and this book, in my opinion, is no different. Was it my favorite book from Moran? I'd have to say probably not. While enjoyable, I feel like other books contain more developed characters and I always kept wanting Mata Hari to be better fleshed out. Will Moran keep being one of my "auto buy" authors? Absolutely - without a doubt. I can't wait to read whatever she releases next!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

All my reviews can be found on my blog at www.whatsbetterthanbooks.com.

This is a fascinating and engaging story about the life of Mata Hari, the famous dancer, courtesan, who was tried and convicted by the French for being a double agent during WWI, and was subsequently executed for treason by firing squad in 1917.

It is told in first-person narration, and it takes us through a life filled with abandonment, abuse, poverty, riches, love, loss, and wartime.

Mata Hari lived in a time when respectable woman were meant to be demure and obedient and she was certainly nothing of the sort. She appeared to be extremely independent and passionate, but one wonders if this was simply a facade for loneliness and naivete.

I have to admit that I knew very little about Mata Hari when I started this book, and I found her story to be extremely captivating and intriguing. It certainly leaves you questioning whether she was truly a spy or whether she merely got caught up in all the glitz and glamour and, ultimately, chose the wrong paramours.

The writing is poetic and the story flows effortlessly from page to page.

I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it.

[Monica Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I knew next to nothing about Mata Hari. The beauty of historical fiction is you learn about history in such an interesting way. I really enjoyed learning about her life and her struggles. I was sobbing at the end of the book. Life is so unfair especially to women throughout history. A novel like this really brings home how lucky I am to be a woman in the 21st century.

[MissSusie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one didn't immerse me into the time as her other books have, but i still enjoyed it and was fascinated by Mata Hari's story.

[Diane Zwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my beloved Michelle Moran I have missed you. It has been two years since I have read one of her books and I had forgotten how much I enjoy them.

Beyond name recognition I knew nothing of Mata Hari. I thought, like most people, that she was Indian and I expected the book to take place in India. When the story started in Europe I was confused but things were quickly explained.

Mata Hari led a colorful life. She invented herself out of what appears to be a horrible childhood and marriage. She meets Edouard Clunet, a lawyer, and the two embark on a business relationship and a life long friendship. Born Margaretha Zelle but called M'greet for short. She developed the stage name Mata Hari (“Mata Hari means eye of the dawn”) and did exotic dances for increasingly large sums of money. The story takes place around the turn of the century to the height of World War I.

Michelle has a gift for making history come alive. She develops characters that you really care about and believe in. I am often inspired to look up the history surrounding one of her books and this one was no exception.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this latest tale inspired by Mata Hari, Michelle Moran brings to life the infamous and enigmatic dancer, courtesan and suspected spy. In the narrative we follow Margaretha Zelle MacLeod “M’greet” better known as Mata Hari rise to fame as a dancer and courtesan to the decline of her career and finally her fall from grace as she is accused of espionage.

Michelle Moran is one of my favourite historical fiction writers, this time she brings to the forefront the lives of strong, independent women to WW1 and has giving us a vivid look at how they lived in a stifling era. M’greet had a hard start in life and to escape her fate she created the mystic that became Mata Hari, used her charms to conquer men’s devotion and spent her time dancing and horizontally entertaining them. Although, Ms. Moran’s fast-paced tale is not graphic at all it does leave a vivid impression. M’grett promiscuous, flirtatious and carefree lifestyle captivated not only her audience but a myriad of male admirers from high ranking military officers, politicians and powerful men in influential position in many countries….. In time of war it was a dangerous way of life and in February 1917 spy agent H21 known as Mata Hari was taken into custody, later to be accused and put to death.

This book is not overly taxing and is rather short (less than 300 pages) In fact I think Ms. Moran made a right decision to cut short her narrative. Too many dances, too many conquers to describe would have made this story boring by focusing on the important points and getting the point across we have the base needed to better know who was Mata Hari, her background and who she became. Well-done Ms. Moran

Thank you Simon& Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC “This is the Way I see it” my thoughts are mine and have not been influenced by the offer.

[Teddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1904 when Margaretha Zelle MacLeod leaves her abusive husband in Java and becomes the famous Mata Hari in France. She had to leave her daughter, Non behind due to threats from her husband and has always regretted that.
As Mata Hari becomes more and more famous she takes up many different lovers and enlists a couple of them to help her get her daughter back. After careful planning an attempt was made.
During World War I Mata Hari travel over a good part of Europe seeking information to help France in the war effort. However, her adventures were twisted and when she returned to France, she was arrested and accused of being a double agent for both Germany and France.
Michelle Moran paints a vivid picture of the life, rise, and fall of the famous Mata Hari. At times I felt like I was along for the ride but also at times I felt a bit left out. The parts I enjoyed most was the flash backs of her childhood and younger adult years. I grew sympathetic for all she had been through and was glad that she got to experience a better life, for awhile. Even though that better life was her eventual undoing.
The end seemed a bit rushed to me but perhaps the real end of Mata Hari was rushed in real life.
I have many favorite historical fiction authors but when Michelle Moran puts out a new title, I always make it a priority she is in my top 2! Though I am not giving Mata Hari a five star rating, I still highly recommend it for historical fiction lovers. Michelle Moran is still at the top of her writing career and I can't wait to see where she takes us next!

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Impressions

My knowledge of Mara Hari extended to her profession as an exotic dancer. It seemed a bit one-dimensional at first. Although, Michelle Moran always excels at expanding the lives of historical figures. Thus plowed right in, preparing myself for Fantine's "I dreamed a dream".

Impressions While Reading


I need not have worried. Margaretha Zelle was so much more than a scantily clad girl and the author showcased that in vivid colors. I felt as if I were in the audience during her performances and with striking descriptions could almost feel Mata Hari's furs and the vibration of a gun firing.

I liked how Margaretha Zelle's life pre-courtesan was told in flashback vignettes giving a fuller picture of our leading lady. I thought it rounded the book out nicely all the while astounded by the tragedy contained in one short life.

Final Impressions


Mata Hari's Last Dance was a quick read. While it was engrossing, I felt the last half of the novel was rushed and was over too soon. Mata Hari's Last Dance was much too short and felt a bit condensed.

For me, the mark of a good historical fiction novel is one that makes me want to "investigate" the subject matter further after closing the cover. Michelle Moran once again earns that seal as the fascinating figure of Mata Hari led me to Google and Wikipedia more than once. The Last Dance of Mata Hari is an intoxicating novel breathing life into a time of beauty and turmoil.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mata Hari's Last Dance by Michelle Moran was such a surprising read for me. I enjoyed it more than I was expecting. It was a pretty quick read but didn't take away how much I liked this book.

Before reading this book I wasn't really well known with the life of Mata Hari. But this book? It just makes me want to know more about her life. It's also clear this book was well-researched. That's a big deal to me with historical fictions.

The book is set in the 1900's and a part of the book takes place during World War I, which is something I've become more interested in recently so those chapters were my favorites and the book also made me a little emotional towards the end.

And, this might not be a big deal to some people, but Mata Hari was Dutch, so there were quite a few Dutch words that appeared in this book, which is always a bonus for me since I am Belgian and speak Dutch.

This woman's life was quite a journey from what I read in this book. And her end was so very tragic. But I did truly love the way Michelle Moran gave life to her in Mata Hari's Last Dance. This turned out to be yet another favorite book of mine of 2016. And definitely in the historical fiction genre. Definitely recommended!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mata Hari danced her way to fame in Paris prior to WWI. Abandoned as a child, broke and running away from a failed marriage, she invented an identity as an exotic dancer. For over a decade she makes a living provocatively dancing before packed theaters and sleeping with what seems like half of Europe.

As with her previous novels, Moran has written a captivating story weaving the known and the imagined. We know from the opening lines of the book that Mata Hari has been arrested for espionage and treason. But is she guilty? This small bit of suspense kept me intrigued and wanting to continue reading. Mata Hari's web of lies made it difficult to fully trust her as a narrator. She's a pitiable character, but not entirely lovable. Overall, a great book.

* Disclosure: I received this Advanced Review Copy from the publisher while attending the PLA conference. Opinions are my own and were not solicited.

[Taylor Tomassini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Not sure what to think. Lots of emotions.


Review to come!