The Dancer from Khiva: A Memoir

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The most interesting part to me was the author's emigration to Russia and her struggle to adapt to her new life. It's also true the writing style is simple but keep in mind that the original version wasn't written in her first language and this is a translation. The mer [Around the World challenge: The mere fact that this book exists profoundly touched me. Dec 31, Dee Rose rated it it was ok.

I understand that she wrote this book without any professional experience and it was conversation-like narration but it was random and all over the place. The actual events that took place in her life were very tragic and sad but the book follows no consistent pattern and you think certain events mentioned will have some significance later on and they don't. There is really no emphasis at all about her dancing, it's kind of misleading.

Aug 20, Marie rated it really liked it Shelves: Uzbekistan "Sometimes I used to think it would have been better for me to die then, when I was five, so that I wouldn't suffer anymore. Simply die and nothing else. Without joy you grow old straightaway. It's better to bring people joy than cause them terrible pain. May 15, Sabrina Rutter rated it really liked it Shelves: I really liked this book.

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I like that she wrote it as though she were just talking to you and telling her story face to face. I'm still not sure why it says "one muslim woman's quest for freedom" in the description though. Maybe the publisher thought it would make for a good sale? At some points in this book I wanted to cry, and then at some points I was laughing so hard I did cry.

KIRKUS REVIEW

She is a very spirited woman, but I just wish that she would stand up for herself a little more. She doesn't dwell o I really liked this book. She doesn't dwell on the bad things. She tells it like it is and then moves on. I'm left with the impression that she plans to write a sequal and thats why the ending was a bit abrupt. Aug 06, Kendra Kolomyja rated it really liked it.

But try to look at it for what it is- a clear and honest voice telling her life story and emphasizing the things she found important.

I thought it was very telling the parts that were emphasized or glossed over. It actually helps fill in the story by revealing aspects of the world and the reality that the author inhabits that are glaringly different. Read it as an ethnographic account and it is incredibly revealing. May 31, Maud reading the world challenge rated it liked it Shelves: Apr 13, Ivan rated it did not like it. This was one of the most poorly written books I've read. I don't put the blame on the author as much as the editor and publisher who believed this book was worth printing and did such a pathetic job of helping it along.

I would be so embarrassed if I were them. Oct 14, Isabel Evans rated it it was amazing. It is amazing how someone can endure such hardship and continue to persist through life, even though the author had tried to commit sucide a few times in her life. This biography is a reminder that know matter how we perceive the hardship in our own lives there is always someone else whose hardship is even greater. There is a spiritual saying: Jan 27, Muna rated it liked it. The Dancer from Khiva is a memoir of one Muslim woman that grew up in the rural area of Uzbekistan, when it was still a part of Soviet Union.

The author, Bibish tells her tragic life story starting from the very childhood. Even though the stories in the novel were poorly organized, which made it confusing to follow author thoughts sometimes. They were still engaging and thought provoking. First The Dancer from Khiva is a memoir of one Muslim woman that grew up in the rural area of Uzbekistan, when it was still a part of Soviet Union.

First of all, Bibish never stops striving to get what she wants and needs for her family, even after the hope is almost lost. The actual things that happened in her life were very tragic, but the narration was so fast paced, that at times it felt like the author was just throwing the information at the reader. Like when she told us who her father was, and who his ancestors were and the magical book the family was keeping. In the book it feels like the author is more focused on all of the misfortunes that happened to her throughout her life.

In my Opinion,the Author did a good job describing and adding details to the story. Though at times Bibish was giving more than enough details about some random things. For example about how people bathe in her region. She wrote the whole paragraph to describe the different ways people taking a shower. Although this just made her stories easy and fast to read. Apr 19, chucklesthescot rated it did not like it Shelves: Really disliked this book.

The writing style was poor and almost child-like, I hated the way she kept stopping to introduce her next story complete with story title like Aesop's Fables or something, and the story itself was disjointed and jumping around all over the place instead of being a cohesive memoir. She mentions thinks like her childhood rape then mostly glosses over the aftermath and the other things you want to read about, instead choosing to talk about mundane things that you don't re Really disliked this book.

She mentions thinks like her childhood rape then mostly glosses over the aftermath and the other things you want to read about, instead choosing to talk about mundane things that you don't really want to know. I was expecting a brutal story of bullying, misery and the quest for freedom from a brutal regime-but it just didn't deliver what was promised.

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We didn't hear about the emotional recovery from two brutal gang rapes, the intense bullying from family and friends after she started dancing, the suffering she says her upbringing caused her A real let down I'm afraid. May 10, Sally rated it it was ok Shelves: Bibish describes her early life in a village near Khiva - her successful school career and her flair for dancing, but also her poor home,widespread disapproval of her dancing "Khiva Bibish describes her early life in a village near Khiva - her successful school career and her flair for dancing, but also her poor home,widespread disapproval of her dancing and two sexual assaults which she couldn't talk of.

We follow her 'escape' to Russia, her marriage and children and the awful difficulties of getting somewhere to live and to make a living as a market trader. As another reviewer observed, there isn't too much dancing, and as for her Islamic religion, Bibish never mentions it except in the constraints it put on her young life - does she abandon it completely later? Actually Russia sounded so grim that I kept on wondering why she didn't go back home.

Certainly a harsh life, but not particularly gripping writing. Mar 07, Diane rated it liked it Recommends it for: This is a memoir of a woman who grew up in a very strict Muslim area of Uzbekistan when it was still part of Russia.

The author, Bibish, wrote her story while she and her family were living in poverty conditions in Russia. It was partly as an effort to pull herself out of a depression, caused by her repeated failed attempts to escape poverty. The first part of the book describes her horrid childhood experiences, trying to live in a community that suppresses women, and her efforts to run away fro This is a memoir of a woman who grew up in a very strict Muslim area of Uzbekistan when it was still part of Russia.

The first part of the book describes her horrid childhood experiences, trying to live in a community that suppresses women, and her efforts to run away from it. The second part tells of her marriage, her efforts to cook for her husband's parents which was hilarious , and the birth of her two boys, Then her family moves to Russia and Bibish desribes the society of Russia during the s.

From the book I enjoyed the descriptions of life in this part of the world. At first I was not impressed with the author's writing, but once I read further, I thought the writing seemed just right for the memoir. May 25, Dixie Keyes rated it liked it. The narrator was always an artist, a dancer at heart, but rarely was able to use or display her artistry; she seemed surrounded by a self-imposed superstitious existence a commonality of all cultures, I think.

Given the time period of the book was from the late 's to the Honest and authentic Given the time period of the book was from the late 's to the early 's, some of what you will encounter when reading this book will shock you. I highly recommend this; you won't soon forget it.

Jan 31, Jan rated it liked it. Interesting story about a girl from Uzbekistan. She has an awful life, growing up poor, subjected to cruelity, unfair treatment of women, besides the fact that she would rather dance than do the dishes. She is resilient, I'll give her that. Experienceing hardship after hardship, and making really dumb mistakes, because of her unsophisticated upbringing, she somehow survives in the big city of Moscow. This book is not well written, but it is a story of a woman from a silenced culture.

Nov 25, Elaine rated it liked it. The author wrote this story as if she was in a coverstation with the reader. It makes for a unique reading experience.

I enjoyed learning about her culture and her life's experiences though much of her life was quite hard. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway. The Dancer from Khiva: Set up a giveaway. Feedback If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us. Would you like to report poor quality or formatting in this book?

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The Dancer from Khiva: One Muslim Woman's Quest for Freedom

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