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The Chosen Maiden
The passionate, sweeping story of Bronia, an extraordinary ballerina forever in the shadow of the legendary Nijinsky--Russia's greatest dancer and her older brother.
Born on the road to dancer parents, the Nijinsky children seem destined for the stage. Vaslav is an early prodigy, and through single-minded pursuit will grow into arguably the greatest--and most infamous--Russian ballet dancer of the 20th century. His talented younger sister Bronia, however, also longs to dance. Overshadowed by Vaslav, plagued by a body deemed less than ideal and struggling against the constraints of her gender, Bronia will have to work triply hard to prove herself worthy.
Bronia's stunning discipline and mesmerizing talent will eventually elevate her to the highest stage in Russia: the prestigious, old-world Mariinsky Ballet. But as the First World War rages, revolution sparks in Russia. In her politics, love life and career, Bronia will be forced to confront the choice between old and new; traditional and groundbreaking; safe and passionate.
Through gorgeous and graceful prose, readers will be swept from St. Petersburg and Kiev to London and Paris and plunged into the tumultuous world of modern art. Against the fascinating and tragic backdrop of early 20th century Europe, and surrounded by legends like Anna Pavlova, Coco Chanel, Serge Diaghilev and Pablo Picasso, Bronia must come into her own--as a dancer, mother and revolutionary--in a world that only wishes to see her fall.
Born on the road to dancer parents, the Nijinsky children seem destined for the stage. Vaslav is an early prodigy, and through single-minded pursuit will grow into arguably the greatest--and most infamous--Russian ballet dancer of the 20th century. His talented younger sister Bronia, however, also longs to dance. Overshadowed by Vaslav, plagued by a body deemed less than ideal and struggling against the constraints of her gender, Bronia will have to work triply hard to prove herself worthy.
Bronia's stunning discipline and mesmerizing talent will eventually elevate her to the highest stage in Russia: the prestigious, old-world Mariinsky Ballet. But as the First World War rages, revolution sparks in Russia. In her politics, love life and career, Bronia will be forced to confront the choice between old and new; traditional and groundbreaking; safe and passionate.
Through gorgeous and graceful prose, readers will be swept from St. Petersburg and Kiev to London and Paris and plunged into the tumultuous world of modern art. Against the fascinating and tragic backdrop of early 20th century Europe, and surrounded by legends like Anna Pavlova, Coco Chanel, Serge Diaghilev and Pablo Picasso, Bronia must come into her own--as a dancer, mother and revolutionary--in a world that only wishes to see her fall.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2017
47 people are currently reading
1578 people want to read
About the author
Eva Stachniak
6 books477 followersEva Stachniak was born in Wrocław, Poland. She moved to Canada in 1981 and has worked for Radio Canada International and Sheridan College, where she taught English and humanities. Her debut novel, Necessary Lies, won the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award in 2000. Her first novel of Catherine the Great, The Winter Palace, has been included in the Washington Post 2011 list of most notable fiction and was a #1 international bestseller.
Stachniak lives in Toronto. Her latest novel is The School of Mirrors (2022).
Stachniak lives in Toronto. Her latest novel is The School of Mirrors (2022).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
December 17, 2016
I won an advance copy of The Chosen Maiden through Goodreads Giveaways. Publishing date is Jan. 10, 2017.
Eva Stachniak has written what she describes as "an archival fantasy", her version of Bonislava Najinsky's fictional biography. As the sister of the ballet prodigy Vaslav Najinsky, she struggled for recognition in her own right as a woman and talent.
Although the factual matter was fascinating, it was spread quite thinly over Strachniak's creative process; Bronia narrates in primarily present tense throughout, imparting a sense of slowed time as she describes her thoughts, yearnings, people and settings around her in a meticulous and often less than dynamic manner.
"Sasha, newspaper in hand, is sitting at the carved mahogany table of our St. Petersburg apartment... His shirt sleeves are rolled up, revealing his tanned arms. He smells of the duck fat he used to fry a steak I had a craving for... The steak was delicious, but now the strands have lodged themselves between my teeth."
In Kiev:
"The chandelier in what will be our living room stands out. It is cast in thick wrought iron, the glass a mixture of blues, greens, yellows and dusty pink."
"The kitchen smells of vinegar, brine and boiled fruit. Our pantry shelves are filled with boxes, sacks, tins and jars. We have candles, matches. We have salt, flour, sugar, sukhariki, dried fruit. ... Pickled cabbage, mushrooms, cucumbers, carrots, flat beans, chunks of pumpkin. Jams, compotes, syrups. Flavoured vodkas: plum, walnut, quince."
I found myself drifting off, through pages which read like lists of meals, descriptions of rooms, titles of ballets or names of choreographers, all recounted with equal measure - distracting me from any which might have singular historical importance. Unlike ballet, there were few crescendos. During this Gilded Age of testing boundaries everywhere in the Arts, the huge celebrity, the scandals, the famed were scantily mentioned by Strachniak, and many missed altogether.
The Chosen Maiden is a great deal of fantasized padding, propped up lightly with facts about the Najinskys and their famous lives. I wish that the novel had more fully explored and explained the huge burst of creative talent among whom the Najinskys travelled. Charles Barbier's illustration of La Scheherazade starring Varslav Nijinsky and Ida Rubinstein is a modern classic, as is a sequence from Bolero. Bronislava was its choreographer and Maurice Ravel the composer. The transformative effect of Le Ballet Russe upon the arts and European society were barely mentioned.
Interesting and illuminating, in framing the life of Bronislava Nijinsky about whom I knew very little. 3.00 stars
Eva Stachniak has written what she describes as "an archival fantasy", her version of Bonislava Najinsky's fictional biography. As the sister of the ballet prodigy Vaslav Najinsky, she struggled for recognition in her own right as a woman and talent.
Although the factual matter was fascinating, it was spread quite thinly over Strachniak's creative process; Bronia narrates in primarily present tense throughout, imparting a sense of slowed time as she describes her thoughts, yearnings, people and settings around her in a meticulous and often less than dynamic manner.
"Sasha, newspaper in hand, is sitting at the carved mahogany table of our St. Petersburg apartment... His shirt sleeves are rolled up, revealing his tanned arms. He smells of the duck fat he used to fry a steak I had a craving for... The steak was delicious, but now the strands have lodged themselves between my teeth."
In Kiev:
"The chandelier in what will be our living room stands out. It is cast in thick wrought iron, the glass a mixture of blues, greens, yellows and dusty pink."
"The kitchen smells of vinegar, brine and boiled fruit. Our pantry shelves are filled with boxes, sacks, tins and jars. We have candles, matches. We have salt, flour, sugar, sukhariki, dried fruit. ... Pickled cabbage, mushrooms, cucumbers, carrots, flat beans, chunks of pumpkin. Jams, compotes, syrups. Flavoured vodkas: plum, walnut, quince."
I found myself drifting off, through pages which read like lists of meals, descriptions of rooms, titles of ballets or names of choreographers, all recounted with equal measure - distracting me from any which might have singular historical importance. Unlike ballet, there were few crescendos. During this Gilded Age of testing boundaries everywhere in the Arts, the huge celebrity, the scandals, the famed were scantily mentioned by Strachniak, and many missed altogether.
The Chosen Maiden is a great deal of fantasized padding, propped up lightly with facts about the Najinskys and their famous lives. I wish that the novel had more fully explored and explained the huge burst of creative talent among whom the Najinskys travelled. Charles Barbier's illustration of La Scheherazade starring Varslav Nijinsky and Ida Rubinstein is a modern classic, as is a sequence from Bolero. Bronislava was its choreographer and Maurice Ravel the composer. The transformative effect of Le Ballet Russe upon the arts and European society were barely mentioned.
Interesting and illuminating, in framing the life of Bronislava Nijinsky about whom I knew very little. 3.00 stars
April 3, 2017
3.5 stars
This is the 4th Eva Stachniak book I've read and the very first time I've ever stumbled across the Nijinsky siblings-brother and sister ballet dancers. I felt it to be an absorbing read that took me on a journey of family drama and the competitive world of the Russian ballet. Although I felt the transition between parts five and six a bit jarring, I felt this was the best kind of book to read on a long April evening.
This is the 4th Eva Stachniak book I've read and the very first time I've ever stumbled across the Nijinsky siblings-brother and sister ballet dancers. I felt it to be an absorbing read that took me on a journey of family drama and the competitive world of the Russian ballet. Although I felt the transition between parts five and six a bit jarring, I felt this was the best kind of book to read on a long April evening.
March 16, 2017
4.5 stars "The Chosen Maiden" is the story of Bronia Nijinsky, the sister of the famous ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. Although I am not an expert on ballet by any stretch, I do appreciate it and even for those of us who are only casual observers, Nijinsky's name stands above so many others in the dancing world. I had no idea before reading this book that not only did he have a sister but that she was a fantastic ballet dancer in her own right. Who says you can't learn anything from fiction?
I love books that explore lesser known people in history. Bronia was a great dancer in her own right and seemed to be much more steady career-wise than her brother. Not only is her dancing life fascinating but her personality itself makes this book a good read. She has the kind of drive that many can only dream about. Many parts of her life seem to be one step forward, two steps back but she keeps on going. Her tenacity is inspiring. Not only is her personality interesting but the details of all the places that she goes and the people that she meets really helped me get into the book. The author does a great job of making these places and secondary characters come to life. The detail is truly rich and decadent!
I love exploring family relationships in books and the sibling relationship at the center of this book definitely drew me in! Bronia and Vaslav have such a tenuous relationship. They push each other. They drive each other. They make each other rise to the occasion. This book explores not only Bronia's dancing life in her brother's shadow but a generally complicated relationship between siblings from a tight family although one that seems to favor the male children (not particularly surprising for those days). The family hangs its star on Vaslav and Bronia must push herself in order to get the scraps. I loved reading about this relationship!
This is the kind of book that you savor. There are great and interesting characters and great detail that makes this a good book to get lost in. My fellow histfic fans will really enjoy this one!
I love books that explore lesser known people in history. Bronia was a great dancer in her own right and seemed to be much more steady career-wise than her brother. Not only is her dancing life fascinating but her personality itself makes this book a good read. She has the kind of drive that many can only dream about. Many parts of her life seem to be one step forward, two steps back but she keeps on going. Her tenacity is inspiring. Not only is her personality interesting but the details of all the places that she goes and the people that she meets really helped me get into the book. The author does a great job of making these places and secondary characters come to life. The detail is truly rich and decadent!
I love exploring family relationships in books and the sibling relationship at the center of this book definitely drew me in! Bronia and Vaslav have such a tenuous relationship. They push each other. They drive each other. They make each other rise to the occasion. This book explores not only Bronia's dancing life in her brother's shadow but a generally complicated relationship between siblings from a tight family although one that seems to favor the male children (not particularly surprising for those days). The family hangs its star on Vaslav and Bronia must push herself in order to get the scraps. I loved reading about this relationship!
This is the kind of book that you savor. There are great and interesting characters and great detail that makes this a good book to get lost in. My fellow histfic fans will really enjoy this one!
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February 26, 2017Are you a balletomane? I have always been utterly fascinated with ballet, especially classical ballet, and was immediately drawn to this title, a "fictional blend of facts and imagination", about the sister of the world renowned Vaslav Nijinsky -- Bronislava (Bronia) Nijinska.
Bronia lived and danced under the shadow of her more famous older brother, and they were the children of Polish parents who were dancers in Russia with the Lukovitch troupe. Both Bronia and Vaslav were prodigies and attended the Russian Imperial Ballet School. Not only is the novel filled with details about the ballet, it is also rich with Russian history during the turbulent times before and after the Revolution. It is rich in description, vivid with sights, smells, and so powerful that the reader feels immersed in the world of dance along with the horrors of war. The glories of performing mixed with the deprivations of a country that produced so many influential artists, composers and dancers. Bronia came into her own and became famous in her own right, but not without a lot of pain and sacrifice.
"Dancing is breathing. It is in me, woven into my body," declares Bronia. She and her brother travel and work together and she watches his meteoric rise as his talent is so amazing. He is a demanding artist and performer, but includes her in his newly composed ballets, naming her as the "Chosen Maiden" -- a piece quite unlike the usual classical ballets embraced by the aristocracy at the time. "The Chosen Maiden is a warrior, not a dying swan." Bronia had a very difficult life with much loss, but she always got up again no matter what curves life threw at her.
Fascinating and absorbing, this book called out to the researcher in me and I plan to read more about these dancers. I think anyone who is interested in dance would like this book.
I have read other books by this author, specifically the two about Catherine the Great, as I am also quite taken with Russian history. Enjoy!
Bronia lived and danced under the shadow of her more famous older brother, and they were the children of Polish parents who were dancers in Russia with the Lukovitch troupe. Both Bronia and Vaslav were prodigies and attended the Russian Imperial Ballet School. Not only is the novel filled with details about the ballet, it is also rich with Russian history during the turbulent times before and after the Revolution. It is rich in description, vivid with sights, smells, and so powerful that the reader feels immersed in the world of dance along with the horrors of war. The glories of performing mixed with the deprivations of a country that produced so many influential artists, composers and dancers. Bronia came into her own and became famous in her own right, but not without a lot of pain and sacrifice.
"Dancing is breathing. It is in me, woven into my body," declares Bronia. She and her brother travel and work together and she watches his meteoric rise as his talent is so amazing. He is a demanding artist and performer, but includes her in his newly composed ballets, naming her as the "Chosen Maiden" -- a piece quite unlike the usual classical ballets embraced by the aristocracy at the time. "The Chosen Maiden is a warrior, not a dying swan." Bronia had a very difficult life with much loss, but she always got up again no matter what curves life threw at her.
Fascinating and absorbing, this book called out to the researcher in me and I plan to read more about these dancers. I think anyone who is interested in dance would like this book.
I have read other books by this author, specifically the two about Catherine the Great, as I am also quite taken with Russian history. Enjoy!
February 7, 2017
Chronicling the years 1894 to 1939, this story covers the Russian Revolution, WWI and the years leading up to WWII through the eyes of Bronislava Nijinska, a Polish-born Russian ballet dancer who worked her way up to teaching and choreographing across Europe. Always in the shadow of her dancing prodigy brother, Vaslav, Bronia works hard for her place in Russia’s Imperial Ballet School. But, it seems, no matter how much she longs for fame and the freedom to create her own unique style, Vaslav is there challenging her every move. Though he is the one who makes the name of Nijinska famous, it is Bronia whose longevity, strength and steadfastness give this story its charm and appeal. Other than Bronia’s troubled relationship with her brother, there is also friction with other men in her life–her father, her husband, and her mentor/colleague, Sergei Diaghilev. The details of the Russian Revolution are painfully poignant. This book is full of stray pieces of wisdom and brilliant turns of phrase. Descriptions of the art of the dance are plenty, but are weaved in seamlessly and do not overtake the narrative. Though lengthy, it is a pleasure to read, with an intriguing and factual account of a fascinating woman who lived through a violent time in Russia’s history.
Favorite Quotes:
“Talent breeds resentment; brilliance attracts envy. Lesser souls seek comfort in bringing down those who are admitted into the company of gods.”
“They are persistent, our ghosts. Huddling behind us, dark and sticky, ravenous for any scraps of life we can still feed them.”
“If I were to dance these words, I would dance the drops of rain falling on parched earth. Soaking in, moisturizing the dormant seeds.”
“Dreams, even the impossible ones, do not die but find their own surprising paths. Become a canvas into which I still keep weaving new, colorful threads.”
“If we could see, in fast motion, a film of the people we descended from, what odd dance would we see?”
Favorite Quotes:
“Talent breeds resentment; brilliance attracts envy. Lesser souls seek comfort in bringing down those who are admitted into the company of gods.”
“They are persistent, our ghosts. Huddling behind us, dark and sticky, ravenous for any scraps of life we can still feed them.”
“If I were to dance these words, I would dance the drops of rain falling on parched earth. Soaking in, moisturizing the dormant seeds.”
“Dreams, even the impossible ones, do not die but find their own surprising paths. Become a canvas into which I still keep weaving new, colorful threads.”
“If we could see, in fast motion, a film of the people we descended from, what odd dance would we see?”
January 12, 2019
Dieses Buch war definitiv ein Cover-Kauf, was aber dieses Mal, meiner Menung nach, kein Glücksgriff war.
Die erste Hälfte des Buches fand ich sehr anstrengend zu lesen, da die Autorin die verschiedenen Tanzübungen des Balletts sehr detailliert beschrieben hat. Dies war für mich, die nicht sehr viel mit Ballett zu tun hat, leider etwas zu genau. Dadurch ist die Handlung etwas in den Hintergrund gerückt.
Der zweite Teil des Buches hat mir schon besser gefallen, weil nun nicht mehr der große Fokus auf das Ballett stand, sondern mehr die Erlebnisse der Protagonistin thematisiert wurden. Dies fand ich sehr interessant zu lesen.
Das Ende kam mir dann leider etwas aprubt, vor allem da zwischen den einzelnen Kapitel immer so kurze Abschnitte kamen, was in der Gegenwart mit der Protagonistin passiert.
Ich hätte mir gewünscht, das am Ende, nachdem man als Leser im der aktuellen Zeit der Protagonistin angekommen ist, noch etwas mehr mit ihr in diesem Zeitpunkt verbracht hätte.
Ich kann dem Buch somit leider nur 2.5 Sterne geben.
Die erste Hälfte des Buches fand ich sehr anstrengend zu lesen, da die Autorin die verschiedenen Tanzübungen des Balletts sehr detailliert beschrieben hat. Dies war für mich, die nicht sehr viel mit Ballett zu tun hat, leider etwas zu genau. Dadurch ist die Handlung etwas in den Hintergrund gerückt.
Der zweite Teil des Buches hat mir schon besser gefallen, weil nun nicht mehr der große Fokus auf das Ballett stand, sondern mehr die Erlebnisse der Protagonistin thematisiert wurden. Dies fand ich sehr interessant zu lesen.
Das Ende kam mir dann leider etwas aprubt, vor allem da zwischen den einzelnen Kapitel immer so kurze Abschnitte kamen, was in der Gegenwart mit der Protagonistin passiert.
Ich hätte mir gewünscht, das am Ende, nachdem man als Leser im der aktuellen Zeit der Protagonistin angekommen ist, noch etwas mehr mit ihr in diesem Zeitpunkt verbracht hätte.
Ich kann dem Buch somit leider nur 2.5 Sterne geben.
April 3, 2017
Excellent book about ballerina Bronislava Nijinska and her brother Vaslav Nijinsky. I probably enjoyed this book so much because my daughter does ballet and for years I've heard the names Nijinsky, Cecchetti, Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Mariinsky, and Ballet Russes but other than them being names I knew nothing else. My one complaint is that this is a long book and I think it could have been told in a lot less pages.
June 30, 2017
Historical fiction This novel chronicles the life of Bronia Nijinski, the sister of the famous Vaslov Nijinski, the most accomplished and celebrated dancer of his time. She was also an anaccomplished ballerina, dance teacher, and choreographed many spectacular dances. She helped modernize dance. It covers the years betwen 1894 to 1939 which includes the Russian revolution, the the rise of communism, fascism, and WW1.
I was struck by her dedication to her brother, and to dance,and the many hardships and tradgedies of her life. She lived in turbulant times, but also had many joys and triumphs.
This book was very well researched, and is well written. I learned a great deal about subjects and historical figures I had previously known little about.
I was struck by her dedication to her brother, and to dance,and the many hardships and tradgedies of her life. She lived in turbulant times, but also had many joys and triumphs.
This book was very well researched, and is well written. I learned a great deal about subjects and historical figures I had previously known little about.
January 16, 2017
Ein spannender Einblick in die Theaterwelt und das Leben der besten Tänzer des 20. Jahrhunderts
In der Familie Nijinsky dreht sich alles nur um eines: ums Ballett. Als Bronislawa und Waslaw um 1900 in St. Petersburg aufwachsen, bewundern sie allabendlich ihre Eltern in der Garderobe, nervös vor den Auftritten, erhitzt und gelöst danach. Auch für die beiden Kinder ist der Weg vorgezeichnet: Sie werden an der kaiserlichen Ballettakademie aufgenommen - und schon bald zeigt sich, dass besonders Waslaw alle anderen überflügelt. Den Geschwistern steht eine ganze Welt offen - Paris, London, später gar New York -, eine Welt harten Trainings und geschundener Füße, aber auch des Glamours und des Ruhms ...
Ich habe zuvor noch nie etwas von den Nijinskys gehört und bin durch eine Leserunde auf dieses Buch gestoßen. Ich arbeite selber an der Oper und weiß, wie es in Ballettkompanien zugeht. Daher hat mich dieses Buch sehr neugierig gemacht.
Schon auf den ersten Seiten hat mich der Schreibstil in seinen Bann gezogen. Kurze, starke Sätze und Formulierungen. Spürbar durch die russische Art geprägt, führen uns durch die Geschichte. Bronia, Waslaws Schwester, erzählt ihr gemeinsames Leben auf eine Art und Weise, die ich sehr gut nachfühlen und verstehen konnte. Sowohl ihre Leidenschaft zum Tanz, als auch ihre Liebe zu ihrer Familie und die Ehrfurcht vor ihrem Bruder kamen in jeder Zeile zum Ausdruck.
Für mich war es spannend zu erleben, wie es damals am Ballett so vor sich ging und wie der Krieg auch dort alles verändert hat. Mit Bronia mitzuerleben, wie sie diese Zeiten gemeistert hat und sie zum Besseren wendete, hat die Autorin wirklich gut in Worte gefasst.
Das einzige Manko für mich war, dass es sich oft ein wenig gezogen hat. Zwischendurch passierte nicht allzu viel und in diesen Phasen wurde das Buch dann etwas langatmig. Zum Glück, wurden diese Phasen immer durch spannende Passagen abgewechselt.
Für mich war dieses Buch sehr interessant und ich empfehle es doch gerne weiter.
In der Familie Nijinsky dreht sich alles nur um eines: ums Ballett. Als Bronislawa und Waslaw um 1900 in St. Petersburg aufwachsen, bewundern sie allabendlich ihre Eltern in der Garderobe, nervös vor den Auftritten, erhitzt und gelöst danach. Auch für die beiden Kinder ist der Weg vorgezeichnet: Sie werden an der kaiserlichen Ballettakademie aufgenommen - und schon bald zeigt sich, dass besonders Waslaw alle anderen überflügelt. Den Geschwistern steht eine ganze Welt offen - Paris, London, später gar New York -, eine Welt harten Trainings und geschundener Füße, aber auch des Glamours und des Ruhms ...
Ich habe zuvor noch nie etwas von den Nijinskys gehört und bin durch eine Leserunde auf dieses Buch gestoßen. Ich arbeite selber an der Oper und weiß, wie es in Ballettkompanien zugeht. Daher hat mich dieses Buch sehr neugierig gemacht.
Schon auf den ersten Seiten hat mich der Schreibstil in seinen Bann gezogen. Kurze, starke Sätze und Formulierungen. Spürbar durch die russische Art geprägt, führen uns durch die Geschichte. Bronia, Waslaws Schwester, erzählt ihr gemeinsames Leben auf eine Art und Weise, die ich sehr gut nachfühlen und verstehen konnte. Sowohl ihre Leidenschaft zum Tanz, als auch ihre Liebe zu ihrer Familie und die Ehrfurcht vor ihrem Bruder kamen in jeder Zeile zum Ausdruck.
Für mich war es spannend zu erleben, wie es damals am Ballett so vor sich ging und wie der Krieg auch dort alles verändert hat. Mit Bronia mitzuerleben, wie sie diese Zeiten gemeistert hat und sie zum Besseren wendete, hat die Autorin wirklich gut in Worte gefasst.
Das einzige Manko für mich war, dass es sich oft ein wenig gezogen hat. Zwischendurch passierte nicht allzu viel und in diesen Phasen wurde das Buch dann etwas langatmig. Zum Glück, wurden diese Phasen immer durch spannende Passagen abgewechselt.
Für mich war dieses Buch sehr interessant und ich empfehle es doch gerne weiter.
February 6, 2017
A beautifully crafted novel exploring the life of a gifted prima ballerina in a time and place that seems more remote than just a century, yet it's timely. Bronislava Nijinska's gifts and achievements were overshadowed by her brother's for much of her life. This absorbing read about how men's and women's achievements are factored in different currencies is unfortunately true even now. That Nijinksa was able to overcome incredible odds and make her mark in ballet as the world around her raged through the Russian Revolution and two world wars is amazing. Loved all the detail. I felt like I was in the room with her.
April 4, 2018
Sehr ausführlich und detailliert geschildert, auch für Ballet Nicht-Kenner. Einige Charaktere blieben ziemlich blass, und der Detailreichtum war manchmal ermüdend - irgendwie ist mir das immer bei den geschilderten Premieren aufgefallen, ein “Name- Dropping“ nach dem anderen, ohne wirklich beeindruckend zu sein. Vielleicht war das auch Absicht, denn der Protagonistin ging es wohl ähnlich wie mir dabei ;)
Ich habe das Buch gerne gelesen, momentan ist Rußland zu Zeiten der Revolution auch einfach mein Thema.
Ich habe das Buch gerne gelesen, momentan ist Rußland zu Zeiten der Revolution auch einfach mein Thema.
February 15, 2019
La travagliata storia di una famiglia polacca di ballerini. La ricerca della perfezione attraverso la passione, il sacrificio e il dolore.
July 15, 2022
This book was interesting but I was left confused in some portions and I feel like greater details could have been given
August 11, 2019
A Polish troupe travelling from one engagement to another, a brother and sister dancing team, and turn of the century Europe about to undergo a seismic shift with World War 1 and the Russian Revolution. So begins Eva Stachniak's beautifully written account of Bronia, younger sister of Russia’s legendary dancer Nijinsky.
Being of Polish descent, and a history buff, I am a huge fan of Stanchiak’s previous historical fiction novels, Empress of the Night and The Winter Palace. Indeed, those novels, with their beautifully illustrated covers evoking the sumptuous dazzle of the Tsarist court, have been gracing my coffee table for years. This cover in contrast is plainer—a dancer in a tunic shift dress against a somber dark brown background, appropriate, perhaps for a woman who lived in darkening times in the shadow of a brilliant brother.
As with Stachniak previous novels, The Chosen Maiden is written in the first person, with Stachniak adeptly capturing Bronia’s voice, one that is stern, doggedly pragmatic, resigned, and doesn’t try to ingratiate with feminine charm. Above all, Bronia is relentlessly and painfully self-critical.
Early on, Bronia realizes that despite the morning to night rehearsals, the sweat, pain and fatigue, she is not destined for greatness like her brother. Nor does she have the ineffable star power of her fellow ballerinas. In an unflinching self-analysis, she notes, “The ballerinas beside me are not only so much more assured and wonderfully fluid but also beautiful, while my own face is too round, my hair too thin. They have short torsos and long legs, while my body is stocky, unsuitable for the lightness of tulle.”
Body issues or not, Bronia loves the all-consuming discipline of ballet and is determined to be the very best she can be, knowing there is never any end point for the truly dedicated. “Artists are never satisfied. Art is always difficult. Art demands constant vigilance. Whatever you accomplish, you could always do better.” With characteristic stoicism, she accepts her lesser status, but is ravenous for scraps of praise. Stachniak captures her touching neediness in a poignant scene with the legendary Serge Diaghilev.
“For all his stars, his beloved children, for Vaslav or Karsavina, Diaghilev has praises, smiles, expensive gifts, invitations to dinner and fashionable parties. We lesser dancers have to watch him for any sign we can pick apart, collected all his offhand remarks. Rumours have it that if he pats the silver lock of his hair when he looks at you, he is pleased. Adjusting the monocle is bad. Leaning forward is good.”
Bronia eventually achieves some degree of success as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. While I enjoyed reading about her travels to St. Petersburg, Monte Carlo and Paris, the section in Kiev captivated me most. With her gift for authentic historical detail, Stachniak faithfully captures the chaos of the Russian revolution, which carried the promise of profound transformations, not just in politics, but in art as well. Bronia is an essential part of the scene of innovators, poets, actors, dancers and painters, helping to modernize dance.
It occurred to me that Bronia’s obsessive discipline and hyper focus helped keep her grounded in a world that was becoming increasingly dangerous with the warring Red and White Armies, gun fire coming from everywhere, people on the run. In one of my favourite scenes in the book, she finds her studio is devastated—ripped open walls and furniture, white plaster dust covering the floors. Rather than succumb to despair, Bronia takes out a handkerchief, wets it with her spit, and cleans a patch of the floor finding intricate squares of light and dark oak under the plaster dust. All is not lost!
“Yes, clearing it will take a great deal of work, but the floor is not damaged. Most of the windows are still intact. Walls have been ripped open, but they too can be repaired, plastered over and painted. Barres and mirrors can be installed at the same time. The two chairs lying in the corner can be the school’s first furniture.
This is how my School of Movement begins.”
The novel ends in 1939, with Bronia fleeing the upcoming darkness of the Second World War for America, where she will live the rest of her days in sunny California, choreographing dances for the likes of movie star Cyd Charisse. Stachniak doesn’t write about this period of Bronia’s life, but I like to imagine her guardedly enjoying her golden years, finally out of the shadows, able to shine in her own light. Anyone who is interested in ballet—or stories of strong women overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, both personal and political—will enjoy this book. Highly recommended.
Being of Polish descent, and a history buff, I am a huge fan of Stanchiak’s previous historical fiction novels, Empress of the Night and The Winter Palace. Indeed, those novels, with their beautifully illustrated covers evoking the sumptuous dazzle of the Tsarist court, have been gracing my coffee table for years. This cover in contrast is plainer—a dancer in a tunic shift dress against a somber dark brown background, appropriate, perhaps for a woman who lived in darkening times in the shadow of a brilliant brother.
As with Stachniak previous novels, The Chosen Maiden is written in the first person, with Stachniak adeptly capturing Bronia’s voice, one that is stern, doggedly pragmatic, resigned, and doesn’t try to ingratiate with feminine charm. Above all, Bronia is relentlessly and painfully self-critical.
Early on, Bronia realizes that despite the morning to night rehearsals, the sweat, pain and fatigue, she is not destined for greatness like her brother. Nor does she have the ineffable star power of her fellow ballerinas. In an unflinching self-analysis, she notes, “The ballerinas beside me are not only so much more assured and wonderfully fluid but also beautiful, while my own face is too round, my hair too thin. They have short torsos and long legs, while my body is stocky, unsuitable for the lightness of tulle.”
Body issues or not, Bronia loves the all-consuming discipline of ballet and is determined to be the very best she can be, knowing there is never any end point for the truly dedicated. “Artists are never satisfied. Art is always difficult. Art demands constant vigilance. Whatever you accomplish, you could always do better.” With characteristic stoicism, she accepts her lesser status, but is ravenous for scraps of praise. Stachniak captures her touching neediness in a poignant scene with the legendary Serge Diaghilev.
“For all his stars, his beloved children, for Vaslav or Karsavina, Diaghilev has praises, smiles, expensive gifts, invitations to dinner and fashionable parties. We lesser dancers have to watch him for any sign we can pick apart, collected all his offhand remarks. Rumours have it that if he pats the silver lock of his hair when he looks at you, he is pleased. Adjusting the monocle is bad. Leaning forward is good.”
Bronia eventually achieves some degree of success as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. While I enjoyed reading about her travels to St. Petersburg, Monte Carlo and Paris, the section in Kiev captivated me most. With her gift for authentic historical detail, Stachniak faithfully captures the chaos of the Russian revolution, which carried the promise of profound transformations, not just in politics, but in art as well. Bronia is an essential part of the scene of innovators, poets, actors, dancers and painters, helping to modernize dance.
It occurred to me that Bronia’s obsessive discipline and hyper focus helped keep her grounded in a world that was becoming increasingly dangerous with the warring Red and White Armies, gun fire coming from everywhere, people on the run. In one of my favourite scenes in the book, she finds her studio is devastated—ripped open walls and furniture, white plaster dust covering the floors. Rather than succumb to despair, Bronia takes out a handkerchief, wets it with her spit, and cleans a patch of the floor finding intricate squares of light and dark oak under the plaster dust. All is not lost!
“Yes, clearing it will take a great deal of work, but the floor is not damaged. Most of the windows are still intact. Walls have been ripped open, but they too can be repaired, plastered over and painted. Barres and mirrors can be installed at the same time. The two chairs lying in the corner can be the school’s first furniture.
This is how my School of Movement begins.”
The novel ends in 1939, with Bronia fleeing the upcoming darkness of the Second World War for America, where she will live the rest of her days in sunny California, choreographing dances for the likes of movie star Cyd Charisse. Stachniak doesn’t write about this period of Bronia’s life, but I like to imagine her guardedly enjoying her golden years, finally out of the shadows, able to shine in her own light. Anyone who is interested in ballet—or stories of strong women overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, both personal and political—will enjoy this book. Highly recommended.
November 7, 2016
Die polnisch-amerikanische Schriftstellerin Eva Stachniak widmet sich nach Katharina II erneut einer großen Russin und betritt mit Ihrer Protagonistin Bronislawa Nijinska , der Schwester des legendären Tänzers Vaslav Nijinsky, nun das glatte Parkett des Balletts. Sie stützt sich dabei weitgehend auf Nijinskas Buch „Early Memoirs“ und auf nachgelassenes biografisches Material wie Tagebücher, Briefe, Interviews.
Wir erfahren zunächst Details aus der Kindheit dieser beiden russischen Ausnahmekünstler. Die Familie stammt aus Polen, beide Eltern sind Tänzer und auch Vaslav und Bronia haben nur ein Ziel: Sie wollen Tänzer an den kaiserlichen Theatern werden. Das Training ist hart, beide werden in die staatliche Ballettschule aufgenommen. Schnell stellt sich insbesondere Vaslav als großes Talent heraus , doch auch Bronia feiert erste Erfolge.
Nun ist die Tanzausbildung und das rasante Werden dieser beiden Ausnahmekünstler an sich schon ein Roman, doch leider erzählt Eva Stachniak diese frühen Jahre viel zu langatmig und auch der Tonfall ihrer Protagonistin hat etwas Betuliches.
Die Geschwister gehen nach Paris, wo der große Impresario Diaghilew gerade seine Ballets Russes zusammenstellt, Bronia und Vaslaw werden Solotänzer, der große Durchbruch aber kommt mit Vaslavs eigenen Choreographien, mit L’apres-midi d’un faun , Sacre du printemps und Jeux.
Die Ballets Russes wollten sich künstlerisch vom alten, zaristischen Tutu-Tanz lossagen, in Kunst, Literatur, frühen Filmen war der Expressionismus stilformend, und auch Ballette sollten nun – mit modernen Choreographien und Bühnenbildern – ausdrucksstärker werden. Die mit den Ballets Russes assoziierte Künstlerliste ist lang: Bakst, Picasso, Debussy, Strawinsky, Richard Strauss, Misia Sert, Man Ray, Gerald und Sarah Murphy, Max Reinhardt gehörten – wenn sie nicht direkt für die Aufführungen arbeiteten – zu den großen Bewunderern und gelten allesamt als Wegbereiter der modernen Kunst.
Diese schillernde Vorlage, diesen weltweiten Triumph versteht die Autorin nicht zu nutzen. Zwar lässt sie Bronia sagen:“ Aber die Kunst muss in Bewegung bleiben, sie darf nicht stagnieren und sich in bloß hübschen Belanglosigkeiten verlieren, … sie muss weiter voranschreiten. Das Mittelmäßige wird auf dem Müllhaufen der Geschichte enden.“ Eva Stachniak gelingt die Umsetzung dieses Anspruchs in ihrem Roman jedoch nicht. Hier gibt es nichts Modernes, nichts Innovatives zu entdecken. Genauso hausbacken und beliebig wie das unsägliche Buch-Cover des deutschen Verlags schreibt sie auch, niemals wird klar, warum Bronislawa die „Chosen Maid“ war, was ihre Tanzkunst und ihre Choreographien so einzigartig machte.
Das ist sehr schade und doch lässt sich im Versagen etwas Tröstliches finden. Tanzbegeisterte kennen Vaclav Nijinsky natürlich, auch heute kommen hin und wieder in Staatsballetten und freien Kompagnien seine Inszenierungen zur Aufführung. Und vielleicht bewirkt „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ eine kleine Renaissance, ein neues Interesse am alten und heute noch so sehr modernen Njinsky Ballett.
Wir erfahren zunächst Details aus der Kindheit dieser beiden russischen Ausnahmekünstler. Die Familie stammt aus Polen, beide Eltern sind Tänzer und auch Vaslav und Bronia haben nur ein Ziel: Sie wollen Tänzer an den kaiserlichen Theatern werden. Das Training ist hart, beide werden in die staatliche Ballettschule aufgenommen. Schnell stellt sich insbesondere Vaslav als großes Talent heraus , doch auch Bronia feiert erste Erfolge.
Nun ist die Tanzausbildung und das rasante Werden dieser beiden Ausnahmekünstler an sich schon ein Roman, doch leider erzählt Eva Stachniak diese frühen Jahre viel zu langatmig und auch der Tonfall ihrer Protagonistin hat etwas Betuliches.
Die Geschwister gehen nach Paris, wo der große Impresario Diaghilew gerade seine Ballets Russes zusammenstellt, Bronia und Vaslaw werden Solotänzer, der große Durchbruch aber kommt mit Vaslavs eigenen Choreographien, mit L’apres-midi d’un faun , Sacre du printemps und Jeux.
Die Ballets Russes wollten sich künstlerisch vom alten, zaristischen Tutu-Tanz lossagen, in Kunst, Literatur, frühen Filmen war der Expressionismus stilformend, und auch Ballette sollten nun – mit modernen Choreographien und Bühnenbildern – ausdrucksstärker werden. Die mit den Ballets Russes assoziierte Künstlerliste ist lang: Bakst, Picasso, Debussy, Strawinsky, Richard Strauss, Misia Sert, Man Ray, Gerald und Sarah Murphy, Max Reinhardt gehörten – wenn sie nicht direkt für die Aufführungen arbeiteten – zu den großen Bewunderern und gelten allesamt als Wegbereiter der modernen Kunst.
Diese schillernde Vorlage, diesen weltweiten Triumph versteht die Autorin nicht zu nutzen. Zwar lässt sie Bronia sagen:“ Aber die Kunst muss in Bewegung bleiben, sie darf nicht stagnieren und sich in bloß hübschen Belanglosigkeiten verlieren, … sie muss weiter voranschreiten. Das Mittelmäßige wird auf dem Müllhaufen der Geschichte enden.“ Eva Stachniak gelingt die Umsetzung dieses Anspruchs in ihrem Roman jedoch nicht. Hier gibt es nichts Modernes, nichts Innovatives zu entdecken. Genauso hausbacken und beliebig wie das unsägliche Buch-Cover des deutschen Verlags schreibt sie auch, niemals wird klar, warum Bronislawa die „Chosen Maid“ war, was ihre Tanzkunst und ihre Choreographien so einzigartig machte.
Das ist sehr schade und doch lässt sich im Versagen etwas Tröstliches finden. Tanzbegeisterte kennen Vaclav Nijinsky natürlich, auch heute kommen hin und wieder in Staatsballetten und freien Kompagnien seine Inszenierungen zur Aufführung. Und vielleicht bewirkt „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ eine kleine Renaissance, ein neues Interesse am alten und heute noch so sehr modernen Njinsky Ballett.
December 31, 2017
This novel took me forever to finish. First receiving it earlier this year and starting it in September, I’m only now just finishing it. So many times I’d start and get further, only to get bored and want to move on to other projects. I found enjoyment in our main character and her life‘s journey. The author also does a great job in description. However, she let some aspects overweight others to the detriment of her overall work.
Bronia shines as the bright star to Stachniak’s work. Her resilience and finding her own art within the rigid structures of the classical Russian ballet world makes her a figure to be admired. She doesn’t let others dictate to her; she finds herself no matter what. She also faces an uncertain time with a spine of iron and a deep well of courage. Having to flee multiple times an ever dangerous European landscape in the first half of the 20th century, she always finds a way to build her life a new, even in the face of familial pressures with mental illness and finding herself professionally.
Stachniak also has a talent when it comes to description. Her scenes put you right into the story with rich descriptions of classical ballet schools, the intricate details behind the scenes of ballet productions, and all that goes into actually getting hired into ballet companies or launching one’s own. Yet, this is also a downfall. I’ve seen other reviewers make this point, and they’re correct. At times, the author tends to be TOO descriptive to the disadvantage of her narrative.
To me, the biggest drawback is the authors writing style and her overuse of the descriptive paragraphs. Yeah, I love a lot of description in my historical settings; however, the way Stachniak incorporated hers doesn’t work well. When you’ve got paragraph after paragraph of description, down to the tiniest detail, I personally felt drowned in imagery. She also tends to run lyrical and poetic in her phrasing. While that writing style works with some readers, for me, I felt lost when her prose ran to such. That combined with an imbalance of description versus dialogue ran me sour on this title. This is the biggest reason why it took me so long to read this.
It’s this last detail that unfortunately leaves the most impression with me. It’s the reason it took me three months to get through this one. Yet, I loved Bronia to death; her journey and growth as a woman is what makes this book. The unique historical background and the author’s abilities with description also were superb. Ultimately, though, this book was a slog through with too abundant of those descriptive paragraphs back to back and too much poetic language. This book might please others, but it didn’t do it for my palate.
Note: Book received for free via Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Bronia shines as the bright star to Stachniak’s work. Her resilience and finding her own art within the rigid structures of the classical Russian ballet world makes her a figure to be admired. She doesn’t let others dictate to her; she finds herself no matter what. She also faces an uncertain time with a spine of iron and a deep well of courage. Having to flee multiple times an ever dangerous European landscape in the first half of the 20th century, she always finds a way to build her life a new, even in the face of familial pressures with mental illness and finding herself professionally.
Stachniak also has a talent when it comes to description. Her scenes put you right into the story with rich descriptions of classical ballet schools, the intricate details behind the scenes of ballet productions, and all that goes into actually getting hired into ballet companies or launching one’s own. Yet, this is also a downfall. I’ve seen other reviewers make this point, and they’re correct. At times, the author tends to be TOO descriptive to the disadvantage of her narrative.
To me, the biggest drawback is the authors writing style and her overuse of the descriptive paragraphs. Yeah, I love a lot of description in my historical settings; however, the way Stachniak incorporated hers doesn’t work well. When you’ve got paragraph after paragraph of description, down to the tiniest detail, I personally felt drowned in imagery. She also tends to run lyrical and poetic in her phrasing. While that writing style works with some readers, for me, I felt lost when her prose ran to such. That combined with an imbalance of description versus dialogue ran me sour on this title. This is the biggest reason why it took me so long to read this.
It’s this last detail that unfortunately leaves the most impression with me. It’s the reason it took me three months to get through this one. Yet, I loved Bronia to death; her journey and growth as a woman is what makes this book. The unique historical background and the author’s abilities with description also were superb. Ultimately, though, this book was a slog through with too abundant of those descriptive paragraphs back to back and too much poetic language. This book might please others, but it didn’t do it for my palate.
Note: Book received for free via Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
Some time ago Eva Stachniak set her sight on interesting women and proceeded to write novel after novel about female heroes. She chooses women that might not be well known (apart from Cathering the Great, of course) or that are forgotten or misrepresented in history books. Such was the case with the Countess Sophie Potocka, featured in Stachniak's second, brilliant novel entitled Garden of Venus. Now we get another fictional retelling of the female story, this time a story of Bronislawa Nijinska, ballet dancer and an accomplished choreographer and teacher, who was her famous brother's Vaslav Nijinsky's sister.
First person narrative makes it super easy to slip into the mind and the world of Bronia, a creative soul positioned in one of the hardest periods of history of humanity. Bronia, dilligently trained in the shadow of her genius brother, in classical ballet, quickly embraced the two worlds: old and new. She took the skill of classical ballet dancer and had no trouble understanding and applying it to modern ballet, to embody the ideas of her brother. She not only understood and accepted it, she took the modernity to a new level and made it her own. In the book we follow the difficult family dynamic, the troubled males touched by mental illness, the selfless dedication to family life and to work of generations of women, Mamusia (Bronia's mother), Bronia herself and later her daughter. I couldn't help wondering how the world would look if such creative, idealistic, passionate and hardworking women could run it. In contrast to all the troubled males, their actions made sense every time.
Sharing the origins with Bronia and Eva Stachniak I was enchanted by all the little tasty morsels (smaczki) that she brought into the book, small details: a string of dry mushrooms, baby's becik, thick slice of bread sprinkled with sugar, tea with lemon. The expressions, the attitudes, the jokes, all those details give authenticity to the novel, we can trust the author to get all her background spot on.
Thanks to the internet and the youtube, upon reading about the famous/infamous performance of Stravinsky's Rites of Spring in Paris of 1913, I couldn't resist to search for a video of the performance to see it directly. I found a contemporary The Mariinsky Ballet's production of "Le Sacre du printemps", faithful to Nijinsky's version. And then, next to it was a version created by the brilliant German choreographer Pina Bausch. I wondered what would Bronia think about this powerful performance by Tanztheater Wuppertal. I imagined her being moved by this graceful and violent choreography and the modern costumes. Would she be shocked or accepting?
First person narrative makes it super easy to slip into the mind and the world of Bronia, a creative soul positioned in one of the hardest periods of history of humanity. Bronia, dilligently trained in the shadow of her genius brother, in classical ballet, quickly embraced the two worlds: old and new. She took the skill of classical ballet dancer and had no trouble understanding and applying it to modern ballet, to embody the ideas of her brother. She not only understood and accepted it, she took the modernity to a new level and made it her own. In the book we follow the difficult family dynamic, the troubled males touched by mental illness, the selfless dedication to family life and to work of generations of women, Mamusia (Bronia's mother), Bronia herself and later her daughter. I couldn't help wondering how the world would look if such creative, idealistic, passionate and hardworking women could run it. In contrast to all the troubled males, their actions made sense every time.
Sharing the origins with Bronia and Eva Stachniak I was enchanted by all the little tasty morsels (smaczki) that she brought into the book, small details: a string of dry mushrooms, baby's becik, thick slice of bread sprinkled with sugar, tea with lemon. The expressions, the attitudes, the jokes, all those details give authenticity to the novel, we can trust the author to get all her background spot on.
Thanks to the internet and the youtube, upon reading about the famous/infamous performance of Stravinsky's Rites of Spring in Paris of 1913, I couldn't resist to search for a video of the performance to see it directly. I found a contemporary The Mariinsky Ballet's production of "Le Sacre du printemps", faithful to Nijinsky's version. And then, next to it was a version created by the brilliant German choreographer Pina Bausch. I wondered what would Bronia think about this powerful performance by Tanztheater Wuppertal. I imagined her being moved by this graceful and violent choreography and the modern costumes. Would she be shocked or accepting?
December 21, 2016
What a delight to get lost in the world of ballet, Russian history and the life of Bronislawa Nijinska in Eva Stachniak’s latest book, “The Chosen Maiden.” I simply didn’t want it to end. Ballet, it seems, is as much about taking sides and divided loyalties as it is about dance. In fact, it’s not just about dance, it’s about art.
Ms. Stachniak weaves an engrossing tale of Bronislawa, who was all too often in her famous brother Vaslav’s shadow. Yet Bronislawa was a gifted dancer, choreographer and tough cookie who braved the high-stakes world of ballet, where “borders are drawn in blood.” She narrates her own story, told in flashbacks from her journey to the United States in 1939. Ms. Stachniak recreates the cozy, indulgent setting of the Nijinski family, reminding me of my own Eastern European childhood, right down to the tasty Polish dishes and comforting lullabies. While Ms. Stachniak, like myself, is of Polish extraction, diligent research has gone into recreating a typical Polish Russian kitchen and home in the early 1900s – why, my mouth was watering for those cookies and cakes.
It’s in stark contrast to the ballet school and dance companies, where jealousy, gossip and cut-throat competition undermine careers. Using one-word sentences, short paragraphs and other literary devices, Ms. Stachniak skilfully draws the reader into the embattled Russian arts scene, cheering for Bronislawa when she triumphs and aching for her insecurities and losses. Her hair is flat and thin, her thighs too sturdy, she is not tall enough. In the meantime, Vaslav soars through the air with a graceful athleticism that transcends imagination and mesmerizes everyone fortunate enough to bear witness.
The spectre of madness follows through the story, with both father and Vaslav and his brother dubbed “narwany” by no less than Mamusia herself. But it is the promise of a revolution in modern dance that is cleverly paralleled with the Russian revolution and world wars that dominates. Bronislawa becomes a choreographer, freeing dance from the old constricting ways, and then opens a school. Her career, in many ways, surpasses that of Vaslav, if only because she is a survivor and pragmatist. The Nijinsky name opens doors, and she is smart enough to follow through.
But in the end, Bronislawa is a woman and a mother, like the rest of us, which makes her so compelling. As she deals with a mother’s worst nightmare, our heart goes out to her. Ms. Stachniak deftly and powerfully sketches this painful event out in asides, indirect references, until we realize what has occurred.
For those who love ballet and Russian history, this is ultimately a tale of triumph. And in Ms. Stachniak’s capable hands, it is even more.
Ms. Stachniak weaves an engrossing tale of Bronislawa, who was all too often in her famous brother Vaslav’s shadow. Yet Bronislawa was a gifted dancer, choreographer and tough cookie who braved the high-stakes world of ballet, where “borders are drawn in blood.” She narrates her own story, told in flashbacks from her journey to the United States in 1939. Ms. Stachniak recreates the cozy, indulgent setting of the Nijinski family, reminding me of my own Eastern European childhood, right down to the tasty Polish dishes and comforting lullabies. While Ms. Stachniak, like myself, is of Polish extraction, diligent research has gone into recreating a typical Polish Russian kitchen and home in the early 1900s – why, my mouth was watering for those cookies and cakes.
It’s in stark contrast to the ballet school and dance companies, where jealousy, gossip and cut-throat competition undermine careers. Using one-word sentences, short paragraphs and other literary devices, Ms. Stachniak skilfully draws the reader into the embattled Russian arts scene, cheering for Bronislawa when she triumphs and aching for her insecurities and losses. Her hair is flat and thin, her thighs too sturdy, she is not tall enough. In the meantime, Vaslav soars through the air with a graceful athleticism that transcends imagination and mesmerizes everyone fortunate enough to bear witness.
The spectre of madness follows through the story, with both father and Vaslav and his brother dubbed “narwany” by no less than Mamusia herself. But it is the promise of a revolution in modern dance that is cleverly paralleled with the Russian revolution and world wars that dominates. Bronislawa becomes a choreographer, freeing dance from the old constricting ways, and then opens a school. Her career, in many ways, surpasses that of Vaslav, if only because she is a survivor and pragmatist. The Nijinsky name opens doors, and she is smart enough to follow through.
But in the end, Bronislawa is a woman and a mother, like the rest of us, which makes her so compelling. As she deals with a mother’s worst nightmare, our heart goes out to her. Ms. Stachniak deftly and powerfully sketches this painful event out in asides, indirect references, until we realize what has occurred.
For those who love ballet and Russian history, this is ultimately a tale of triumph. And in Ms. Stachniak’s capable hands, it is even more.
January 7, 2017
I received an ARC through Goodreads.
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I didn't know about the Nijinsky dancers until I read this book. After reading, this I was prompted to look additional details about them.
It was certainly an interesting read, about the Nijinsky siblings in Russia, living through turbulent times, while trying to make their way through the fierce and competitive dance world. The story is told through Bronia, the younger sister of Vaslav.
The dynamics between Bronia and Vaslav were intense. Bronia tries so hard to understand Vaslav's brilliant mind and dances, while trying to make her way through the dance world as an independent and strong dancer herself.
I found the read to be a little tedious at times and slow. There were some sections that seem to drag on. And the ending was rather rushed, where the span of years were jumped and for a while we are left wondering what happened to the family. Then when it was revealed what happened during those skipped years, it was like "oh, that's it?! tragic yes but ok...."
I would say this gives an ok introduction into the fascinating lives of the Nijinsky children, but not into the brilliance that demonstrate us the genius of their dancing. We do get to see what life may have been like for some during the turbulent years in Russia (the assassination of the entire Tsar family), how intense ballet was, and how difficult things were for female dancers during that time.
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I didn't know about the Nijinsky dancers until I read this book. After reading, this I was prompted to look additional details about them.
It was certainly an interesting read, about the Nijinsky siblings in Russia, living through turbulent times, while trying to make their way through the fierce and competitive dance world. The story is told through Bronia, the younger sister of Vaslav.
The dynamics between Bronia and Vaslav were intense. Bronia tries so hard to understand Vaslav's brilliant mind and dances, while trying to make her way through the dance world as an independent and strong dancer herself.
I found the read to be a little tedious at times and slow. There were some sections that seem to drag on. And the ending was rather rushed, where the span of years were jumped and for a while we are left wondering what happened to the family. Then when it was revealed what happened during those skipped years, it was like "oh, that's it?! tragic yes but ok...."
I would say this gives an ok introduction into the fascinating lives of the Nijinsky children, but not into the brilliance that demonstrate us the genius of their dancing. We do get to see what life may have been like for some during the turbulent years in Russia (the assassination of the entire Tsar family), how intense ballet was, and how difficult things were for female dancers during that time.
February 15, 2017
NEVER have I been so entranced with a book, so reluctant to leave the world the author has created, so INTO a subject I previously knew little about. The Chosen Maiden is the story of dancer Bronia Nijinska and her family (including her famous brother, Vaslav Nijinsky). It’s the story of a life dedicated to a passion, and the change within a field – Bronia moved away from traditional ballet toward modern dance – and, with her brother, changed the world. It’s the story of war, and art, and life. It’s the story of family.
Stachniak takes us directly into history, into a life full of change and hardship and art, and makes it real. This is one of those books that you cannot put down, that when dawn breaks and you only have 40 pages left, you stop and sleep for a few hours before you finish, so that each word of the ending is truly read, known, understood. It’s one of those books you never want to end, so that you don’t have to leave these people, this remarkable woman, this world.
Stachniak is one of my favorite authors for the depth of her research, the brilliance of her writing, and her extraordinary ability to take us fully into a life. She throws herself into research - through travel, reading, learning - and we are the better for it. Thank you, Eva. Highly recommended!
Read our author interview here: https://www.wanderingeducators.com/be...
Stachniak takes us directly into history, into a life full of change and hardship and art, and makes it real. This is one of those books that you cannot put down, that when dawn breaks and you only have 40 pages left, you stop and sleep for a few hours before you finish, so that each word of the ending is truly read, known, understood. It’s one of those books you never want to end, so that you don’t have to leave these people, this remarkable woman, this world.
Stachniak is one of my favorite authors for the depth of her research, the brilliance of her writing, and her extraordinary ability to take us fully into a life. She throws herself into research - through travel, reading, learning - and we are the better for it. Thank you, Eva. Highly recommended!
Read our author interview here: https://www.wanderingeducators.com/be...
November 9, 2016
„Die Schwester des Tänzers“ ist ein Frauenroman, der sich gründlicher Recherchen über die einst berühmte Familie Nijinsky und Künstlermilieu in Russland Anfang des XX Jh. bedient, jedoch kraft mangelnder Fertigkeit, die Leser auch emotional zu bewegen, nicht so recht überzeugen kann.
Es gibt zwei Zeitebenen. 1939 schreibt Blonislawa Nijinska, etwa Mitte vierzig, während der langen Schiffsüberfahrt in die USA ihre Erinnerungen ins Tagebuch. Sie denkt an ihre Kindheit zurück, an ihre Familie, an ihre Mutter, die als junges Mädchen mit ihren Schwestern nach Russland aus Polen gekommen war und als Tänzerin ihr Geld verdiente, an ihren Vater, der ebenfalls als Profi-Tänzer seinen Lebensunterhalt bestritt, an ihren hochbegabten Bruder Waslaw, dem keiner etwas im Tanz vormachen konnte, und auch über sich selbst als kleines Mädchen und junge Frau. Die damalige Zeit, was es hieß, in Russland als eine Künstlerfamilie zu leben, die Ideale der Kindheit, in die angesagte, vom Zaren unterstützte Tanzschule zu schaffen und dort die besten Ergebnisse zu erzielen, werden detailliert vor Augen der Leser ausgebreitet.
Die eigentliche Geschichte ist in Rückblenden, chronologisch in Zeitabschnitte aufgeteilt, wie z.B. 1894-1900, 1900-1908, etc. erzählt worden. Ins Jahr 1939 wird nur kurz zurückgekehrt. Dort passiert auch nicht viel, höchstens Bronjas Sorge, ob sie heil ankommen und auch angenommen werden, bleibt davon im Gedächtnis. Erst scheint, dass Bronja allein fährt, aber nach und nach stellt sich heraus, dass sie auch weitere Familienmitglieder dabei hat.
Im Grunde ist es die Geschichte der Künstlerin und ihrer Familie, denn Bronja war auch selbst eine begabte Tänzerin und später Choreografin, die mit ihrer Arbeit Profis wie Laien überzeugte. Bronja ist eine bodenständige Frau, die ihren praktisch orientierten Verstand und ihr Können täglich einsetzt und das Überleben ihrer Familie sichert. Als Kontrast zu ihr steht ihr hochbegabter und allerseits bewunderter Bruder. Zu genial, um zumindest sein eigenes Leben und sein Genie in die produktiven Bahnen zu lenken. Das sich im Laufe der Jahre ändernde Verhältnis zu ihrem Bruder ist recht deutlich herausgekommen. Auch der Konflikt Waslaws mit seinem Vater ist ebenso bildhaft rübergebracht worden. Es ist eben eine oft tragische Geschichte voller zwischenmenschlicher Konflikte.
Viele bekannte Namen fallen im Laufe der Erzählung: Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, die prima Balerinas der damaligen Zeit, Fjodor Shaljapin, der berühmte russische Sänger, der mit seiner tiefen Stimme damals ganz Europa bezauberte, Sergej Diagilev, Manager und Freund des jungen Waslaw Nijinsky, Igor Strawinsky, der berühmte rus. Komponist, uvm.
Was kunsthistorischen Gehalt angeht, ist der Roman recht interessant und lesens-/hörenswert. Er gibt tiefe Einblicke ins Künstlermilieu der damaligen Zeit, führt vor Augen, was es eigentlich hieß, das Leben dem Tanz und der Kunst zu widmen, was es für Bronja bedeutete, einen genialen Bruder zu haben und oft in seinem Schatten zu stehen, wobei sie selbst auch hochtalentiert war und harte Arbeit nie gescheut hatte. Solche Fragen wie Freundschaft, Liebe, Familienzusammenhalt, Verantwortung fürs Leben anderer übernehmen, Kinderkriegen, aber auch Kindertod, Schuldzuweisungen, familiärer Zwist, uvm. werden vor Augen der Leser/Hörer ausgebreitet. So gesehen ist es ein typischer Familienroman.
Aber von der Seite der Fertigkeit, eine mitreißende Geschichte zu erschaffen, die einen voll und ganz in die eigenen Banne zieht, konnte mich „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ nicht ganz überzeugen. An mehreren Stellen kam sie mir recht langatmig vor. Ein in die Tage gekommenes Pferdchen, das seine Last nur langsam und mit Müh über die holprige Straße zieht, stand mir dabei oft vor meinem inneren Auge.
Großes erzählerisches Talent kann ich bei Eva Stachniak nicht erkennen. Der Versuch, diesen Mangel durch analytische Vorgehensweise auszugleichen, scheitert oftmals. Auch rein technisch ist einiges an Potential verschenkt worden. Diese bemerkenswerte Distanz zu ihrer Heldin hat viel an emotionalem Gehalt im Sand versickern lassen. Sollte diese unterkühlte Besonnenheit etwa den Charakter von Bronja wiedergeben? Oder ist es einfach Mangel an eigenem Esprit, der recht deutlich zutage tritt?
Dass „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ den Anforderungen eines Frauenromans entsprechen sollte und das Bestreben, das wohl recherchierte Material in diesen Rahmen zu quetschen, hat dem Ganzen nicht so gut getan: Es hat den Roman u.a. deutlich verflacht. So war viel öfter von den Speisen und Getränken zu hören, die zu dieser und jener Zeit auf den Tisch befördert wurden, als von den tiefgreifenden historischen Ereignissen, die es gar nicht mal wenige in der beschriebenen Zeitspanne gab. Diese waren zwar erwähnt worden, aber so dargestellt, dass sie eher blass als Rahmen der Handlung im Hintergrund schimmern. Das Augenmerk sollte wohl aufs Familiäre gelegt werden.
Ich habe den Roman als Hörbuch kennengelernt. Gabriele Blum hat ganz gut vorgelesen. Sie hat Bronja ihre Stimme gegeben und sich große Mühe gemacht, die Geschichte unterhaltsamer und lebhafter zu präsentieren. Dies ist ihr auch größtenteils gelungen, aber ganz konnte sie dem Text seine Eintönigkeit und den Berichterstattungscharakter nicht wegnehmen. Auch an der authentischen Aussprache der slawischen Namen und Begriffe hätte man noch arbeiten können. Stellenweise konnte ich akustisch nicht verstehen, was gemeint war, dann stelle sich heraus, es ging z.B. um den Namen von Bronjas Freundin in der Tanzschule, der (mangels besseren Wissens?) recht abenteuerlich gesprochen wurde. Insg. fand ich es gut, dass ich „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ in der Hörbuchversion hatte, denn es ist eine nette Begleitung bei langen Zugfahrten, heimischem Werkeln oder Ausdauersport.
Fazit: Eine durchaus interessante Geschichte der hochbegabten Tänzerin und Choreografin Bronislawa Nijinska, die man gerne kennenlernen sollte, wenn man sich für das Leben der Tänzer am Anfang des 20.Jh in Russland interessiert und etwas vom Geist der damaligen Zeit auf sich wirken lassen möchte. Auf rein informativer Ebene ist das Buch ein Gewinn. Auf emotionaler Ebene kann es nicht überzeugen. Als Hörbuch wirkt die Geschichte viel ansprechender und unterhaltsamer.
Hörbuch. Gekürzte Lesung. 8 CDs, ca. 597 Minuten. Hörbuch Hamburg Verlag.
Es gibt zwei Zeitebenen. 1939 schreibt Blonislawa Nijinska, etwa Mitte vierzig, während der langen Schiffsüberfahrt in die USA ihre Erinnerungen ins Tagebuch. Sie denkt an ihre Kindheit zurück, an ihre Familie, an ihre Mutter, die als junges Mädchen mit ihren Schwestern nach Russland aus Polen gekommen war und als Tänzerin ihr Geld verdiente, an ihren Vater, der ebenfalls als Profi-Tänzer seinen Lebensunterhalt bestritt, an ihren hochbegabten Bruder Waslaw, dem keiner etwas im Tanz vormachen konnte, und auch über sich selbst als kleines Mädchen und junge Frau. Die damalige Zeit, was es hieß, in Russland als eine Künstlerfamilie zu leben, die Ideale der Kindheit, in die angesagte, vom Zaren unterstützte Tanzschule zu schaffen und dort die besten Ergebnisse zu erzielen, werden detailliert vor Augen der Leser ausgebreitet.
Die eigentliche Geschichte ist in Rückblenden, chronologisch in Zeitabschnitte aufgeteilt, wie z.B. 1894-1900, 1900-1908, etc. erzählt worden. Ins Jahr 1939 wird nur kurz zurückgekehrt. Dort passiert auch nicht viel, höchstens Bronjas Sorge, ob sie heil ankommen und auch angenommen werden, bleibt davon im Gedächtnis. Erst scheint, dass Bronja allein fährt, aber nach und nach stellt sich heraus, dass sie auch weitere Familienmitglieder dabei hat.
Im Grunde ist es die Geschichte der Künstlerin und ihrer Familie, denn Bronja war auch selbst eine begabte Tänzerin und später Choreografin, die mit ihrer Arbeit Profis wie Laien überzeugte. Bronja ist eine bodenständige Frau, die ihren praktisch orientierten Verstand und ihr Können täglich einsetzt und das Überleben ihrer Familie sichert. Als Kontrast zu ihr steht ihr hochbegabter und allerseits bewunderter Bruder. Zu genial, um zumindest sein eigenes Leben und sein Genie in die produktiven Bahnen zu lenken. Das sich im Laufe der Jahre ändernde Verhältnis zu ihrem Bruder ist recht deutlich herausgekommen. Auch der Konflikt Waslaws mit seinem Vater ist ebenso bildhaft rübergebracht worden. Es ist eben eine oft tragische Geschichte voller zwischenmenschlicher Konflikte.
Viele bekannte Namen fallen im Laufe der Erzählung: Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, die prima Balerinas der damaligen Zeit, Fjodor Shaljapin, der berühmte russische Sänger, der mit seiner tiefen Stimme damals ganz Europa bezauberte, Sergej Diagilev, Manager und Freund des jungen Waslaw Nijinsky, Igor Strawinsky, der berühmte rus. Komponist, uvm.
Was kunsthistorischen Gehalt angeht, ist der Roman recht interessant und lesens-/hörenswert. Er gibt tiefe Einblicke ins Künstlermilieu der damaligen Zeit, führt vor Augen, was es eigentlich hieß, das Leben dem Tanz und der Kunst zu widmen, was es für Bronja bedeutete, einen genialen Bruder zu haben und oft in seinem Schatten zu stehen, wobei sie selbst auch hochtalentiert war und harte Arbeit nie gescheut hatte. Solche Fragen wie Freundschaft, Liebe, Familienzusammenhalt, Verantwortung fürs Leben anderer übernehmen, Kinderkriegen, aber auch Kindertod, Schuldzuweisungen, familiärer Zwist, uvm. werden vor Augen der Leser/Hörer ausgebreitet. So gesehen ist es ein typischer Familienroman.
Aber von der Seite der Fertigkeit, eine mitreißende Geschichte zu erschaffen, die einen voll und ganz in die eigenen Banne zieht, konnte mich „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ nicht ganz überzeugen. An mehreren Stellen kam sie mir recht langatmig vor. Ein in die Tage gekommenes Pferdchen, das seine Last nur langsam und mit Müh über die holprige Straße zieht, stand mir dabei oft vor meinem inneren Auge.
Großes erzählerisches Talent kann ich bei Eva Stachniak nicht erkennen. Der Versuch, diesen Mangel durch analytische Vorgehensweise auszugleichen, scheitert oftmals. Auch rein technisch ist einiges an Potential verschenkt worden. Diese bemerkenswerte Distanz zu ihrer Heldin hat viel an emotionalem Gehalt im Sand versickern lassen. Sollte diese unterkühlte Besonnenheit etwa den Charakter von Bronja wiedergeben? Oder ist es einfach Mangel an eigenem Esprit, der recht deutlich zutage tritt?
Dass „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ den Anforderungen eines Frauenromans entsprechen sollte und das Bestreben, das wohl recherchierte Material in diesen Rahmen zu quetschen, hat dem Ganzen nicht so gut getan: Es hat den Roman u.a. deutlich verflacht. So war viel öfter von den Speisen und Getränken zu hören, die zu dieser und jener Zeit auf den Tisch befördert wurden, als von den tiefgreifenden historischen Ereignissen, die es gar nicht mal wenige in der beschriebenen Zeitspanne gab. Diese waren zwar erwähnt worden, aber so dargestellt, dass sie eher blass als Rahmen der Handlung im Hintergrund schimmern. Das Augenmerk sollte wohl aufs Familiäre gelegt werden.
Ich habe den Roman als Hörbuch kennengelernt. Gabriele Blum hat ganz gut vorgelesen. Sie hat Bronja ihre Stimme gegeben und sich große Mühe gemacht, die Geschichte unterhaltsamer und lebhafter zu präsentieren. Dies ist ihr auch größtenteils gelungen, aber ganz konnte sie dem Text seine Eintönigkeit und den Berichterstattungscharakter nicht wegnehmen. Auch an der authentischen Aussprache der slawischen Namen und Begriffe hätte man noch arbeiten können. Stellenweise konnte ich akustisch nicht verstehen, was gemeint war, dann stelle sich heraus, es ging z.B. um den Namen von Bronjas Freundin in der Tanzschule, der (mangels besseren Wissens?) recht abenteuerlich gesprochen wurde. Insg. fand ich es gut, dass ich „Die Schwester des Tänzers“ in der Hörbuchversion hatte, denn es ist eine nette Begleitung bei langen Zugfahrten, heimischem Werkeln oder Ausdauersport.
Fazit: Eine durchaus interessante Geschichte der hochbegabten Tänzerin und Choreografin Bronislawa Nijinska, die man gerne kennenlernen sollte, wenn man sich für das Leben der Tänzer am Anfang des 20.Jh in Russland interessiert und etwas vom Geist der damaligen Zeit auf sich wirken lassen möchte. Auf rein informativer Ebene ist das Buch ein Gewinn. Auf emotionaler Ebene kann es nicht überzeugen. Als Hörbuch wirkt die Geschichte viel ansprechender und unterhaltsamer.
Hörbuch. Gekürzte Lesung. 8 CDs, ca. 597 Minuten. Hörbuch Hamburg Verlag.
February 16, 2018
This book tells the story of Bronislava Nijinska, the sister of the famous dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. He was a fabulous dancer, very famous and adored at his time. And Bronislava - Bronia - was also very talented and reached worldwide recognition as a choreographer. That‘s why I took the picture in front of the Zurich Opera House!
The book tells the story of Bronia‘s life, narrated from her point of view and focussing on her relationship with her brother, her family and work. It gives an insight on the world of ballet as it used to be and to some point still is today. This is where the feminist aspects play in: Bronia suffers various inequities as a woman, she gets criticized for many things her male partners won‘t have to go through, she doesn‘t get the same opportunities.
Knowing that the story is inspired by Bronia‘s real journals, it touched my heart and let me feel with her. The book is fiction, but Eva Stachniak did a lot of research and at the end of the book, she leaves some book recommendations for her readers - which I loved!
I really recommend this book to everyone who is interested in historical fiction, who has an interest in the world of ballet and Russian history. The only thing you need to keep in mind when purchasing this book is that Eva Stachniak‘s style is very dry and although this story is character driven and she tends to loose herself in details, there is no romanticisation of anything! Her style is very honest, it feels like Bronia herself tells the story.
This is why I prefer the English cover over the German one, it just fits Bronia‘s character better.
When reading this book, please do your research on Wikipedia and watch Afternoon of a Faun and Sacre on Youtube (the Stravinsky interpretations are very close to Nijinsky‘s)
The book tells the story of Bronia‘s life, narrated from her point of view and focussing on her relationship with her brother, her family and work. It gives an insight on the world of ballet as it used to be and to some point still is today. This is where the feminist aspects play in: Bronia suffers various inequities as a woman, she gets criticized for many things her male partners won‘t have to go through, she doesn‘t get the same opportunities.
Knowing that the story is inspired by Bronia‘s real journals, it touched my heart and let me feel with her. The book is fiction, but Eva Stachniak did a lot of research and at the end of the book, she leaves some book recommendations for her readers - which I loved!
I really recommend this book to everyone who is interested in historical fiction, who has an interest in the world of ballet and Russian history. The only thing you need to keep in mind when purchasing this book is that Eva Stachniak‘s style is very dry and although this story is character driven and she tends to loose herself in details, there is no romanticisation of anything! Her style is very honest, it feels like Bronia herself tells the story.
This is why I prefer the English cover over the German one, it just fits Bronia‘s character better.
When reading this book, please do your research on Wikipedia and watch Afternoon of a Faun and Sacre on Youtube (the Stravinsky interpretations are very close to Nijinsky‘s)
July 15, 2017
- 3.5/5. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via the Goodreads giveaway.
"The Chosen Maiden" tells the story of Bronia Nijinsky. The daughter of Polish dancers, Bronia grows up in Russia studying dance in the shadow of her prodigy brother, Vaslav Nijinsky. From childhood to adulthood, the author chronicles Bronia's life and the ways in which dance was ever present in both her personal and professional life.
The part that I enjoyed most about this book was the in-depth way in which the author was able to create and portray Bronia's character. Despite spanning decades and huge personal and historical issues, the character always remained constant and readers will really be able to get a feel for her. This is particularly evident in the lifelong relationship shown between Bronia and her mother, and their constant support for each other through tough times.
Furthermore, the author did a great job of the situating this story in its time periods. The scenes with the family in World War I, showing the family sleeping in the kitchen through the war and the impact that it had on Bronia's husband were particularly well done. The author brings this book not only through various decades but also through various locations (Russia, Ukraine, Paris, London) and paints great descriptions of each new place.
Despite all of these great things, I felt this book was a bit too long in parts and sometimes hard to get through- it took me over a week to get to a point where I could read a significant portion in one sitting.
Overall, the author writes this story beautifully and I would definitely recommend this to more dedicated fans of historical fiction.
"The Chosen Maiden" tells the story of Bronia Nijinsky. The daughter of Polish dancers, Bronia grows up in Russia studying dance in the shadow of her prodigy brother, Vaslav Nijinsky. From childhood to adulthood, the author chronicles Bronia's life and the ways in which dance was ever present in both her personal and professional life.
The part that I enjoyed most about this book was the in-depth way in which the author was able to create and portray Bronia's character. Despite spanning decades and huge personal and historical issues, the character always remained constant and readers will really be able to get a feel for her. This is particularly evident in the lifelong relationship shown between Bronia and her mother, and their constant support for each other through tough times.
Furthermore, the author did a great job of the situating this story in its time periods. The scenes with the family in World War I, showing the family sleeping in the kitchen through the war and the impact that it had on Bronia's husband were particularly well done. The author brings this book not only through various decades but also through various locations (Russia, Ukraine, Paris, London) and paints great descriptions of each new place.
Despite all of these great things, I felt this book was a bit too long in parts and sometimes hard to get through- it took me over a week to get to a point where I could read a significant portion in one sitting.
Overall, the author writes this story beautifully and I would definitely recommend this to more dedicated fans of historical fiction.
December 15, 2017
3.75
Il y a des genres littéraires qui nous attirent moins. Pour une raison obscure, je n'ai jamais raffolé du roman historique. (Peut-être parce que ceux que j'ai lus souhaitaient surtout nous démontrer à quel point leur auteurs avaient fait leurs recherches. Si vous avez des suggestions de romans, n'hésitez pas les envoyer par ici!)
Ce roman de Stachniak, je l'ai aimé et je l'ai lu avec plaisir. La "chosen maiden" du titre, c'est Bronia Nijinska, la soeur cadette du célèbre danseur Vaslav Nijinski. Danseuse elle aussi, elle a contribué activement à la modernisation du ballet russe. Par son récit de vie, on se plonge dans la vie de la famille Nijinski, dont les parents, polonais, étaient des danseurs de talent: on vit l'ascension de son frère à travers ses yeux de jeune fille à la fois admirative et adoratrice de son frère aîné et aussi frustrée d'être une femme et de ne pouvoir aussi oser et défier les conventions comme le fait son frère. (Elle le fera plus tard, de façon spectaculaire.) On la suit dans sa poursuite de l'art et dans sa volonté de se transformer et de transformer la danse. On rencontre de grands noms: Diaghilev, Stravinsky...
C'est à la fois un portrait des bouleversements en Russie au début du siècle et un très beau portrait de femme et d'artiste. Si la première moitié du roman m'a semblé plus coulante et plus serrée en termes d'écriture, le roman se lit avec l'enchantement de la découverte. Une lecture plaisir qui intéressera même les néophytes de la danse, qui leur donnera peut-être envie de découvrir les oeuvres mentionnées dans ce beau roman.
Il y a des genres littéraires qui nous attirent moins. Pour une raison obscure, je n'ai jamais raffolé du roman historique. (Peut-être parce que ceux que j'ai lus souhaitaient surtout nous démontrer à quel point leur auteurs avaient fait leurs recherches. Si vous avez des suggestions de romans, n'hésitez pas les envoyer par ici!)
Ce roman de Stachniak, je l'ai aimé et je l'ai lu avec plaisir. La "chosen maiden" du titre, c'est Bronia Nijinska, la soeur cadette du célèbre danseur Vaslav Nijinski. Danseuse elle aussi, elle a contribué activement à la modernisation du ballet russe. Par son récit de vie, on se plonge dans la vie de la famille Nijinski, dont les parents, polonais, étaient des danseurs de talent: on vit l'ascension de son frère à travers ses yeux de jeune fille à la fois admirative et adoratrice de son frère aîné et aussi frustrée d'être une femme et de ne pouvoir aussi oser et défier les conventions comme le fait son frère. (Elle le fera plus tard, de façon spectaculaire.) On la suit dans sa poursuite de l'art et dans sa volonté de se transformer et de transformer la danse. On rencontre de grands noms: Diaghilev, Stravinsky...
C'est à la fois un portrait des bouleversements en Russie au début du siècle et un très beau portrait de femme et d'artiste. Si la première moitié du roman m'a semblé plus coulante et plus serrée en termes d'écriture, le roman se lit avec l'enchantement de la découverte. Une lecture plaisir qui intéressera même les néophytes de la danse, qui leur donnera peut-être envie de découvrir les oeuvres mentionnées dans ce beau roman.
August 3, 2020
Mir hat "Die Schwester des Tänzers" von Eva Stachniak sehr gut gefallen.
Bronia war für mich eine sehr faszinierende und starke Frau. Ich fand es spannend über ihr leben als Tänzerin zu lesen, angefangen in ihrer Kindheit. Ich mochte ihre Entwicklung und ihre Stärke, mit der sie sich in dieser Zeit als Künstlerin und Frau behauptet. Als Tänzerin bereist sie die Welt und lernt ganz unterschiedliche Persönlichkeiten kennen. Manche waren liebenswerter als andere. Aber auch hier hat mir gut gefallen, wie die Autorin es schafft, auch wenigen Seiten Entwicklungen in Freundschaften und Beziehungen darzustellen. Es gab wirklich viele Stellen, sie mich sehr berührt haben und auch zum Nachdenken gebracht haben. Das gilt genauso für die Familie Nijinsky, deren Schicksal hier im Vordergrund steht.
Das Thema Ballett wird sehr ausführlich und detailliert beschreiben. Ich kenne mich nicht so gut im Thema aus, aber ich fand es sehr interessant darüber zu lesen. Generell hatte ich das Gefühl, das Eva Stachniak die Zeit und das Ballet sehr authentisch darstellt. Ich hatte Sorge, dass ich es eventuell langweilig finden könnte, aber ich fand es spannend, wie über die Choreographien und besonders die Anfänge des modernen Balletts geschrieben wurde.
Das Gleiche würde ich auch über das historische Setting sagen. Auch das fand ich sehr authentisch geschrieben und das Thema Ballett wurde meiner Meinung nach gut mit der Zeit und dem damaligen Zeitgeist verknüpft. Ich kann das Buch nur weiter empfehlen.
Bronia war für mich eine sehr faszinierende und starke Frau. Ich fand es spannend über ihr leben als Tänzerin zu lesen, angefangen in ihrer Kindheit. Ich mochte ihre Entwicklung und ihre Stärke, mit der sie sich in dieser Zeit als Künstlerin und Frau behauptet. Als Tänzerin bereist sie die Welt und lernt ganz unterschiedliche Persönlichkeiten kennen. Manche waren liebenswerter als andere. Aber auch hier hat mir gut gefallen, wie die Autorin es schafft, auch wenigen Seiten Entwicklungen in Freundschaften und Beziehungen darzustellen. Es gab wirklich viele Stellen, sie mich sehr berührt haben und auch zum Nachdenken gebracht haben. Das gilt genauso für die Familie Nijinsky, deren Schicksal hier im Vordergrund steht.
Das Thema Ballett wird sehr ausführlich und detailliert beschreiben. Ich kenne mich nicht so gut im Thema aus, aber ich fand es sehr interessant darüber zu lesen. Generell hatte ich das Gefühl, das Eva Stachniak die Zeit und das Ballet sehr authentisch darstellt. Ich hatte Sorge, dass ich es eventuell langweilig finden könnte, aber ich fand es spannend, wie über die Choreographien und besonders die Anfänge des modernen Balletts geschrieben wurde.
Das Gleiche würde ich auch über das historische Setting sagen. Auch das fand ich sehr authentisch geschrieben und das Thema Ballett wurde meiner Meinung nach gut mit der Zeit und dem damaligen Zeitgeist verknüpft. Ich kann das Buch nur weiter empfehlen.
April 20, 2019
Die Familie Nijinsky lebt und liebt für das Ballett. Die Geschwister Bronislawa und Waslaw erlernen schon als Kinder um 1900 in St. Petersburg den Tanz an der kaiserlichen Ballettschule. Bronislawa, kurz Bronia genannt, erzählt von ihrem Leben im Schatten ihres berühmten Bruders. Wie sieht so ein Tänzerleben während den beiden Weltkriegen aus, dass durch hartes Training, schmerzenden Füssen und der Suche nach Ruhm geprägt ist?
Die Autorin erzählt die fiktive Biographie der russischen Balletttänzerin Bronislawa Nijinska, der Schwester des legendären Waslaw Nijinsky und selbst gefeierter Star des Ballets Russes.
Thematisch fand ich es spannend in die Welt des professionellen Balletts einzutauchen. Leider fand ich die Umsetzung langatmig, da Bronia von Engagement zu Engagement zieht, dazwischen gibt es neue Ideen und häufige Proben. Deshalb wirkt alles sich wiederholend.
Dazu fand ich den Anfang sprachlich ungeschliffen, wodurch der Lesefluss gestört war. Am Ende wurden noch vereinzelt die Namen der Protagonisten verwechselt und Jahreszahlen falsch geschrieben.
Das alles führt dazu, dass ich nur 3 Sterne vergebe. Aber Ballettinteressierte würden sicher gefallen an diesem Buch finden.
Die Autorin erzählt die fiktive Biographie der russischen Balletttänzerin Bronislawa Nijinska, der Schwester des legendären Waslaw Nijinsky und selbst gefeierter Star des Ballets Russes.
Thematisch fand ich es spannend in die Welt des professionellen Balletts einzutauchen. Leider fand ich die Umsetzung langatmig, da Bronia von Engagement zu Engagement zieht, dazwischen gibt es neue Ideen und häufige Proben. Deshalb wirkt alles sich wiederholend.
Dazu fand ich den Anfang sprachlich ungeschliffen, wodurch der Lesefluss gestört war. Am Ende wurden noch vereinzelt die Namen der Protagonisten verwechselt und Jahreszahlen falsch geschrieben.
Das alles führt dazu, dass ich nur 3 Sterne vergebe. Aber Ballettinteressierte würden sicher gefallen an diesem Buch finden.
July 12, 2018
Wonderful historical fiction based on the life of the brother and sister ballet artists Nijinsky. Chose this book as I knew nothing about either of them and wanted something fictional to sort of smooth the way to reading something more biography-based. I was not disappointed. As I do whenever I read a work of historical fiction, I googled the history of these two uniquely talented, but tortured artists to verify some parts of the book and was pleased to learn that the author kept very close to the facts. Eva Stachniak is a marvelous author. Having read her books on Catherine the Great and being a lover of Russian history, I felt confident that this book would be a great introduction to the world of the Ballet Russes. In addition she covers Russia and other European countries at the time of the Russian Revolution, World War I and World War II. The images she conveys of those times are quite chilling. All in all a brilliant book on two incredible people who made such a huge contribution to ballet and other dance forms. Highly recommend.
June 21, 2020
An exceptionally well-written account of the life of Bronislava(Bronia) Nijinska, the sister of the world-famous ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinski. The novel is based on Bronia's early memoir(to 1914) & documents from the Washington library of Congress. The author infuses the story with real-life characterizations & the ups & downs of Bronia's personal life on the background of the end of Imperial Russia & the Communist revolution, the 1st world war, & the troubled years until the 2nd WW & later. We share her love affairs, her 2 marriages, the tragic deaths of her older brother, her mother & her son, while growing into an accomplished ballet dancer & then choreographer with a modern, revolutionary way of seeing dance without the traditional classical restraints. While her 1st husband Sasha plays around & she refuses his offer to return to her years later, her 2nd husband Kolya manages the business aspects of her career. Her daughter Irina becomes a ballet dancer & teacher, having survived a car accident in which her younger brother Lev dies.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2020
Ich fand es von Anfang an gut, etwa ab der Hälfte hat es mich aber richtig gepackt, sodass ich immer weiterlesen und herausfinden wollte, wie Bronias Geschichte weitergeht. Das Ballett zu dieser Zeit war für mich ein Thema über das ich nicht viel wusste, was mich aber durchaus interessiert hat. Zum Glück war in dieser Hinsicht kein Vorwissen gefordert, sodass ich der Handlung gut folgen konnte, auch wenn vielleicht eine Liste der Personen nicht geschadet hätte.
Den Schreibstil von Eva Stachniak mochte ich schon in anderen Büchern, das war auch hier nicht anders. Die Art und Weise, wie sie die Protagonistin sich immer wieder erinnern lässt fand ich sehr glaubwürdig und rund. Auch das Ende war treffend gewählt, auch wenn es traurig war. Ein Epilog, wie Bronias Leben danach noch weitergeht, hätte mich aber auch interessiert.
Insgesamt ein interessantes und schönes Buch über eine bemerkenswerte Frau mit einem bewegten Leben, das aber auch eher traurig stimmt, da sie durch viele Umstände doch nicht all das realisieren kann, was sie sich erträumt hat.
Den Schreibstil von Eva Stachniak mochte ich schon in anderen Büchern, das war auch hier nicht anders. Die Art und Weise, wie sie die Protagonistin sich immer wieder erinnern lässt fand ich sehr glaubwürdig und rund. Auch das Ende war treffend gewählt, auch wenn es traurig war. Ein Epilog, wie Bronias Leben danach noch weitergeht, hätte mich aber auch interessiert.
Insgesamt ein interessantes und schönes Buch über eine bemerkenswerte Frau mit einem bewegten Leben, das aber auch eher traurig stimmt, da sie durch viele Umstände doch nicht all das realisieren kann, was sie sich erträumt hat.
February 6, 2017
I received a copy through Goodreads FirstReads.
The Chosen Maiden is biography style fiction based on the real-life Ballerina Bronia Nijinsky. The author took all the information she could find and turned her life into an enjoyable novel that leads through her life. The story spans from her childhood into her adulthood and all that happens in-between. I loved that Eva Stachniak took the time to dig deep into Bronia’s life to make this novel as close to the true life while turning it into an in-depth novel more than a biography. I think historical fans will enjoy this just as much as fans of real life biographies. The character leads an interesting life whether some of it is real and some parts just filled in. She keeps you wanting to see what will happen next as the story leads through the entertainment side of two world wars in Europe and as the way dance and art changes through the years. I would recommend this to anyone who loves novels about dancers and/or historical pieces.
The Chosen Maiden is biography style fiction based on the real-life Ballerina Bronia Nijinsky. The author took all the information she could find and turned her life into an enjoyable novel that leads through her life. The story spans from her childhood into her adulthood and all that happens in-between. I loved that Eva Stachniak took the time to dig deep into Bronia’s life to make this novel as close to the true life while turning it into an in-depth novel more than a biography. I think historical fans will enjoy this just as much as fans of real life biographies. The character leads an interesting life whether some of it is real and some parts just filled in. She keeps you wanting to see what will happen next as the story leads through the entertainment side of two world wars in Europe and as the way dance and art changes through the years. I would recommend this to anyone who loves novels about dancers and/or historical pieces.
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