Rose Gregory has suffered a devastating blow, a double bereavement from
which months later she is still reeling. Sanctuary and rest are prescribed by
her doctor. But when she arrives at her refuge, a dank and decaying Monastery,
she finds it is not the haven promised. Despite the veneer of calm
contemplation, the Monastery turns out to be a hotbed of intrigue and
disharmony. Rose witnesses bullying and cruelty and ultimately in defence of
the vulnerable turns to violence herself. Sylvia Colley s extraordinary
understanding of a woman s struggle to deal with grief, the denial, the anger,
the loneliness, is described without sentimentality. A beautifully written and
moving story.
My Thoughts:
Ask Me To Dance is the incredibly moving and engrossing first novel by author Sylvia Colley. A portrayal of grief, healing and faith. It is incredibly well written and atmospheric.
Rose Gregory is all consumed by grief, she doesn't even know herself anymore. She is barely able to function at all when at her Dr's request she goes to stay at a Monastery in the hopes of healing and being able to put herself back together with peace and quiet and a little faith.
The Monastery is falling down, unkempt and the Brothers are soon to be moving on. All is not well, complacency is rife and they seem to view Rose as an added problem. It would seem the the Monastery is far from the tranquillity and getting away from it all that Rose had envisaged.
The atmosphere and descriptive nature of this book is superb. The descriptions of the unravelling of Rose's emotions and the monastery make the story seem very real, and created a real sense of foreboding. I could sense the damp and decay of the surroundings and I could put myself in the shoes of Rose who seemed a little cold but in reality was so grief stricken she was numb.
Sylvia Colley is a writer to be reckoned with, a force of nature with the pen. She has managed to write a story that is highly readable, that is relatable to all and is a perfectly pitched examination of love, grief, loss and religion.
Well written, I recommend this.
Ask Me To Dance is the incredibly moving and engrossing first novel by author Sylvia Colley. A portrayal of grief, healing and faith. It is incredibly well written and atmospheric.
Rose Gregory is all consumed by grief, she doesn't even know herself anymore. She is barely able to function at all when at her Dr's request she goes to stay at a Monastery in the hopes of healing and being able to put herself back together with peace and quiet and a little faith.
The Monastery is falling down, unkempt and the Brothers are soon to be moving on. All is not well, complacency is rife and they seem to view Rose as an added problem. It would seem the the Monastery is far from the tranquillity and getting away from it all that Rose had envisaged.
The atmosphere and descriptive nature of this book is superb. The descriptions of the unravelling of Rose's emotions and the monastery make the story seem very real, and created a real sense of foreboding. I could sense the damp and decay of the surroundings and I could put myself in the shoes of Rose who seemed a little cold but in reality was so grief stricken she was numb.
Sylvia Colley is a writer to be reckoned with, a force of nature with the pen. She has managed to write a story that is highly readable, that is relatable to all and is a perfectly pitched examination of love, grief, loss and religion.
Well written, I recommend this.
About the Author:
Sylvia Colley was
born in Romsey, Hampshire. She became a teacher and spent many years as Head of
English at the Purcell School in North London.
She has published a book of poetry, It’s Not What I Wanted Though, and a novel, Lights on Dark Water. Her work has been read on BBC Radio 4. She lives in Pinner, Middlesex.
She has published a book of poetry, It’s Not What I Wanted Though, and a novel, Lights on Dark Water. Her work has been read on BBC Radio 4. She lives in Pinner, Middlesex.
You can find her on Twitter: @SylviaColley
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Thank you Leah. So pleased that you enjoyed it. I loved it x
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