Customer Reviews

Dana Dances on Paper

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dana is a unique coming of age story, because it is written uniquely. Dana speaks to your soul, because she comes from her soul. Dana expresses what is on her mind in every stage of her life. Dana helps to break the stereotype that you become a victim if you grow up in the projects. Dana is like her last name strong. Read this book if you want a different perspective and to experience a new and creative writing formal from all other books and coming of age stories.

I enjoyed reading this novel. There is so much wisdom, humor, insight and growth in this coming of age story. At times I became nostalgic and I was able to identify with Dana's struggle. Dana Dances on Paper is a must read. I look forward to Darcel Turner's next novel!

This novel took me back to my childhood and teenage years. It reminded me of all we went through to get here and the dreams we had as children. I could relate to many aspects of her story and knew that with determination and perserverance you can make something of yourself. That everyone makes mistakes, but that doesn't necessarily have to stop you from being successful. I plan to incorporate chapters from this novel in some of my classes. Darcel Turner you have done a good job of telling the story of a lil bronx gurls dreams and struggles.

DuEwa Frazier has compiled an eclectic, moving, spiritual and honest collection of poetry. In STARDUST TRACKS ON A ROAD, the poems and haikus are filled with passion, thought and motivation. The poems honor great artists like Katherine Dunham, Sonia Sanchez and Zora Neale Hurston. She also gives homage to hip-hop, civil rights and the everyday struggles of African-American men and women. I enjoyed each and every one of her samplings. One favorite was "Stardust Tracks on a Road," where the author gives praise to Ntozake Shange for her ability to be unique in her writings and strong in her person. Another favorite is "A Princess in the Making," where she instructs our young African-American females to aspire to more than the labels that boys give them and more than the name brand clothes they are wearing because they are on their way to being Queens. I also was very impressed with the haikus, which convey a great depth with just seventeen syllables. The final selection, "Affirmations #1," asserts every individual's source of peace and understanding.

Each piece was different and presented something dynamic to the readers. In one poem you are empathizing with our ancestors, another you are praising hip-hop or you are wrapping yourself in grief because a victim of domestic violence not only lost her life, but also her children's lives. The free verse style was purposeful and definitely expressed the author's inspirations for each poem. It is evident the author is trained in prose because of the flow and the rhythm of the poems that, at times, demanded to be read out loud. Lovers of poetry will finish the collection wanting more.

Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

This one is for the ladies who are strong, black, proud, and blessed. DuEwa, you're my sista in spirit.

L. Hayes author of "Afroetry"

Beautifully written. You'll "flow" from page to page. Your feelings will range from introspective to "Uh huh, I hear you". I felt like putting my hands on my hips and reading it out loud. Wonderful reading to get you through the daily commute.

Duewa Frazier has the talent and ability to share her perspective and journeys in a unique soulful poetic style and feminine grace. She is a truly talented poet full of energy and fire. Both her books, Stardust Tracks On A Road and Shedding Light From My Journeys are full of life, hopes and dreams. She shares with us her talent and her passion.
Lisa Ann Bailey, Author of The Poetry Diary Of One Black Woman

Dana Strong, a progeny of the hip hop era and the harsh New York streets, has dreams of becoming a writer and a professional dancer. However, numerous misfortunes arise throughout her life deferring her dreams indefinitely.

Dana's family never had much, therefore they relied heavily on each other for mental, emotional, and financial support. Throughout her life, her mother had always been her best friend and her grandmother was always her best motivator. Dana observed while abuse, drugs, and disease caused distruction in her family and in her community. She continued to struggle searching for her place in a world that showed no mercy. Often falling into the same sins that destroyed people around her, Dana found herself morally drowning in addictions that she never would have imagined succumbing to. One day, she is rescued from her dance of death and degradation and given an opportunity to finally dance the way she had always dreamed.

Darcel Turner paints a vivid and sometimes preachy portrait of the countless hardships urban New York minorities often face. Her main character Dana, who takes on the name Darcel a few times in the novel, portrays high moralistic standards but does not conduct her own personal life according to those standards. The novel begins with Dana dreaming of dancing and somehow that dream metamorphosed into a dream of writing without the main character ever truly pursuing, nor really fulfilling, her original dream. With only an extremely small, inconsequential section devoted to Dana's dancing to music, I did not feel her passion for dancing. I would like to have seen more of her dancing abilities through other characters' viewpoints.

Ms. Turner did a great job of taking time to provide us with an explicitly realistic novel; however I was a little disappointed with Dana's sudden, magical claim to freedom at the end. I did enjoy the very last chapter of DANA DANCES ON PAPER, it being the first chapter in the book written by Darcel (the character). I would love to read more of that book!

Reviewed by Natasha T.
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I gotta tell you that at first glance of the book I remembered that time in my life that Dana (protagonist) was talking about and I flew back to the time when block parties and DJs in the park and Pop-lockin and moonwalks was all the fun we ever had. this book was so deep that by the time Dana's mother died of AIDS, then she (Dana) became a exotic dancer, I had to stop reading for a second to gather my soul, to give it a rest because it was too emotionally charged. But I did finished the book and enjoyed the fact that positive aspects brought her and Donell back upright and that there finally was success coming her way. Good Job Ms. Turner let's see where your sophomore book will take us next.

About Time!
Dana dances was so upbeat and down to earth. I can relate to some of the characters in the story of that little Strong girl and who I could not relate to I knew...
I've read allot of coming of age stories, I would put this amongst the elite with J. California Cooper, James Baldwin, and Early Terry McMillan works. I really liked this book and can read it more than once which is not a norm for me. Thank you Ms.Turner for your artistic contribution. Can't wait to see what comes next from this author. I give "Dana Dances on Paper" both thumbs and five stars.