To Dance in the Desert: A Novel [Paperback]

Kathleen Popa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Having witnessed the violent deaths of both her husband and father in one terrible day, Dara flees to the solitude of a secret house in a remote desert valley. But she's not alone, for a strange woman dances on the distant sands of the desert.

Further, Dara's begun to hear a voice in the wind that whispers it loves her, and invites her to dance.

Follow Dara as she learns of the art of loving despite her fears, discovers the mother who abandoned her long ago, and surrenders at last to the rhythm of grace.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kathleen Popa spent most of her childhood in various parts o fthe American Southwest, where she learned to love the wide, uncluttered beauty of the desert. She now lives with her husband and youngest son in a small mining town in Northern California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Cook Communications Ministries; New edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589190947
• ISBN-13: 978-1589190948
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,043,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking story of coming back from the depths of depression, July 26, 2007

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: To Dance in the Desert: A Novel (Paperback)

To Dance in the Desert by Kathleen Popa is the beautiful story of Dara Brogan Murphy as she struggles to recover from the horror of losing her husband and father in one horrible day. She retreats to the desert to hole up and hide from the world. Instead she meets Jane who introduces Dara to a world she never knew. I am completely amazed at the depth and scope of Popa's writing. Her descriptions of the desert let me breathless. The story starts out in short disconnected sentences as Dara hides within herself. As she opens up to Jane, the writing becomes more fluid until by the end when Dara has rediscovered herself, the words fairly flow across the page. The way the words are kept tight at the beginning and then loosen kept me reading and helped give new insight into Dara. So many different themes are touched on in this story: works vs faith, judgment against other forms of worship, abuse, and each one is handled with delicacy and grace. Even the harshest critics of Dara and Jane are viewed through God's loving eyes. I had to struggle to put this book down, because I didn't want to leave the characters or the lovely stark desert setting behind. It's a story with many truths to tell.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Debut Novel!?! - ENCORE!!!!, July 25, 2007

By 

Kelly Klepfer (Iowa) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: To Dance in the Desert: A Novel (Paperback)

Kathleen Popa's debut novel blends a heart-twistingly beautiful tale of human frailties and ugliness with the love of God working through broken characters.

From the rigid Bible professor who has God all figured out and bullet-pointed directions for anyone else who might need help, to the inner whisper that tells Dara that she is sought by God -- this story is full of forgiveness and renewal.

Love blows through the narrative like a wind across a desert, lifting, shifting and rearranging thoughts and raising questions.

Grace abounds and amazing reconciliations and understandings bloom into joy.

The characters reached in and grabbed my heart, leaving shadows of subtle influence behind.

After an initial struggle to ease into Kathleen's rhythm and voice, I caught the nuances and rode it to the solid conclusion.

A sensitivity alert -- this novel contains grittiness that may be too intense for those looking for a simple escapist read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enveloping fiction from an author whose every word is magic, April 19, 2007

By 

Sharon K. Souza (Acampo, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Dance in the Desert: A Novel (Paperback)

Kathleen Popa's debut novel is a beautifully-written, moving story of loss and redemption. To Dance in the Desert draws you in from the opening page and holds you to the final line. Popa's characters, from Dara Brogan to little Clemmie, are masterfully created. They each have their own struggles. You feel as if you know them well. She's created a world in Brittlebush where you'd just like to stop in at the Studmuffin Cafe and have a cup of coffee with the gang. It's an exceptional read.