Customer Reviews

Echoes of the Dance

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4 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(1)
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Marcia Willett brings her special brand of English charm to this family saga set in the Cornish countryside. Mim Carradine is an acclaimed ballerina who suffers a career-ending tragedy, the details of which have far-reaching consequences. She finds comfort in managing a school to train dancers for the stage. Uncannily, history seems to repeat itself when one of her former star pupils also suffers a career-ending accident. Lured to Mim's family home in Cornwall, Daisy rediscovers her inner strength as she choreographs a Christmas matinee and puts to rest the remnants of a love affair gone sour. Pivotal to this novel is Mim's brother, Roly Carradine, who harbors a long-standing secret that has led him to alcoholism, divorce, and a rocky relationship with his son.

Followers of Willett's series will be delighted with the reappearance of Kate Webster, one of Willett's most endearing characters (First Friends, A Friend of the Family) as she has reached her senior years and has many problems to bear: her grief as a widow, finances that are forcing her to sell her family home, and the fact that her son Guy and his family are moving to Canada. It's all too much to bear for Kate, but she finds consolation and help from her dear friend Roly Carradine, his son Nat, and Nat's friend Janna.

Along with enchanting new characters like Janna, Nat, and Daisy, there are glimpses of old friends from previous Willett novels: Harriett, Michael, Gemma, Guy, and Giles all appear and there is mention of Cass, Felicity, and Bruno. The old and the new mix wonderfully for an enchanting new story that lets the reader see how Kate and her sons have progressed through the years.

As with all Willett novels, loose ends are resolved nicely and everyone is looking to the future with new hope. If family sagas with happy endings are your cup of tea, you will find this one spot on.

I am a huge fan of Marcia Willett and her latest book didn't disappoint me. Many of the characters have been in previous books and it was so nice to revisit them as they have aged. It was like visiting relatives you haven't seen in a while. Added to the story were new characters that I hope will be in future novels. Her stories are so good that you just want to live in the places she describes and be good friends with the characters.

Oh what an inestimable treat to find our old friends Cass Wivenhoe (although only mentioned in passing, but very much in our hearts) and Kate Webster, whom we met in First Friends and Friend of the Family!

When I eagerly picked up this latest from wonderful Marcia Willett, I had no idea it was a sequel of sorts, and so was doubly delighted to find dear Kate Webster, whom we last saw happy at last in a new and companionable marriage. Now she is widowed, and in the throes of indecision: sell or keep the house? Give her heart again to a dog (as readers of the series know, Kate has been a dog breeder, but now has no dogs at all!)? She is in a "dither," and our hearts go out to her.

Then there are all the new and wonderful people to get to know: Roly, a friend of Kate's of long-standing; his choreographer sister Mim, whose brilliant dancing career was halted after a serious accident many years before; a lovely, fey young dancer, Daisy, recuperating after her own serious injury and in love with the wrong man; and so many others. Willet's genius is that she allows the reader to get to know her characters as they would real people...slowly, and with growing understanding.

There is a sweet and understated plot, as always, but I won't belabor it here. Suffice to say that this book absolutely can't be missed. I recommend it as a first Willet read or, for those of us who have become enamored of this wonderful British author, an absolutely delicious sequel. Enjoy!

"Echos of the Dance" is a complex, heartwarming story of love, loss, and somehow finding along the way that we are never truly alone. God walks with us every step of the way. The ending of this book was one of the best endings I've ever read. It gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes.

Roly, Kate, Daisy, Mim are some of the main characters. All are alone now for various reasons and yet they find a way to keep moving forward. Roly is great at solving other peoples problems and he is referred to in the book as the great unwumbler. Kate is trying to move on and find a place in life after the death of her husband. Willett writes with such a sense of knowing that you can just feel what Kate is feeling and how it would be to go through something like that. Daisy is young, a dancer who has injuries that might prevent her from returning to dance again. Mim has a story to tell too, but I don't want to give it all away. Let's just say that Marcia Willett has done it again. If you enjoy her books, this one won't disappoint you. She is a beautiful writer. So, buy it, and find a cozy corner and enjoy another life adventure in the beautiful English countryside.

I really enjoy Marcia Willett's books as they are full of characters that feel like friends. This one was not one of my favorites, but was still a worthwhile read.

Echoes of the Dance is the follow up to the Children's Hour. Marcia Willett is an expert at capturing the essence of each character so we understand the decisions each character makes. This book tells the story of a group of intermingled relationships between relatives and friends of relatives. Each character is trying to understand the dance of relationships beyond romantic love, parental love. I enjoyed this book very much, could hardly put it down. I found it difficult at first to remember each character and their relationship to the others.

Marcia Willet can write, I'll give her that. And this book is peopled with lovely folks you'd like to sit down with over a cup of tea. Young Daisy Quin has had an injury which threatens to end her dancing career. Roly Carradine has mostly his dogs for company. His sister Mim is busy with dance comapany productions. He would enjoy offering Daisy a place in which to rest and heal. Others find themselves in various less than satisfactory situations. Salvation, or no? A nice warm, comfy read getting there.

In Dartmoor, Cornwall, Roly converted his barn where he lives into a canine-rescue operation. Roly is unhappy as his overbearing former wife Monica is coming to town while her new mate is busy at work so that she can see their son Nat. Also besieged with the invasion of Hurricane Monica is Widow Kate, who sympathizes with Roly and Nat even as the dog rescuer tries to persuade the grieving widow to take in a canine. However, Kate soon realizes that father and son have hidden key elements in their relationship with calculating Monica that explains much.

Meanwhile Roly's sister Mim runs a dance studio in London so they don't see each other as much as they used too when he was a photographer as he has since retired. She wants to help Daisy Quin, an injured former dancer adjust to becoming either becoming a civilian or an instructor while her sibling takes in the stray human.

Fans of Marcia Willett will rejoice with the return of Kate Webster and friends (see FIRST FRIENDS and A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY) as everyone rallies to help one another work through their personal issues. The key characters as always are full blooded and remain consistent with past performances. Though the story line in some ways reads like a series of episodes that techniques works as it adds to the feel of real people with worries until the too sappy ending.

Harriet Klausner

Marcia Willett (whose work reminds me of Rosamunde Pilcher) has crafted a wonderful novel here, drawing on characters previously met in earlier works (but not requiring that you have read them to enjoy this book). The story revolves around Roly, needing forgiveness for past blunders; Kate, grieving the recent death of her husband; Daisy, a young dancer recuperating from a serious injury; and Nat, Roly's son, who is bearing his own secret burden. Ms. Willett writes with warmth and a deep understanding of human relationships, bringing to life her characters as well as the beauty and peace of the Cornish countryside. A book to savor.

"Echoes of the Dance" brings together healing on all levels. The echoes of timeless spirituality thru Julian of Norwich reach into today's world. Ms. Willett touches the heart of her characters in all her books. She is one of my all time favorite authors.