The Turning [Hardcover]

Gloria Whelan (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

In the spring of 1991, a Russianballerina dreams of leaving Leningrad -- forever. A member of the Kirov Ballet Corps, Tatiana hopes to be chosen for the troupe's Paris tour. Once there, she will try to escape the watchful eye of KGB agents, defect to France, and leave the complicated politics of the Soviet Union behind.

But like ballet, leaving is harder than it looks. Tatiana becomes entangled in her country's struggle for democracy, and her dream of a better life in Paris is soon challenged by hope for her country's future. Tatiana must make a choice, and there will be no turning back.

This companion novel to National Book Award winner Gloria Whelan's breathtaking epics angel on the square, the impossible journey, and burying the sun offers a riveting portrait of a nation, and a young woman, on the brink of spectacular change.

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8–In 1991, 17-year-old Tanya is encouraged by Vera, another member of the Kirov Ballet Corps, to defect with her when the company goes on tour to Paris. The teens come from very different backgrounds. Veras family is rich because of her fathers black-market dealings, while Tanyas family has sacrificed a lot to allow her to pursue her career. Vera dreams of escaping the dreariness of the Soviet Union, while her friend thinks of defection as a way to better her career opportunities. Tanyas personal turmoil and worries are mirrored in the political strife around her. Her grandfather has always been politically active, and there is great excitement as the struggle for power goes on between Gorbachev and Yeltsin. The author has successfully woven Russian history and culture into this story. The day-to-day rivalries and jealousies among the dancers at the ballet company are believable enough to hold readers interest. There is also a hint of romance between Tanya and a talented artist who is almost caught up in some illegal art dealings to pay for the medicine his grandmother needs. Tanya is an appealing, thoughtful heroine whose political awareness and integrity will encourage readers to think about the importance of decisions and events in peoples lives.–Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Living in Leningrad with her parents and grandparents, Tanya tells her story in this, the fourth in a series of twentieth-century historical novels featuring members of the same family in different eras. Tanya's grandfather Georgi was the narrator in Burying the Sun (2004), which took place during the siege of Leningrad in 1941. Fifty years later, Tanya's parents must work hard to put enough food on the table, but political discussion is plentiful in the household, as the Soviet Union is on the verge of enormous change. A young dancer with the Kirov Ballet, Tanya wonders if she will have the courage to defect when the company goes to Paris, as her friend urges her to do. Details of everyday life will help readers picture the settings, people, and events through Tanya's eyes as the story sweeps rapidly along to its inevitable conclusion. Though the young dancer's presence in the Moscow parliament building at the pivotal political moment is not convincing, readers will want to follow her personal struggle as it evolves throughout the book. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (January 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060755938
• ISBN-13: 978-0060755935
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,772,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good author, March 16, 2007

By 

C. Crane (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Turning (Hardcover)

My middle-school-aged daughter is very picky about what she chooses to read. This book is part of a series of books by the same author. My daughter has read all of them and loves each one. This book is definitely worth buying and since they are set in Russia, each provides a sort of cultural experience as well.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this!!!, April 6, 2009

By 

ira a. rosenberg - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Turning (Kindle Edition)

Best author ever. Also read Angel on the Square and Homeless Bird. Oh, Parade of Shadows, too.