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Dancing on Broken Glass
A powerfully written debut novel offering an intimate look at one couple's unconventional marriage that survives against all odds.
Lucy Houston and Mickey Chandler probably shouldn’t have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. They’re both plagued with faulty genes—he has bipolar disorder, and she has a ravaging family history of breast cancer. But when their paths cross on the night of Lucy’s twenty-first birthday, sparks fly, and there’s no denying their chemistry.
Cautious every step of the way, they are determined to make their relationship work—and they put it all in writing. Mickey promises to take his medication. Lucy promises not to blame him for what is beyond his control. He promises honesty. She promises patience. Like any marriage, they have good days and bad days—and some very bad days. In dealing with their unique challenges, they make the heartbreaking decision not to have children. But when Lucy shows up for a routine physical just shy of their eleventh anniversary, she gets an impossible surprise that changes everything. Everything. Suddenly, all their rules are thrown out the window, and the two of them must redefine what love really is.
An unvarnished portrait of a marriage that is both ordinary and extraordinary, Dancing on Broken Glass takes readers on an unforgettable journey of the heart.
Lucy Houston and Mickey Chandler probably shouldn’t have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. They’re both plagued with faulty genes—he has bipolar disorder, and she has a ravaging family history of breast cancer. But when their paths cross on the night of Lucy’s twenty-first birthday, sparks fly, and there’s no denying their chemistry.
Cautious every step of the way, they are determined to make their relationship work—and they put it all in writing. Mickey promises to take his medication. Lucy promises not to blame him for what is beyond his control. He promises honesty. She promises patience. Like any marriage, they have good days and bad days—and some very bad days. In dealing with their unique challenges, they make the heartbreaking decision not to have children. But when Lucy shows up for a routine physical just shy of their eleventh anniversary, she gets an impossible surprise that changes everything. Everything. Suddenly, all their rules are thrown out the window, and the two of them must redefine what love really is.
An unvarnished portrait of a marriage that is both ordinary and extraordinary, Dancing on Broken Glass takes readers on an unforgettable journey of the heart.
394 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2012
About the author
Ka Hancock
4 books335 followersKa was born and raised in Utah in the shadow of the most spectacular mountains on earth. She's spent her career and expertise in the field of mental health. Between raising her family, going to school, working and getting the laundry done, she managed to become a writer. Her work takes an unvarnished look at imperfect people living the randomness of life in flawed circumstances. Her underlying faith in the resiliency of the human spirit shines through in everything she creates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,566 reviews
July 22, 2022
POSSIBLE SPOILERS PRESENT WITHIN REVIEW
Okay, so I finished this novel with tears streaming down my face along with a box of Kleenex by my side. This has got to be the saddest, most emotional book that I have EVER read! All I can say is WOW! How did the author pull this off without crying herself...or maybe she did? I really just don’t know where she got the heart and sensitivity to write a book like this. I guess that’s why she’s the author and I’m the reader. So, with that being said, Ms. Hancock creates the story of two damaged souls...Michael “Mickey” Chandler and Lucille “Lucy” Houston - each individual carrying around enough baggage that could sink the Titantic yet again. Mickey grew up watching his mother suffer from a bi-polar imbalance, which eventually plagues Mickey himself. Lucy dealing first with the fatal shooting of her father during his employment as a police officer and then watching her mother wither away from breast cancer, which eventually consumes Lucy herself. The two meet during Lucy’s 21st birthday celebration and are immediately attracted to each other. I don’t need to tell how they end up together...they just do. But what comes next is a novel that alternates splendidly through alternating voices in the past and present, first with Mickey’s dated journal entries beginning each chapter and then Lucy immediately following him reminiscing about their ups and downs as a loving couple. Now I won’t go into what BIG THING happens in their lives to totally change it even though it is revealed on the dust jacket, but I will say that it is really something HUGE that changes everything that they had planned for their future. The book touches on relationships between sisters, relationships between parents, and especially relationships between spouses. So much so, that it had me so believing that these characters were actually real. I really felt so sorry for these two people, and I couldn’t help but wonder,”How much heartache could this two individuals actually take?”. They were both such good and honest people. They really didn’t deserve all the sadness and anguish that affected their lives. You could also tell that the author did mountains and mountains worth of research or at least was very knowledgeable about the bi-polar disorder. I really have never known anyone with this disorder, but it does sound very unpredictable and highly dependent on medication. Ms. Hancock has written a touching novel filled with sadness, heartbreak, love, and mostly hope. Hope that anyone reading this novel will understand and be compassionate about the ravaging disease of cancer and the debilitating disorder of bi-polar. It’s now been almost a week since I finished reading this novel, and I can honestly say that I am still thinking about it. It’s been a long time since a book has really touched my heart like this. Please read it, you will not be disappointed!!! Can’t wait for the next Ka Hancock book to be released!! A simply outstanding debut!!
Okay, so I finished this novel with tears streaming down my face along with a box of Kleenex by my side. This has got to be the saddest, most emotional book that I have EVER read! All I can say is WOW! How did the author pull this off without crying herself...or maybe she did? I really just don’t know where she got the heart and sensitivity to write a book like this. I guess that’s why she’s the author and I’m the reader. So, with that being said, Ms. Hancock creates the story of two damaged souls...Michael “Mickey” Chandler and Lucille “Lucy” Houston - each individual carrying around enough baggage that could sink the Titantic yet again. Mickey grew up watching his mother suffer from a bi-polar imbalance, which eventually plagues Mickey himself. Lucy dealing first with the fatal shooting of her father during his employment as a police officer and then watching her mother wither away from breast cancer, which eventually consumes Lucy herself. The two meet during Lucy’s 21st birthday celebration and are immediately attracted to each other. I don’t need to tell how they end up together...they just do. But what comes next is a novel that alternates splendidly through alternating voices in the past and present, first with Mickey’s dated journal entries beginning each chapter and then Lucy immediately following him reminiscing about their ups and downs as a loving couple. Now I won’t go into what BIG THING happens in their lives to totally change it even though it is revealed on the dust jacket, but I will say that it is really something HUGE that changes everything that they had planned for their future. The book touches on relationships between sisters, relationships between parents, and especially relationships between spouses. So much so, that it had me so believing that these characters were actually real. I really felt so sorry for these two people, and I couldn’t help but wonder,”How much heartache could this two individuals actually take?”. They were both such good and honest people. They really didn’t deserve all the sadness and anguish that affected their lives. You could also tell that the author did mountains and mountains worth of research or at least was very knowledgeable about the bi-polar disorder. I really have never known anyone with this disorder, but it does sound very unpredictable and highly dependent on medication. Ms. Hancock has written a touching novel filled with sadness, heartbreak, love, and mostly hope. Hope that anyone reading this novel will understand and be compassionate about the ravaging disease of cancer and the debilitating disorder of bi-polar. It’s now been almost a week since I finished reading this novel, and I can honestly say that I am still thinking about it. It’s been a long time since a book has really touched my heart like this. Please read it, you will not be disappointed!!! Can’t wait for the next Ka Hancock book to be released!! A simply outstanding debut!!
May 21, 2019
I read this book before my Goodreads initiation, but it is a book that I absolutely loved and selfishly do not appear to recommend very often.Why? I think it's because I don't want it lumped together with all the other contemporary fiction or chick lit books on the market. Because I think it's special. Because it hit at the heart strings and begged me to wonder "If it was me, what would I do?" Off the top of my head I have only had that experience with a handful of books. I'm not going to name them because I fear turning other readers away by making comparisons.
It's also a scary book. Because the author never makes you feel like there's only one answer. Nor is it preachy. It's messy! This book will leave you in an emotional state of mind. Empty Kleenex boxes and tears will probably be part of it too. But it's all worthwhile and that's truly the greatest part.
It's also a scary book. Because the author never makes you feel like there's only one answer. Nor is it preachy. It's messy! This book will leave you in an emotional state of mind. Empty Kleenex boxes and tears will probably be part of it too. But it's all worthwhile and that's truly the greatest part.
April 9, 2017
Lived up to my expectation. Review to come. (note, I listened to the audio. Very well done with 2 narrators)
This book was a recommendation to me back in 2012. Oh why did I wait so long? This is a love story. For me though I felt it was a life story. The love story is centered on Lucy and Mickey, who despite the hurdles they face take the leap to love each other, deciding that their love is stronger than anything that may come their way. In the end tragedy has its day, but it is the love that is strongest. I felt the love story included love of family, love of community. The relationships and characters Hancock develops are wonderful. I especially liked the sisters relationships and that of Mickey and his doctor. I was pulled into the lives of these people. They were real folks, people I recognized. The writing is beautiful.
Bipolar illness and cancer are main characters as well. Having worked in psychiatry and lost loved ones to cancer, I recognized them right away. For readers who have not met them, Hancock does an incredible job of showing their horrible traits. She takes the reader on Lucy and Mickey's journey as they struggle with all the tragedy that comes to them. You feel the fear, the anger, the sadness but in the end you are left with the feeling that no matter what, the strength of love endures.
When Mickey's psychiatrist talks to Lucy about marriage, he talks about it being like a dance but goes on to explain that with a Bipolar it would often be "dancing on broken glass." Yet, she chose to dance and this quote was great.
“Broken glass. At the moment, we were barefoot and dancing over a sea of it. But as true as that was, Mickey knew I would dance with him forever if I could, bloody feet and all.”
Is this a sad story? Most definitely, so get the kleenex out, and not just for the end. But as I said, I felt this was also a life story, with lessons on how to love, how to struggle, how to lose, how to come out on the other side. Somehow, as sad as this story was, after turning the last page I felt content as if redeemed that life would be OK.
I have watched for other books by this wonderful writer and am still waiting. If she does not publish again, it would be the readers loss, but this book alone would be her triumph.
Another quote I took away:
“I think the overriding message would be that love is serious business. True, down-to-the-crap love is not for the shallow or faint of heart. People are messy. Marriage is messy. You have to bring your best self to the game despite your limitations.”
This book was a recommendation to me back in 2012. Oh why did I wait so long? This is a love story. For me though I felt it was a life story. The love story is centered on Lucy and Mickey, who despite the hurdles they face take the leap to love each other, deciding that their love is stronger than anything that may come their way. In the end tragedy has its day, but it is the love that is strongest. I felt the love story included love of family, love of community. The relationships and characters Hancock develops are wonderful. I especially liked the sisters relationships and that of Mickey and his doctor. I was pulled into the lives of these people. They were real folks, people I recognized. The writing is beautiful.
Bipolar illness and cancer are main characters as well. Having worked in psychiatry and lost loved ones to cancer, I recognized them right away. For readers who have not met them, Hancock does an incredible job of showing their horrible traits. She takes the reader on Lucy and Mickey's journey as they struggle with all the tragedy that comes to them. You feel the fear, the anger, the sadness but in the end you are left with the feeling that no matter what, the strength of love endures.
When Mickey's psychiatrist talks to Lucy about marriage, he talks about it being like a dance but goes on to explain that with a Bipolar it would often be "dancing on broken glass." Yet, she chose to dance and this quote was great.
“Broken glass. At the moment, we were barefoot and dancing over a sea of it. But as true as that was, Mickey knew I would dance with him forever if I could, bloody feet and all.”
Is this a sad story? Most definitely, so get the kleenex out, and not just for the end. But as I said, I felt this was also a life story, with lessons on how to love, how to struggle, how to lose, how to come out on the other side. Somehow, as sad as this story was, after turning the last page I felt content as if redeemed that life would be OK.
I have watched for other books by this wonderful writer and am still waiting. If she does not publish again, it would be the readers loss, but this book alone would be her triumph.
Another quote I took away:
“I think the overriding message would be that love is serious business. True, down-to-the-crap love is not for the shallow or faint of heart. People are messy. Marriage is messy. You have to bring your best self to the game despite your limitations.”
November 23, 2023
This book took me over a year to read for various reasons. I had seen it on Goodreads, and couldn't source it locally. I try not to buy books anymore as I only hold on to keepers. So Open Library was great, and I started reading it on quiet times at the service desk at work, this was slow going.
For whatever reason Open Library removed this title. I know there's been a lot of changes on this site for serious reasons, so I ended up placing an inter library loan which put the pressure on. The book had to be read. No more mucking around!
This book was about death and the cycle of life, the impact on those left behind and the willingness of those dying to abandon the love of themselves for the love of others.
Initially part of my problem with the book was the introduction of all the townsfolk, it felt like the intro of this married couple, the lady down the road and so on was all a bit much. Each name was first name surname which all just seemed unnecessary. The small town vibe, the festivals the all day community softball matches and the spirit of the town didn't ring true.
Lucy and Mickey sign a contract. They both have serious medical flaws, she the breast cancer gene having lost her mother, and he terribly afflicted with bipolar, at the extreme end. They fall in love in the Hallmark TV movie way (which is the general tone of the book for me), marry and make the contract decision to never have children. The story becomes serious as this does not work out for them. Serious decisions to be made, none agreeable and life is perilous for everyone.
The town loves Lucy, Mickey loves Lucy most of the time he stays on his meds, and Lucy adores her husband, it's all quite romantic and intense.
The town will always step in, the township in reminiscent of The Gilmore Girls (which the author mentions in the acknowledgments). I liked this book enough, I wasn't captivated, it did seem to drag a little for me.
2.5 rounded up because I had a few almost formed tears toward the end.
For whatever reason Open Library removed this title. I know there's been a lot of changes on this site for serious reasons, so I ended up placing an inter library loan which put the pressure on. The book had to be read. No more mucking around!
This book was about death and the cycle of life, the impact on those left behind and the willingness of those dying to abandon the love of themselves for the love of others.
Initially part of my problem with the book was the introduction of all the townsfolk, it felt like the intro of this married couple, the lady down the road and so on was all a bit much. Each name was first name surname which all just seemed unnecessary. The small town vibe, the festivals the all day community softball matches and the spirit of the town didn't ring true.
Lucy and Mickey sign a contract. They both have serious medical flaws, she the breast cancer gene having lost her mother, and he terribly afflicted with bipolar, at the extreme end. They fall in love in the Hallmark TV movie way (which is the general tone of the book for me), marry and make the contract decision to never have children. The story becomes serious as this does not work out for them. Serious decisions to be made, none agreeable and life is perilous for everyone.
The town loves Lucy, Mickey loves Lucy most of the time he stays on his meds, and Lucy adores her husband, it's all quite romantic and intense.
The town will always step in, the township in reminiscent of The Gilmore Girls (which the author mentions in the acknowledgments). I liked this book enough, I wasn't captivated, it did seem to drag a little for me.
2.5 rounded up because I had a few almost formed tears toward the end.
August 7, 2013
A RARE INSIGHT INTO BIPOLAR DISORDER: DEEPLY MOVING, SENSITIVE AND SMART
Dancing on Broken Glass is life-affirming and unapologetically sentimental. It’s also a raw and realistic portrayal of people coping with life’s truly tough challenges. It’s about mental illness, up close and personal. And cancer, up close and personal. It’s about the genetic luck of the draw. It’s a story about community, about a tight fabric of people who’ve known each other their whole lives and who support and care for each other, in small ways and large. The characters are so richly observed, you can’t help but care about them. Be sure to keep the tissues handy. If you don’t shed at least a few tears reading this gem, then you might want to check your heart still has a beat.
Dancing on Broken Glass is life-affirming and unapologetically sentimental. It’s also a raw and realistic portrayal of people coping with life’s truly tough challenges. It’s about mental illness, up close and personal. And cancer, up close and personal. It’s about the genetic luck of the draw. It’s a story about community, about a tight fabric of people who’ve known each other their whole lives and who support and care for each other, in small ways and large. The characters are so richly observed, you can’t help but care about them. Be sure to keep the tissues handy. If you don’t shed at least a few tears reading this gem, then you might want to check your heart still has a beat.
October 11, 2023
Reread 8 years later. Ka Hancock is such an exceptional talent. This was just as remarkable as I remember it. ♥️
5 Stars
And there goes my heart. Melting into one big pile of goo.
This book broke me with its honesty, grief and unfairness. The writing was simply gorgeous. I had to walk away from it several times, but I always came back because I couldn't give up on these characters.
"I really think everyone should be important enough to just one other person on this freaking planet to be fought for. Even me. And nobody's fighting for me. So I'm done."
5 Stars
And there goes my heart. Melting into one big pile of goo.
This book broke me with its honesty, grief and unfairness. The writing was simply gorgeous. I had to walk away from it several times, but I always came back because I couldn't give up on these characters.
"I really think everyone should be important enough to just one other person on this freaking planet to be fought for. Even me. And nobody's fighting for me. So I'm done."
April 9, 2021
Orijinali Kitap Esintisi adresinde.
Hiçbir kitabın yorumunda şu anki gibi hissedip, gözyaşlarım görüşümü bulandırırken yazmaya başlamadım. Ama şimdi yazamazsam bu kitabı daha iyi ne zaman anlatırım bilemedim. Bu bir dram kitabı. Adından, konusundan, tipinden, her şeyinden belli. Benim dram içerikli her şeyden kaçıp, dramın babasının içine düşmem inanılmaz ironik. Aynı Yıldızın Altında’yı da okudum, ama bunun gibi hissetmediğim kesin. Evet ona da ağladım, çok üzüldüm, doğru. Ama buradaki hikaye yaşama sevincimin bir kısmını da götürüp bitti.
Olayı çok anlatmayacağım, çünkü ağlamak istemiyorum tekrar. Mickey bipolar hastası, Lucy ise ailesinden kanser genlerini almış. Bir kere kanseri atlatmış ama tekrar nüksetmesi ve bu sefer kurtulamayacağını bilmesi sizi bir güzel ağlatıyor. Ama asıl nokta, bir mucize eseri hamile kalması ve bebeğinden vazgeçmeyi reddettiği için alacağı tüm kemo ve radyoterapilerini de reddetmesi. Mickey zaten sorunlu bir karakter, Lucy’nin bu yaptığını bencillik olarak düşünüp birçok kere onunla tartışıyor. SONU DA ÇOK KÖTÜ BİTİYOR!
Daha başka bir şey demeyeceğim. Kristin Hannah kim ki dersiniz bence bu kitabı okuduğunuzda. Hani ben yarım yamalak Gece Yolu’nu ve biraz da Evden Çok Uzakta’yı okumuş biri olarak, bu kitabın yanında hepsinin çerez gibi kalacağını düşünüyorum. Korkup da okumadığım Jodi Picoult romanlarını, hayatın garip bir karmasıyla tam doz kalbime enjekte edilmiş gibi hissediyorum. Gerçekten kaçarım bu tip kitaplardan, bir de böyle üzüldükten sonra yazara sinirlenirim: Neden yazdın bunu? Niye bu kadar ağlatırlar insanları anlamam etmem, bu ruh halinden de bir süre çıkamam. En son bu hale geldiğimde şu meşhur Çatı serisinin son kitabını okuyup yazara küfrederken bulmuştum kendimi, şimdi nispeten daha olgun karşıladığımı düşünüyorum. (:P)
Valla kitabı okurken akrabam ölmüş gibi hissettim, sayfaların birçoğunda da yer yer ıslaklıklar var. Bu size kitap hakkında yeterli bilgiyi de vermiştir diye düşünüyorum. Ha niye 5 verdin derseniz de, büyük ihtimalle tüm bu yazdıklarımı yaşatmasından. Hani bir kitap sizi bu denli etkilemeyi başarıyorsa orada farklı bir şey vardır diye düşünüyorum. Çok sert vuruyor ama iyi vuruyor işte.
Hiçbir kitabın yorumunda şu anki gibi hissedip, gözyaşlarım görüşümü bulandırırken yazmaya başlamadım. Ama şimdi yazamazsam bu kitabı daha iyi ne zaman anlatırım bilemedim. Bu bir dram kitabı. Adından, konusundan, tipinden, her şeyinden belli. Benim dram içerikli her şeyden kaçıp, dramın babasının içine düşmem inanılmaz ironik. Aynı Yıldızın Altında’yı da okudum, ama bunun gibi hissetmediğim kesin. Evet ona da ağladım, çok üzüldüm, doğru. Ama buradaki hikaye yaşama sevincimin bir kısmını da götürüp bitti.
Olayı çok anlatmayacağım, çünkü ağlamak istemiyorum tekrar. Mickey bipolar hastası, Lucy ise ailesinden kanser genlerini almış. Bir kere kanseri atlatmış ama tekrar nüksetmesi ve bu sefer kurtulamayacağını bilmesi sizi bir güzel ağlatıyor. Ama asıl nokta, bir mucize eseri hamile kalması ve bebeğinden vazgeçmeyi reddettiği için alacağı tüm kemo ve radyoterapilerini de reddetmesi. Mickey zaten sorunlu bir karakter, Lucy’nin bu yaptığını bencillik olarak düşünüp birçok kere onunla tartışıyor. SONU DA ÇOK KÖTÜ BİTİYOR!
Daha başka bir şey demeyeceğim. Kristin Hannah kim ki dersiniz bence bu kitabı okuduğunuzda. Hani ben yarım yamalak Gece Yolu’nu ve biraz da Evden Çok Uzakta’yı okumuş biri olarak, bu kitabın yanında hepsinin çerez gibi kalacağını düşünüyorum. Korkup da okumadığım Jodi Picoult romanlarını, hayatın garip bir karmasıyla tam doz kalbime enjekte edilmiş gibi hissediyorum. Gerçekten kaçarım bu tip kitaplardan, bir de böyle üzüldükten sonra yazara sinirlenirim: Neden yazdın bunu? Niye bu kadar ağlatırlar insanları anlamam etmem, bu ruh halinden de bir süre çıkamam. En son bu hale geldiğimde şu meşhur Çatı serisinin son kitabını okuyup yazara küfrederken bulmuştum kendimi, şimdi nispeten daha olgun karşıladığımı düşünüyorum. (:P)
Valla kitabı okurken akrabam ölmüş gibi hissettim, sayfaların birçoğunda da yer yer ıslaklıklar var. Bu size kitap hakkında yeterli bilgiyi de vermiştir diye düşünüyorum. Ha niye 5 verdin derseniz de, büyük ihtimalle tüm bu yazdıklarımı yaşatmasından. Hani bir kitap sizi bu denli etkilemeyi başarıyorsa orada farklı bir şey vardır diye düşünüyorum. Çok sert vuruyor ama iyi vuruyor işte.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2014
Parts of this book were beautiful and deeply moving, but I felt betrayed by the plot. When I realized where it was headed -- about a third of the way through -- I stopped, and skimmed the rest. This book didn't need more tragedy and melodrama to succeed. The main characters were well-developed and interesting (though some of the minor characters were romanticized and unrealistic), and the themes were universal. This book would have been so much more unique if Lucy and Mickey were challenged to further develop and strengthen their relationship in order to parent together, despite the constant anxiety about Lucy becoming sick again, and despite Mickey's risk for relapse. The joys and challenges of co-parenting a child, given their personalities and life circumstances, would have made for a much more compelling story. I also found myself very annoyed that both Lucy and Mickey's medical providers (Gleason and Charlotte) were so unrealistically involved in their personal lives, and so constantly available -- and that the care they received was so stellar. In early 21st century America, this is unfortunately a fantasy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2012
I enjoyed the concept of this book as it is rare to read a love story that involves someone with bipolar disorder. Lucy is able to see past the illness and fall in love with the man, even when the realities of the illness rear their undeniable heads. I can tell, however, that this book is a "first" book. I feel that this author is talented and hope to read her future works. That being said, this book needed about 100 pages trimmed. She showed us how people we love can help us to heal from crushing grief, but we don't need to be shown 20 times. Less can sometimes have more impact; too much leads us to skip pages.
Hancock's characters kept me wanting to read the book. Mickey's character shows growth from the beginning to the end. Lucy fills the role of "saint" and because of her story arc, does not deviate from that path. As the author writes more, I think she will be able to write a more "complete" person, one who does not always make the selfless decision, one who is not always predictable. The pinnacle of character development is when an author can craft a character who is allowed to surprise you or even anger you without making you feel that you have been deceived.
If you are on the fence about reading this book, give it a try. There are some gems to be found within its pages. You just have to wade through a lot of superfluous pages to find them.
Hancock's characters kept me wanting to read the book. Mickey's character shows growth from the beginning to the end. Lucy fills the role of "saint" and because of her story arc, does not deviate from that path. As the author writes more, I think she will be able to write a more "complete" person, one who does not always make the selfless decision, one who is not always predictable. The pinnacle of character development is when an author can craft a character who is allowed to surprise you or even anger you without making you feel that you have been deceived.
If you are on the fence about reading this book, give it a try. There are some gems to be found within its pages. You just have to wade through a lot of superfluous pages to find them.
May 31, 2021
4,5 stelline
«Lulu, ci sono tre cose che ti assicuro riguardo alla morte. Una è che la morte non è la fine. Sembra che lo sia – ecco perché le persone piangono – eppure non lo è. Due, che non è dolorosa. Un’altra questione molto importante, perché le persone hanno paura di ciò che non conoscono. Non è dolorosa. E ultima, se non hai paura di lei, Lu, puoi farti trovare preparato».
Un romanzo che avevo sul kindle da diverso tempo, ma che avevo timore a iniziare per una sorta di sesto senso che mi sussurrava non fosse il momento. Ebbene, ci è voluta la spinta di un'amica, una di quelle spinte a tradimento, che alla fine mi ha fatto capitolare.
Il mio sesto senso aveva ragione perché questo libro è un concentrato di emozioni che straziano il lettore: dolore, sacrificio, rabbia, pena, ma anche, nonostante tutto, tanto amore e gioia.
La storia è quella di Lucy e Mickey, due persone segnate dalla vita per motivi diversi, entrambi drammatici. Una storia d'amore nata pian piano, con poche prospettive di riuscita, anzi se vogliamo nessuna prospettiva e, invece, grazie alla tenacia di Lucy, si rivelerà uno degli amori più profondi di cui ho letto. Perché Lucy è una forza della natura, una donna che combatte con le unghie e con i denti per "gli amori della sua vita", attraverso momenti felici, ma anche durante le ore più buie che la vita ha da offrire.
«Lucy, ogni matrimonio è una danza; a volte complicata, a volte deliziosa, il più delle volte senza eventi rilevanti. Ma con Mickey ci saranno momenti in cui la vostra danza sarà sui vetri rotti. Sarà dolorosa. O fuggirete da questo dolore o vi terrete ancora più stretti e danzerete su questi vetri fino a un punto meno accidentato.»
Così sarà la loro vita, continueranno a ballare su vetri rotti, per sempre fino alla fine del tempo donato loro, tenendosi per mano e senza mai lasciarsi andare.
In realtà l'inizio del libro mi vedeva scettica, l'autrice fa una panoramica della cittadina e dei suoi abitanti descrivendo vari eventi drammatici che mi portavano a fare confronti col modus operandi della Cherry, che, purtroppo, non amo come gestione delle sue trame invece, quando la storia si concentra sui due protagonisti acquisisce tutt'altro spessore e devo dire trattando con delicatezza un argomento spinoso come la malattia mentale.
Commovente, straziante, ma anche molto bello.
«Lulu, ci sono tre cose che ti assicuro riguardo alla morte. Una è che la morte non è la fine. Sembra che lo sia – ecco perché le persone piangono – eppure non lo è. Due, che non è dolorosa. Un’altra questione molto importante, perché le persone hanno paura di ciò che non conoscono. Non è dolorosa. E ultima, se non hai paura di lei, Lu, puoi farti trovare preparato».
Un romanzo che avevo sul kindle da diverso tempo, ma che avevo timore a iniziare per una sorta di sesto senso che mi sussurrava non fosse il momento. Ebbene, ci è voluta la spinta di un'amica, una di quelle spinte a tradimento, che alla fine mi ha fatto capitolare.
Il mio sesto senso aveva ragione perché questo libro è un concentrato di emozioni che straziano il lettore: dolore, sacrificio, rabbia, pena, ma anche, nonostante tutto, tanto amore e gioia.
La storia è quella di Lucy e Mickey, due persone segnate dalla vita per motivi diversi, entrambi drammatici. Una storia d'amore nata pian piano, con poche prospettive di riuscita, anzi se vogliamo nessuna prospettiva e, invece, grazie alla tenacia di Lucy, si rivelerà uno degli amori più profondi di cui ho letto. Perché Lucy è una forza della natura, una donna che combatte con le unghie e con i denti per "gli amori della sua vita", attraverso momenti felici, ma anche durante le ore più buie che la vita ha da offrire.
«Lucy, ogni matrimonio è una danza; a volte complicata, a volte deliziosa, il più delle volte senza eventi rilevanti. Ma con Mickey ci saranno momenti in cui la vostra danza sarà sui vetri rotti. Sarà dolorosa. O fuggirete da questo dolore o vi terrete ancora più stretti e danzerete su questi vetri fino a un punto meno accidentato.»
Così sarà la loro vita, continueranno a ballare su vetri rotti, per sempre fino alla fine del tempo donato loro, tenendosi per mano e senza mai lasciarsi andare.
In realtà l'inizio del libro mi vedeva scettica, l'autrice fa una panoramica della cittadina e dei suoi abitanti descrivendo vari eventi drammatici che mi portavano a fare confronti col modus operandi della Cherry, che, purtroppo, non amo come gestione delle sue trame invece, quando la storia si concentra sui due protagonisti acquisisce tutt'altro spessore e devo dire trattando con delicatezza un argomento spinoso come la malattia mentale.
Commovente, straziante, ma anche molto bello.
April 15, 2021
Ayy yorum bile yapamayacağım valla, böyle dram olmaz olsun. Yedi bitirdi beni kahrolasıca.
March 13, 2017
I have not read a book in awhile that made me sob like this one! i was so invested in the characters and their stories! Everything about this story was heartbreakingly beautiful! I found myself putting this down to breath and then picking it up to see what happened next! I have had this book on my tbr for awhile and just decided to pick it up. So glad i did !
October 2, 2014
I have written the first sentence multiple times and I'm still struggling how to begin. I want to be careful so I don't give spoilers without warning so I might be vague. There are so many facets of this book that I loved. I'll start with the first thing that comes to my mind.
Mickey and Lucy are complex and wonderful people. We meet Lucy first as a child as she sees Death for the first time. Death is not a verb but a noun. Death is female and not frightening. She is comforting and peaceful. At the time, her father explained to her that Death is not scary or painful. Death is also not the end but a continuation. Dying might hurt but Death does not. A few days later, Death took her father. At the age of 17, Death also took her mother. Lucy knew Death was near and felt peaceful but sad.
Lucy is a package deal. She comes with sass and two sisters, Lily who is maternal in nature but childless and Priscilla who is career driven and has ice in her veins. All of the sisters are loyal to one another but stay true to their characters. Lucy is the youngest. All live with the fear of cancer and death (even though their father said Death is nothing to fear). Their DNA dictates that cancer will come again to the Houston girls.
Mickey is 8 years older than Lucy and comes with another package. He is funny, a good business man, charismatic and bipolar. Here's what I loved at Mickey - is more than his diagnosis and makes that clear to Lucy. He also makes it clear to Lucy that being with him will be heartbreaking. He will crash and he will hurt her. It is part of the illness. He is also honest and genuine. Their marriage is not a destination but part of the journey. They accept each other and their flaws, marry and continue on. That's what I loved about their relationship. They love each other and use that love to propel them forward. Mickey hits his cycles. He becomes manic, self-medicates, hits psychosis, he's hospitalized, stabilizes, and comes home. Lucy greets him, accepts him, respects him and continues to love him. Being bipolar is one part of who he is. He's also much more than that.
At the beginning of most chapters, Mickey provides a journal entry. It's usually short but clearly and concisely, with raw honesty describes his mood disorder in a way that a textbook can't. He provides a window for the reader to comprehend why his mood escalates to something uncontrollable and how he justifies adjusting his medication. Bipolar becomes much more than a diagnosis. It has a face and personality.
Cancer is also a part of Lucy. It doesn't define her but it is a part of her. Again, Hancock doesn't gloss over anything. The doctor tells Lucy she has cancer and then we journey through her treatment with her. One character provides a truth which applies to just about everything in life. The only way through is going through it. There are no shortcuts. There are no shortcuts to a happy marriage. There are no shortcuts through cancer treatment. There are no shortcuts through depression. There are no shortcuts through death or grief. The only way through is getting up in the morning, making it through the day, going to bed. Repeat. Eventually you're at the other side.
Hancock tackles some tough issues that are not foreign to the reader. Mental illness, marital happiness or discontent, commitment to marriage vows, love, illness, loss, grief, death, dying, faith, God, peace. Many of her ideas resonated for me. I also enjoyed having a book that did not have offensive material in it. Swearing is mild, much like my own mouth. Sex is included but within appropriate context. Dialogue centers around the issues.
There is much, much more that I want to say about this but I'm afraid of spoiling it.
The book is about believing in what really matters - family, marriage, love, and faith, regardless of what life hands you. It is beautifully written and I finished in tears but filled with hope.
Loved it.
Mickey and Lucy are complex and wonderful people. We meet Lucy first as a child as she sees Death for the first time. Death is not a verb but a noun. Death is female and not frightening. She is comforting and peaceful. At the time, her father explained to her that Death is not scary or painful. Death is also not the end but a continuation. Dying might hurt but Death does not. A few days later, Death took her father. At the age of 17, Death also took her mother. Lucy knew Death was near and felt peaceful but sad.
Lucy is a package deal. She comes with sass and two sisters, Lily who is maternal in nature but childless and Priscilla who is career driven and has ice in her veins. All of the sisters are loyal to one another but stay true to their characters. Lucy is the youngest. All live with the fear of cancer and death (even though their father said Death is nothing to fear). Their DNA dictates that cancer will come again to the Houston girls.
Mickey is 8 years older than Lucy and comes with another package. He is funny, a good business man, charismatic and bipolar. Here's what I loved at Mickey - is more than his diagnosis and makes that clear to Lucy. He also makes it clear to Lucy that being with him will be heartbreaking. He will crash and he will hurt her. It is part of the illness. He is also honest and genuine. Their marriage is not a destination but part of the journey. They accept each other and their flaws, marry and continue on. That's what I loved about their relationship. They love each other and use that love to propel them forward. Mickey hits his cycles. He becomes manic, self-medicates, hits psychosis, he's hospitalized, stabilizes, and comes home. Lucy greets him, accepts him, respects him and continues to love him. Being bipolar is one part of who he is. He's also much more than that.
At the beginning of most chapters, Mickey provides a journal entry. It's usually short but clearly and concisely, with raw honesty describes his mood disorder in a way that a textbook can't. He provides a window for the reader to comprehend why his mood escalates to something uncontrollable and how he justifies adjusting his medication. Bipolar becomes much more than a diagnosis. It has a face and personality.
Cancer is also a part of Lucy. It doesn't define her but it is a part of her. Again, Hancock doesn't gloss over anything. The doctor tells Lucy she has cancer and then we journey through her treatment with her. One character provides a truth which applies to just about everything in life. The only way through is going through it. There are no shortcuts. There are no shortcuts to a happy marriage. There are no shortcuts through cancer treatment. There are no shortcuts through depression. There are no shortcuts through death or grief. The only way through is getting up in the morning, making it through the day, going to bed. Repeat. Eventually you're at the other side.
Hancock tackles some tough issues that are not foreign to the reader. Mental illness, marital happiness or discontent, commitment to marriage vows, love, illness, loss, grief, death, dying, faith, God, peace. Many of her ideas resonated for me. I also enjoyed having a book that did not have offensive material in it. Swearing is mild, much like my own mouth. Sex is included but within appropriate context. Dialogue centers around the issues.
There is much, much more that I want to say about this but I'm afraid of spoiling it.
The book is about believing in what really matters - family, marriage, love, and faith, regardless of what life hands you. It is beautifully written and I finished in tears but filled with hope.
Loved it.
February 19, 2016
Das Buch ist stellenweise mein ganz persönlicher Albtraum.
Weil es so unglaublich realistisch geschrieben ist, sog es mich förmlich auf, es war teilweise unglaublich anstrengend weiterzulesen, weil in mir viele Gefühle aufeinanderprallten. Kurzum: Es ist ein sehr gutes Buch. Ich habe mich zwischendurch gefragt, warum ich mir dieses Leid und diesen Schmerz antue- wahrscheinlich, weil ich vor solchen Dingen irgendwie Angst habe und sie deshalb in gewisser Art durchleben möchte, damit die Angst weggeht. Irgendwie war dieses Buch unglaublich bereichernd, auch wenn es mich hier und da echt fertig gemacht hat. Es die bittersüßeste Liebeserklärung an das Leben, die ich je gelesen habe.
Man sollte meiner Meinung nach Geduld, Einfühlungsvermögen und Stabilität mitbringen- sonst würde ich lieber davon die Finger lassen!
Von mir gibt es für dieses Wunderwerk fünf Sternchen!
Weil es so unglaublich realistisch geschrieben ist, sog es mich förmlich auf, es war teilweise unglaublich anstrengend weiterzulesen, weil in mir viele Gefühle aufeinanderprallten. Kurzum: Es ist ein sehr gutes Buch. Ich habe mich zwischendurch gefragt, warum ich mir dieses Leid und diesen Schmerz antue- wahrscheinlich, weil ich vor solchen Dingen irgendwie Angst habe und sie deshalb in gewisser Art durchleben möchte, damit die Angst weggeht. Irgendwie war dieses Buch unglaublich bereichernd, auch wenn es mich hier und da echt fertig gemacht hat. Es die bittersüßeste Liebeserklärung an das Leben, die ich je gelesen habe.
Man sollte meiner Meinung nach Geduld, Einfühlungsvermögen und Stabilität mitbringen- sonst würde ich lieber davon die Finger lassen!
Von mir gibt es für dieses Wunderwerk fünf Sternchen!
February 3, 2015
Dancing on Broken Glass is Ka Hancock's debut. That is hard to believe, because its one of the most true to life books I've read. I almost put it down half way through, because it was hard for me to read about Lucy's cancer. It is a love story, one that is imperfect, but yet so true. It's also about the love of 3 sisters. I've never cried like I did as I finished this, but it was so worth it! I will not soon forget this book. When Ka Hancock writes her next, I will be the first to buy it! If you like stories that pull your heart, you will love this. If you don't like a good tear jerker, it's not for you.
April 9, 2019
Ein tragisch-schönes Buch, die bewegende Geschichte einer ungewöhnlichen Liebe, die irgendwie funktioniert.
Die wundervolle, herzzerreißende Geschichte geht unter die Haut, zieht einen in diese unsichere Welt, in ihr verrücktes Leben und Ängste, Wut, Verzweiflung, Hoffnung und Trauer sind so greifbar. Aber auch Akzeptanz, Freundschaft, Familie und Zusammenhalt.
Emotional anstrengend - aber so gut! Ich bin restlos begeistert.
Lucy ist lebenslustig, aufgeweckt, liebenswert und unglaublich stark. Sie hat aber auch ein spezielles Verhältnis zum Tod und musste gegen den Krebs kämpfen, der auch ihre Familiengeschichte belastet.
Mickey ist ein toller Mann, klug, witzig und erfolgreich. Aber das sind zum Teil er und zum Teil die Medikamente. Und dann gibt es die Episoden, seiner bipolaren Störung, die er von seiner Mutter geerbt hat.
Sie führen eine glückliche Ehe, sie bewältigen schlimme Abstürze, halten an schönen Momenten fest, ihre Krankheiten schweißen sie sogar immer weiter zusammen. Bis Lucy plötzlich schwanger wird, obwohl sie sich, aus Angst ihre genetische Vorbelastung zu vererben, gegen Kinder entschieden haben.
Die Krankheiten werden hier eindringlich näher gebracht und Tragik vermittelt aber im Vordergrund steht die Liebe und diese beiden. die zusammen so stark sind und für ihr gemeinsames Glück kämpfen.
Wir erfahren, was die beiden schon durchgemacht haben und was sie jetzt bewegt. Das Ganze ist durchweg spannend, die Figuren sind wundervoll beschrieben, die ganze Konstellation, das geschaffene Umfeld stimmig und dadurch ist die Geschichte mit Leben und viel Gefühl gefüllt.
Durch die beiden Perspektiven kann man in beide, so eindrucksvoll und einfühlsam dargestellten, Gefühlswelten abtauchen und vor allem Mickeys Krankheit verstehen.
Intensives Thema, geniale Geschichte, eine unglaubliche Liebe - ich habe alles daran geliebt.
Die wundervolle, herzzerreißende Geschichte geht unter die Haut, zieht einen in diese unsichere Welt, in ihr verrücktes Leben und Ängste, Wut, Verzweiflung, Hoffnung und Trauer sind so greifbar. Aber auch Akzeptanz, Freundschaft, Familie und Zusammenhalt.
Emotional anstrengend - aber so gut! Ich bin restlos begeistert.
Lucy ist lebenslustig, aufgeweckt, liebenswert und unglaublich stark. Sie hat aber auch ein spezielles Verhältnis zum Tod und musste gegen den Krebs kämpfen, der auch ihre Familiengeschichte belastet.
Mickey ist ein toller Mann, klug, witzig und erfolgreich. Aber das sind zum Teil er und zum Teil die Medikamente. Und dann gibt es die Episoden, seiner bipolaren Störung, die er von seiner Mutter geerbt hat.
Sie führen eine glückliche Ehe, sie bewältigen schlimme Abstürze, halten an schönen Momenten fest, ihre Krankheiten schweißen sie sogar immer weiter zusammen. Bis Lucy plötzlich schwanger wird, obwohl sie sich, aus Angst ihre genetische Vorbelastung zu vererben, gegen Kinder entschieden haben.
Die Krankheiten werden hier eindringlich näher gebracht und Tragik vermittelt aber im Vordergrund steht die Liebe und diese beiden. die zusammen so stark sind und für ihr gemeinsames Glück kämpfen.
Wir erfahren, was die beiden schon durchgemacht haben und was sie jetzt bewegt. Das Ganze ist durchweg spannend, die Figuren sind wundervoll beschrieben, die ganze Konstellation, das geschaffene Umfeld stimmig und dadurch ist die Geschichte mit Leben und viel Gefühl gefüllt.
Durch die beiden Perspektiven kann man in beide, so eindrucksvoll und einfühlsam dargestellten, Gefühlswelten abtauchen und vor allem Mickeys Krankheit verstehen.
Intensives Thema, geniale Geschichte, eine unglaubliche Liebe - ich habe alles daran geliebt.
April 10, 2014
I won this through Firstreads giveaways, and I would like to thank the author for providing this book for me to read.
This book seriously impressed me. It had something for everyone. I was hooked from the first chapter to be honest, and I did not want to put it down. This book has beautiful writing, great characters, and an amazing story.
The synopsis says that these two should not have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. That has been said about so many famous literary couples, but this is a fresh take on the subject.
If you are looking for an exciting book to keep you entertained the whole way through check this out. You will laugh and cry. Feel sad yet hopeful and experience a very wide range of emotions while reading this book.
This book seriously impressed me. It had something for everyone. I was hooked from the first chapter to be honest, and I did not want to put it down. This book has beautiful writing, great characters, and an amazing story.
The synopsis says that these two should not have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. That has been said about so many famous literary couples, but this is a fresh take on the subject.
If you are looking for an exciting book to keep you entertained the whole way through check this out. You will laugh and cry. Feel sad yet hopeful and experience a very wide range of emotions while reading this book.
January 27, 2018
One of the signs of a great book is how it affects you emotionally. When I say that, I don't mean that it makes you cry necessarily but rather how invested you are in the characters and their journeys. With DANCING ON BROKEN GLASS, I felt everything. I rejoiced with Lucy and Mickey in their happiness and cried with them when they went through some of the most terrifying moments of their lives. I was totally with Lucy and Mickey the whole way, which also made me ride the tumultuous waves of emotions that is this book.
Without giving away anything important, this book is about a married couple, Mickey and Lucy. For part of the book, the story alternates through the present—when they've been married for 11 years—and the past —how they fell in love. They've had their fair share of struggles over the years but their unyielding love for each other helps them persevere through the darkest of times. Mickey and Lucy have not hit the genetic jackpot. Mental illness pulses through Mickey's family tree. His bipolar disorder can (and does) leave him chemically out of whack, leading him to the psychiatric unit at Egmont. Meanwhile, Lucy's family has been cursed with cancer, an illness she and her sister have already beat once. Due to faulty family genetics, both decide that it's best that they don't have children. But Lucy's body has other ideas and they're blessed with a pregnancy, which marks the beginning of the hardest journey of their lives.
I truly loved everything about this book—the writing, the characters, the plot. Ka Hancock's writing style is simple yet emotionally effecting and evocative. I loved Lucy and Mickey so much that through their heartbreak, my heart broke. I don't cry often in books but my morning commute was often viewed through blurry water-logged eyes. As I read this book, I felt an ever-present sense of dread lurking close by, much like the specter Lucy first met as a child. This feeling didn't really go away until the very end—an ending I both saw coming but didn't want to believe.
I've never written a book but I would imagine that creating compelling and three-dimensional protagonists is one mountain to climb. But also crafting the same qualities in the side characters is another thing altogether. All of the side characters in this book have their own distinct and nuanced personalities and problems. Lucy's sisters, Lily and Priscilla, are two of the most important people in her life and play a huge part in this novel. Lily has struggled with infertility. While corporate lawyer Priscilla has spent most of her life believing her late mother wasn't proud of her, whose pain has manifested itself in her sometimes cold and distant personality. I loved these women. I even loved Lily's sweet husband, Ron. Really, I loved all the wonderful citizens of Brinley Township.
Most of all, I loved how Lucy and Mickey loved each other. While this book is sad, it's also a story of hope and proof of the power of love—a love so pure that it can give you strength when you think you have nothing left to give. Their love for one another is pure, unconditional, and without end. It's that healing type of love that keeps on giving. I felt all of this as the reader, which is such a testament to just how fantastic Hancock's writing is. She was able to convey all of this to the reader in a beautiful way.
This book was recommended to me by my book friend, Crysti. I get it now. I get your persistence and the constant reminders for me to read this book. Dear readers, I am now going to be that person who shouts at you to read Dancing on Broken Glass because it's just that good. I love fiction that centers on married couples (think After I Do and Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid). Dancing on Broken Glass is now one of all-time favorite books. Thank you, Ka Hancock, for this treasure of a book.
Audiobook Comments:
The narrators of this book were really pleasant to listen to. We do get some of Mickey's perspective peppered throughout Lucy's first-person narrative. It was nice to see the shift in narrators during these parts. Overall, I really enjoyed this listening experience. I don't really have anything negative to say about the audiobook production at all!
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. In plain English, this means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something through the links provided. This small income goes back into my blog, so I can continue to create fun content for you. I appreciate my readers and make it my goal to be upfront and honest.
Without giving away anything important, this book is about a married couple, Mickey and Lucy. For part of the book, the story alternates through the present—when they've been married for 11 years—and the past —how they fell in love. They've had their fair share of struggles over the years but their unyielding love for each other helps them persevere through the darkest of times. Mickey and Lucy have not hit the genetic jackpot. Mental illness pulses through Mickey's family tree. His bipolar disorder can (and does) leave him chemically out of whack, leading him to the psychiatric unit at Egmont. Meanwhile, Lucy's family has been cursed with cancer, an illness she and her sister have already beat once. Due to faulty family genetics, both decide that it's best that they don't have children. But Lucy's body has other ideas and they're blessed with a pregnancy, which marks the beginning of the hardest journey of their lives.
I truly loved everything about this book—the writing, the characters, the plot. Ka Hancock's writing style is simple yet emotionally effecting and evocative. I loved Lucy and Mickey so much that through their heartbreak, my heart broke. I don't cry often in books but my morning commute was often viewed through blurry water-logged eyes. As I read this book, I felt an ever-present sense of dread lurking close by, much like the specter Lucy first met as a child. This feeling didn't really go away until the very end—an ending I both saw coming but didn't want to believe.
I've never written a book but I would imagine that creating compelling and three-dimensional protagonists is one mountain to climb. But also crafting the same qualities in the side characters is another thing altogether. All of the side characters in this book have their own distinct and nuanced personalities and problems. Lucy's sisters, Lily and Priscilla, are two of the most important people in her life and play a huge part in this novel. Lily has struggled with infertility. While corporate lawyer Priscilla has spent most of her life believing her late mother wasn't proud of her, whose pain has manifested itself in her sometimes cold and distant personality. I loved these women. I even loved Lily's sweet husband, Ron. Really, I loved all the wonderful citizens of Brinley Township.
Most of all, I loved how Lucy and Mickey loved each other. While this book is sad, it's also a story of hope and proof of the power of love—a love so pure that it can give you strength when you think you have nothing left to give. Their love for one another is pure, unconditional, and without end. It's that healing type of love that keeps on giving. I felt all of this as the reader, which is such a testament to just how fantastic Hancock's writing is. She was able to convey all of this to the reader in a beautiful way.
This book was recommended to me by my book friend, Crysti. I get it now. I get your persistence and the constant reminders for me to read this book. Dear readers, I am now going to be that person who shouts at you to read Dancing on Broken Glass because it's just that good. I love fiction that centers on married couples (think After I Do and Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid). Dancing on Broken Glass is now one of all-time favorite books. Thank you, Ka Hancock, for this treasure of a book.
Audiobook Comments:
The narrators of this book were really pleasant to listen to. We do get some of Mickey's perspective peppered throughout Lucy's first-person narrative. It was nice to see the shift in narrators during these parts. Overall, I really enjoyed this listening experience. I don't really have anything negative to say about the audiobook production at all!
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. In plain English, this means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something through the links provided. This small income goes back into my blog, so I can continue to create fun content for you. I appreciate my readers and make it my goal to be upfront and honest.
January 8, 2016
Worum geht es?
Vielleicht hätten Lucy Houston und Mickey Chandler sich nie verlieben dürfen. Und erst recht nicht heiraten. Denn beide haben ein schweres Schicksal zu tragen. Doch die Liebe geht ihre eigenen Wege, und so führen Lucy und Mickey eine ungewöhnliche, aber glückliche Ehe. Als ihr Leben eine dramatische Wendung nimmt, wird die Kraft ihrer Gefühle einer harten Prüfung unterzogen.
(via Knaur TB)
Wie hat es mir gefallen?
In einer anderen Rezension auf goodreads schrieb jemand, dass es sehr erleichternd war, zu Beginn des Lesens nicht mehr zu wissen, als der Klappentext verrät und ich denke, das möchte ich für diese Rezension auch so halten. Nur so viel sei gesagt: Zartbesaitete sollten sich Taschentücher bereit legen, die letzten 100 Seiten waren wirklich herzzerreißend.
"Lucy, jede Ehe st ein Tanz - mal kompliziert, mal wunderschön, meistens wenig aufregend. Aber mit Mickey werden Sie manchmal auf Glasscherben tanzen. Das wird weh tun. Und entweder fliehen Sie vor diesem Schmerz, oder Sie halten sich noch besser fest und tanzen weiter, bis Sie wieder Parkett unter den Füßen haben." (S. 152)
Die Geschichte wird hauptsächlich aus der Sicht von Lucy erzählt. Zu Beginn jeder Kapitel kommt aber auch ihr Mann Mickey, zu Wort - in Form von Tagebucheinträgen zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten. Besser könnte diese Stilart eigentlich nicht zum Buchinhalt und auch zu den Schicksalen beider Protagonisten passen, denn Lucy ist von Grund auf der starke Part in der Beziehung. Eine Frohnatur, egal welche Steine ihr wieder in den Weg gelegt werden. Dass Mickey sein Inneres in Tagebucheinträgen offenbart, passt zu dem Grundcharakter der ihm inne ist - was er nicht sagen kann, weil er seinen eigenen gesagten Worten nicht traut, schreibt er eben auf. Selbst wenn Mickey für Lucy mit Sicherheit auch ein starker Felsen ist, so ist es Lucy für Mickey noch viel mehr und so wundert es auch nicht, dass ihr der Großteil der zu erzählenden Geschichte zugesprochen wird. Für mich als Leserin war dies ein doppelter Gewinn, denn die Tagebucheinträge von Mickey sind dennoch so gehaltvoll, dass man über beide Protagonisten gleichermaßen viel erfährt und mitfühlt.
Vor allem erfährt man von Beginn an, wie die zwei einander lieben und zu schätzen lernen, dabei aber auch stets am Abgrund des Lebens tänzeln. Denn diese Schicksale die Lucy und Mickey vereint, sind eigentlich kein sicheres Fundament, um eine Beziehung aufzubauen. Und trotzdem wagen sie es, denn Lucy sieht Mickey, wie ihn noch nie jemand gesehen hat und andersrum ebenso.
"Im Innersten von Mickeys Wahn, im Zentrum dieses entsetzlichen Wirbelsturms lag hier sein Herz vor mir, offen und in all seinem Schmerz. Für mich. Ich konnte mir nicht vorstellen, ihn nicht zu lieben. Nicht von ihm geliebt zu werden. In diesem Augenblick wurde mir klar, dass ein Leben ohne Mickey Chandlers nicht lebenswert sein würde. Ich liebte ihn von ganzem Herzen. Und zwar so kaputt, wie er war." (S.156)
Beide sind so dermaßen unperfekt, dass sie im Umkehrschluss perfekter füreinander nicht sein könnten. Auch wenn dies bedeutet, dass ihre Beziehung und später ihre Ehe sogar durch "Verträge" gemaßregelt werden muss. Bis es eben zu dem Tag kommt, an dem der "Vertrag" unbeabsichtigt gebrochen wird. Für Mickey und Lucy ganz klar ein Wink des Schicksal, vielleicht hat Gott es genauso gewollt - doch hat er auch gewollt, dass dir das Wertvollste genommen wird und du nichts weiter als Zusehen kannst?
Letztlich müsst ihr Tanz auf Glas einfach selbst lesen, wenn ihr sowohl emotionale als auch gut recherchierte Bücher mit Tiefgang mögt. Ich bin jedenfalls der Meinung, dass der Titel nicht besser hätte gewählt sein können, auch wenn der Inhalt im englischen Titel Dancing on Broken Glass noch etwas besser zum Ausdruck kommt. Mit Chicklit hat Tanz auf Glas jedenfalls wenig gemein und auch in die Kategorie Schnulze passt es nicht so recht. Gegenwartsbelletristik ist es schon eher, mit viel Ehrlichkeit und wenig geschönten Stellen. Auf unpassende Heiterkeit wird hier ganz bewusst verzichtet, demnach braucht das Buch auch den richtigen Lesemoment. Eine erwachsene Form von Das Schicksal ist ein mieser Verräter und ein Buch für Fans von Die letzten Tage von Rabbit Hayes. Von mir gab es fünf von fünf Sternen, denn Tanz auf Glas von Ka Hancock hat meine Erwartungen nicht nur erfüllt sondern auch übertroffen!
Vielleicht hätten Lucy Houston und Mickey Chandler sich nie verlieben dürfen. Und erst recht nicht heiraten. Denn beide haben ein schweres Schicksal zu tragen. Doch die Liebe geht ihre eigenen Wege, und so führen Lucy und Mickey eine ungewöhnliche, aber glückliche Ehe. Als ihr Leben eine dramatische Wendung nimmt, wird die Kraft ihrer Gefühle einer harten Prüfung unterzogen.
(via Knaur TB)
Wie hat es mir gefallen?
In einer anderen Rezension auf goodreads schrieb jemand, dass es sehr erleichternd war, zu Beginn des Lesens nicht mehr zu wissen, als der Klappentext verrät und ich denke, das möchte ich für diese Rezension auch so halten. Nur so viel sei gesagt: Zartbesaitete sollten sich Taschentücher bereit legen, die letzten 100 Seiten waren wirklich herzzerreißend.
"Lucy, jede Ehe st ein Tanz - mal kompliziert, mal wunderschön, meistens wenig aufregend. Aber mit Mickey werden Sie manchmal auf Glasscherben tanzen. Das wird weh tun. Und entweder fliehen Sie vor diesem Schmerz, oder Sie halten sich noch besser fest und tanzen weiter, bis Sie wieder Parkett unter den Füßen haben." (S. 152)
Die Geschichte wird hauptsächlich aus der Sicht von Lucy erzählt. Zu Beginn jeder Kapitel kommt aber auch ihr Mann Mickey, zu Wort - in Form von Tagebucheinträgen zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten. Besser könnte diese Stilart eigentlich nicht zum Buchinhalt und auch zu den Schicksalen beider Protagonisten passen, denn Lucy ist von Grund auf der starke Part in der Beziehung. Eine Frohnatur, egal welche Steine ihr wieder in den Weg gelegt werden. Dass Mickey sein Inneres in Tagebucheinträgen offenbart, passt zu dem Grundcharakter der ihm inne ist - was er nicht sagen kann, weil er seinen eigenen gesagten Worten nicht traut, schreibt er eben auf. Selbst wenn Mickey für Lucy mit Sicherheit auch ein starker Felsen ist, so ist es Lucy für Mickey noch viel mehr und so wundert es auch nicht, dass ihr der Großteil der zu erzählenden Geschichte zugesprochen wird. Für mich als Leserin war dies ein doppelter Gewinn, denn die Tagebucheinträge von Mickey sind dennoch so gehaltvoll, dass man über beide Protagonisten gleichermaßen viel erfährt und mitfühlt.
Vor allem erfährt man von Beginn an, wie die zwei einander lieben und zu schätzen lernen, dabei aber auch stets am Abgrund des Lebens tänzeln. Denn diese Schicksale die Lucy und Mickey vereint, sind eigentlich kein sicheres Fundament, um eine Beziehung aufzubauen. Und trotzdem wagen sie es, denn Lucy sieht Mickey, wie ihn noch nie jemand gesehen hat und andersrum ebenso.
"Im Innersten von Mickeys Wahn, im Zentrum dieses entsetzlichen Wirbelsturms lag hier sein Herz vor mir, offen und in all seinem Schmerz. Für mich. Ich konnte mir nicht vorstellen, ihn nicht zu lieben. Nicht von ihm geliebt zu werden. In diesem Augenblick wurde mir klar, dass ein Leben ohne Mickey Chandlers nicht lebenswert sein würde. Ich liebte ihn von ganzem Herzen. Und zwar so kaputt, wie er war." (S.156)
Beide sind so dermaßen unperfekt, dass sie im Umkehrschluss perfekter füreinander nicht sein könnten. Auch wenn dies bedeutet, dass ihre Beziehung und später ihre Ehe sogar durch "Verträge" gemaßregelt werden muss. Bis es eben zu dem Tag kommt, an dem der "Vertrag" unbeabsichtigt gebrochen wird. Für Mickey und Lucy ganz klar ein Wink des Schicksal, vielleicht hat Gott es genauso gewollt - doch hat er auch gewollt, dass dir das Wertvollste genommen wird und du nichts weiter als Zusehen kannst?
Letztlich müsst ihr Tanz auf Glas einfach selbst lesen, wenn ihr sowohl emotionale als auch gut recherchierte Bücher mit Tiefgang mögt. Ich bin jedenfalls der Meinung, dass der Titel nicht besser hätte gewählt sein können, auch wenn der Inhalt im englischen Titel Dancing on Broken Glass noch etwas besser zum Ausdruck kommt. Mit Chicklit hat Tanz auf Glas jedenfalls wenig gemein und auch in die Kategorie Schnulze passt es nicht so recht. Gegenwartsbelletristik ist es schon eher, mit viel Ehrlichkeit und wenig geschönten Stellen. Auf unpassende Heiterkeit wird hier ganz bewusst verzichtet, demnach braucht das Buch auch den richtigen Lesemoment. Eine erwachsene Form von Das Schicksal ist ein mieser Verräter und ein Buch für Fans von Die letzten Tage von Rabbit Hayes. Von mir gab es fünf von fünf Sternen, denn Tanz auf Glas von Ka Hancock hat meine Erwartungen nicht nur erfüllt sondern auch übertroffen!
July 28, 2023
This book...it shattered my heart, but then somehow made it whole again. This book was written in some of the most beautiful, lyrical writing I’ve ever read. There were simple lines that conveyed deep emotion. And simple actions that were utterly profound. This is an incredibly moving love story about two characters whose lives have been shattered by faulty genes, but their capacity to love each other transcends all of the problems that they have. This book was written 6 years ago, and is, so far, the only book this author, Ka Hancock, has written. I sincerely hope she will write another book...and quickly.
February 5, 2013
Based on the brief glimpse at the synopsis, this was a must read. Having lived with a spouse with a serious mental illness encouraged me to jump right on board. I'm SO glad I did. I had no idea it would touch the NICU nurse in me, the petrified mother in me, the small town girl, the at-odds with her family girl, the everyone in me. Yes, it was difficult to read at times and completely flayed my heart in two. So has life - on a semi-regular basis.
This is a book about pure love through generations and with the "family" you're not related to. It's stunning and beautiful. It makes me want to go back and knock a star off of all the other books I have read in the last year.
I do hope that readers with no mental health experience understand that Mickey's hold on his process is unusual. He has time to see it rationally and put the needs of others before his own to get a hold of his behavior. Please do not judge other people by their inability to do the same.
Wonderfully written. Just enough detail about people and places. Awesome characters. Love.
This is a book about pure love through generations and with the "family" you're not related to. It's stunning and beautiful. It makes me want to go back and knock a star off of all the other books I have read in the last year.
I do hope that readers with no mental health experience understand that Mickey's hold on his process is unusual. He has time to see it rationally and put the needs of others before his own to get a hold of his behavior. Please do not judge other people by their inability to do the same.
Wonderfully written. Just enough detail about people and places. Awesome characters. Love.
January 21, 2018
This book took me by surprise. It started out as a solid 3 stars. I liked the characters, but the story wasn't really pulling me in. I was noticing the writing though. This author has the kind of descriptive style I enjoy regarding the characters, setting, and emotional planes. The details were rich and they painted a picture with a nice depth. I always enjoy that. Then the story began to reel me in, even though the plot was predictable and a little on the sappy side. However, by this time I was definitely in.
I rarely get emotional over a book. It might happen once year. After finishing this one, I guess I can check the "emotional" box off for this year, because I was completely wrapped up in this one. Even with that said, I was still prepared to give this 3,5 stars, but the ending made me a little uncomfortable. The author didn't make all my predictions come true. I liked the surprise, even though it was unsettling for some reason. I thought this book was well done. So 4 stars.
I rarely get emotional over a book. It might happen once year. After finishing this one, I guess I can check the "emotional" box off for this year, because I was completely wrapped up in this one. Even with that said, I was still prepared to give this 3,5 stars, but the ending made me a little uncomfortable. The author didn't make all my predictions come true. I liked the surprise, even though it was unsettling for some reason. I thought this book was well done. So 4 stars.
November 14, 2016
5* porque não posso dar mais. Depois, ufa........., finalmente terminei. Não, não foi por não gostar....., foi pelas inúmeras paragens que tive de fazer para "respirar" .
Um livro que me fez chorar e não gosto de chorar! Uma história que tem algo de mim e tanto de gente de que eu gosto.
Uma história cruel sobre amor . Sobre o verdadeiro amor. O amor entre um homem e uma mulher, o amor pela vida, o amor pela "diferença" , o amor por um filho por nascer.
Um livro que me fez chorar e não gosto de chorar! Uma história que tem algo de mim e tanto de gente de que eu gosto.
Uma história cruel sobre amor . Sobre o verdadeiro amor. O amor entre um homem e uma mulher, o amor pela vida, o amor pela "diferença" , o amor por um filho por nascer.
March 24, 2012
Although I don't usually like to read books that are described as "tearjerkers," I was drawn to this one because of the subject matter--a couple dealing with mental illness and cancer--and this book did not disappoint. It was very sad, but not depressing; I found it very moving and even inspiring in a way.
I was married to a good man with severe mental illness for twelve years, and I have to say that so much of this book rang true. Lucy, the book's heroine, resigns herself to the day-to-day uncertainty(and sometimes humor) that results from being in love with someone who's nuts. She is almost too patient, too saintly in handling his illness: although she gets angry occasionally, she seems to be free from any underlying resentment of being trapped in such a situation. She is more like a modern Dickens heroine, long-suffering and always good-natured like Little Dorrit or Esther or Agnes. But that's not to say that she's not believable; she's just not me.
Mickey's descriptions of his own grappling with his illness, while wanting so badly to be a good man and a good husband and father, just broke my heart. The author does a better job here of making him an intersting, complex character; he is not above trying to manipulate his illness--and manipulate others around him with his illness--from time to time. This doesn't make the reader like him less, though; it makes him more sympathetic and believable.
The one lesson that stood out, for me, from this book was the importance of family and community in successfully dealing with mental illness and grief. If we had lived in a community like Brinley, surrounded by a supportive extended family and business partners, a caring psychiatrist like Gleason (and the means to afford his services!), my husband's outcome could have been much better. Unfortunately, that kind of support is not available to most of the mentally ill in America. There is still too much stigma, too much secrecy and misunderstanding surrounding the topic. Too many of those who are dealing with illness in themselves and their loved ones are forced into denial and isolation by our society.
After my husband disclosed that he was in treatment for mental illness to a trusted co-worker--and subsequently immediately fired--his boss asked me, "Why do you put up with this? Why don't you leave him?" My response was, "If he had cancer instead of mental illness, would you be saying the same thing to me?" Of course not. Until we treat the mentally ill with as much compassion the physically afflicted, the Mickeys of this world--those who are never cured but manage their illness well enough to live a constructive life--will be few and far between. The love and understanding Mickey receives not just from his wife, but from the whole community, seems like a lovely fantasy. I hope there are truly pockets of this kind of compassion in the world.
OK, I'll get off my soapbox and back to the book review. The author does a masterful job of truthfully bringing the reader inside the minds of the characters, we really feel what they are feeling and care about what they are going through. Having lost loved ones to cancer, I also thought that her description of the heartbreak (and even strange joys) of that ordeal rang absolutely true.
Overall, this is a lovely book, hopeful as much as painful and well worth the read. I look forward to more from this author.
I was married to a good man with severe mental illness for twelve years, and I have to say that so much of this book rang true. Lucy, the book's heroine, resigns herself to the day-to-day uncertainty(and sometimes humor) that results from being in love with someone who's nuts. She is almost too patient, too saintly in handling his illness: although she gets angry occasionally, she seems to be free from any underlying resentment of being trapped in such a situation. She is more like a modern Dickens heroine, long-suffering and always good-natured like Little Dorrit or Esther or Agnes. But that's not to say that she's not believable; she's just not me.
Mickey's descriptions of his own grappling with his illness, while wanting so badly to be a good man and a good husband and father, just broke my heart. The author does a better job here of making him an intersting, complex character; he is not above trying to manipulate his illness--and manipulate others around him with his illness--from time to time. This doesn't make the reader like him less, though; it makes him more sympathetic and believable.
The one lesson that stood out, for me, from this book was the importance of family and community in successfully dealing with mental illness and grief. If we had lived in a community like Brinley, surrounded by a supportive extended family and business partners, a caring psychiatrist like Gleason (and the means to afford his services!), my husband's outcome could have been much better. Unfortunately, that kind of support is not available to most of the mentally ill in America. There is still too much stigma, too much secrecy and misunderstanding surrounding the topic. Too many of those who are dealing with illness in themselves and their loved ones are forced into denial and isolation by our society.
After my husband disclosed that he was in treatment for mental illness to a trusted co-worker--and subsequently immediately fired--his boss asked me, "Why do you put up with this? Why don't you leave him?" My response was, "If he had cancer instead of mental illness, would you be saying the same thing to me?" Of course not. Until we treat the mentally ill with as much compassion the physically afflicted, the Mickeys of this world--those who are never cured but manage their illness well enough to live a constructive life--will be few and far between. The love and understanding Mickey receives not just from his wife, but from the whole community, seems like a lovely fantasy. I hope there are truly pockets of this kind of compassion in the world.
OK, I'll get off my soapbox and back to the book review. The author does a masterful job of truthfully bringing the reader inside the minds of the characters, we really feel what they are feeling and care about what they are going through. Having lost loved ones to cancer, I also thought that her description of the heartbreak (and even strange joys) of that ordeal rang absolutely true.
Overall, this is a lovely book, hopeful as much as painful and well worth the read. I look forward to more from this author.
June 4, 2013
To say that I loved this book would be an understatement, that is how much it touched me. I finished this one before work and couldn't stop thinking about it the whole time I was there and telling everyone that they needed to read it too. I won't go into a synopsis of the story line since plenty others already have, just my opinion on the novel itself.
This was one of the most heart wrenching yet beautiful stories that I have ever read, I read in another review that it was sad but not depressing, that it was tender and I would have to agree with that. Don't get me wrong it's a definite tearjerker and having watched my dad die from cancer there were scenes in this book that almost brought me to my knees reliving my own experience and grief with the dreaded "C" but that is part of what made this book so real and meaningful to me. I also think the author did a wonderful job with depicting bipolar disorder, I didn't realize that she was a former psychiatric nurse before reading this but I knew while reading that she definitely had some sort of strong connection with the mentally ill. I very much appreciated that, as a former mental health social worker, I grow wary when mental illness is not portrayed in an accurate light.
All in all I believe that this will be a book I will always remember and being the voracious reader that I am, that is quite a statement. I look forward to reading anything else this author puts out.
This was one of the most heart wrenching yet beautiful stories that I have ever read, I read in another review that it was sad but not depressing, that it was tender and I would have to agree with that. Don't get me wrong it's a definite tearjerker and having watched my dad die from cancer there were scenes in this book that almost brought me to my knees reliving my own experience and grief with the dreaded "C" but that is part of what made this book so real and meaningful to me. I also think the author did a wonderful job with depicting bipolar disorder, I didn't realize that she was a former psychiatric nurse before reading this but I knew while reading that she definitely had some sort of strong connection with the mentally ill. I very much appreciated that, as a former mental health social worker, I grow wary when mental illness is not portrayed in an accurate light.
All in all I believe that this will be a book I will always remember and being the voracious reader that I am, that is quite a statement. I look forward to reading anything else this author puts out.
October 16, 2016
Reread #1 (because it will be read multiple times) - August 5, 2016- August 10, 2016
Original read - June 7, 2015 - June 10, 2015
ETA:
For some reason, my original read and my reread are of two different editions, so they are separate. I'm linking my reviews of both so I don't have to search for them when I want to see my status updates. Yes, I reread my reviews/status updates when I'm missing Mickey and Lucy! It reminds me just how much I loved them. See my reread here.
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5 stars? Who cares how many stars? I'm done and I'm D.O.N.E. A more beautiful story has never been told. I won't even try to write a "pretty" review because it can't be done. I was right when I predicted this would become an all-time favorite!
Original read - June 7, 2015 - June 10, 2015
ETA:
For some reason, my original read and my reread are of two different editions, so they are separate. I'm linking my reviews of both so I don't have to search for them when I want to see my status updates. Yes, I reread my reviews/status updates when I'm missing Mickey and Lucy! It reminds me just how much I loved them. See my reread here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 stars? Who cares how many stars? I'm done and I'm D.O.N.E. A more beautiful story has never been told. I won't even try to write a "pretty" review because it can't be done. I was right when I predicted this would become an all-time favorite!
July 24, 2014
Her sayfanı boğazımda koca koca düğümlerle okuduğum bittiğinde de deliler gibi ağladığım bir kitaptı.
Bu arada kitap bittiğinde tam olarak bu haldeydim.
Bu arada kitap bittiğinde tam olarak bu haldeydim.
October 18, 2015
Wow! What a book! Heartbreaking love story that will stay with me for a long time. The writing, the characters were just so engaging I read it in two days. And cried a lot.
March 10, 2013
I don't write a lot of reviews, and I've totally spaced keeping my shelf here updated. But this book blew me out of the water, so I have to mention it. Lyrical, gorgeous writing, with characters that are flawed, deep, and absolutely real. I felt like I knew them so well that I'd recognize them and want to give them a hug if we ever crossed paths. It's the kind of women's fiction I aspire to write myself and it inspired me to keep digging and keep growing as a writer.
A suggestion, though: Don't read the last quarter of this book while exercising. I nearly fell off the treadmill at our local rec center, crying my eyes out. I look forward to the author's next book, and I'll be in line to buy it.
As a side note, I'm up against this book for the 2012 Whitney Award for Best General Fiction. I won the award in 2010, which was a thrill. I'm under no delusions that I'll win again this year. I'm putting my money on this book. The award will be well earned. Bravo!
A suggestion, though: Don't read the last quarter of this book while exercising. I nearly fell off the treadmill at our local rec center, crying my eyes out. I look forward to the author's next book, and I'll be in line to buy it.
As a side note, I'm up against this book for the 2012 Whitney Award for Best General Fiction. I won the award in 2010, which was a thrill. I'm under no delusions that I'll win again this year. I'm putting my money on this book. The award will be well earned. Bravo!
August 5, 2016
What a book. Definitely an all time favorite. I must sleep, then I'll try to compose myself and gush my love in a review. This one is special. I loved it SO MUCH.
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