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Summary: Your heart will dance, too!
Review: The concept of this novel intrigued me, I love different cultures and stories about the people and their myths and legends, so I was excited to start this book, I was in no way prepared to get so involved, so fast, (from the first page), with the characters and the overall story of the Japanese invasion of the Phillipines during WW II. It is amazing to me what strength the human spirit has to endure so much hardship and heartache.The basic story is told from three different points of view; that of Alejandro, the oldest brother of a family hiding in their basement during the Japanese occupation, with neighbors and friends, Isabelle, the oldest daughter, and Domingo Matapang, a guerilla fighter trying to save his country and family. Intermingled are stories from some of the most wonderfully entertaining group of people sharing the cellar with Alejandro and Isabelle's family. What these main characters had to go through will tear your heart out; some of the stories will gladden you and make you smile, all will tug at your heart strings. I couldn't put this book down! I was totally involved with what was happening in the Phillipines, what was happening to the characters, how they were going to come through such horrendous conditions and treatment, and through it all the history and legends of the people of the Phillipines was amazing. What a wonderful tribute to the strength and heart of an amazing culture. I can't reccomend this book strong enough, I loved it!!! Enjoy, Debbi
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Summary: Blame it on the Editor
Review: The people and their stories written of in this book are really wonderful. The impact of the Spanish, the Japanese, and the Americans is powerfully illustrated. Unfortunately, the wonderful stories (that make this a worthwhile read, even with some flaws) that take the reader into the past are connected by events in the present that do not live up to the colorful, well developed and interesting stories of the past. I was disappointed at the ending of the book which was predictable and trite. I finished the book and had an urge to re-write the ending. With better editing this could have been a fabulous book.
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Summary: A great new author!!
Review: This book was one of the best I've read in a long time. At first I was worried that it might be filled with descriptions of the war & fighting. It was to some extent, but the stories that each of the people told kept it going...they were the best part of the reading. It tied everything in...mixed with the descriptions of war & the problems this group of people faced from the Japanese brought everything together. The ending of this book was excellent. On top of all that, I learned a lot about the Phillippeans & it's history. I was very impressed by this new author & look forward to reading her next works.
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Summary: The structure added depth and texture to a story well told
Review: This is a first novel by Tess Uriza Holthe, a young Filipino-American woman and what an amazing debut it is! It's based on her father's experiences in the Philippines during World War 2 and it describes the devastating effect it had on the people. The title comes from the saying "when the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful", and it alludes to the Japanese and Americans as the powerful elephants and the Filipino people as the chickens who must scurry about and try not to get trampled. The storyline follows some Filipino neighbors who hide in a basement during the final days of the war, venturing out only to find food. These trips are dangerous and capture means torture or death, but still they venture out. There's a 12-year-old boy, his 17-year-old sister as well as a young man who has chosen to be a guerilla. We get to know each of them well, as well as their families and identify with their fear, hunger and courage. But Ms. Holthe has added a second element to the story. While they are trapped in that basement, and later when they are prisoners in Manila, the elders tell stories laced with magic realism, which not only keeps their minds off the war around them, but also introduces the reader to some of the history, myths and legends of the people. This structure added depth and texture as the life lessons they taught affected the hard choices made by the characters. I loved the voice, the tone, the interweaving of past and present. And I loved learning about the Philippine culture. I could almost taste the food, smell the ripe foliage, feel the heat. I learned about the hard years of Spanish rule, the role of the church, and the poverty of the lower classes. There are lessons in everyday living. And some moving love stories. This book has everything. The author, however, has been criticized for getting distances between places confused and for misspelling Tagalog words. As an American, however, I was not aware of these small details. I was totally caught up in the story and found myself thinking about the characters long after I put the book down for the day. This is a simply wonderful book and I highly recommend it.
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Summary: keeps you glued
Review: this is a great story book. You'll feel like you're actually there. In a way, makes me want to go back in time even for a few hours.
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Summary: YOU HAVE TO READ THIS
Review: This is one of the best novels I've ever read. I didn't want it to end... I wanted to read this book forever. Not for people that get queasy easily though, it describes very graphically how the Filipinos were treated by the Japanese during their occupation. I highly reccomend it!!!!!
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Summary: must read
Review: This novel is one of the best that I have read in a long, long time. It creatively weaves fiction & history together in a thrilling ride. Being of filipino descent, I was excited to read such a well narrated story that made me care so much for the individual characters, and that helped me to understand my own ancestry better. I couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend this book to all.
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Summary: Powerful & Gripping Novel
Review: This novel is one of the best that I have read in a long, long time. It creatively weaves fiction & history together in a thrilling ride. Being of filipino descent, I was excited to read such a well narrated story that made me care so much for the individual characters, and that helped me to understand my own ancestry better. I couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend this book to all.
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Summary: Lyrical and captivating!
Review: This wonderful book is a treat for readers everywhere! Beautifully written (many of the passages absolutely sing), it's reminiscent of the classics--from 100 Years of Solitude, the Canterbury Tales and the Decameron. In the wartime Philipines, several families gather in a cellar to hide from the Japanese soldiers who terrorize the Filipino population. To pass the time and quell the pains of hunger, they tell each other stories, which are without a doubt the best part of the novel. Rich with Filipino myth and magical realism, each story reveals something not only about the characters, but about this long-ignored but proud Pacific culture. The story of war, which plays out simultaneously, is less captivating, but that's only because of the superb quality of the stories, which would be hard for any writer to top. Still, the story of these people, caught between the Japanese and the Americans, illuminates a part of the war that many of us have never really learned about. This is a triumphant, beautifully written book, which stayed with me a long time after I finished it. Very highly recommended.
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Summary: Ultimately falters, despite some good things in it.
Review: We read "When the Elephants Dance" for my book club. It is not the type of book I would normally read, and if I hadn't felt an obligation to finish it, I probably wouldn't have. In the book's publicity blurbs, the author is compared to Isabel Allende and Amy Tan, which is meant(we assume)as a compliment, but could just as well reference the fact that all three tend to be long winded and self-indulgent. The author states at the beginning that the novel is inspired by her family history. Unfortunately, she seems bent on including every meaty story she has ever heard, even when a more careful selection might have brought about better results. She had me until about page 250, when I found myself anticipating, and dreading, the fifth or sixth shift in the narrative from present time events to allegorical past events, told by an endless stream of poorly developed characters. By the end, this book was just too labored and long winded to carry my interest. There were at least a half dozen characters too many, and several parts that could have been left out. It is one of those rare books that may actually fare better as a movie, when trimming some of the extra fat will be necessary. Not only will I not read this author again, reading "When the Elephants Dance" has reminded me to avoid Allende and Tan as well.
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