Once she is, we begin to see some symmetry but not much at first. On page 34 (second page of the chapter Speed) we find a convention overturned – the single word lines come early and in the middle, then a paragraph starts with the single word Pain.įrom this point, the lines are unbalanced until Veda is moving again. If you look through the book, initially Veda’s poetry is very balanced. The beat of the story changes at various points in Veda’s life. The sense of music and rhythm helped greatly. I’m in awe of how Venkatraman pulled this off, because it is very, very difficult to do. This book has ample plot and appropriate narrative arc, while still having generally gorgeous poetry. I love novels, and I love poetry, but inevitably most novels in verse lose out either in plot or in poetry. My biggest problem with novels in verse is that they are incredibly difficult to balance.

Not what you expected me to say about a novel in verse, right? Pretty sure this is going on my favorite 2017 reads list although the competition will be steep this year. Can she forge a new life? Can dance be part of it? But dance is her life and the center of her being. Veda is a classical dance prodigy starting out on a glorious career in Bharatanatyam when her leg has to be amputated. As their relationship deepens, Veda reconnects with the world around her, and begins to discover who she is and what dance truly means to her.Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Group, New York, 2014. Then Veda meets Govinda, a young man who approaches dance as a spiritual pursuit. But Veda refuses to let her disability rob her of her dreams, and she starts all over again, taking beginner classes with the youngest dancers. For a girl who’s grown used to receiving applause for her dance prowess and flexibility, adjusting to a prosthetic leg is painful and humbling. Veda, a classical dance prodigy in India, lives and breathes dance-so when an accident leaves her a below-knee amputee, her dreams are shattered. This is a stunning novel about spiritual awakening, the power of art, and above all, the courage and resilience of the human spirit. Padma Venkatraman’s inspiring story of a young girl’s struggle to regain her passion and find a new peace is told lyrically through verse that captures the beauty and mystery of India and the ancient bharatanatyam dance form.

A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman