Professional ballerina, Ailsa MacIntyre, is at the peak of her career when her world is shattered by a shocking diagnosis. Life-saving surgery leaves her with a fractured memory, little recollection of her husband Evan, and none of her career as a principal dancer.While recuperating at home, Ailsa hears beautiful music coming from the apartment upstairs, and the sound of the grand piano at the … hands of a talented new neighbor sparks Alisa’s muscle memory. As her recovery progresses and she begins to dance again, the broken pieces of her past gradually re-emerge, a picture not quite as idyllic as her husband, Evan, would have her remember. Ailsa must navigate the conflicting visions of her past, and potential future, as they collide.
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This book was a bit different from what I usually read. It was a very well written book about a young woman who is a ballerina and has horrible headaches. She goes through a lot before finding out that she has the tumor and her husband is not the most understanding of people. While I didn’t like him for this I sort of understood that maybe he was in denial about her being anything less than perfect. I felt that he was a bit selfish at times but I also felt that way about her. Ailsa and Evan have a strange sort of marriage. At least to me they did. He supported her as a ballerina and seemed like it was all he wanted her to do. She wanted more but was kind of childish about letting anyone know. I just did’t much like Ailsa for a long time in this story. She seemed to let people walk all over her. After she had her surgery and started getting her memories back she seemed to grow a backbone and started expressing herself better. Both with Evan and with her controlling mother, who I also did not like. At least until way later in the story. After Ailsa finally stood up to her mother she seemed to sort of change and understand what her daughter was saying to her. I loved Ailsa’s dad. With the exception of him not standing up to his wife, he did seem to be a good dad. He helped her without question and that was very important.
The characters in this book, while I may not have liked some, were very richly developed and some truly likable. You will feel like you are on stage with Ailsa and feel her pain from her toes to her brain. Her heart is tender but she needed to grow up a lot, which she does. Evan I didn’t like for much of this book, but he grew on me. I was glad to see him happy finally. He was a broody kind of person and kept to many secrets, even from him Mum. I was hoping part of that would come out. Evan’s mother was a likable person. I understood her siding with her son as she didn’t know the whole story but she still loved and truly cared for Ailsa.
This book was very well written and it help my attention. I learned quite a bit about the ballet and about brain conditions. I would have been terrified in Ailsa’s situation. At the end, reading the FROM THE AUTHOR was very enlightening. I never knew she lived this story to a point. I’m very glad she is ok now and my heart goes out to her. She’s a wonderful author and I truly look forward to reading more of her books
A big 4 stars from me and a huge thank you to the author for the ARC of this book.
The first time I saw the cover, I knew I had to read The Art of Remembering. And the words inside? Just as beautiful! Although I know absolutely nothing about ballet (or brain tumors, for that matter), Alison Ragsdale’s descriptive writing made me feel as if I was right there in the story. From the beauty of the dance and the effects of the medical diagnosis on a marriage, I was enthralled with this story. Be prepared to clear your calendar. The Art of Remembering is unputdownable!
“There’s an art to remembering, Ailsa, but if anyone can master it, you can.” This book is amazing! It’s so beautifully written! From the very beginning of the story, I loved the character, Ailsa. She infiltrated my heart. I felt her emotions and thoughts as if I were a part of her. This is such a heart wrenching read. It’s a journey that Ailsa never thought she would be taking…the struggles that she would have to tackle or the events that would change her life. Sometimes things happen and you have no idea why. This is what happens in this story.
Alison Ragdale took me behind the scenes of what being a prima ballerina all entailed. From the detailed descriptions of the intense and long hours of practice to the exquisite descriptions of the costumes, the ballet positions and the feelings Ailsa has when she’s on stage, I felt like I was experiencing it with her. I could feel the tulle on my legs, the floor beneath my toes and the thrill of the music as it was flowing through her body. Perfection in writing.
Likewise in the shocking diagnosis, I felt the fear, pain and what the unknown results could cause. It was a heart wrenching, gut punching feeling. I had so many tears. Ms. Ragsdale totally immersed me into Ailsa’s life. I was yearning for her to find herself and what was right for her.
The life she’s meant to live.
This book is so wonderful and I felt the heart Ms. Ragsdale wrote it from. It touched my heart deeply. There is an “art to remembering” and I will remember this book for a very long time. It’s like this passage says, “When you lose someone they’re always with you, like a molecule of something you’ve breathed into your soul.” That’s how I feel about this book. I have finished reading it but there will always be a part of it I’ve breathed into my soul and will be a part of me for the amazing experience I had.
I want to thank Kate Rock and Ms. Ragsdale for the unbelievable journey I took in this ARC copy of this book. I give this book a standing ovation and stars upon stars beyond five.
I knew that this book was going to be special from the opening pages, as author Alison Ragsdale beautifully introduced me to Ailsa and her world. As the story moved on, I realized that the author had truly poured her heart into the pages of this compelling novel. My own heart made a beautiful connection to Ailsa—I felt her pain, her doubts, her disappointments, her successes and her joys. My eyes were opened to the life of a ballet dancer, the determination and the sacrifices, but above all else the music and the urge to dance! Not only do I wish I could give this book many more than 5 stars, but I wish I could rate it using hearts, for all the times my heart was squeezed while I was reading it.