About the book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Great Circle comes \"a novel you must read\" (The Washington Post) about a mother who is trying to forget her past as a young ballerina in Paris who fell into a passionate romance with a Soviet dance superstar.
For years Joan has been trying to find peace and satisfaction in her role as wife and mother. Few in her drowsy California suburb know her thrilling history: as a young American ballerina in Paris, she had a doomed affair with Soviet dance superstar Arslan Rusakov.
After playing a leading role in his celebrated defection, Joan bowed out of the spotlight for good, heartbroken by Arslan and humbled by her own modest career. But when her son turns out to be a ballet prodigy, Joan is pulled back into a world she thought she'd left behind—a world of dangerous secrets, of Arslan, and of longing for what will always be just out of reach.
“The inner lives of [Shipstead’s] characters feel as real and immediate as the shifting settings they inhabit: still-gritty mid-1970s Manhattan, shabbily elegant Paris, the sunbaked suburban sprawl of Southern California.” —Entertainment Weekly
Editions of Astonish Me
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780345804617
- AltFormat
- ISBN 9780307962904
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307962911
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780804165600
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780804165624
- AudioDisc
- ISBN 9780804165617
- AudioDisc
- ISBN 9780804165594
Read an Excerpt
From the New York Times bestselling author of Great Circle comes \"a novel you must read\" (The Washington Post) about a mother who is trying to forget her past as a young ballerina in Paris who fell into a passionate romance with a Soviet dance superstar.
For years Joan has been trying to find peace and satisfaction in her role as wife and mother. Few in her drowsy California suburb know her thrilling history: as a young American ballerina in Paris, she had a doomed affair with Soviet dance superstar Arslan Rusakov.
After playing a leading role in his celebrated defection, Joan bowed out of the spotlight for good, heartbroken by Arslan and humbled by her own modest career. But when her son turns out to be a ballet prodigy, Joan is pulled back into a world she thought she'd left behind—a world of dangerous secrets, of Arslan, and of longing for what will always be just out of reach.
“The inner lives of [Shipstead’s] characters feel as real and immediate as the shifting settings they inhabit: still-gritty mid-1970s Manhattan, shabbily elegant Paris, the sunbaked suburban sprawl of Southern California.” —Entertainment Weekly
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Astonish Me about?
From the New York Times bestselling author of Great Circle comes \"a novel you must read\" (The Washington Post) about a mother who is trying to forget her past as a young ballerina in Paris who fell into a passionate romance with a Soviet dance superstar.
For years Joan has been trying to find peace and satisfaction in her role as wife and mother. Few in her drowsy California suburb know her thrilling history: as a young American ballerina in Paris, she had a doomed affair with Soviet dance superstar Arslan Rusakov.
After playing a leading role in his celebrated defection, Joan bowed out of the spotlight for good, heartbroken by Arslan and humbled by her own modest career. But when her son turns out to be a ballet prodigy, Joan is pulled back into a world she thought she'd left behind—a world of dangerous secrets, of Arslan, and of longing for what will always be just out of reach.
“The inner lives of [Shipstead’s] characters feel as real and immediate as the shifting settings they inhabit: still-gritty mid-1970s Manhattan, shabbily elegant Paris, the sunbaked suburban sprawl of Southern California.” —Entertainment Weekly
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Astonish Me?
Fiction > Family life fiction / Stories about family
Where can I read a sample of Astonish Me?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780345804617
Is Astonish Me part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Vintage Contemporaries
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Astonish Me?
Maggie Shipstead
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Astonish Me is available as paperback(ISBN 9780345804617) and altformat(ISBN 9780307962904) and ebook(ISBN 9780307962911) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780804165600) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780804165624) and audiodisc(ISBN 9780804165617) and audiodisc(ISBN 9780804165594)
Where can I buy Astonish Me online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Astonish Me from below
Where can I buy Astonish Me?