What do you think?
Rate this book
Off Balance
In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later.
At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships.
Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents.
But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way.
A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships.
Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents.
But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way.
A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2012
186 people are currently reading
3924 people want to read
About the author
Dominique Moceanu
13 books48 followersDominique Helena Moceanu is an American author and retired American gymnast. She was a member of the gold-medal-winning United States women's gymnastics team (the "Magnificent Seven") at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 513 reviews
September 8, 2012
I first encountered Dominique Moceanu the same way everyone else did: on TV when she was a bright-eyed 14 year-old at the 1996 Atlanta Games. I still remember the little tumbler with an eerie resemblance to Nadia, talking all about how in this moment her life was "absolutely perfect." That struck me so much that now, 16 years later, I still remember my first thoughts at hearing those words. I thought, "Well, that kid's either naive or lying." After reading this memoir, I suspect it was -- and still is -- a combination of both.
This book reads like a blog, and that's probably because all of the information available here can be found on Dominique Moceanu's Wikipedia page. That's right. Her accusations of abuse at the hands of her father an the Karoyli's, the spat with Kim Zmeskal (don't worry, Dommi, you win, Kim Zmeskal sucks!), the eating issues, the drugs, the sister given up for adoption that Dominique didn't know existed until 4 years ago: it's already up on the Internet, and it takes about ten minutes to read. This book expands on none of it and just rehashes it all at a Sports Illustrated level of literacy.
The only thing that did strike me as somewhat fascinating was the fact that by the end of the book, Dominique is all growed up and claiming to have a life of near perfection. Even the title of the book, "Off Balance" implies that her hardships are in the past and that her present life is balanced. How familiar. How like the 1996 Games when everything was "perfect." How naive.
I suspect that we'll be hearing from Dominique Moceanu again in several years, perhaps in another memoir, and hopefully with juicer details about what she was covering up this time around. My prediction? It'll have something to do with the 20 or so times in this book that she felt the need to highlight in (embarrassingly excessive detail) the "stunning" and "absolute" and "perfect" physical beauty of every female mentor she encounters. *Interesting.*
Good for a couple of hours of entertainment.
Meh. Whatever.
This book reads like a blog, and that's probably because all of the information available here can be found on Dominique Moceanu's Wikipedia page. That's right. Her accusations of abuse at the hands of her father an the Karoyli's, the spat with Kim Zmeskal (don't worry, Dommi, you win, Kim Zmeskal sucks!), the eating issues, the drugs, the sister given up for adoption that Dominique didn't know existed until 4 years ago: it's already up on the Internet, and it takes about ten minutes to read. This book expands on none of it and just rehashes it all at a Sports Illustrated level of literacy.
The only thing that did strike me as somewhat fascinating was the fact that by the end of the book, Dominique is all growed up and claiming to have a life of near perfection. Even the title of the book, "Off Balance" implies that her hardships are in the past and that her present life is balanced. How familiar. How like the 1996 Games when everything was "perfect." How naive.
I suspect that we'll be hearing from Dominique Moceanu again in several years, perhaps in another memoir, and hopefully with juicer details about what she was covering up this time around. My prediction? It'll have something to do with the 20 or so times in this book that she felt the need to highlight in (embarrassingly excessive detail) the "stunning" and "absolute" and "perfect" physical beauty of every female mentor she encounters. *Interesting.*
Good for a couple of hours of entertainment.
Meh. Whatever.
January 23, 2013
Off Balance, by Dominique Moceanu, seemed a bit...off balance. It goes back and forth between the story of Moceanu discovering the existence of, and later, meeting, the sister her parents gave up for adoption because she was born without legs, and the "inside" story of Dominique's gymnastic career. That structure left me feeling off balance. I found myself wishing for more detail and resolution of the many threads that wove through these stories.
I initially read the book more for the story of the reconnection between the 2 sisters, and ended up more interested in the story of the abuse as perpetrated by Dominique's father and the famous Bela Karolyi. I will never look at gymnastics, or indeed, any pro sport, quite the same again. What price are we asking our elite athletes to pay for our entertainment? I have long asked this question, and this book validates my concerns.
It is a shame that so many people knew of her father's "temper" and of Karolyi's mistreatment, and did nothing. The end of the book reveals the fact that the Karolyis (both Bela and Marta)control gymnastics more today than ever.
I hope that people listen closely to Ms. Moceanu's concerns.
I initially read the book more for the story of the reconnection between the 2 sisters, and ended up more interested in the story of the abuse as perpetrated by Dominique's father and the famous Bela Karolyi. I will never look at gymnastics, or indeed, any pro sport, quite the same again. What price are we asking our elite athletes to pay for our entertainment? I have long asked this question, and this book validates my concerns.
It is a shame that so many people knew of her father's "temper" and of Karolyi's mistreatment, and did nothing. The end of the book reveals the fact that the Karolyis (both Bela and Marta)control gymnastics more today than ever.
I hope that people listen closely to Ms. Moceanu's concerns.
July 10, 2012
This book has gotten some negative press recently due to the fact that Ms. Moceanu “bad mouthed” her former coaches. This is not what the book is primarily about. It is her memoir. It shows you a window into her life through her eyes. She discovered a sister she never had, and while this seems to be the primary focus she does give you a glimpse into her world. Her trials and tribulations and she appears to be very honest, although she really only touches on it briefly about how illy she might have handled some of the pressure of growing up. She does bring attention to the fact that the sport has changed. As a former completive gymnast myself seeing how much control one family has over the sport saddens me. It no longer appears to be completive but who is their favorite that get to move on. Again this is only a small aspect of her book but since I have not been in the world of competitive gymnastics in a good 13 years or so it is eye opening. She is bringing attention to it in hopes to change it. After all the U.S. only has had one team of goal medalist gymnast, and that was in 1996 when things were the way they were when I competed. I understand the “idea” of trying to create things more centralized but it doesn’t appear to be working and I believe that was her point, in that again small aspect of the book. I did enjoy seeing her almost bear herself in this book. It defiantly gives you a inside look into the girl she was and how she became the woman she is today. It was well written and I enjoyed it very much. I did struggle to get it started, I won’t say it’s a slow start, so that is the reason it didn’t get a five star rating on my end. But I will say I’m not sure if it was her, her editor, or even the publisher but they were very mindful of explaining technical terms which I’m sure is greatly appreciated form people who are unfamiliar with the sport. This book was written, you can tell more so for herself, but it can be read by anyone but I’m sure gymnast would greatly enjoy it.
July 31, 2021
I’m a lifelong gymnastics fan and while I’ve read many nonfiction books on the sport, I avoided OFF BALANCE because I wasn’t a fan of Dominique Moceanu’s style of acrobatics. Curiosity about the legendary Karolyi abusive practices convinced me to read.
Dominque’s controlling, often violent father and her passive mother set the framework for the young gymnast’s years under the harsh training of Bela and Marta Karolyi. The story opens with Dominique, pregnant with her first child, lest imho her parents gave up for adoption her sister Jennifer, born without legs. Jumping from learning about her sister to her gymnastics career felt disjointed and choppy.
Moceanu’s writing, mostly telling rather than showing, is at times dry when it should be emotional, perhaps because she spoon feeds readers about how terrible she felt rather than allowing readers to feel her pain through observation of incidents. “I was just a scared little kid who deserved better” permeated throughout the chapters, told in different ways. Yes, she was and I’m so sorry she wasn’t nurtured and protected the way she should have been. I wish she had allowed me as a reader to know without being repeatedly told.
At times Moceanu gives her father too much leeway for his abusive behavior. Other times, she seems to lack the understanding of appropriate parental boundaries, understandably after how she was raised. She impressed me as a woman who had little more than surface insight and could have benefited from a lot of therapy. She also seems to have unresolved issues and goes about relating them on a sometimes passive-aggressive manner.
OFF BALANCE helped me understand what Dominique had been through and made me a fan of her as a gymnast and as a woman, even though the book is at best average. I believe every story she told.
She mispronounced a number of words in the narration, which made me wonder how much of the book she actually wrote.
Dominque’s controlling, often violent father and her passive mother set the framework for the young gymnast’s years under the harsh training of Bela and Marta Karolyi. The story opens with Dominique, pregnant with her first child, lest imho her parents gave up for adoption her sister Jennifer, born without legs. Jumping from learning about her sister to her gymnastics career felt disjointed and choppy.
Moceanu’s writing, mostly telling rather than showing, is at times dry when it should be emotional, perhaps because she spoon feeds readers about how terrible she felt rather than allowing readers to feel her pain through observation of incidents. “I was just a scared little kid who deserved better” permeated throughout the chapters, told in different ways. Yes, she was and I’m so sorry she wasn’t nurtured and protected the way she should have been. I wish she had allowed me as a reader to know without being repeatedly told.
At times Moceanu gives her father too much leeway for his abusive behavior. Other times, she seems to lack the understanding of appropriate parental boundaries, understandably after how she was raised. She impressed me as a woman who had little more than surface insight and could have benefited from a lot of therapy. She also seems to have unresolved issues and goes about relating them on a sometimes passive-aggressive manner.
OFF BALANCE helped me understand what Dominique had been through and made me a fan of her as a gymnast and as a woman, even though the book is at best average. I believe every story she told.
She mispronounced a number of words in the narration, which made me wonder how much of the book she actually wrote.
July 8, 2019
Viena stipriausių autobiografinių knygų. Aš žinojau, kad gimnastika turi savo specifiką, bet kad tiek yra aukojama, toks elgesys ir disciplina, sunku buvo patikėti. Trenerių požiūris į sportininką, apsoliutus jų diktatas, subjektyvus vertinimas kas gali dalyvauti tarptautinėse varžybose, kas ne.
Nuo šiandien visai kitaip žiūrėsiu gimnastykos pasirodymus olimpinėse varžybose.
Nuo šiandien visai kitaip žiūrėsiu gimnastykos pasirodymus olimpinėse varžybose.
September 12, 2021
I remember watching the Magnificent Seven competing in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and being particularly charmed by the young Dominique Moceanu. In this memoir she comes clean with her full story, which includes learning about long-held family secrets as an adult. Dominique weaves her current (as of publication) narrative of meeting a sister she never knew existed with the original timeline of her gymnastics career, from the time she was 3 until the time she retired from the sport (for the second time). She also includes the backstory of her parents - how they met and how they immigrated to the U.S. - which was quite relevant to her story. She shared her personal challenges, her drive to compete and to win, and the terror she felt when not living up to her parents' and coaches' expectations. It's always sad to realize the perfect facade the world sees is not at all the life a person is living. Still, after all the media attention she suffered and her story being told by so many other perspectives, I applaud Dominique for coming out to tell her story in her own words.
I was equally interested in Dominique's gymnastics career and how she dealt with finding out she had a sister 20 years after the fact. I think the back and forth between the stories was at times a bit awkward, but both timelines received the attention they deserved. After all that she endured as a young gymnast, I'm sure it was cathartic to come clean about the truth behind the media darling and later the unstable teenager she was portrayed as. This memoir is of course from her perspective, but it rings true and she didn't sugarcoat her own participation in some of her later troubles. I hate to confront the fact that our enjoyment of her artistic gymnastics routines came at the expense of her physical and mental health, but there it is. She ends her memoir on a high note, and I truly hope that she's found the peace and happiness she longed for all her life.
I was equally interested in Dominique's gymnastics career and how she dealt with finding out she had a sister 20 years after the fact. I think the back and forth between the stories was at times a bit awkward, but both timelines received the attention they deserved. After all that she endured as a young gymnast, I'm sure it was cathartic to come clean about the truth behind the media darling and later the unstable teenager she was portrayed as. This memoir is of course from her perspective, but it rings true and she didn't sugarcoat her own participation in some of her later troubles. I hate to confront the fact that our enjoyment of her artistic gymnastics routines came at the expense of her physical and mental health, but there it is. She ends her memoir on a high note, and I truly hope that she's found the peace and happiness she longed for all her life.
August 11, 2012
Yes, truth is often much stranger than fiction. Dominique Moceanu wins gold at the 1996 Olympics after years of intense training at the hands of the same pair who coached Nadia Comaneci to her perfect scores. Most of the book describes the mind games that go on as the coaches force Dominique to push herself beyond the point of pain.
Every few chapters, the more interesting story (for me) is told about how Dominique discovers as an adult, about to give birth to her own daughter, that she has a younger sister, Jennifer, who was given up for adoption at birth. Born with no legs, Jennifer was considered "too much of a burden" for struggling Romanian immigrants to raise. The glimpse provided of this other sister's childhood is a much brighter one than Dominique's story of endless practices and harsh criticism.
Besides leaving me with the desire to hear more about Jennifer's story, Off Balance made me question who paid the highest price, the child with the raw talent that was polished to Olympic gold through years of harsh training or the one considered so defective at birth she was given to another family to raise.
Every few chapters, the more interesting story (for me) is told about how Dominique discovers as an adult, about to give birth to her own daughter, that she has a younger sister, Jennifer, who was given up for adoption at birth. Born with no legs, Jennifer was considered "too much of a burden" for struggling Romanian immigrants to raise. The glimpse provided of this other sister's childhood is a much brighter one than Dominique's story of endless practices and harsh criticism.
Besides leaving me with the desire to hear more about Jennifer's story, Off Balance made me question who paid the highest price, the child with the raw talent that was polished to Olympic gold through years of harsh training or the one considered so defective at birth she was given to another family to raise.
February 8, 2024
Dominique Moceanu was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1981. Her family moved to Texas so that she would be able to train with notorious gymnastics coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi. She was a very talented gymnast, earning her place in the 1996 Olympics, alongside another famous name: Kerry Strug. Moceanu went on to have a successful career after the Olympics, and certainly after she got away from the Karolyi gym. I remember watching her during the 1996 Olympics. This was a very good read.
June 14, 2012
This was one of the better "celebrity" memoirs I've read (though I'd argue Moceanu's less a celebrity and just a well-known athlete, at least among people in my generation). Aside from dishing out a lot of personal stuff, Moceanu gives an inside look at the politics of USA Gymnastics. I'd had an idea about some of them, but she goes at it full force in the last couple of chapters, discussing how it's terrible that the entire sport rests upon the decisions of the Karolyis. Gymnastics is the only sport in the country that has this sort of system, and it's modeled after Russian and Romanian gymnastics.
While Moceanu details a lot of what you'd expect in terms of struggling with physical shape, with diet, with eating, and with competition, she was also dealing with a lot of adults who downright abused her. Aside from abusive coaches -- and there is no doubt in my mind that's the best way to describe the Karolyis -- Moceanu's father was pretty wretched as well. That all played out really publicly when she filed for emancipation, but the book details a lot more of her side of the story. I give her huge credit because where she could have sensationalized the story, instead, Moceanu is kind of humble about the entire matter. She forgave her father repeatedly, and she's forthright in saying the media really played the story up to being much more than it was (shocker). I appreciated how throughout the story, there was little anger or resentment toward anything that had happened in her life. Rather, it was her story, and she reacted as necessary. Not once was this one of those "pity me" kind of memoirs. Moceanu knows how neat her path was in terms of being such a young and accomplished athlete. She just shares some of the lesser-known things.
Prior to reading the book, I'd heard about how she
Fans of good memoirs and fans of Moceanu or gymnastics will certainly appreciate this read. After reading the Sey memoir earlier, I can say I think this one was much more enjoyable in terms of giving a look at how professional gymnastics works today.
While Moceanu details a lot of what you'd expect in terms of struggling with physical shape, with diet, with eating, and with competition, she was also dealing with a lot of adults who downright abused her. Aside from abusive coaches -- and there is no doubt in my mind that's the best way to describe the Karolyis -- Moceanu's father was pretty wretched as well. That all played out really publicly when she filed for emancipation, but the book details a lot more of her side of the story. I give her huge credit because where she could have sensationalized the story, instead, Moceanu is kind of humble about the entire matter. She forgave her father repeatedly, and she's forthright in saying the media really played the story up to being much more than it was (shocker). I appreciated how throughout the story, there was little anger or resentment toward anything that had happened in her life. Rather, it was her story, and she reacted as necessary. Not once was this one of those "pity me" kind of memoirs. Moceanu knows how neat her path was in terms of being such a young and accomplished athlete. She just shares some of the lesser-known things.
Prior to reading the book, I'd heard about how she
Fans of good memoirs and fans of Moceanu or gymnastics will certainly appreciate this read. After reading the Sey memoir earlier, I can say I think this one was much more enjoyable in terms of giving a look at how professional gymnastics works today.
December 11, 2012
Over the summer, my best friend's boyfriend called me and said, "Katie...do you know who Dominique Moceanu is???" Being an avid Olympics fan, I of course knew of her as the little brunette gymnast that was one fraction of the Magnificent Seven from the '96 Atlanta games that brought home all-around women's gold for the first time to America. What I didn't know was how insane the rest of her life was. As soon as finding out about the extreme situations in her life, I got on the waiting list for her book at the library. It'd definitely help if you are an Olympics, or more specifically, a gymnastics fan and remember the '96 games/care about the sport, but Ms. Moceanu's story is so much more than that. From an abusive father (who first spoke the words "I love you" when Dominique was 21) to nasty coaches that only had their best interest at heart (the famous Karolyi duo) to the middle sister she never knew she had (because her parents gave her up for adoption and never told her), Dominique truly tells an incredible story. The hardest to wrap your head around is the story of her sister Jennifer, who was given up at birth when her parents saw she was born without legs and allegedly decided they didn't have the funds/capability to be able to raise her. Jennifer had other plans and persevered through her handicapp so that it didn't matter and ended up being an award winning tumbler and featured aerialist on Britney Spears' Circus tour. Off Balance is a captivating read that transitions well from Ms. Moceanu's rough past to her climb into normalcy and back again and truly gives you an appreciation for having loving parents (as well as supportive coaches if you're an athlete) and make you question if gold medals are really worth it.
Read
January 28, 2013Dominique Moceanu has been an idol of mine when I first saw her beat another idol, Shannon Miller, in 1995 at the age of 13. I was 8. Being a fellow gymnast, though I was never an Elite, I can relate to a lot of her struggles in our sport, one that is, at times, physically, mentally, and emotionally grueling. I always looked up to Dominique and envied (what seemed like) her perfect relationship with her coaches, Bela and Marta. When I first started out & she was rising to fame, I couldn't stand my coaches and wanted what she had. I now know how the public was duped and how much she suffered. Gymnasts go through what ballet dancers do with coaches, if not more. The pressure to be thin is exacerbating and weight gain is shunned, because it really does change your flight path through aerial movements. My competitve career was over shortly after puberty, when my body changed, and done completely at the age of 16, due to chronic injuries. Dominique should be commended for her ability to openly share her journey and also to fight for what is right in the gymnastics community, since it has moved towards an Eastern European dictatorship; the dictator being Matra Karoyli, who is so deleterious to gymnasts' confidence in their ability and self-esteem. She & USAG should be ashamed, her for her behavior & USAG for allowing her to be in power and for backing her.
August 6, 2012
Ultimately it was my happy memories of Atlanta's Magnificent Seven from 1996 that led me to this book, and while the truths I read flipped some of those memories upside down I was still captivated by the book. Though her style was a little bit disjointed, the storytelling overall was well done. She paints a very rough picture of the Karolyis, who coach their American gymnast as though they were career athletes of communist Russia. These tellings make me want to rewatch the 1996 Olympics and see if I notice the falsity of Bela Karolyi's affections toward the girls. Moceanu also talks a lot of her rocky relationship with her strict father, which gets worse and then better as the book (and ultimately, Moceanu's life) goes on. It was an emotional relief for me to know that she and her father reconcile somewhat before he dies of cancer. The shocking revelation of her long lost sister and her foray into the dark world of drugs and alcohol took me by surprise, but I appreciated her honesty about the tough subjects. She sugarcoated nothing and wrote an honest revelation not just about her life, but about the world of elite gymnastics in the United States. Watching the 2012 Olympics this past week, I can't help but wonder if behind their smiles and pretty leotards, other young gymnasts are having similar hardships.
November 7, 2019
I want to say that this is a very sad story of a child who is pushed to the very limits by her parents and trainers, but that is only half the story. Dominique Moceanu was all of these things but so much more, she had such a personal ambition and drive from a very young age that she was a more than willing student and a truly great young athlete. Despite her eagerness to do her best and achieve the top places in gymnastics, this was never enough for her overbearing father of whom she was afraid and her trainer who was cold and uncaring, he and his wife wanted the glory and fame that came with training a gold medal winner but they treated the young Dominique with almost disdain and put her through so much training even though they knew she was in physical pain and mentally stressed to the limit. They used the threat of telling her father that she was not trying to make her keep going and she was too afraid to complain about her treatment to her parents. Her mother was also dominated by her husband and so there was nowhere for Dominique to turn. As soon as she was old enough to work things out for herself she took matters into her own hands and fought for freedom.
This is a story of courage and talent that is a true credit to Dominique herself and not to those who professed to be on her side.
This is a story of courage and talent that is a true credit to Dominique herself and not to those who professed to be on her side.
July 7, 2012
I saw Dominique Moceanu interviewed on "The Road to London" on Universal Sports. They mentioned her book, "Off Balance." This is my favorite thing about my kindle, no hour long trips to the book store (one way,) I immediately purchased it and devoured it.
Gymnastics is my favorite summer Olympic sport. And I have to admit, I wanted the dirt on Bela and Marta Korolyi. And I got it!
Moceanu certainly had difficulty in her life. And she lays it out without whining or justifications or sympathy seeking. And it seemed like she went out of her to way to be fair to some of the people who should have had her best interest in mind as a young gymnast.
There is a lot of stuff here--a long lost, and yet unknown sister, emancipation from her parents, an abusive father, Olympic gold medal and coaches who appear to be self serving, to put it mildly.
Having just watched the Olympic trials for gymnastics and watching Marta watch the women gymnasts and make decisions, I was fascinated to learn more about the Karoloyis and the way they control the sport of gymnastics. And it is appalling! But man! Juicy like a Jackie Collins novel! Love it!
Gymnastics is my favorite summer Olympic sport. And I have to admit, I wanted the dirt on Bela and Marta Korolyi. And I got it!
Moceanu certainly had difficulty in her life. And she lays it out without whining or justifications or sympathy seeking. And it seemed like she went out of her to way to be fair to some of the people who should have had her best interest in mind as a young gymnast.
There is a lot of stuff here--a long lost, and yet unknown sister, emancipation from her parents, an abusive father, Olympic gold medal and coaches who appear to be self serving, to put it mildly.
Having just watched the Olympic trials for gymnastics and watching Marta watch the women gymnasts and make decisions, I was fascinated to learn more about the Karoloyis and the way they control the sport of gymnastics. And it is appalling! But man! Juicy like a Jackie Collins novel! Love it!
July 20, 2020
Reading this now, it's like "duh, of course the Karolyis were horrible to her, of course there was a culture of mental, physical, and emotional abuse at The Ranch and throughout USAG" HOWEVER this was published in 2012 when the Karolyis were still going strong. While Bela was not the NTC anymore, he was still featured in interviews throughout the London games and Marta and the Ranch were still going strong. The Ranch- where there was documented abuse and neglect (campers were not fed) did not get shut down until 2018 and only because Simone Biles spoke up. Kudos to Dominique for being unequivocal in her condemnation of USAG and the Karolyis at this point. She probably didn't make a lot of friends writing this book, but it needed to be said and further reemphasizes that the culture of abuse existed way before Larry Nassar (he's not even mentioned in this book) and continues to this day as we have seen with the #gymnastalliance movement. While it wasn't the best athlete memoir I've read, she gets 4 stars for being brave enough so speak up at a time when it wasn't going to do her any favors.
November 26, 2020
I love behind-the-scenes memoirs from figure skaters, gymnasts, etc., but this was an odd one. It was more about the author's family, including finding a long-lost sister, than it was about anything she endured in the gym.
The tyrant in this story was not the infamous Bela Karolyi, though he certainly doesn't come across as a nice guy, but the author's own father. Her story was clearly interesting, as I read it over a few days when I was extraordinarily busy, but it felt like there was something missing. The struggles and sacrifices required to get to her level in the sport were barely touched on.
Or perhaps I need a break from reading these things.
The tyrant in this story was not the infamous Bela Karolyi, though he certainly doesn't come across as a nice guy, but the author's own father. Her story was clearly interesting, as I read it over a few days when I was extraordinarily busy, but it felt like there was something missing. The struggles and sacrifices required to get to her level in the sport were barely touched on.
Or perhaps I need a break from reading these things.
August 14, 2020
This was a very insightful read after being such a huge fan of Dominique Moceanu as a child. It is amazing what she was going through and feeling while being in the spotlight and so many were wishing to be her. It really gives you a shift in mindset to realize that at the time that she was most known and desired to be by so many young girls, she was at her lowest points in her life.
March 13, 2020
I first became aware of Dominique when I saw her perform exquisitely in the 1996 Olympics. Recently I came across a copy of "Off Balance" at a used book store. I was intrigued enough to buy it. I always wanted to know how Dominique's story came out. I had heard many things about the unpleasant experiences of the female gymnasts, Bela Karolyi, the team physician, and I had even heard about how Dominique became emancipated from her parents when she was only 16 or 17. I was amazed at the story of how her parents had an arranged marriage in a Communist country. I was equally amazed at how Dominique's father's Romanian background allowed himself to be convinced by the Karolyis (also from Romania) that Dominique needed to be treated so harshly. Her father had obviously gone through the same harsh treatment. However, it was her parents' choice to allow her to be treated as such. Dominique mentioned that Kerry Strug's parents told the Karolyis to lighten up on Kerry if she was going to continue under their instruction...which they did. Dominique's father obviously never adapted to the American way and felt the need to fight for everything he got in life. He was extremely controlling. I'm not sure that I believe that Dominique was not molested by the team physician at all while all her teammates were. Her parents eventually hired a private physical therapist for her. If money was so tight, why would they do this? Dominique was distressed that her teammates would not come forward and talk about the Karolyis' abuse...possibly because she would not come forward about the team physician's abuse (my opinion). It just seems inconceivable that 150 other girls came forward about this. I felt sorry for Dominique throughout most of the book until I read that she wanted to be emancipated from her parents to gain control of the money she was earning. I felt this was a little extreme and that no doubt Dominique was going through her rebellious years (and who wouldn't rebel at the treatment she went through). I don't have all the answers, but it seems there were other ways this could have been handled. Her father had purchased a Mercedes for her, built on to the house, and let her have her dream bedroom. Her parents were also paying for her training. On the one hand, she was definitely supporting them. On the other hand, they had to move around for her and be there for her 24/7 since she was a minor. Dominique could have filed a complaint against her parents and had the law do an investigation into this matter. A trust fund could have been set up for her and a certain percent of the money she earned be put into it. Obviously, she would have still had to deal with her abusive father. That is part of the culture when your parents come from Eastern bloc countries. (I understand...my own mother was from Poland.) It seems there was no perfect solution. Whatever, she was ultimately emancipated. Unfortunately, from reading all that she got herself into during her teen years (drugs/alcohol), she really was too young emotionally to be emancipated. Also, she obviously burned her bridges with the U.S. Gymnastics Association and the Karolyis. I think there was a time and place for bringing forward all that she brought forward, but she should have waited until her competitive gymnastics career was over before attacking, as she ultimately discovered. The Karolyis and U.S. Gymnastics Association would no longer have anything to do with Dominique after her attacks began. I also read that she lost a lot of contracts (and money) she could have earned from endorsing various products. Therefore, she ultimately learned the hard way that you need to be careful about the time and place when you pick your battles. Someone should have advised her of this, but she was a rebellious teen with no guidance. A lot of this was glossed over in the book. I'm glad that her life turned out so well as far as her marriage, children, and sisters went. I was happy to hear that she even completed college, although I was a little surprised by some of the childlike grammatical errors in the book, e.g., photos labeled, "Me and Mike, Me and Nadia." She paid her co-authors. Why did they or the editors not catch these glaring errors? Maybe they wanted it to sound like the book was written by a child. Also, she commented in the book that she was caught by the Karolyis sneaking "low-fat" candy. That was another example of not having the book fact-checked before publishing it. Excess sugar is basically stored as fat, so the term "low-fat candy" was another example of naivete. Other than that, I felt the book was enlightening, although I probably would not have begun the book with a chapter about her sister, Jennifer. I'm sure she was thrilled about Jennifer and was anxious for us all to learn her story. However, the book would have flowed more easily had it been written in chronological sequence rather than interspersing chapters here and there about her sister who did not actually enter her life until she was about to give birth to her first child. Fascinating book, albeit written from a child's viewpoint.
August 1, 2012
When I was a little girl, my poverty-stricken mother (my father passed away when I was 4 years old); could barely afford food in our mouths nonetheless any extracurricular activities. I had a love for gymnastics and desperately wanted to take lessons. To satisfy this craving, I would put on my bathing suit (a “leotard”), flour my hands (“chalk”), and put on gymnastic shows in my living room. It was only natural that in 1996, the pint-sized Dominique Moceanu (who was similar in age and ethnicity) would mesmerize me. Does she still? I planned to find out in her memoir, “Off Balance”.
“Off Balance” is well… off. Each chapter alternates back and forth between a typical memoir describing Moceanu’s childhood upbringing, her gymnastic career, and that of her adult discovery of a long-lost sister who had been given up for adoption when Dominique was 6 years old. Sounds enticing enough, however, “Off Balance” is almost like two separate books in one… or at least written by two separate people. The chapters regarding her childhood are flat and emotionless (never does the reader truly feel the events described) and are written in a tone more suitable for a child in simplistic text. Basically, they are a bore. Not to mention, Moceanu glosses over important moments of her childhood which causes many questions to go unanswered.
On the other hand, the chapters regarding Moceanu’s sister (Jennifer) are much more emotional, interesting, and filled with more depth in comparison to the early part of “Off Balance”. This results in an overall book that lacks a cohesive glue, has a chunky flow, and an uneven pace. “Off Balance” does use two “contributors” so perhaps various sections had more influences from outsiders.
Some of the heavier topics mentioned (Bela Karolyi’s abusive coaching and Moceanu’s borderline eating disorder) could have strengthened “Off Balance” but weren’t multi-dimensional or well-elaborated. Moceanu almost seems unsure of her own feelings/opinions and is thus not as strong in re-telling her story. Moceanu isn’t over-the-top in her “woe is me” attitude (which is the habit of most other memoirs) but at the same time, I never truly felt like I got to know her on a deep level. “Off Balance” feels as insightful as if someone else wrote it about her.
As expected, Moceanu recalls childhood demons of drugs, running away from home, and alcohol in her late teen years. Luckily, it isn’t an overly dragged out topic common to most famous children (although Moceanu does annoyingly try to make excuses for her behavior).
One of the strongest moments in “Off Balance” is Moceanu’s arguments against the gymnastic bureaucracy and selection process. It is quite insightful (especially having read this as the 2012 Olympics is taking currently place) and encourages further research and debate on the topic. The ending of “Off Balance” felt overly-extended to being emotional. Furthermore, it never truly concluded the story on Dominique’s sister, even though it was a seemingly main topic in the book and in her life.
At times, Moceanu’s gymnastic descriptions can be technical in jargon and would definitely lose the interest of a non-gymnastic reader.
“Off Balance” wasn’t a bad effort of writing but it didn’t open up Moceanu’s world or result in a moving, memorable work. It is recommended for fans of Moceanu but it won’t change a reader’s life.
“Off Balance” is well… off. Each chapter alternates back and forth between a typical memoir describing Moceanu’s childhood upbringing, her gymnastic career, and that of her adult discovery of a long-lost sister who had been given up for adoption when Dominique was 6 years old. Sounds enticing enough, however, “Off Balance” is almost like two separate books in one… or at least written by two separate people. The chapters regarding her childhood are flat and emotionless (never does the reader truly feel the events described) and are written in a tone more suitable for a child in simplistic text. Basically, they are a bore. Not to mention, Moceanu glosses over important moments of her childhood which causes many questions to go unanswered.
On the other hand, the chapters regarding Moceanu’s sister (Jennifer) are much more emotional, interesting, and filled with more depth in comparison to the early part of “Off Balance”. This results in an overall book that lacks a cohesive glue, has a chunky flow, and an uneven pace. “Off Balance” does use two “contributors” so perhaps various sections had more influences from outsiders.
Some of the heavier topics mentioned (Bela Karolyi’s abusive coaching and Moceanu’s borderline eating disorder) could have strengthened “Off Balance” but weren’t multi-dimensional or well-elaborated. Moceanu almost seems unsure of her own feelings/opinions and is thus not as strong in re-telling her story. Moceanu isn’t over-the-top in her “woe is me” attitude (which is the habit of most other memoirs) but at the same time, I never truly felt like I got to know her on a deep level. “Off Balance” feels as insightful as if someone else wrote it about her.
As expected, Moceanu recalls childhood demons of drugs, running away from home, and alcohol in her late teen years. Luckily, it isn’t an overly dragged out topic common to most famous children (although Moceanu does annoyingly try to make excuses for her behavior).
One of the strongest moments in “Off Balance” is Moceanu’s arguments against the gymnastic bureaucracy and selection process. It is quite insightful (especially having read this as the 2012 Olympics is taking currently place) and encourages further research and debate on the topic. The ending of “Off Balance” felt overly-extended to being emotional. Furthermore, it never truly concluded the story on Dominique’s sister, even though it was a seemingly main topic in the book and in her life.
At times, Moceanu’s gymnastic descriptions can be technical in jargon and would definitely lose the interest of a non-gymnastic reader.
“Off Balance” wasn’t a bad effort of writing but it didn’t open up Moceanu’s world or result in a moving, memorable work. It is recommended for fans of Moceanu but it won’t change a reader’s life.
October 30, 2019
Since the book was published, Dominique has opened her own gym in Cleveland, gotten married and has two children. I think that she has excelled in the sport and led the way to show that one can persevere. I also think that in the long run, the damage that the Karolyis did to the young gymnasts they were paid to promote and teach and take care of will come back and bite them!
I have been in a gymnastics non-fiction mood and picked up this book on Dominique Moceanu. It was written in 2012 and tells about her dealings with the Karolyis and her memoir about being a gymnast.
I remember the '96 olympics where Dominique Moceanu was one of the gymnasts. At that point in time, I remember being more in awe of Kerri Strug who vaulted in spite of a broken ankle and wondered "what kind of a parent would let their child compete even with that type of injury."
After reading the book, What is a Girl worth by Rachel Dollenhander, about the girls who were sexually abused by Larry Nasser and how many times the flags had been raised about him as well as Girls in Pretty Little Boxes by Joan Ryan (1996), I wanted to know more about Dominique and what gymnastics meant for her.
This book tells of her story of being raised by a Romanian immigrant and how much she loved gymnastics. It tells about how gymnasts were controlled by Bela and Marta Karolyi for years and how much abuse she suffered at their hands and how many people knew because of the type of people they were yet the girls continued to train there and the Karolyis were the judge and jury when it came to the gymnasts who were going to the Olympics.
I read this book after having read other books about the gymnasts and all the things they go through hoping to make it to be an Olympian gymnast.
She had to become emancipated from her family at the age of 17 because her father was using all her earnings to support his gym and didn't want her to have a say in the matter. She was blackballed from Gymnastics because of the Karolyis but still loved the sport and got back into it.
Over 20 years has passed since the 1996 Olympics and it doesn't appear that much has changed in the gymnastics field in that time. I'm glad that she is out there training a new generation of gymnasts and hoping that the problems she had during her career will be overcome for the newer gymnasts.
I have been in a gymnastics non-fiction mood and picked up this book on Dominique Moceanu. It was written in 2012 and tells about her dealings with the Karolyis and her memoir about being a gymnast.
I remember the '96 olympics where Dominique Moceanu was one of the gymnasts. At that point in time, I remember being more in awe of Kerri Strug who vaulted in spite of a broken ankle and wondered "what kind of a parent would let their child compete even with that type of injury."
After reading the book, What is a Girl worth by Rachel Dollenhander, about the girls who were sexually abused by Larry Nasser and how many times the flags had been raised about him as well as Girls in Pretty Little Boxes by Joan Ryan (1996), I wanted to know more about Dominique and what gymnastics meant for her.
This book tells of her story of being raised by a Romanian immigrant and how much she loved gymnastics. It tells about how gymnasts were controlled by Bela and Marta Karolyi for years and how much abuse she suffered at their hands and how many people knew because of the type of people they were yet the girls continued to train there and the Karolyis were the judge and jury when it came to the gymnasts who were going to the Olympics.
I read this book after having read other books about the gymnasts and all the things they go through hoping to make it to be an Olympian gymnast.
She had to become emancipated from her family at the age of 17 because her father was using all her earnings to support his gym and didn't want her to have a say in the matter. She was blackballed from Gymnastics because of the Karolyis but still loved the sport and got back into it.
Over 20 years has passed since the 1996 Olympics and it doesn't appear that much has changed in the gymnastics field in that time. I'm glad that she is out there training a new generation of gymnasts and hoping that the problems she had during her career will be overcome for the newer gymnasts.
September 12, 2012
Dominique Moceanu is like the Real Housewives of the gymnastics world. There's always been some drama around her and I'm never sure if she deserves half the negative publicity that comes with it.
That said, I was curious and found it interesting.
PROS:
My experience in the sport and attenuated connections with the elite athletes gives me an only-slightly-filtered idea of what really goes on. I would say her book is pretty accurate about coaches (certainly in her praise of Alexander Alexandrov) and the dual-personality of Bela Karolyi. I think it was accurate in describing the type of personality that excels in the sport (perfectionist, determined beyond all get out, athletically gifted, goal-oriented, extremely hard-working, and willing to do almost whatever it took to win.) Other books by elite gymnasts (thinking about Chalked Up by Jennifer Sey) also describe a certain personality type that thrives in the gym. Those personality types, when combined with athleticism and a healthy support system can produce amazing results. In this case, Dominique did not have the benefit of a strong family and still succeeded. That's pretty remarkable to me.
CONS:
I thought it was interesting and suspicious that she claims to have NO recollection of her mother being pregnant with Jennifer (the secret sister). I also felt like rolling my eyes a lot. I felt like this book was SO self-indulgent. I know this is her autobiography and obviously she's going to talk about herself... but it seemed to be presented in such an annoyingly, self-congratulatory way that I found it annoying. Being a huge Zmeskal fan, I was also not a fan of the diss near the end of the book.
I would recommend this book to fans of gymnastics, especially those who "came of age" when Dom was competing. She talks about other gymnasts you may remember. However, unless you're REALLY into it, this is an easy book to dismiss as more tabloid drama from "the other Dominique."
That said, I was curious and found it interesting.
PROS:
My experience in the sport and attenuated connections with the elite athletes gives me an only-slightly-filtered idea of what really goes on. I would say her book is pretty accurate about coaches (certainly in her praise of Alexander Alexandrov) and the dual-personality of Bela Karolyi. I think it was accurate in describing the type of personality that excels in the sport (perfectionist, determined beyond all get out, athletically gifted, goal-oriented, extremely hard-working, and willing to do almost whatever it took to win.) Other books by elite gymnasts (thinking about Chalked Up by Jennifer Sey) also describe a certain personality type that thrives in the gym. Those personality types, when combined with athleticism and a healthy support system can produce amazing results. In this case, Dominique did not have the benefit of a strong family and still succeeded. That's pretty remarkable to me.
CONS:
I thought it was interesting and suspicious that she claims to have NO recollection of her mother being pregnant with Jennifer (the secret sister). I also felt like rolling my eyes a lot. I felt like this book was SO self-indulgent. I know this is her autobiography and obviously she's going to talk about herself... but it seemed to be presented in such an annoyingly, self-congratulatory way that I found it annoying. Being a huge Zmeskal fan, I was also not a fan of the diss near the end of the book.
I would recommend this book to fans of gymnastics, especially those who "came of age" when Dom was competing. She talks about other gymnasts you may remember. However, unless you're REALLY into it, this is an easy book to dismiss as more tabloid drama from "the other Dominique."
June 30, 2012
With the Summer Olympics 2012 fast approaching, this is the perfect time to get to really know a past olympic superstar, Dominique Moceanu in Off Balance. Readers will remember Dominique as she was a member of the 1996 Women's Olympic Gymnastics team known as the "Magnificent Seven". People know Dominique as one of the greatest gymnastics but what people probably don't know about Dominique is the person, mom, wife, sister, and daughter. In Off Balance Dominique shares a personal look at her life growing up, how she discovered her passion for gymnastics, making the olympic team and finding out she had a sister.
This is a great memoir. I tend to usually stay away from memoirs, only because I don't really want to read about other peoples lives unless it is omeone that I really like. Only because if I find out things I do not like or find the bookk to be dry, then it takes away some for me on that person. None of this was the case with this book. I liked that Dominique made sure that the readers got to know her parents as they are an important part of the story. Dominique could have just briefly glossed over who they were and just focused on her gymnastic career but she did not.
Jennifer was great. I like that Dominique was her idol and the reason why she wanted to do gymnastics. I would have liked to get to know her better in this book but what I did get to learn of her, I thought she had a great personality. Wow, what Dominque had to endure during her grueling training sessions with Bela Karolyi was amazing. It paid off in the end. Although, a sad time for someone as young as Dominique to have to deal with for a coach, even if he was one of the best. I read this book in one sitting. Off Balance scores gold!
This is a great memoir. I tend to usually stay away from memoirs, only because I don't really want to read about other peoples lives unless it is omeone that I really like. Only because if I find out things I do not like or find the bookk to be dry, then it takes away some for me on that person. None of this was the case with this book. I liked that Dominique made sure that the readers got to know her parents as they are an important part of the story. Dominique could have just briefly glossed over who they were and just focused on her gymnastic career but she did not.
Jennifer was great. I like that Dominique was her idol and the reason why she wanted to do gymnastics. I would have liked to get to know her better in this book but what I did get to learn of her, I thought she had a great personality. Wow, what Dominque had to endure during her grueling training sessions with Bela Karolyi was amazing. It paid off in the end. Although, a sad time for someone as young as Dominique to have to deal with for a coach, even if he was one of the best. I read this book in one sitting. Off Balance scores gold!
February 24, 2017
My very first research project in elementary school was on the wonder, grace, and power of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci's gymnastics. After that I was hooked. I can imagine enjoying almost any biography from any gymnast, but this one was particularly satisfying because Moceanu took on the Karolyis. I realize many people think she was being dramatic, but I don't. Both Keri Strug and Nadia Comaneci have spoken about the harsh treatment they suffered at the hands of the Karolyis. Do they now say it was for their own good? Absolutely. But, the Karolyis rule the world of gymnastics and it's easy to imagine competitors like Comaneci and Strug want to seem like they can handle anything. By some, Moceanu is seen as weak and bitter for complaining about the harsh treatment she endured.
I thought she made an extremely compelling case about why the Karolyis were able to single her out for particularly harsh treatment. Her father was old school, FOB from Romania. He allowed the Karolyis to take charge and supported their almost tyrannical control over Moceanu. Meanwhile, Strug's parents pulled her out for a while before letting her go back to Karolyi only after he agreed to treat her much better than he had been treating her. Moceanu never got that kind of parental support.
The rest of the book dealt with her never ending family drama-- an abusive dad, a lost sister who appeared 20 years after she had been given up, taking her parents to court, losing her gym, trying to re-enter competition, etc.
I thought she made an extremely compelling case about why the Karolyis were able to single her out for particularly harsh treatment. Her father was old school, FOB from Romania. He allowed the Karolyis to take charge and supported their almost tyrannical control over Moceanu. Meanwhile, Strug's parents pulled her out for a while before letting her go back to Karolyi only after he agreed to treat her much better than he had been treating her. Moceanu never got that kind of parental support.
The rest of the book dealt with her never ending family drama-- an abusive dad, a lost sister who appeared 20 years after she had been given up, taking her parents to court, losing her gym, trying to re-enter competition, etc.
August 12, 2012
If I could give the book a 2.75 I would. I liked the book, to an extent. To me the writing was jumpy and somewhat hard to follow. I wish she would have told the part about her sister in a few chapters together instead of back and forth because it came across as confusing more than interesting.
I believe her views were slightly slanted. Dominique was a very, very young gymnast with an abusive father, I could see her feeling crushed by a coach who was very similar to her father.
One thing that kind of bothered me was she seemed somewhat inconsistent in details, for example, there were no foam pits at the Karolyi Camp, then at the end there were. Maybe they upgraded their equipment in the interim? Or at one point she was living in Colorado, the next paragraph she's living in Texas, when did she move? I found little details like those here and there off and that bugged me.
I also found that she wrote about certain things in detail. Her memory of some of her coaches, for example. Other areas she would just graze over quickly.She quickly talked about getting emancipated but didn't really explain it very well. Many times I was just thinking this doesn't really add up or she's leaving something out or forgetting to put something in.
I believe her views were slightly slanted. Dominique was a very, very young gymnast with an abusive father, I could see her feeling crushed by a coach who was very similar to her father.
One thing that kind of bothered me was she seemed somewhat inconsistent in details, for example, there were no foam pits at the Karolyi Camp, then at the end there were. Maybe they upgraded their equipment in the interim? Or at one point she was living in Colorado, the next paragraph she's living in Texas, when did she move? I found little details like those here and there off and that bugged me.
I also found that she wrote about certain things in detail. Her memory of some of her coaches, for example. Other areas she would just graze over quickly.She quickly talked about getting emancipated but didn't really explain it very well. Many times I was just thinking this doesn't really add up or she's leaving something out or forgetting to put something in.
September 29, 2012
What an amazing eye-opener. I've been a fan of the Magnificent Seven since the beginning. Once Dominique's family issues hit the press well after the Atlanta Olympics, I found myself incredibly curious about her life and experiences.
This book served not only as an eye-opener to her rough family life growing up, but also to the insanity of the Karolyis as well as the politics surrounding Olympic gymnast selection and the organization of USA Gymnastics as a whole.
The horrible treatment she received from the Karolyis leaves me wondering to what heights her career could have gone, if she'd actually had a proper coach and proper equipment. What an amazing girl with amazing strength.
This book served not only as an eye-opener to her rough family life growing up, but also to the insanity of the Karolyis as well as the politics surrounding Olympic gymnast selection and the organization of USA Gymnastics as a whole.
The horrible treatment she received from the Karolyis leaves me wondering to what heights her career could have gone, if she'd actually had a proper coach and proper equipment. What an amazing girl with amazing strength.
August 26, 2012
I love reading about gymnastics and this one did not disappoint. So glad she connected with the sister she never knew she had. The amount of work, pain, and starvation these poor girls go through. I will never look at the Karolis with admiration again, rather with disdain. Remarkable how rounded Dominique turned out despite everything she went through.
March 8, 2019
Before the media announced that there was something wrong with the Karolyi's method, this woman was telling her truth and warning USA gymnastics way before then, sad that they didn't listen to her and maybe some of the recent gymnasts could have been spared their horrible treatment.
July 26, 2016
I realize this is Domi's part of the story but boy do the Karolys sound like asshats
August 17, 2024
I read this because the Olympics left me craving more gymnastics. And back in 1996, I was a huge fan of the Magnificent 7, and Dominique Moceanu was my favorite.
This memoir is surprisingly poignant. Unfortunately, like many female gymnasts of her era, Dominique endured abuse at the hands of the famed Romanian husband-wife coaching duo, Bela and Marta Karolyi - particularly emotional abuse and body shaming and coerced fasting. But the worst abuse came from her own father. It gets pretty crazy. And add to this the fact that Dominique has a sister she didn't know existed until she was 21, and there is a pretty remarkable story here.
As a huge lover of sports, I of course enjoyed reading about Dominique's determination and rise to stardom as an athlete. But the real beauty in this memoir is the human story behind it all. It is a short, quick read, and I walked away an even bigger fan of Dominique - now a 43-year-old wife and mother of 3 who remains active in the gymnastics community - and see her as a great inspiration of strength, endurance, and resilience of spirit. ❤️❤️❤️
This memoir is surprisingly poignant. Unfortunately, like many female gymnasts of her era, Dominique endured abuse at the hands of the famed Romanian husband-wife coaching duo, Bela and Marta Karolyi - particularly emotional abuse and body shaming and coerced fasting. But the worst abuse came from her own father. It gets pretty crazy. And add to this the fact that Dominique has a sister she didn't know existed until she was 21, and there is a pretty remarkable story here.
As a huge lover of sports, I of course enjoyed reading about Dominique's determination and rise to stardom as an athlete. But the real beauty in this memoir is the human story behind it all. It is a short, quick read, and I walked away an even bigger fan of Dominique - now a 43-year-old wife and mother of 3 who remains active in the gymnastics community - and see her as a great inspiration of strength, endurance, and resilience of spirit. ❤️❤️❤️
September 2, 2024
It’s interesting to me to go back and read the lower star reviews from when the book came out accusing Dominique of being dramatic vs. the reviews that were written since the Larry Nassar scandal broke in 2016.
I enjoyed the book, though I admit I seem to be the outlier in that I didn’t care much about the Jennifer storyline. I was OBSESSED with the 1996 Olympic team and loved Dominique Moceanu because she was fierce (and also only a few years older than me so I was mesmerized by her). I remember learning within the last decade that Kerri Strug’s 2nd vault ended up being unnecessary, but looking back it seemed to be a part of the win at all costs mentality that was prevalent with the Karolyis.
Anywho. Given everything that has come out about the sexual abuses and the physical/emotional/mental abuses of female gymnasts (really … they were girls!) in the last decade, IMHO, Dominique was pretty brave by coming out with this story when she did and paving the way for others to tell their stories later on.
I enjoyed the book, though I admit I seem to be the outlier in that I didn’t care much about the Jennifer storyline. I was OBSESSED with the 1996 Olympic team and loved Dominique Moceanu because she was fierce (and also only a few years older than me so I was mesmerized by her). I remember learning within the last decade that Kerri Strug’s 2nd vault ended up being unnecessary, but looking back it seemed to be a part of the win at all costs mentality that was prevalent with the Karolyis.
Anywho. Given everything that has come out about the sexual abuses and the physical/emotional/mental abuses of female gymnasts (really … they were girls!) in the last decade, IMHO, Dominique was pretty brave by coming out with this story when she did and paving the way for others to tell their stories later on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 513 reviews