Come Dance With Me

by Russell Hoban

There is a strangeness about Christabel Alderton. Elias Newman can see it right away, as well he might. When Christabel was 13 she was walking by the River Lea and some people in a cabin cruiser waved to her. The scene before her seemed to freeze like a photograph and she felt weird. A little later the boat blew up and killed everyone on board. Since then she’s been troubled by a sort of second sight that works sometimes, but not always. Now, years later, she sings with a band called Mobile Mortuary who make their onstage entrance climbing out of body drawers. Death is much on her mind because the men in her life tend to die before their time and she’s come to think she’s bad luck. Elias Newman is a diabetologist who meets Christabel at a Royal Academy of Arts exhibition. Fascinated, he’s keen to know her better. She’s attracted to him but afraid of what might happen if she lets herself fall in love. Christabel and Elias are complicated people. Via Symbolist paintings and German ballads the narrative flows from the River Lea via a haunted woodland bog out to the crash of the Pacific surf on Kahakuloa Head in the Hawaiian Islands. And only in a Hoban novel could such an intensely involving love story embrace the redemptive power of ketchup bottles.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Russell Conwell Hoban was an American expatriate writer. His works span many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mainstream fiction, magical realism, poetry, and children's books. He lived in London, England, from 1969 until his death. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Aida Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ven a bailar conmigo" es una comedia romántica contemporánea escrita por Russell Hoban.
No esperéis nada azucarado por lo de "romántico",con un endocrino como parte de esta historia...Elías no lo permitiría,que para algo es la mitad del protagonismo suyo.

Dos personas maduras se conocen .Cada uno tiene ya su modo de vida definido y se enfrentan a ese complicado momento de decidir si esa persona especial que conoces tiene cabida en ella.

Christabel tiene una personalidad arrolladora.Trabaja en una banda y la música es su pasión .
Supersticiosa y yo añadiría fatalista ,vive con pensamientos recurrentes dominando su vida.
Con ella avistaremos ballenas y la nostalgia pasará entre éstas páginas.Aveces la vida se pone dramática queridos y la actitud es lo que marca la diferencia ante ella y lo inevitable.Eso...y estar en buena compañía .

Una de las cosas que me fascinó en esta lenta conquista ,es como los libros,el cine y la música sirven para definir la personalidad y ayudan a conocer a las personas.

No os puedo contar si "terminan juntos"...al fin y al cabo las relaciones son así ,es necesario encontrar la frecuencia como las ballenas en su canto y este no es un libro precisamente predecible,para suerte y disfrute del lector ...Espero que sintáis la curiosidad suficiente para conocer a Christabel y Elías y ver que ocurre finalmente con esta pareja.

▪️"Me gustan esos pequeños descansos entre lo que acabas de dejar atrás y lo que te espera;nunca duran lo suficiente"

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russell Hoban was a unique author. He does whimsy and quirkiness in a highbrow way that I find compelling. He also does culture - art galleries are a frequent setting. Coincidences are regular occurrences, and somehow he gets away with it.

He nests some of his characters in multiple books, always in a fleeting way, blink and you miss it.

Middle aged middle class duo slowly fall into coupledom. They have to battle against history - she somehow feels responsible for killing several men in her life. There is a bit of will they won't they, I think they will.

[Maxi Papandrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

En la superficie, una historia de amor romántico entre dos personas que ya tienen suficiente vida vivida y no quieren perder tiempo en pavadas. Ella, cantante de una banda de rock gótico, 54 años; él, médico, soltero, ex poeta, 62. La realidad, misteriosa como siempre cuando se le presta atención, les hace suficientes guiños a través de símbolos y coincidencias como para que los dos se enteren de que algo hondo tramó la vida. Y además se conocen en un museo delante de "El Cíclope", la inquietante pintura de Odilon Redon. La muerte bucea profundo a lo largo de esta novela que se lee como una comedia romántica, graciosa y llena de chispazos de encanto y sorpresa, y se va nutriendo de la mirada maravillada de Hoban, un escritor para quien el inconsciente y la palabra eran el mismo portal hacia zonas sutiles del universo. Con su estilo ligero y musical, Hoban te reencanta el mundo. Una felicidad haberlo publicado.

[Marta Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuando se ama, se teme.
Amor y miedo van de la mano durante la mayor parte del trayecto que nos llevará quién sabe dónde.
Nos da miedo pensar que todo, en un solo instante, pueda acabarse. Que no seamos lo suficientemente buenos, o incluso que seamos malos; que el hueco que forman nuestros brazos no sea suficiente para cobijar ese otro corazón que late a un ritmo diferente y al que quizá nunca llegaremos a comprender del todo.
Nos atemoriza que los atardeceres sean demasiado cortos, que no haya tantos amaneceres como para que el otro llegue a comprender que de entre todas las desgracias que podrían suceder, la suerte de encontrarse en el mismo sitio y a la misma hora, ha ganado.
Qué miedo da pensar que han dejado de querernos; que ni siquiera han empezado a hacerlo.
Y entre todo ese miedo, una luz, la casualidad; retazos que renacen de la memoria y que nos recuerdan que lo único que puede derrotar al miedo, en todas y cada una de nuestras vidas, es el amor.

[Martina Tolosa]

No me convenció. Como comedia romántica está bien, pero lo que más interesaba era lo que había pasado en Hawai y Hoban se tomó solo dos párrafos para contarlo. Siento que terminó muy abruptamente.
Por otro lado, Christabel me pareció infumable.

[merbroccoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5⭐️ Me ha gustado encontrarme una historia de amor entre personas adultas y maduras, pero subyace un tono cómico raro con el que no he conectado para nada. Me han gustado los capítulos intercalados en los que hablan las personas con las que se cruzan los protagonistas, pero, en general…mñé.

[Florchi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se me hizo un poco largo pero me gustó mucho. Transmite muy bien el miedo que los protagonistas le tienen al amor y eso me pareció tierno.
Fue interesante leer romance sobre personas +50, siento que es un género no tan explorado y vale la pena.

[Jazmín Nogaró · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sólidas 3 y media estrellas

[Cami :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

No lo pude terminar

[Julieta DellaVilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

es un fanfict entretenido

[Romina Livchits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encantó esta novela! Muy linda historia, bien contada, una historia de amor no convencional entre dos personajes muy entrañables y particulares. (que además tienen +50)

[Mark Cofta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since he passed, I've been rationing the few works for adults by Russell Hoban I hadn't already read, and finally treated myself to this fine 2004 novel. Like his other works, it's a bit dark yet whimsical, magical, and unexpectedly fun. Come Dance with Me is told in 38 short chapters, all first-person narratives except for the final one; most are from the point of view of one main character or the other, but several are stand-alones by people the two central figures meet briefly. Why do they get a say? Well, why not?

Not everyone warms to Hoban, which used to mystify me. I gave his often hard to find novels as gifts a few times years ago and received no more than a polite "meh" in reply. Yet he's been one of my favorites for over 40 years, and I often mention Hoban when someone asks for the name of a writer who's been overlooked or that people should know, but don't.

I suspect some think that his novels lack "conflict," and they would be right in most cases. I think "conflict" is over-rated, however; I think people struggle in life, finding connection difficult and happiness elusive, and novels that explore this are plenty engaging without life-and-death, knives-and-guns "conflict." See my reviews of works by Becky Chambers and Leah Franqui for more thoughts about this as well as worthwhile novels to read.

When I was in college, I read The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz and was so moved that I wrote a fan note to Hoban. He wrote back! I don't know where that short note is today, except for its existence in my mind as a fond memory.

[Terry Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third of Russell Hoban's novels I've read and won't be the last. Come Dance With Me is a love story of sorts about two people from totally different backgrounds who were destined to meet, and when they do within an art gallery looking at the same picture they realise something special just happened. Russell Hoban's books are never as simple as first thought and deeper meanings come in to your head after you've finished reading it. I love the way it was written with the persons name at the beginning of each chapter so it's looking through their eyes and thoughts including tiny snippets such as the flight attendant or a passenger on a plane and how they see and feel about the people around them, which you don't tend to get with other novels. For anyone who hasn't read anything by Russell Hoban give him a try you won't regret it......... hopefully not anyway.

[unlibrotodolocura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ven a bailar conmigo.
Es esa historia de chico conoce a chica.
Pero no.
Porque aquí la chica y el chico.
Son adultos y ya han vivido mucho.
Y sentido mucho.
Ella lo ha dado todo.
Y él un poquito menos.

Pero se encuentran y se enredan.
Poquito a poco.
Sin prisas, con reparos, con concesiones.
Y mientras.
Se va perfilando el pasado de ella.
De su trágica vida amorosa.
De su faceta de cantante de rock.
Y de la mala suerte que parece acompañarla.

Él por su parte.
Tiene menos turbulencias.
Ama el arte y las casualidades.
Y es el hilo fino del que ella se va agarrando.
Sin darse cuenta.

Y así, entre conversaciones, citas casuales y la calma de la madurez.
Empiezan a bailar juntos.

Sencilla y sin grandes pretensiones.
Esta historia es de esas que te dan una perspectiva sobre el amor calmado.
Adulto y sin esfuerzos.
Ese que sin pretenderlo.
Aparece y ya está.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just read four Hoban novels in quick succession and each was very different (I have rarely come across an author who varies his style so much - perhaps John Fowles?). This was the easiest and most straight forward read. The sleeve summary and initial premise set up in the first page suggest a lead character with dangerous powers of foresight. However this does not develop in the expected direction of a futuristic science fiction adventure, but rather becomes a down to earth love story of sadness and loss and ultimately satisfying redemption. A good one to begin with if you are new to this versatile author or want to experience a complete contrast if you found yourself here after being mesmerised by the unique and challenging Riddley Walker.

[Andrew Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle and quirky love story; with some very Hobanesque use of language at times. Very readable and enjoyable, but not that memorable: (I've read it before sometime before 2011). Not up there with his best work (though that is a very high standard of comparison).

[Miffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really see the point of this book. By the end we had discovered more about the lives of the two main characters, yet we still were not sure of the direction of the relationship between the two of them... hmm...

[Lisa Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. Russell Hoban writes in a distinctively different manner....it is a love story but not your normal run of the mill love story. Unpredictable.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

not great

[Dave Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://electrichalibut.blogspot.com/2...

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, gentle, somehow wholly involving narrative of revolving around a romance. Beautiful.