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Glowfly Dance
'I never see my father. My father never sees me. But I see with the eyes he gave me. Slanted like the wings of gulls flying in the sky. And, when my mother speaks of Mexico, her eyes mist up with the lights of memory.'
Through young Mai’s eyes, life is enchanting and full of beauty. She dances on her grandfather’s feet while he talks of freedom. But the world is hard and her mother is struggling. When Rashid arrives, he casts a deep shadow over their lives. Nothing is beyond her new stepfather. They are desperate to escape from him, and their world becomes a constant battle for survival – one of fleeing, multiple identities, abduction and upheaval. Mai’s eyes not only witness the story of her mother, but also the poignant stories of the many women she encounters across different countries. Finally, Mai learns that, when freedom comes, it comes at a bitter price.
From Mexico to Scotland to London to North Africa, the West Indies and back again, Glowfly Dance is a powerful and haunting story of migration, resilience and, ultimately, hope.
- See more at: http://www.randomstruik.co.za/books/g...
Through young Mai’s eyes, life is enchanting and full of beauty. She dances on her grandfather’s feet while he talks of freedom. But the world is hard and her mother is struggling. When Rashid arrives, he casts a deep shadow over their lives. Nothing is beyond her new stepfather. They are desperate to escape from him, and their world becomes a constant battle for survival – one of fleeing, multiple identities, abduction and upheaval. Mai’s eyes not only witness the story of her mother, but also the poignant stories of the many women she encounters across different countries. Finally, Mai learns that, when freedom comes, it comes at a bitter price.
From Mexico to Scotland to London to North Africa, the West Indies and back again, Glowfly Dance is a powerful and haunting story of migration, resilience and, ultimately, hope.
- See more at: http://www.randomstruik.co.za/books/g...
448 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 10, 2016
I’ve just spent a weekend reading Jade Gibson’s Glowfly Dance. Based on a real life story, I’d bought it months earlier and truthfully, had been hesitant to begin it because I knew I would be confronting the horror of family abuse. But once started, I actually couldn’t put it down. Jade writes with such poetic beauty and maintains such a tight hold on her storyline I remained captivated by that most compelling skill of all good storytellers - the urgency of needing to know what happened next. Mai is the child-storyteller of the book and what I loved was how despite the horrors happening around her and to her, she never lost her acute sense of observation. She never closed herself to noticing natural beauty all around her, the moments of happiness and delight in her family, the joy of laughter and pleasure in small things.
I’ve experienced nothing like Mai has. But I recognised the pervasive sense of dread she describes that lives in a household ruled by fear and a profoundly dysfunctional relationship. The way you learn to fine-tune your sense of vigilance so you’re hyper-alert to the slightest shifts in mood, household sounds, the telling quality of silence. And how that then translates into a way of being: the way you make yourself, your feelings, disappear so as not to draw attention, the way you hide behind simple survival - and not the blossoming of your true self - as your highest goal. All this, Mai experiences and also transcends through the act of telling her story so powerfully.
There is tragedy too in how Mai’s mother makes critical life decisions from a desperate place of ‘no option’, of ‘there’s nothing else I can do’. Jade’s story seems to cry out for there to be viable alternatives to those Mai’s mother had to face.
Jade Gibson’s book is so important because it makes real and gives flesh and blood to the otherwise bare callous headlines of family abuse that flash by on lampposts as we drive past. The ones we usually ignore as too unbearable to contemplate. It shows in microcosm, what is experienced at a macro level as the oppression of whole countries run by fear, dread of stepping out of line, the incomprehensible and insane directives of madmen.
I hope Jade is writing a sequel to this intense, moving first novel. Mai’s courageous, fiery, stubborn, despairing self needs to find further expression on the pages of another book.
I’ve experienced nothing like Mai has. But I recognised the pervasive sense of dread she describes that lives in a household ruled by fear and a profoundly dysfunctional relationship. The way you learn to fine-tune your sense of vigilance so you’re hyper-alert to the slightest shifts in mood, household sounds, the telling quality of silence. And how that then translates into a way of being: the way you make yourself, your feelings, disappear so as not to draw attention, the way you hide behind simple survival - and not the blossoming of your true self - as your highest goal. All this, Mai experiences and also transcends through the act of telling her story so powerfully.
There is tragedy too in how Mai’s mother makes critical life decisions from a desperate place of ‘no option’, of ‘there’s nothing else I can do’. Jade’s story seems to cry out for there to be viable alternatives to those Mai’s mother had to face.
Jade Gibson’s book is so important because it makes real and gives flesh and blood to the otherwise bare callous headlines of family abuse that flash by on lampposts as we drive past. The ones we usually ignore as too unbearable to contemplate. It shows in microcosm, what is experienced at a macro level as the oppression of whole countries run by fear, dread of stepping out of line, the incomprehensible and insane directives of madmen.
I hope Jade is writing a sequel to this intense, moving first novel. Mai’s courageous, fiery, stubborn, despairing self needs to find further expression on the pages of another book.
March 6, 2016
The prose dances off the page. This was a riveting read by a new author - the story line is compelling and strictly from the protagonist, the eldest daughter, Mai. The book is emotional as Mai grows to be a responsible elder daughter as her mother spirals into an abusive relationship with her new husband, Rashid. The mother's spirit is very loving and at times helpless even though she does try to escape her jailor, the husband. This abuser is definitely a psychopath and expect some harrowing dialogue and scenes which haunt after being read. Some characters are well drawn, the mother, Mai, the grandfather, Amy - I thought it was effective to have the stepfather Rashid as a menacing looming evil figure who can unpredictably hit out at any time. I was glad not to be in his head or have his perspective in the book. This is a testament to the human spirit that still finds love and generosity in the most trying of circumstances. Would read again.
January 20, 2016
A sensual journey of life as seen through the eyes of a young child growing into her teenage years. Glowfly Dance is a story about how violence can grow in relationship, how it disables those most needed to respond to it, and how wide-spread and innocuous it all is. This is the tale that shows how some woman can make such difficult decisions when the outcomes seem so obvious from an outsider's perspective.
Gibson has written a beautiful novel that moves you with the wonder and despair through which a child knows the world.
I recommend this book to all those who enjoy a sense of poetry and a hint of the magical in the midst of tragedy.
Gibson has written a beautiful novel that moves you with the wonder and despair through which a child knows the world.
I recommend this book to all those who enjoy a sense of poetry and a hint of the magical in the midst of tragedy.
November 28, 2016
Some people are made to be stories and some stories are lived to be told.
Evocative prose and a story that is at once beautiful and chilling. The child Mai’s acutely sensitive response to the beauty and mystery of the physical world is never lost despite the unspeakable cruelty inflicted on her and her family in this story of abuse, migration and tragedy. The family lives oppressed by fear, the occasional promise of freedom always transitory, with their sadistic abuser ambushing them every time their hopes of escape are raised.
Unforgettable.
Evocative prose and a story that is at once beautiful and chilling. The child Mai’s acutely sensitive response to the beauty and mystery of the physical world is never lost despite the unspeakable cruelty inflicted on her and her family in this story of abuse, migration and tragedy. The family lives oppressed by fear, the occasional promise of freedom always transitory, with their sadistic abuser ambushing them every time their hopes of escape are raised.
Unforgettable.
April 3, 2024
Glowfly dance is a memoir written by the author about her life as a child growing up with a pathologically abusive stepfather. It is vividly written, showing beautifully the contrast between the world of an adult and that of a child, through thoughts, emotions and actions, with an abuser always lurking, sometimes near, sometimes far, but always somehow present. It was surprisingly humorous at times because of the innocent candidness of May's thoughts and assessments of the adults around her. I particularly enjoyed how dialogue was woven seamlessly into the narration. The style of the book was reminiscent of Pamela Jooste's stories. It felt very real. The theme of being a little flying creature taking off into the sky to freedom, thread its way through the story to the very end. The pages just melted away effortlessly as it kept me in suspense wanting to know more and more, and what happened next, then next, till the very last page, and still I want to know more.
The book is written in the present tense. I was uncomfortable with this for the first three and felt feeling like the story was fraying. After this, the chapters shortened to a regular rhythm (up to a maximum of about 10 pages back to back) which helped make this book a 'turbo-speed page turner' for me. Mostly because of the present tense style, I got drawn in and invested, and it felt like I was just there behind Mai, always looking over her shoulder, feeling her feelings, hoping that the bad in their lives wouldn't get so bad that it became irreversible. There were moments of respite when things seemed to get better and moments of deep dismay when things got worse: The typical dynamic of a mother and kids being hurled around in a relationship with a pathological psychopath, with the law skirting the fringes, just waiting to put a band-aid on a dead body, not doing anything really to offer safety, escape, or even justice. The anxiety I felt as a reader experiencing the emotions was very real.
This book is for any person who wants to understand what it's like to be in a physically, emotionally and psychologically abusive relationship, and how innocent kids in it are traumatised and affected, and learn to cope with it. It is for any person who is, or has been through abuse at the hands of a loved one who they struggle/struggled to escape from. It is for anyone who has lost a loved one to an abusive relationship. It's for anyone who would like a window into someone else's real and sometimes horrible, life, and who doesn't?
It is remarkable, this being Jade's personal story (fiction only because names of people and places have been changed), that she has risen from the vortex of abuse and horror and turned into who she is today. This book was a spectacular read. I rated 4 stars. Minus a star (I would take off only half if I could) because I was a little bit lost in the first three chapters.
The book is written in the present tense. I was uncomfortable with this for the first three and felt feeling like the story was fraying. After this, the chapters shortened to a regular rhythm (up to a maximum of about 10 pages back to back) which helped make this book a 'turbo-speed page turner' for me. Mostly because of the present tense style, I got drawn in and invested, and it felt like I was just there behind Mai, always looking over her shoulder, feeling her feelings, hoping that the bad in their lives wouldn't get so bad that it became irreversible. There were moments of respite when things seemed to get better and moments of deep dismay when things got worse: The typical dynamic of a mother and kids being hurled around in a relationship with a pathological psychopath, with the law skirting the fringes, just waiting to put a band-aid on a dead body, not doing anything really to offer safety, escape, or even justice. The anxiety I felt as a reader experiencing the emotions was very real.
This book is for any person who wants to understand what it's like to be in a physically, emotionally and psychologically abusive relationship, and how innocent kids in it are traumatised and affected, and learn to cope with it. It is for any person who is, or has been through abuse at the hands of a loved one who they struggle/struggled to escape from. It is for anyone who has lost a loved one to an abusive relationship. It's for anyone who would like a window into someone else's real and sometimes horrible, life, and who doesn't?
It is remarkable, this being Jade's personal story (fiction only because names of people and places have been changed), that she has risen from the vortex of abuse and horror and turned into who she is today. This book was a spectacular read. I rated 4 stars. Minus a star (I would take off only half if I could) because I was a little bit lost in the first three chapters.
September 29, 2019
Jade Gibson’s Glowfly Dance is a harrowing novel of domestic abuse, told from the perspective of a child. The reader follows the poignant account of young Mai as she grows from toddler to young teenager, struggling to survive and surmount her violent family environment.
Born of a Pilipino father and a Scottish mother – Mai never knew her father – Mai’s life is also the story of voyages. Her mother flees an abusive relationship, taking her children not just across Britain, where Mai was born, but across the world, from North Africa to the Caribbean. The novel traces the impact of such multicultural journeys and experiences on Mai. Despite the never-ending threat of violence and its actual impact, Mai is nonetheless able to take joy from her diverse surroundings, a symbol of her resilience.
Poetically written in seductive and imaginative prose, the book gripped me from the start. I finished the novel over three nights, unable to put it down.
At a moment when domestic abuse is on the rise – not least in Britain – Glowfly Dance is a crucial read.
Born of a Pilipino father and a Scottish mother – Mai never knew her father – Mai’s life is also the story of voyages. Her mother flees an abusive relationship, taking her children not just across Britain, where Mai was born, but across the world, from North Africa to the Caribbean. The novel traces the impact of such multicultural journeys and experiences on Mai. Despite the never-ending threat of violence and its actual impact, Mai is nonetheless able to take joy from her diverse surroundings, a symbol of her resilience.
Poetically written in seductive and imaginative prose, the book gripped me from the start. I finished the novel over three nights, unable to put it down.
At a moment when domestic abuse is on the rise – not least in Britain – Glowfly Dance is a crucial read.
June 28, 2017
This is an exceptional and extraordinary book. The tale of a girl's view of a life she would never choose but which she makes into a story of survival, determination, the power of a mind capable of protecting her from the hideousness of what is happening to her, her siblings and above all, to her mother. Gibson's intellect and imagination combine to keep her alive and sane. This is a compelling piece of autobiographic writing, poetic and yet dispassionate, it moves between romantic descriptions of places, smells, music, dance and the coldly portrayed beastliness of people in roles of authority. It tells of distorted intimacy and cruelty behind walls, love and devotion. A travelogue at times, it surprises and relieves one of the inescapable dread of home life. A truly surprising and revelatory work An excellent choice for reading groups or book clubs.
August 12, 2017
Beautiful, mesmerising, terrifying and haunting... I couldn't put it down, and when eventually I did it stayed with me. Despite being a story of abuse and domestic violence, it is so beautifully and engagingly written, with such a sense of optimism and resilience, and at times sheer joy, it is almost as uplifting as it is heartbreaking.
It is an enormously challenging task to convey how complex threatening domestic situations can be, how seemingly impossible to escape; yet Jade Gibson succeeds in showing this all too clearly. Through the eyes of an innocent child she opens our eyes to a very dark adult world, while at the same time walking us through so many of the 'ordinary' steps in a child's development - pushing boundaries, surviving playground fights and friendships and fancies, gradually growing wiser if a little sadder.
Has to be read!
It is an enormously challenging task to convey how complex threatening domestic situations can be, how seemingly impossible to escape; yet Jade Gibson succeeds in showing this all too clearly. Through the eyes of an innocent child she opens our eyes to a very dark adult world, while at the same time walking us through so many of the 'ordinary' steps in a child's development - pushing boundaries, surviving playground fights and friendships and fancies, gradually growing wiser if a little sadder.
Has to be read!
June 16, 2017
This is a remarkable book laying bare the multi-dimensional feelings and fears of a family caught up in the emotional confusion and frightening dangers of domestic violence. Although it deals with painful experiences, is it so lyrically written that it is almost a prose poem. Also, I have seldom come across a book where the author has the rare skill of being able to speak in the changing voices of her protagonist from childhood to young womanhood. I strongly recommend this true story told with great spirit and honesty. It is a courageous book, one which will help others negotiate the maze of abuse and help illuminate the way forward.
June 26, 2020
I read Jade Gibson's book a few years ago, and as I read the last page, I started it all over again, it was a very moving and horrifying but humbling story , very beautifully and courageously told.
The horror which this young child experienced, continuing into her teens, may never leave her soul but in telling her story, I believe that in the sharing of it, can relieve her of the pain.
I definitely recommend this book, its very special.
The horror which this young child experienced, continuing into her teens, may never leave her soul but in telling her story, I believe that in the sharing of it, can relieve her of the pain.
I definitely recommend this book, its very special.
June 14, 2017
Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence experienced by South African women. Set in the UK, this book reminds us that intimate partner violence is a global challenge. At the same time, it is a human story, that draws us into the world of the child, Mai, in lyrical prose. This compelling, true tale is a must-read.
October 21, 2023
Emotional, beautifully written , and a real story… family, despair, hope, gender violence, sad, but a beautiful book…
July 13, 2016
Heart wrenching story. Well written, absorbing read.
September 3, 2016
This book, which is beautifully written in poetic prose, tells the harrowing story of the lives of a mother and her four children under the control of a cruel, devious, mentally unstable father. It is narrated by the eldest child, Mai; from her earliest memories of dancing on her grandfather's feet at age three, until the age of fourteen when her life is dramatically changed forever.
Although the story is horrific, as the shadow of constant abuse always remains throughout the telling, Mai still manages to see beauty in Nature around her. Although she is emotionally stunted by her experiences, to the point where she only feels "empty" when one horror follows another, she maintains hope and strength in the face of overwhelming adversity.
It is a story of courage and the human will to survive; a story of how abuse causes the disintegration of families and leaves lifelong psychological scars on the survivors.
A riveting, disturbing read told in beautiful language by one of these survivors.
Although the story is horrific, as the shadow of constant abuse always remains throughout the telling, Mai still manages to see beauty in Nature around her. Although she is emotionally stunted by her experiences, to the point where she only feels "empty" when one horror follows another, she maintains hope and strength in the face of overwhelming adversity.
It is a story of courage and the human will to survive; a story of how abuse causes the disintegration of families and leaves lifelong psychological scars on the survivors.
A riveting, disturbing read told in beautiful language by one of these survivors.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews