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There Should Be More Dancing
Margery Blandon has led an upright, principled life guided by the wisdom of desktop calendars. Now she suspects that her firstborn, Walter, her champion and closest ally, has betrayed her. She suspects Morris, her second son, might have committed a crime, and that her only daughter, Judith, is trying to kill her. Then there's Pat, her lifelong neighbour and enemy, now demented, who possibly knows the truth about what went wrong. Should she throw herself from the 43rd floor of the Tropic Hotel, or should she abandon everything she believes and embrace her enemy for the sake of what's right?
345 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
41 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
About the author
Rosalie Ham
10 books233 followersRosalie Ham was born, and raised in Jerilderie, NSW, Australia. She completed her secondary education at St Margaret's School, Berwick in 1972. After travelling and working at a variety of jobs (including aged care) for most of her twenties, Rosalie completed a Bachelor of Education majoring in Drama and Literature (Deakin University, 1989), and achieved a Master of Arts, Creative Writing (RMIT, Melbourne) in 2007. Rosalie lives in Brunswick, Melbourne, and when she is not writing, Rosalie teaches literature. Her novels have sold over 50,000 copies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 8, 2014
Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, secrets kept and eventually revealed, dysfunctional families, problems of ageing and trying to keep your independence, ignorance and blinkered to what your actions have done in the past and how it affects people around you, friendships and enemies - it's all here in a somewhat bittersweet book by Rosalie Ham. I really enjoyed it - with the exception of one page concerning some poor mice.
September 21, 2011
This is a great story, I laughed out loud, because some of the things the old lady in the story does, is just like my mum. Easy to read, this story is about an older lady who thinks her whole family is out to get her...are they?
November 28, 2020
'There Should Be More Dancing' follows Margery Blandon and the diminishing freedoms she experiences in her 70s. Margery takes comfort in her needle work, coffee and cake deals on shopping day, her fortnightly foot massage, and tries to find ways to compensate for her fading physical abilities.
Her life is one of habit and solitude, characterised by repetitive conversations and narration. Margery is motivated to protect her lifestyle and independence against the efforts of her family to see Margery into a home, and her Brunswick home into their selfish hands.
The setting of Brunswick is painted in detail. The way it has aged and changed alongside, or sometimes without, Margery, drives much of the novel.
The merits of the story are in the few moments of black humour that raise a smirk, and the empathy Ham demonstrates in crafting the elderly Margery with nuance and care. Margery is a round character who exhibits plausible growth, and is understandable in her values, regressive attitudes, coping strategies, and foibles.
The other characters mostly remain caricatures, or their development and change seems sudden and inexplicable. As I was reading, I could not help thinking more than a few times that something had gone wrong in the editing as there were lines that did not seem to make sense, either for being out of character, or for not fitting within the timeline of events. One such example is when Margery, so devoted to her fortnightly haircut, seemed to quickly and easily give up the fight to attend her appointment, and sat down complacently at home instead.
I was surprised to find that this novel was published over 10 years after The Dressmakerr', as it had many of the same tropes, but they were less well executed in this instance; I had assumed 'There Should Be More Dancing' was a precursor. There are again unforgivable, animalistic and gossiping neighbours; women with deep-seated traumas and unhappy marriages that they will not speak openly about; down-trodden people who are oppressed by the selfishness and ingratitude of others; and illegitimate children whose existence is a source of shame.
It's okay. I wouldn't recommend it, but it might be one enjoyed particularly by older readers who will appreciate the character of Margery and relate to the difficulties of ageing, which are presented sympathetically and without condescension.
Her life is one of habit and solitude, characterised by repetitive conversations and narration. Margery is motivated to protect her lifestyle and independence against the efforts of her family to see Margery into a home, and her Brunswick home into their selfish hands.
The setting of Brunswick is painted in detail. The way it has aged and changed alongside, or sometimes without, Margery, drives much of the novel.
The merits of the story are in the few moments of black humour that raise a smirk, and the empathy Ham demonstrates in crafting the elderly Margery with nuance and care. Margery is a round character who exhibits plausible growth, and is understandable in her values, regressive attitudes, coping strategies, and foibles.
The other characters mostly remain caricatures, or their development and change seems sudden and inexplicable. As I was reading, I could not help thinking more than a few times that something had gone wrong in the editing as there were lines that did not seem to make sense, either for being out of character, or for not fitting within the timeline of events. One such example is when Margery, so devoted to her fortnightly haircut, seemed to quickly and easily give up the fight to attend her appointment, and sat down complacently at home instead.
I was surprised to find that this novel was published over 10 years after The Dressmakerr', as it had many of the same tropes, but they were less well executed in this instance; I had assumed 'There Should Be More Dancing' was a precursor. There are again unforgivable, animalistic and gossiping neighbours; women with deep-seated traumas and unhappy marriages that they will not speak openly about; down-trodden people who are oppressed by the selfishness and ingratitude of others; and illegitimate children whose existence is a source of shame.
It's okay. I wouldn't recommend it, but it might be one enjoyed particularly by older readers who will appreciate the character of Margery and relate to the difficulties of ageing, which are presented sympathetically and without condescension.
April 6, 2016
The author has quite a different writing style which took me awhile to get used to. The chapters too are written alternately in current and prior time lines which also takes some getting used to. But keep reading as the story is wonderful. Margery and her family are all quite dysfunctional - as are all the characters, but they are true to life and delightful - we will all recognise characteristics of our own family members with out a doubt! The theme of elderly family members struggling at home but wanting to remain independent is beautifully depicted. The descriptions of the compassion of some characters is lovely whilst other relatives show no integrity into putting Margery into a NursingHome. Like an onion each chapter peels back another family revelation - which eventually leads to better understanding between each of these crazy family, friends and neighbours. I loved this book and was genuinely sad to come to the end. I find myself often thinking of them all and wondering what happened next In their crazy lives!
June 21, 2015
If this had not been a book club book, I would not have finished it. A dreary tale that tries to be funny, with a bunch of execrable characters. It goes on and on for abut 350 pages - I thought it would never end. Rosalie Ham does have a quirky style and a good turn of phrase - but.... much more editing needed.
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July 25, 2011Customer review from Penny:
I know there will be many in my age group (seniors) who will wholeheartedly agree with The Australian's comment on the front cover, (Ham's eye for the absurd, the comical and the poignant are highly tuned) but I don't. Having said this, I would give the author 3/10 for her descriptive ability. She has brought the characters and situations to life so perfectly, it was so easy when reading to see them in front of me.
A little long perhaps but I think many people will relate to the topic. It is not a book I would ever have chosen to to read or recommend and I found it very depressing that nothing nice or pleasant was ever described.
I do sound stuffy - but aging can be so much nicer even in situations described in this book.
I know there will be many in my age group (seniors) who will wholeheartedly agree with The Australian's comment on the front cover, (Ham's eye for the absurd, the comical and the poignant are highly tuned) but I don't. Having said this, I would give the author 3/10 for her descriptive ability. She has brought the characters and situations to life so perfectly, it was so easy when reading to see them in front of me.
A little long perhaps but I think many people will relate to the topic. It is not a book I would ever have chosen to to read or recommend and I found it very depressing that nothing nice or pleasant was ever described.
I do sound stuffy - but aging can be so much nicer even in situations described in this book.
December 18, 2012
I loved this author's first novel 'The Dressmaker' on its release for its quirky and eccentric characterisations. I came to this one as it was scheduled for my bookgroup as our lighter end of the year fiction read. This one has an urban setting and features the first person narration of Margery who is dealing with family who would like to see her whisked off to a nursing home. Margery has lived a quiet life in a Brunswick Street taking wisdom from desktop calender quotations and spends her days doing crossstitch. This is ultimately a tale about old age , regrets and a life blighted by tragedy and an unhappy marriage. A sad and at times funny tale filled with characters that are probably all too familiar.
March 24, 2013
Interesting, at times entertaining. It took me a few pages to adjust to the structure of the book which alternated between first person account of the climatic event in a ruminatory style and an omniscient 3rd person narrative the events leading up to the climax. What made it a bit harder to read though was that most if not all the characters, including the protagonist, seemed more like caricatures trying to be funny than well rounded people with all their redeeming qualities - as well as their obvious flaws. The most sympathetic characters were minor ones - the granddaughter Pud and Mrs Parsons. I wondered too about the realism of the ending. Having said that, it was still an interesting portrayal of intergenerational relationships and the challenges of aging.
February 25, 2012
I enjoyed this but felt that maybe the author was trying to make too many different points about relationships instead of focusing on one main point and doing it well. At one point I nearly gave up on the book all together. The bit I liked the most was the comment, "There's no point living for things we can't have because you don't get the life you could have had."
June 7, 2016
My mum recommended this to me as it was her book club book for the month. I think there was a lot in the book which she recognised and enjoyed - the Brunswick setting, the difficulties of aging, not particularly liking your relatives - but which I didn't have much point of reference to. I didn't find myself very interested in any of the characters, nor find their exchanges entertaining. A shame.
December 8, 2015
almost as good (as the dressmaker)
December 31, 2018
Margery is about to turn 80 and we meet her family at her birthday lunch, knowing that this is when things first started to 'fall apart' for her. The novel is told in flashbacks, from Margery's point of view and from an omniscient narrator, and gradually family secrets emerge. There are some great characters in this novel, like the almost silent Mrs Parsons next door, Judith (who really wants to get her hands on Margery's pearls!), and Walter (who's boxing career ended abruptly and had consequences for the whole family). There's lots of humour, often at Margery's expense since her view of the world is naive and blinkered, meaning the reader can fill in the gaps. I loved the small details that brought these characters to life and let readers imagine themselves sitting in Margery's kitchen around the table with the rest of the family. Underneath the humour, there are also some serious issues around the care of elderly people, family, ageing and a loss of independence. Highly recommended.
May 21, 2020
Delightfully hilarious!
July 15, 2011
Yes indeed there should be more dancing as people age!
It takes remarkable skill to write well about the very old. Constrained by the inevitability of time running out for the character, and limited also by the realities of decline, an author not only has to resist being mawkish or sentimental, but also has to work credibly with how the surrounding characters behave towards the elderly. The fiction I’ve read has revealed a horrid truth: that old age tends to bring out the worst in the people around them…
In Love without Hope, Rodney Hall showed us Mrs Shoddy being patronised by people who should have known better: they carelessly consigned her to a mental hospital with undiagnosed depression. In The Trout Opera, Matthew Condon brought us the exploitation of centenarian Wilfred Lampe by the shallow-minded Sydney Olympic Committee. Both these characters thwart their fate through their own indomitable will but it’s a near thing.
Essential to the success of a novel featuring a very old central character is a strong personality, and this is especially so when exploring the fraught territory of family relationships and an unedifying quest for inheritance. Elizabeth Hunter, in Patrick White’s The Eye of the Storm is physically frail but as sharp and malevolent as ever, and in this comic novel There Should Be More Dancing, Rosalie Ham has created an equally memorable character in Margery Blandon, surrounding her with other old ladies ageing along with their houses in the street. Each of these ladies defies easy assumptions and each keeps her secrets close. There is Life of the Party Pat, now losing her marbles but privy to a scandal kept from Margery for a lifetime; quiet Mrs Parsons who signals daily that she’s still alive by raising her blinds but has never shared her personal tragedy with Margery, and Florence (Flossie) who is still ‘a looker’ in her old age despite her booze and ciggies. She plays a pivotal role in the story.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2013/01/01/th...
It takes remarkable skill to write well about the very old. Constrained by the inevitability of time running out for the character, and limited also by the realities of decline, an author not only has to resist being mawkish or sentimental, but also has to work credibly with how the surrounding characters behave towards the elderly. The fiction I’ve read has revealed a horrid truth: that old age tends to bring out the worst in the people around them…
In Love without Hope, Rodney Hall showed us Mrs Shoddy being patronised by people who should have known better: they carelessly consigned her to a mental hospital with undiagnosed depression. In The Trout Opera, Matthew Condon brought us the exploitation of centenarian Wilfred Lampe by the shallow-minded Sydney Olympic Committee. Both these characters thwart their fate through their own indomitable will but it’s a near thing.
Essential to the success of a novel featuring a very old central character is a strong personality, and this is especially so when exploring the fraught territory of family relationships and an unedifying quest for inheritance. Elizabeth Hunter, in Patrick White’s The Eye of the Storm is physically frail but as sharp and malevolent as ever, and in this comic novel There Should Be More Dancing, Rosalie Ham has created an equally memorable character in Margery Blandon, surrounding her with other old ladies ageing along with their houses in the street. Each of these ladies defies easy assumptions and each keeps her secrets close. There is Life of the Party Pat, now losing her marbles but privy to a scandal kept from Margery for a lifetime; quiet Mrs Parsons who signals daily that she’s still alive by raising her blinds but has never shared her personal tragedy with Margery, and Florence (Flossie) who is still ‘a looker’ in her old age despite her booze and ciggies. She plays a pivotal role in the story.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2013/01/01/th...
September 7, 2016
Rosalie Ham appeared at the Canberra Writers Festival as part of a morning tea session on my birthday bless her. It's not the first time I've seen her speak on the writers festival circuit and I dare say won't be the last, she's quite entertaining. Rosalie mentioned that she loves writing, growing up she had a cast of thousands of people in her head.
And now she's written this, 'There Should Be More Dancing' a novel from the perspective of 79 year old Margery Blandon who lives her life guided by the wisdom of desktop calendars. I must admit that it's that little detail that made me grab this book, I love it. While the book does have cute little funny moments and a great cast of characters, I actually found it quite depressing, as it brought up the challenges of elderly people have autonomy over the lives, with the pressures of illness and family. Still, an enjoyable read especially for those into family dramas.
And now she's written this, 'There Should Be More Dancing' a novel from the perspective of 79 year old Margery Blandon who lives her life guided by the wisdom of desktop calendars. I must admit that it's that little detail that made me grab this book, I love it. While the book does have cute little funny moments and a great cast of characters, I actually found it quite depressing, as it brought up the challenges of elderly people have autonomy over the lives, with the pressures of illness and family. Still, an enjoyable read especially for those into family dramas.
July 17, 2011
I'm not sure if I should have but I laughed and laughed and laughed at this book. Every page just had me bent double with ridiculous snippets that had me looking around for someone to read it aloud to! It's full of fabulous, crazy characters and ordinary, everyday events that just had me i stitches.
It's the story of Marge who has decided to kill herself instead of letting her family put her in an old peoples home. Her family take her to a fancy restaurant for her 80th birthday (its actually only her 79th but she doesn't correct them) and she gets it into her head to jump from the top floor balcony. Her checks herself in for the night and so begins an analysis of her life up to that point.
Third book by the author of The Dressmaker and her best yet!
It's the story of Marge who has decided to kill herself instead of letting her family put her in an old peoples home. Her family take her to a fancy restaurant for her 80th birthday (its actually only her 79th but she doesn't correct them) and she gets it into her head to jump from the top floor balcony. Her checks herself in for the night and so begins an analysis of her life up to that point.
Third book by the author of The Dressmaker and her best yet!
February 11, 2012
This was a different sort of book. The characters seemed a bit like caricatures but at other times believable and real. The main character Margery Blandon was very well told - a woman of routine and order, detached from the world, cross-stitching her way through life since the death of her twin sister in her early teenage years. In her old age Margery desperately tries to maintain her independence despite her children trying to push her into a nursing home. In the end she realises she has been pretty detached from her family and is partly to blame for the way they turned out - and that she has spent most of her life in a grief-stricken state - happiest when she was alone and talking to her long-gone sister.
October 10, 2015
A good read, sad and sometimes funny like life itself. Margery had been unhappy with her life ever since her twin sister had died when she was 15. She never moved on. Her sadness blighted her marriage, children and old age but she always tried to do what she thought was RIGHT. She never truly lived - just existed. Secrets were kept from her and she lived in this timeless, protected bubble until, in her old age, the past started to seep out. Eventually she was forced to face up to the fact that her sister was gone and that she had maybe made mistakes that resulted in those unpalatable secrets about her husband and children. She had to face the harsh truths and accept the world as it is now for her own peace of mind.
September 4, 2016
Finished reading … There Should be More Dancing / Rosalie Ham … 04 September, 2016
eISBN: 9781864711929
This is the story of an eighty year old woman who has lived her life according to everyone else's rules and expectations. Even when she finds out a whole lot of family secrets, her enlightenment is, in my opinion, still according to the lights of others.
The plot is somewhat contrived and much of the plot-line is predictable. The story is sad and depressing but not without flashes of humour. It's not a book to 'love' but it does convey a reality that makes it compulsive reading.
Highly recommended – but not if you're looking for a cheerful read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2012
I was really excited when Rosalie released her new novel, I absolutely adored her first two novels.
I have to say I was a bit disappointed by this one, it just didn't capture me as I expected. Her character construction is again terrific, with vivid lifelike quirky character traits. I think it was perhaps the age of the main protagonist, which I found difficult to engage with. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen, but with the changing time perspective and switching from first to third person narrator; it never really did.
I have to say I was a bit disappointed by this one, it just didn't capture me as I expected. Her character construction is again terrific, with vivid lifelike quirky character traits. I think it was perhaps the age of the main protagonist, which I found difficult to engage with. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen, but with the changing time perspective and switching from first to third person narrator; it never really did.
September 15, 2016
I thought that this would be a good read but didn't quite enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The short chapters hop back and forth so, for me, it didn't flow as well as it might. The majority of the characters aren't particularly appealing. I liked the characterisation of Margery and the perspective of an elderly lady struggling to live independently whilst her family try to take control. The home help, Anita was a good character but most of the others have few redeeming features. Overall I liked the premise and would read more by Rosalie Ham.
September 15, 2012
I know Rosalie. :)
A comic tragedy about a sometimes-outlandishly kitschily Ocker family, and its unhappiness coming home to roost as the matriarch starts to lose her health. Scenes in a nursing home especially are vivid, tender and completely terrifying - I know Rosalie used to work in one.
I wasn't sure I quite bought the uplifting notes of the ending, where closed and inarticulate characters suddenly became expressive and self-aware.
A comic tragedy about a sometimes-outlandishly kitschily Ocker family, and its unhappiness coming home to roost as the matriarch starts to lose her health. Scenes in a nursing home especially are vivid, tender and completely terrifying - I know Rosalie used to work in one.
I wasn't sure I quite bought the uplifting notes of the ending, where closed and inarticulate characters suddenly became expressive and self-aware.
April 29, 2012
There should be more books by Rosalie Ham! Her first book, The Dressmaker, was definitely my favourite but after a slow start I enjoyed this one too. It's about the life of an elderly woman and her connection to her family and the community, often humorous, sometimes sad. Ham's characters have a wonderful quirkiness about them. This book is set in Brunswick and the local references are enough to make it worth reading.
July 19, 2012
I loved The Dressmaker and was a little disappointed by this book. It was terrifying at times to realise the harsh reality of the manipulation and control children can have over elderly parents. I was constantly angered by the behaviour of the characters surrounding Margery, and Mrs Parsons story brought me to tears on several occasions. A thoroughly depressing read, a bit scattered, hard going but I'm glad I finished it because it wasn't a bad read.
December 26, 2012
There Should Be More Dancing is Rosalie Ham’s third novel (the others are The Dressmaker, 2000 and Summer at Mount Hope, 2005) and introduces Margery Blandon. Right at the beginning Margery declares, ‘Everyone I’ve known for the last sixty years has betrayed me,’ and indeed this tale of old age and grasping adult children contains some devastating revelations for Margery. See full review here: http://newtownreviewofbooks.com/2012/...
February 24, 2012
I loved this! Funny and sad and incredibley poignant, it is a wonderful snapshot of suburban Melbourne in the last 60 years. The main character aroused pity and concern and fondness while the supporting characters are by turns dislikebale, infuriating, and curious. Rosalie Ham does not rush her novels and are well worth the wait.
September 2, 2012
One of those books that when I started reading couldn't put it down. Loved the structure and loved how the main character was portrayed. A very flawed character that was presented in a plausible way. I really like Rosalie Ham's writing and this is the second book of hers I have read. Will get the third one now.
May 28, 2014
what a great little story. I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this, and how much I enjoyed Marjery! I think we all live a little like her sometimes -blinkers on to what we don't want to know, and in that way she is completely relatable. I'm inspired to read The Dressmaker now, as it is miss Ham's better known book.
April 4, 2024
If I could give it 3.5 stars I would as it is better than the 3 star books I have read but not quite in my 4 star list. I did like it a lot though. The writer has great "voice" and the story made me laugh and even feel sad. It's good to read a yarn that is true to our age and lives in Australia or New Zealand. Excellent contemporary feel and good story.
September 9, 2012
A book about aging and the good and bad of having families. Marjory is tired of life but on her birthday her family gather round, emphasizing all the of things she likes and dislikes about them. It is funny, but close to the bone on many points. An excellent title for book groups.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews