Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2024
The prologue of Dancing with Air will feel familiar for those who have watched a loved one progress through the stages of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s. My heart broke for Lenny, Natasha’s husband and caregiver, as he reminisced about their past together while worrying about what their future held as she slipped further and further away from him.
I couldn’t help but think about true love and what that meant to Lenny and Natasha. There were so many moments in their relationship when things could have ended, yet somehow, they pushed through the obstacles and continued to love each other. There is something comforting about that thought. When the universe conspires to unite two people, not even a world war can keep them apart.
Poznansky offers readers a beautiful combination of historical accuracy alongside a love story. While the world she references actually existed, she does a lovely job of taking the reader back to this time period with her thoughtful portrayal of what life was like while living through the war. One aspect that I thoroughly enjoyed was how she incorporated song lyrics into the story.
Dancing with Air captures a beautiful and enduring love story between two average people facing extraordinary and dangerous circumstances during World War II. Poznansky sprinkles the book with historical details without overwhelming the story of Lenny and Natasha, thus always focusing on these young lovers. However, by allowing the reader to see the future story of Lenny and Natasha as they deal with the devastating impact of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Poznansky highlights that not every story has a fairytale ending. Yet the reader knows that the love shared between Lenny and Natasha will survive until their last breaths, and there is comfort in that.
I couldn’t help but think about true love and what that meant to Lenny and Natasha. There were so many moments in their relationship when things could have ended, yet somehow, they pushed through the obstacles and continued to love each other. There is something comforting about that thought. When the universe conspires to unite two people, not even a world war can keep them apart.
Poznansky offers readers a beautiful combination of historical accuracy alongside a love story. While the world she references actually existed, she does a lovely job of taking the reader back to this time period with her thoughtful portrayal of what life was like while living through the war. One aspect that I thoroughly enjoyed was how she incorporated song lyrics into the story.
Dancing with Air captures a beautiful and enduring love story between two average people facing extraordinary and dangerous circumstances during World War II. Poznansky sprinkles the book with historical details without overwhelming the story of Lenny and Natasha, thus always focusing on these young lovers. However, by allowing the reader to see the future story of Lenny and Natasha as they deal with the devastating impact of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Poznansky highlights that not every story has a fairytale ending. Yet the reader knows that the love shared between Lenny and Natasha will survive until their last breaths, and there is comfort in that.
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