Dancing on the Edge

by Han Nolan

Book Overview

Miracle McCloy is the child of a talented dancer, who died in childbirth, and a brilliant, reclusive novelist. Raised by her grandmother Gigi, a psychic, Miracle becomes a dancer herself, and a loner... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152016481
• ISBN13: 9780152016487
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Miracle

In the land of reason, there is no superstition, but in the world of magic, there is no need for logic. Miracle, the main character, lives with her grandmother, Gigi, a seer and psychic, in a place where everything is ruled by auras, Ouja boards, and spectral figures. Born and pried from her dead mother, she is a miracle, the origin of her name. While Gigi loves to tell the miraculous story of her birth, Miracle despises hearing how extraordinary it was to be born from a dead person. After telling the story, Gigi contacts Miracle's mother, Sissy, using the Ouja board, where they are told that her father, Dane, is gone. Rushing into his study room, they see the room ablaze with Dane's clothes strewn on the floor. He melted. Miracle, orphaned, is forced to move to her grandpa's house. She tries to bind herself physically and mentally to her father by donning his burnt clothes. Miracle, considered a mockery to society, receives emotional abuse from her classmates, Aunt Casey, and grandmother. Her only release from the pain of the world is through dancing. Han Nolan begins the story by introducing it with Miracle's unlikely birth and reveals little more. However, little by little, tidbits are divulged as the real story begins to unravel. The truth behind Miracle's strange beliefs, the feud between Gigi and Granddaddy Opal, the truth about Aunt Casey, Sissy, and Gigi are gradually revealed. Although Miracle seems strange, you do not really question her mental capability. However, as she is taken away from Granddaddy Opal, the only person who accepted her as she was, and forced to live with Aunt Casey, you see her slowly fall apart to the point where she physically hurts herself. Her mental difficulties all links back to Gigi and her dad's supposed melting. The false world that Gigi built to protect herself from the truth about Dane entangles Miracle in its lies. As she seeks help with her aunt, Miracle begins to realize her true self and the truth about the world. Dancing on the Edge enraptures you with the story spoken from young Miracle's insecure, childish language. As you walk with her down the path of her troublesome life, feelings of sympathy, worry, and concern for Miracle rise. The beautiful story of a girl's struggles through life ends with her ability to break away from her grandmother's web of lies and to face the world with a new perspective.

Excellent, and thrilling book!

This was an excellent book! I have now titled it my favorite, it's so good. I rented it from my school library, and finished it in a couple of weeks. I'm 14 years old, and this book is really good for those young adults. The characters are so real life, and so are the situations. It's about a young girl named Miracle who is confused and torn apart by her beliefs she was raised on, but has gut feelings that something is wrong, and must learn to find the truth to her past concerning her birth, and her mothers death. The character's reactions and feelings are so real with the actual thing, and the author brings you into the character's feelings. It has a lot to do with finding out who you are, which can get pretty tough in your adolescent years. I won't tell anything to ruin it for those who haven't read it. All I have to say is read it! Give it a try! What harm could it do? I guarantee you'll like it!

Dancing On The Edge-one of the best books I have ever read!

Dancing On The Edge was a great book. This book had all different things in it like family problems, meeting new people and other things. Also, there were elemrnts like magic and contacting spirits of the deceased in it. Miracle was dancing on the edge of real life and the world her grandmother told her about. Their world. I would recommened this book to any person whether they like to read or not. I really do not like to read, but this book just grabbed my attention and kept it. I liked how the author told the story and described the different things that happened. Also, when something really exciting happened, he streched it out and made it so you wanted to keep reading. This book was one of the best that I have ever read and I would suggest it to anyone who hates reading!

Brilliant and moving

My grandparents gave me this book as an "unbirthday gift." I read it that night, staying up until 2 a.m. to finish. This book moved me to tears, with its tragic story of a teenage girl who has lost the identity that she feels she never had. Pulled living from the body of her dead mother, Miracle relies heavily on love from her grandmother, aunt, uncle, and most importantly, her father. After he disappears, her life is chewed up and spit back out at her feet. She is told, "If your mama was dead when you was born, then you was never born." She strongly questions her own existence. Miracle's grandfather signs her up for dance lessons, which she's always dreamed of. She throws herself so violently into her dancing that she ends up covered with bruises. For Miracle, a bruise is evidence that she exists. Later, she attempts to melt herself and seriously burns her legs. Peeling skin and pain are proof to her that she is real, that she was born. A struggle to cope with her history and her family force Miracle to grow up a lot in a very short period of time. Every teenager has to define her identity for herself. Miracle manages to do this, but her way is more violent and trying than most.

Wonderful!!!!

This book is so wonderful!!! I feel like it was written just for me- you will probley feel that way too, once you read it. It's all about feelings, and about fantasys vs the truth. Miricle lives in a fantasy spirtal world, full of seances and superstitions. This is exspecially the book for you if someone in your life has left you, or if you've ever felt like you could tumble off the edge of life. After you read this book you will look at everything in a whole new way. Those in despair- it will help you reach the light!