Published by Harper Perennial, 2011, 240 pages. US$ 14.99

Available at Steimatzky, Tzomet, other bookstores, via Amazon, Book Depository, online booksellers.

Author: Evan Fallenberg

Creating pictures of life in words has been an essential part of Evan Fallenberg’s life for many years. Working as a translator for well-known Israeli novelists only served to drive him further towards his personal goal of fulfillment to become a successful novelist himself. His translation of Meir Shalev’s A Pigeon and a Boy won the National Jewish Book award for fiction; he was also given the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction. The haunting passion to express his own deepest feelings and thoughts have been a background to his life as a teacher of creative writing, and as of October he will serve as director of fiction for the Shaindy Rudoff Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Bar Ilan University. Currently, his second novel When We Danced on Water has been published and launched for us to read and to enjoy.

As the characters are brought to life for the reader, we can relate to the realities of these emotions. The descriptions of backgrounds where the dramas unfold paint the pictures – pre-war cities in Europe; views of Berlin from fascinating perspectives during the Nazi regime and as a divided East/West city. This novel is a page turner that holds the reader’s interest from start to finish. Therein the stories of Teo – Teodor Levin, trained as a ballet dancer in the Europe of the mid to late thirties who eventually overcomes trauma to become a world famous choreographer in the years following World War 2. His almost final passion in life was the development of the Israeli Ballet and then, at 85 years of age, he meets Vivi.

Vivi is an Israeli born, 40-ish year old waitress in the small Tel Aviv café at which he drinks his daily capuccino. We learn about her past, with vibrant descriptions of army life and what follows, through a relationship with a Christian volunteer. Descriptions of Tel Aviv bring the character of the city to life – the hum and buzz, the people and the places. Vivi and Leo gradually form an emotional bond which releases sentiments that are developed and which neither expected, as memories of the paths taken in each of their lives are unraveled with the deepening of their relationship.

Leo with his youthful, unbridled passion for ballet dancing, the events that befall him during the war years and how this dedication to dance reclaims him and leads him to success, show Fallenberg’s mastery of research – here, into the world of ballet. Vivi, saddened and now lacking passion in her life, has her artistic longings and abilities revived through the relationship. With the unfolding of their stories, their thoughts, their actions, the present comes to life with new hopes for both of them.

The strength of portrayal of the events that colored their lives, taking them through a plethora of emotional suffering, challenge and new found happiness are what make When We Danced on Water into a page turner which I can recommend.

Please Note: Evan Fallenberg is happy to meet with book groups.