Starring Adele Astaire: A Novel

Before Fred Astaire formed that wonderful dance partnership with Ginger Rogers, his first—and some say, best—partner was his older sister, Adele. Groomed for the stage by their mother, they spent years on Broadway and in London. This historical novel gives us Adele’s story, interwoven with that of her young friend, Violet, an aspiring dancer herself. Both women hold their loneliness close, longing for more love than what adoring audiences can shower upon them. Famous cameos occur throughout the pages, including the Prince of Wales, Shirley Temple, Cecil Beaton, and many more.

The author has clearly delved into the archives to create a vivid portrait of glittering (and painful) life in the 1920s and 1930s, but perhaps has tried to include too much in a tale covering three decades. All too often, the narration changes from immediate immersion in a scene to an intrusive explanation. The text veers from “showing” to “telling” in a way that this reviewer found off-putting. For fans of women’s fiction who enjoy a fast-paced romp through history with familiar characters dropping in.