Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewan

Posted by Christine | 0 comments

Color words, vivid descriptions and beautifully-created word pictures dominate the writing in this romance/suspense novel. Pamela Ewan has written a tale of hope, denial, faith, and self-discovery in her novel Dancing on Glass. Following the relationship between Amalise Catoir- a young lawyer, and Phillip Sharp- an intense and troubled artist, the story winds its way through an emotional world of secrets, possessiveness, and broken promises in late-twentieth century New Orleans.

Plot

Amalise is a vivacious, trusting, and ambitious young law student with healthy family relationships and good friends. When she meets Phillip Sharp, drawn to his dark and charismatic artistic temperament, she is pulled into a romance that soon informs and seeks to control all parts of her life. The story is driven by Amalise’s feelings, choices, and memories and as such much of the action reads almost as a first person telling, though it is not.

Characters

There a few main characters and many minor characters, and the dominance of the relationship between Amalise and Phillip is highlighted by the peripheral connections throughout. Each character is fleshed out nicely, the minor ones each possessing a character trait or two that stands out.

Literary Quality

I was captivated immediately by the rich and artistic language of this novel. Pamela Ewan creates a seamless picture of the city, Amalise’s past, and the future waiting to happen. She has a way of keeping the reader anxious to discover what lies around the bend. Varied sentence structure and word painting make this book shimmer.

Spiritual content

Amalise’s relationship with God is a big part of her life, though her connection with Phillip muddies the spiritual waters for her. Being witness to her struggle and wondering whether her faith will hold up significantly add to the drama that unfolds. Early in the book, I was attracted to Amalise’s tender referral to God as “Abba”, and the child-like trust that implies. I enjoyed the way Pamela Ewan developed this part of the fabric of the novel.

Dancing on Glass is an excellently written romantic suspense novel, one that has a higher literary quality than most I’ve read. It is a quick read in content, but be careful not to skim through the wonderful language and colorful brushstrokes that make it a more satisfying experience.

Christine Hiester is a Christian, homeschooling mom to three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 10 to 3 years old. She is a musician by trade, eclectic in homeschool style, and continues to grow and learn along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. Visit her blog at Fruit in Season.