Flight of the Swan

By Rosario Ferré

Book Overview

Flight of the Swan is the irrepressibly charming tale of a world-famous Russian prima ballerina who finds herself stranded in Puerto Rico in 1917. Because of extraordinary political events in her home country, her troupe is forced to remain in the Caribbean for three months. During that time Madame falls desperately in love with a local, young revolutionary. Narrated by Madame's devotee Masha, Flight of the Swan explores the complexities of love and betrayal, and personal sacrifice for the sake of public art. Gradually, Masha comes to see that in spite of what she perceives as Madame's pretension and vanity, the ballerina's true love is dance, and she is prepared to forsake almost everything for it.Like The House on the Lagoon, Flight of the Swan is grounded in rich Puerto Rican history and culture and it compassionately and compellingly examines the essential question of where true happiness lies.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452283310
• ISBN13: 9780452283312
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Terrific Book

This is the first book of Ferre's that I read and I found it just fine. I agree with Publisher's Weekly that the introduction of a new voice near the end was jarring. But as someone not familiar with Puerto Rico of the early 20the Century I thought it was interesting, and the descriptions of the ballet company were engrossing. Great literature? No. A good read about two subjects exotic to most readers -- old Puerto Rico and ballet? Yes. I think it would make a great movie.

Historical fiction at its best

I loved this book... I started reading it in the cobblestoned streets of Old San Juan, on my way to snack on a famous buttered "mallorca" accompanied by cafe con leche from La Bombonera bakery. Before I knew it, I was enthralled in the story. I found myself walking the same streets as the characters, sitting in San Juan's main plazas while I read about the characters strolling at night in the same streets.... This book does a fantastic job of combining Puerto Rican culture and its political turmoil at the turn of the 19th century with the struggles of Russia during their revolution. The main characters are russian and they slowly become "latinized"-- more universal symbols of political struggle, characters that are displaced from their homeland to face the struggle of a new culture, language, and political struggle. This is Rosario Ferre's best book.