Mata Hari's Last Dance: A Novel - Hardcover

Moran, Michelle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1476716390 ISBN 13: 9781476716398

Publisher: Atria Books, 2016

Synopsis

From the international bestselling author of Rebel Queen and Nefertiti comes a captivating novel about the infamous Mata Hari, exotic dancer, adored courtesan, and, possibly, relentless spy.

Paris, 1917. The notorious dancer Mata Hari sits in a cold cell awaiting freedom...or death. Alone and despondent, Mata Hari is as confused as the rest of the world about the charges she’s been arrested on: treason leading to the deaths of thousands of French soldiers.

As Mata Hari waits for her fate to be decided, she relays the story of her life to a reporter who is allowed to visit her in prison. Beginning with her carefree childhood, Mata Hari recounts her father’s cruel abandonment of her family as well her calamitous marriage to a military officer. Taken to the island of Java, Mata Hari refuses to be ruled by her abusive husband and instead learns to dance, paving the way to her stardom as Europe’s most infamous dancer.

From exotic Indian temples and glamorous Parisian theatres to stark German barracks in war-torn Europe, international bestselling author Michelle Moran who “expertly balances fact and fiction” (Associated Press) brings to vibrant life the famed world of Mata Hari: dancer, courtesan, and possibly, spy.

About this title

About the Author:

Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of seven historical novels, including Rebel Queen, which was inspired by her travels throughout India. Her books have have been translated into more than twenty languages. A frequent traveler, Michelle currently resides with her husband and two children in the US. Visit her online at MichelleMoran.com.

From School Library Journal:

Born in the Netherlands, Margaretha Zelle was abandoned by her father after the death of her mother and sent to a school where an unwelcome flirtation led her to answer an ad for a wife. Married at 18 to Dutch officer Rudolph McLeod, she discovers in Java that he is not what he seems, and she takes refuge in learning the art of Indonesian dancing. After the death of her son, she divorces her husband, only to have him kidnap her daughter. With no resources to fight him, she returns to Europe as Mata Hari. Teens may not be familiar with the name Mata Hari beyond a brief mention in history class, but she was a captivating woman who used the power of her beauty and body to insinuate herself into the finest European salons of her time. Because she was the mistress of military officers in many different countries, it is not a leap to suggest that she may have been in a position to pass along intelligence to the Germans during World War I, but this is more than a book about the exchange of wartime information. Moran creates a character who makes naive decisions with powerful men that lead her to suspicion and, ultimately, her demise. VERDICT In this latest in her series of strong women who succeed only to fall victim to that triumph, Moran invites teen readers to look behind the story at a legend: the enigmatic Mata Hari. Hand this one to lovers of historical fiction and to those who appreciate complex female protagonists.—Connie Williams, Petaluma High School, CA

About this edition

• Publisher: Atria Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1476716390
• ISBN 13: 9781476716398
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272