Nov 28, 2003 05:14 PM
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(Updated Nov 28, 2003 05:15 PM)
This Danielle Steel’s creation is an emotional saga of a ballerina. The story emerges from a Russian background and ends in USA, amidst which lies the heart wrenching story of this beautiful ballet dancer. I have not read much of Danielle Steel but whatever I have read, I have known that She is successful in creating a bond between the reader and the characters of the story. She is also famous for attaching any important historic event in her creation hence affecting the characters of her story. Mirror Image was one of the worthiest reads of Danielle Steel according to me.
Granny Dan or Danina Petroskova – The young Ballerina or Granny Dan
Dr. Nikolai Obrajensky – Doctor
Madame Markova – Teacher or Mentor
It is all about a small lovely girl who suddenly one day realizes that a dreaded disease had taken her mother away from her forever and now has to live the rest of her life in some unknown place. This little girl of seven has been sent to a ballet school as her father who is employed with the Army does not know how to look after her. A rigorous and disciplined life waiting for her at ballet included 14 hours of exhaustive workouts and restrictive lifestyle. Her life is confined within the ballet school. For her no other world existed other than the ballet till the day when she could not dance anymore and her world collapsed.
It is all about the relationship of a young beautiful ballerina and a doctor employed with the Royal family having an English wife and 2 sons.. Steele has perfectly defined the character of the doctor in the story. The ballerina explores the outside world with this doctor which was non-existent for her till now. He introduced her many beautiful things in life which was unknown to her till now. Their friendship blossomed to love and made life beautiful for them. Together they dreamt about their future and their life filled with love. Facing the obstacles with strong will power, the times come when they are required to leave Russia for a life together. Did they unite ? (you need to read it to know it)
It tells you about the relationship of a student with the teacher. The young ballerina shared a love hate relationship with her teacher cum mentor. She worshipped her like a God. For her she was a mother figure whom she had admired and respected. There was nobody so important for this young lady more than her mentor till she found her love. Her teacher’s love transferred to hatred when she found about her love affair. She was mad with anger and never left a chance to criticize her for her act. Inspite of all these, she loved the ballerina who had been the pride of her ballet school whom she had thought as her successor.
It is all about a grand daughter curious to know the mysteries that her grand mother left behind when she died in her nineties. She wanted to know more about the grand mother who made delicious Russian cookies, danced with them, shared little jokes and secrets and made life for everybody comfortable. She knew that life was very different for her Granny before she came to her. She wanted to know more about the woman in whom she found a best friend, with whom she could share all her happiness and sorrows.Ultimately the grand daughter felt very sulky in not taking any initiative to know about her past when her granny was there with her and share her sorrows and pain. Suddenly a feeling of having a very shallow relationship with her granny makes this grand daughter morose and resentful which triggers her curiosity and finds her way towards unfolding the mysteries of her granny’s life through her last package.
This emotional saga depicts a lot about the pain an individual has to go through if a married person falls in love. The varied emotions flowing in and out express the inner being of the characters and their existence. To stay in a marriage where there is no trust and love just to avoid disgrace and humility to one’s reputation seems so void. Destiny can be so brutal at times when it starts demanding with two hands but isn’t kind enough to return back what it has taken or stops repeating its demands. Eventually the human beings are the losers. They loose someone dear or a relationship or maybe their own life as well. Love is shown as giving…yourself to the one you love, The moments of love have been expressed very well and you too flow away in the tide of this ocean (of love).
It all tells you that how important it is to know a person near and dear to you when the person is around with you. You get a chance to reciprocate your feelings in your own way. At the same time very difficult to do when the person has left you and gone forever. Then the guilt is so enormous that one stays with it the whole life.
Above all the beautiful emotion of friendship has been depicted brilliantly between a Granny and the granddaughter tearing away the barriers of the mammoth gap of age but still be friends and dance and giggle together.
