Astonish Me

Maggie Shipstead's "Astonish Me" unravels the hidden life of Joan, a seemingly ordinary suburban mother in California, whose past as a promising American ballerina in 1970s Paris holds a dramatic secret. Once deeply entangled in a passionate, illicit affair with the legendary Soviet dance superstar, Arslan Rusakov, Joan played a pivotal role in his celebrated defection to the West. Heartbroken by Arslan and modest in her own career, she ultimately abandoned the spotlight, seeking solace and anonymity in domestic life. However, her carefully constructed peace shatters when her son displays an extraordinary talent for ballet, drawing her back into the very world she had meticulously tried to escape. This return resurrects dangerous secrets, the ghost of Arslan, and a profound, lingering longing for a life and love that always seemed just beyond her grasp, forcing her to confront the echoes of her youth and the sacrifices made for love and ambition.