Book review: Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street by Craig Revel Howard
Hello everybody and welcome back to another blog post,
A couple months ago, I finished reading the book, Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street by Craig Revel Howard that I got gifted for Christmas by my mum. If you don't know who Craig Revel Howard is, he is a renowned dancer and pantomime enthusiast, who is also one of the strictest judges on BBC Strictly Come Dancing. When I first picked up this book, I thought it was going to be about Craig's life but as I began reading it, I realised it was a work of fiction and I was very much intrigued. I had no idea whether or not this book was going to be great because I didn't know how good of a writer Craig would be, but to my delightful surprise, it turned out to be an amazing read.
There's not really a set narrative to the book. It kind of just starts in this one place and develops as you read which is what I really liked. However, the basic synopsis of the book is that a group of people come to live in a rather rugged townhouse on 27 Diamond Street, in an alley way near Camden. Originally, the house is owned by Danny (who is a choreographer) and is occupied by Lil, Lachlan, and Pete but the characters later welcome Cat and her boyfriend Justin, as well as Jewel. Cat and Justin used to be cruise ship dancers but moved to London to seek better opportunities in the professional industry. However, Lachlan particularly despises Justin because he finds him quite arrogant and self-centered. Cat and Lachlan end up having a romantic interest in each other as the book goes on. Jewel on the other hand is a shy but incredibly eccentric costume designer who ends up working behind the scenes making costumes at a theatre. All these characters start off apart but they end up coming together, finding some sort of common ground through living with each other.
The main thing that I really enjoyed about the read was the atmosphere that Craig was able to encapsulate. I liked how he made the characters supportive of one another through their hardships and it kind of made me want to become a part of their group. I also liked how Craig was able to reflect his own experiences on the characters. Not only does the book portray Craig's love of dance and all things entertainment, I could tell that through reading about Danny's struggles with coming out as a gay man to his family, was influenced by some of the things that Craig had witnessed himself as a gay man. It made the storyline really personal and meaningful which was really nice to see. I also liked Cat and Lachlan's growing relationship throughout the read. I was getting really attached to them as a couple and every time something went wrong for them, I hated it, and when things went right, I loved it. It was a whole plethora of contrasting emotions, making for a really interesting read. 😂💜
Overall, it was a great novel. I now have a new appreciation for Craig being all that he is already, plus an amazing writer. If you have not read this already, I highly recommend that you read Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street. I think it's a book that is mostly aimed at teenagers and young adults, but I've seen so many different people read this already, I would say give it a go if you really want to read it. It only gives off good vibes and gives you something funny and humorous to read after a long day.
Have you ever read any books by Craig Revel Howard? Let me know in the comments below and I'll be sure to reply to them. I ♡ hearing from you!
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See you next time,
Bye,
XOX, Juliette
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