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Table of Contents
About The Book
Inspired by an extraordinary true story, Maya's Dance is a heartbreaking and unforgettable World War II novel about survival, courage and a love that endured against impossible odds.
In a Nazi labour camp in occupied Poland, seventeen-year-old Maya Schulze has almost nothing left.
Starving, exhausted and surrounded by unimaginable cruelty, she clings to the one thing the Nazis cannot take from her: her love of dance. When Maya dances, she escapes the horrors around her—if only for a moment.
Then a guard stops to watch.
Jan is not like the others. Risking everything, he promises to protect Maya. As danger closes in, an impossible love begins to grow between them, sustained by stolen moments of hope in a world determined to destroy it.
When Jan helps Maya escape and vows to find her after the war, their future seems within reach. But fate has other plans.
Fifty years later, a life-changing revelation forces Maya to confront the past she has spent decades trying to forget. Together with journalist Kate Young, she embarks on a desperate search for the man who once saved her life—and the love she never stopped carrying in her heart.
Based on a remarkable true Holocaust story, Maya's Dance is a deeply moving tale of resilience, sacrifice, friendship and enduring love. Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The German Girl, The Nightingale and The Light After the War.
An unforgettable novel about finding hope in humanity's darkest hour—and discovering that some promises can survive a lifetime.
In a Nazi labour camp in occupied Poland, seventeen-year-old Maya Schulze has almost nothing left.
Starving, exhausted and surrounded by unimaginable cruelty, she clings to the one thing the Nazis cannot take from her: her love of dance. When Maya dances, she escapes the horrors around her—if only for a moment.
Then a guard stops to watch.
Jan is not like the others. Risking everything, he promises to protect Maya. As danger closes in, an impossible love begins to grow between them, sustained by stolen moments of hope in a world determined to destroy it.
When Jan helps Maya escape and vows to find her after the war, their future seems within reach. But fate has other plans.
Fifty years later, a life-changing revelation forces Maya to confront the past she has spent decades trying to forget. Together with journalist Kate Young, she embarks on a desperate search for the man who once saved her life—and the love she never stopped carrying in her heart.
Based on a remarkable true Holocaust story, Maya's Dance is a deeply moving tale of resilience, sacrifice, friendship and enduring love. Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The German Girl, The Nightingale and The Light After the War.
An unforgettable novel about finding hope in humanity's darkest hour—and discovering that some promises can survive a lifetime.
About The Author
Photograph supplied by the author
Helen Signy is an Australian writer who grew up in England – or, depending how she feels that day, an English writer who lives in Australia. She spent much of her youth travelling the world before becoming a print journalist in Asia and then in Sydney. Most of her writing these days involves science communications for academics, governments and not-for-profits, but she has never lost her passion for telling an amazing story. Maya’s Dance is her first foray into fiction. Helen lives on the Northern Beaches in Sydney with her husband, Peter, and, at various times, her (nearly) grown-up children, Ella, Jamie and Katie.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (March 6, 2024)
- Length: 368 pages
- ISBN13: 9781761421426
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Raves and Reviews
'If there is one thing you learn from Maya's Dance, it is that art sets us free. An unforgettable and moving love story in the midst of one of the darkest and most terrible times of humanity. A book that from the first page you can't stop reading.'
– Armando Lucas Correa, bestselling author of The German Girl
‘This novel, based on the true story of a Holocaust survivor, resonates with the horrors of these terrible times. Helen Signy portrays the horrors of a slave labour camp, the kindness of a Polish guard, and a love story that spanned decades.’
– Maya Lee, bestselling author of The Nazis Knew My Name
‘Maya's Dance combines the perfect blend of tragic heartache and enduring hope. Helen Signy’s voice is true to the times, and in Maya and Jan she has created characters that leap from the page. This is a book that any lover of Holocaust fiction will cherish.’
– Anita Abriel, bestselling author of The Light After The War
'A heartbreaking and empowering novel based on true events regarding an unbelievable Holocaust story ... a must-read for your summer book list.'
– QBD Reviews, Channel 7 Weekender
‘A tense, well-researched tale of love blooming amid inhumanity and horror’
– The Sydney Morning Herald
Resources and Downloads
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