Book Review - Belly Dancing for Beginners by Liz Byrski

"Belly Dancing for Beginners" by Liz Byrski focuses on the lives of 3 women in their 50's and 60's, all in very different circumstances, who become close friends when they tour Western Australia on an educational belly dancing tour.  The tour symbolises the journeys they each take in their lives and the issues they resolve along the way.  The story also involves the lives of their families and close friends and how those relationships unfold as the plot progresses.  The book finishes with an unexpected twist once the 3 women are back at home in Perth.

Liz Byrski writes a compelling story, one which I always find hard to put down.  Her use of older women as protagonists has filled a niche in the reading market and she is to be commended for bringing some of the issues faced by women as they age into the light.  I also enjoying novels which are set in places that are familiar to me and there are plenty of West Australian references throughout this book.  She researches her subjects thoroughly but in some ways it feels like her attempts to weave the findings of her research into the story are a bit clumsy.  The characters, as sympathetic as the protagonists are, also often feel a bit contrived.  However, if you can look past these issues, Liz Byrski's books are well worth reading and this one is no exception.