What makes The Dancer And The Thief such a beautiful story to read, almost a fairy tale with its moments of sublime beauty, is Antonio Skarmeta's ability to create magic on the page with words. Somehow he is able to capture the beauty of life and love, to express — through the interaction of his characters — how caring and compassion are more beautiful than any treasure known to man.

He also knows that without sorrow, we would never be able to feel joy, and that real grief is as much a part of our lives as anything else. There is real heartbreak in this book, but that is part of the coming back to life that a country which dared not feel for so long needs to experience if they stand any chance of recovering from the deprivations of the past.

Dreams and hope are the fuel that drives people to keep trying in spite of the odds they face. Victoria, Nicolas, and Angel are hopes and dream personified. In a land where people hadn't known hope for so long, and dreams were only something that you had at night, seeing them walking and talking in that environment was magic at its finest.

I've always loved South American writers for their ability to depict reality with unflinching honesty, while simultaneously seeing all that's magical in the world and giving that life as well. Antonio Skarmeta's The Dancer And The Thief is a wonderful example of this. Like a great painting the book is simple to look at, but moves you beyond what words can describe. Read this book and know what it's like to be truly alive.