Mata Hari's Last Dance

by Moran, Michelle

"From the international bestselling author of Rebel Queen and Nefertiti comes a captivating novel about the infamous Mata Hari, exotic dancer, adored courtesan, and, possibly, relentless spy. Paris, 1917. The notorious dancer Mata Hari sits in a cold cell awaiting freedom ... or death. Alone and despondent, Mata Hari is as confused as the rest of the world about the charges she's been arrested on: treason leading to the deaths of thousands of French soldiers. As Mata Hari waits for her fate to be decided, she relays the story of her life to a reporter who is allowed to visit her in prison. Beginning with her carefree childhood, Mata Hari recounts her father's cruel abandonment of her family as well her calamitous marriage to a military officer. Taken to the island of Java, Mata Hari refuses to be ruled by her abusive husband and instead learns to dance, paving the way to her stardom as Europe's most infamous dancer. From exotic Indian temples and glamorous Parisian theatres to stark German barracks in war-torn Europe, international bestselling author Michelle Moran who "expertly balances fact and fiction" (Associated Press) brings to vibrant life the famed world of Mata Hari: dancer, courtesan, and possibly, spy"--

• ISBN10: 1476716390
• ISBN13: 9781476716398
• Publish Date: 19 July 2016
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Atria Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

It’s fitting that this book is titled Mata Hari’s Last Dance as I believe it is the last book I’ll read by Michelle Moran. You see, I fell in love with Moran’s writing after reading Nefertiti back in 2008. I’ve read nearly every book of her since, but have slowly become less and less enamoured with the stories and the points in history that Moran has selected to set her books in.

I was excited when I found that Mata Hari’s Last Dance had been released and I immediately put it on hold at the library. And then it sat on my dining room table until about a week before it was due. Perhaps that was the first sign that I wasn’t that interested in this latest release. I know very little about Mata Hari and most of it comes from movies and television shows and those veiled references were never used in a positive light.

I will say this, Mata Hari’s Last Dance was a fairly quick read. But there’s a reason for that. You see, it turns out that not much is known about Mata Hari and even the accusations made against her were suspect. Since her story takes place at the outbreak of World War I there isn’t a lot of going on as the war is just gearing up and the sides are still being chosen. As result, the story moves quickly and just skims the surface of getting to know Mata Hari. I felt like a rock being skipped across a lake and then suddenly sinking to the bottom. That right, this story does not have a happy ending.

Why will Mata Hari’s Last Dance be my last dance with Michelle Moran? The time periods she has chosen to write in, as of late, are of little interest to me or completely unknown. I love ancient Egypt where her first 3 books were set. French is history is an unknown to me and I find it confusing. And her last two books, while I did finish them, were quick reads and set in time periods that I am not familiar with and the characters were not as strong. As a result, I race through the book and am left feeling empty with no connection to story.

Does this mean I’ll never read another Michelle Moran novel? No, but I might be more selective about which ones I pick up in the future. Would I recommend Mata Hari’s Last Dance? That depends on the reader. If you are looking for a deep dive into Mata Hari’s discover her motivations and the source of the accusations about her spying, this book will not satisfy you. If you are looking for something quick to read to give you a “taste” of what Mata Hari’s life might have been like, this might be a book that will satisfy that curiousity.

Read other books I've reviewed at Second Run Reviews.com

[viking2917]

James Bond. Kim Philby. George Smiley. In the popular imagination, when one thinks of spies, one thinks of Bond, or more recently, perhaps Claire Danes of Homeland. But almost no spy looms larger in popular culture than Mata Hari, the prototype for the femme fatale. Mati Hari, born “Margaretha Geertruida “Margreet” MacLeod”, was an exotic dancer and courtesan, eventually tried, convicted and executed by France for spying for the Germans during World War I.

But what if Mata Hari wasn’t really a spy? Or a least not for Germany, or at worst was the victim of a few bad decisions? Michelle Moran’s new novel, Mata Hari’s Last Dance, explores that possibility. Historians seem divided on whether she truly was a German spy. The history of her conviction, and the evidence against her, were always either tenuous or allegedly hidden because the evidence was secret.

Moran’s portrayal of Mata Hari is well-rendered and complex. M’greet, as she is called when not by her stage name, comes off by turns as ambitious, juvenile, erotic, maternal, manipulative, educated (quoting Petrarch’s Lives), and an astounding clothes horse — a new dress every day! She is absolutely comfortable using her sexuality to get what she wants, and she has a thing for men in uniform (which will lead to her downfall). Moran captures the atmosphere of Paris, the unique nature of Mata Hari’s dances — recognizing both their evocative cultural allusions as well as the obvious prurience of the audiences who just want to see her with her clothes off.

While popular culture places Mata Hari as spy, in this telling of her story she most reminds me of self-made media celebrities like Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian, comfortable with their sexuality and able to manipulate the media to a frenzy.

I also very much enjoyed Edouard Clunet, Mata Hari’s long-suffering booking agent, who helped create her persona and early success. The Edouard of the book seems an amalgam of the historical Edouard, who defended her at her trial, and Gabriel Astruc, her booking agent. The interplay between the Edouard and Mata Hari carried the book forward strongly, and the merger of Edouard and Gabriel into one character definitely serves the larger story line.

As with any historical novel, there is some play with the precise historical details, and in the case of Mata Hari much is still not known or debated. But Moran’s portrayal of her character and motivations is utterly convincing. Historical fiction is an accessible way to learn history, and if you are at all intrigued by one of history’s most famous and scandalous women, you will enjoy Mata Hari’s Last Dance.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

First Impressions

My knowledge of Mara Hari extended to her profession as an exotic dancer. It seemed a bit one-dimensional at first. Although, Michelle Moran always excels at expanding the lives of historical figures. Thus plowed right in, preparing myself for Fantine's "I dreamed a dream".

Impressions While Reading


I need not have worried. Margaretha Zelle was so much more than a scantily clad girl and the author showcased that in vivid colors. I felt as if I were in the audience during her performances and with striking descriptions could almost feel Mata Hari's furs and the vibration of a gun firing.

I liked how Margaretha Zelle's life pre-courtesan was told in flashback vignettes giving a fuller picture of our leading lady. I thought it rounded the book out nicely all the while astounded by the tragedy contained in one short life.

Final Impressions


Mata Hari's Last Dance was a quick read. While it was engrossing, I felt the last half of the novel was rushed and was over too soon. Mata Hari's Last Dance was much too short and felt a bit condensed.

For me, the mark of a good historical fiction novel is one that makes me want to "investigate" the subject matter further after closing the cover. Michelle Moran once again earns that seal as the fascinating figure of Mata Hari led me to Google and Wikipedia more than once. The Last Dance of Mata Hari is an intoxicating novel breathing life into a time of beauty and turmoil.