Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell (book review).
In case no one has noticed, there are books in print that don’t contain elements of science fiction or fantasy. While some of them are enjoyable to read, caution is necessary. ‘Slow Dance’ by Rainbow Rowell is a modern romance. It does not contain any fantasy, other than the idea that all fiction is fantasy. Some of her other novels could be classified as horror, as the things that happen to her characters can be very unpleasant, but unfortunately, they do happen to the victims of real life.
‘Slow Dance’ revolves around three people. Shiloh is a thirty-three-year-old divorcee with two young children. Mikey is about to embark on his second marriage. Carey joined the navy when he left school. During their school years, they were an unshakeable trio with Mikey, the glue that held them together. Cary was the driver on their expeditions, borrowing his mother’s car. He also took Shiloh to and from school every day. Everyone anticipated a reunion between Shiloh and Cary, but it never materialised, and they parted ways.
Mikey’s wedding is the pivotal event in this novel, bringing the three friends back together. The novel alternates between what has happened before this point—their school days then, mostly, Shiloh’s journey to her recognition that Cary is still someone important to her—and what happens next. The courtship between Shiloh and Cary starts hesitantly, with each making mistakes up to the point when they both recognise what Mikey, the facilitator, has known all along: that they complement each other.
The characters, particularly the slightly odd Shiloh, are delightfully portrayed, and there is a feeling that this is a story that has its roots in contemporary realism. This might-have-been put right appeals to a section of the reading public who enjoy the escapism of romance. It does not have a fairy-tale ending but involves characters that are prepared to find out what happens next, with a little nudging from friends.
If you don’t insist on having fantasy in your fiction, the result is a light, enjoyable holiday read.
Pauline Morgan
July 2025
(pub: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2024. 387 page hardback. Price: $28.00 (US), $35.00 (CAN). ISBN: 978-0-06-338019-6)
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