Once in a while I come across books in which I see myself. A Whole Song and Dance by Sarvenaz Tash is one such book! I loved everything about it – the characters, the setting, the situations. Reading about Iranian culture through the lens of a young girl hustling to make a name for herself was a fun story and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. So let’s start at the synopsis:
A Whole Song and Dance
By Sarvenaz Tash | Goodreads
Nasrin Mahdavi is a Broadway triple threat—but she’s living a double life.
A freshman in NYU’s prestigious musical theater program, Nasrin spends her days prepping for auditions, sweating through dance classes, and belting her heart out for the viral streaming show she’s been cast in. But on calls with her maman and baba, she’s their jigar talah, the golden child who put her theater dreams aside to follow in their entrepreneurial footsteps as a business major.
At least her whole life isn’t a lie—she is taking a single business course. Except she’s kind of failing it. Cue jazz hands?
Nasrin needs to bring her grade up fast if she’s going to keep her parents in the dark, so she grudgingly signs up for tutoring with the infuriatingly smug and annoyingly attractive Max. And yet…as the semester rushes by, the sparks of anger that first flew between them start to turn into a very different kind of spark. The kind she definitely does not have time for.
Except when Nasrin’s charming though devious cousin takes an interest in Max too, Nasrin has to figure out exactly what has been an act—and what’s for real. Can Nasrin decide what—and who—is truly worth fighting for, and find a way to step into the spotlight as her full self?
A Whole Song and Dance – Review
A Whole Song and Dance is told from the perspective of Nasrin. She has just received her acceptance to Tisch, the elite drama college in New York. Her parents want her to go to Stern, the business school, and when they assume her acceptance is actually for Stern, Nasrin cannot bring herself to correct them. Hence begins Nasrin’s double life. She takes measures to ensure they do not guess that she is going to Tisch and takes one Stats class to not completely lie to them about what she is studying. Her love and focus though is drama and she dives into the education needed to be a professional with zeal and excitement.
On Studying Our Passions
Life as a drama major sounds glamorous. In some ways it is. Nasrin is doing what she loves. She is auditioning for plays and tv series, she is taking classes to hone her craft, learning from the very best of the school. Her hustle throughout this book reminded me of my university days. I love education and with four degrees, I know the difference between pursuing something that we chose and are passionate about vs a path that was semi-chosen for us because we did not know ourselves very well yet.
Nasrin is captivated by the opportunities in front of her and she is growing so much! But education is gruelling and she soon starts to realize she is doing too much. On top of all the school work, there is emotional pressure to keep her parents happy, lying to them until she can find the perfect opportunity to tell them why drama is the career for her.
On Career Choices
Layered within the tug of war between passion and family expectation, is the bigger question of privilege and opportunity. Nasrin’s parents moved from Iran and eventually built a successful business, RateThePlate.com. They have worked hard to create a good and secure life for themselves and they don’t want their only child to struggle the same way. I found many similarities between their thinking and Indian society which I grew up in.
Becoming an engineer, doctor, computer scientist, accountant… Anything related to Math and Science are considered to be good careers because they can get a high paying job and set up a comfortable life. While people do pursue arts degrees, they are considered hobbies. And even if they are looked at from the lens of a profession, the struggle to make a name as an author, actor, producer, etc., is considered too unpredictable a path to sustain oneself, a path full of disappointments before the big break if one is lucky to get it.
If something has a high chance of failing, why pursue it at all? Why not be practical and take the easy way? And after you have done that, then go ahead and do whatever you want. But that is back in Iran and India. Doesn’t coming to America open up new opportunities? I loved how A Whole Song and Dance portrayed these complex societal values through Nasrin, her parents and her cousin, Minu. Nasrin’s instant best friend, Beckett, whose parents are from India, helped flesh out this more through another perspective.
A look at the some of the characters in A Whole Song and Dance
Nasrin
Nasrin is full of energy and passion. She is a breath of fresh air and I liked her instantly. At the beginning of the book, she knows she is taking a huge step by getting into a college she didn’t tell her parents she was even applying to. A Whole Song and Dance is her journey to set boundaries with her parents and loved ones, to know why she wants to be in drama, how important education is to her and what fame and success mean. For a young girl, she has many lessons to teach and remind us older readers.
Success as measured by fame or fortune is elusive. But success measured by my own standards, by continuing to grow and improve and be passionate about what I do… that is something I can always strive for. I’m in control of that.
Nasrin, A Whole Song and Dance
I loved reexperiencing college days with her. University is quite different from high school. When we choose a career path, we end up with like minded people, some brilliant and miles ahead in the craft we want to hone. It is a terrifying place. It can make us wonder if we are able to keep up. But we can. Nasrin does and she navigated her challenges really well. She asked for help when she needed it. She tried to time things as best as she could and she learned that she cannot control everything that happens.
Her Iranian roots reminded me of home. The expectations and disappointments of her parents remind me of home too.
Beckett
Beckett is my favorite! He is the best friend we all need in college. I am so glad Nasrin found him. I loved their chemistry and it made me think about how friends have it too – you have probably experienced it yourself – when you meet someone and hit it off with them right away. That’s making fast friends that will last a long time.
Beckett’s parents are Indian and I loved visiting his home with Nasrin. Beckett himself is talented and has already been successful in performing as a professional. He is a true friend and like all friendships, theirs goes through some tough times as well. It is easy to get caught up in all the things we have to do and deadlines we have to meet and neglect the emotional support our friends need in rough times. I loved how the two supported each other, were honest with each other when they needed the help and were always looking out for one another. What a great friendship!
Minu
Minu is Nasrin’s cousin and arrives in America to study. Her storyline in particular shed light on how sending kids to study abroad does not always mean that they will continue to live there. They can get a glimpse of American life but must return to their home country, get married, settle there. Minu made both Nasrin and me very uncomfortable with her requests at times but she is a smart girl and I enjoyed her many moods. She offered an insightful perspective around privilege and opportunity. She has a lot of growing up to do and A Whole Song and Dance would have been incomplete without her.
Max
Max is Nasrin’s TA and turns out he tutors students in statistics. Nasrin approaches him for help and they become good friends. Nasrin is doing so much that she misses the fact that Max likes her. I enjoyed how their relationship developed. It wasn’t rushed and seemed completely natural. Max grew up in a small town and though he is pursuing business (the subject Nasrin’s parents want her to pursue), his parents do not support his choice. Max helps broaden Nasrin’s understanding of the world and how delicate relationships with parents can be.
All in all, A Whole Song and Dance is a quick read about a young girl choosing to pursue her passions without telling her family exactly what she is doing because she thinks they won’t support her. Caught up in the hard work of becoming a professional, she is living the amazing life of opportunities and understanding herself and her personal values. The story is grounded in culture and presents a nuanced picture of what it means to be a child of immigrants. Family interactions via phone and visits to Nasrin’s parents are an integral part of the story. There were aromatic foods that made me hungry and long for my grandma’s cooking. Also present, an amazing best friend, a playful cousin and an annoyingly hot TA amongst a variety of characters that made this book a great read.
I adored this book!
Have you read this book or plan to? Add it to your Goodreads shelf if you would like to read it!
Many thanks to Disney Books, the author, Sarvenaz Tash, and Colored Pages Tours for having me on this tour and for providing a complimentary review copy in exchange for an honest review. Follow the tour for A Whole Song and Dance on Instagram through the Colored Pages Team on Instagram.
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