I picked up this book from the library shelf somewhat by accident - my eye was drawn to the name "Shin Kyung-sook" on the cover. Initially, after reading the summary, another story came to mind - the 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. It turned out, however, that 'Dancer' is a much more complex and multidimensional novel than 'Geisha'. The story of 리진, a young Korean court dancer, weaves in the history of Korea at the dawn of a new era. Although the author notes in the afterword that this is not a historical novel, we can get a glimpse into the country's past. And so, yes, we have the story of a young girl given away as a child against her will to become, de facto, a slave; we have Far Eastern traditional art and culture. The main character also, breaks out, or rather is broken out, of her slave position, thanks to a man who has a high social standing. And this is also what the story of 'Geisha' is mainly based on as the main theme of the book. However, on this level, the novel 'Court Dancer' is only just beginning - it is only the surface layer (however incredibly interesting and engaging), which is only a pretext to reach deeper. From the topic of the history of Korea and its complex political situation at the turn of the century, to the issues of supposed freedom and tolerance that France boasted at the time, to issues of love and attachment (to another person, to one's homeland), issues of identity, women's rights in the world, the issue of the seizure of works of art and culture by European countries, ending with the impossibility of living in two worlds at the same time. The descriptions were as beautiful as the ephemeral dance of the titular Dancer. I am entranced and somewhat do not want to reach for other books in order to not lose this beautiful feeling that has remained like a butterfly sitting softly, it's wings shining in the spring sun.