Title: The Ballerinas
Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale
Rating 4/5
Blurb (taken from Goodreads):
Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.
Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she’s been away…and some secrets can’t stay buried forever.
Moving between the trio’s adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside––all culminating in a twist you won’t see coming, with magnetic characters you won’t soon forget.
Review:
When I requested this book, I anticipated a cute read about young ballerinas. About ten percent of this book met this expectation – the rest is a story chock full of intrigue and drama and a commentary on the evolution of friendship, on feminism, and on the choices that impact our growth… and I loved it.
The strength behind this book is that it is so honest about the characters’ flaws. All of the main characters grow so beautifully throughout the story – it doesn’t gloss over the difficulties of being a ballerina, of growing, of making bad choices, of becoming someone you don’t love, or of simply the difficulty of being a woman. It addresses all of these subjects dead on and doesn’t shy away from exposing the ugly truths behind the spotlight. It’s the first time I have read a book that made me feel like feminism is extremely important; necessary, even, without openly saying so… bravo!
I would say this book lost a star because it took such a long time to really capture my attention. It didn’t become a real page turner until later in the book. I’m really glad I finished it but I wished the beginning had been shortened.
I’d like to thank St. Martin’s Press for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
JulieLiterary 