Scan barcode
s_owns_a_small_library's review
2.0
I finished 'Ballet Shoes' for the first time this morning and this was a natural progression. This review also contains spoilers for 'Ballet Shoes'.
I love the theatre, and especially musicals. I've also read one of Carrie Hope Fletcher's novels before, and found it to radiate positivity and hope, a lovely fluff read. So I purchased this for the Library.
While no one could accuse 'Ballet Shoes' of being particularly realistic in terms of the children's financial woes (Why keep on multiple servants and have daily cake if you have no household incomings?!) there at least was a real sense of the children having to work hard to BECOME good at their passions. Yes, Posy had 'innate talent', which was nonsensically attributed to her birth family. (For a book about people 'making their own name', it certainly focused on the titular shoes being linked to Posy's 'destiny') But she also trained for years so that she knew what to do with it. Petrova and Pauline were shown to read books or watch performances about their interests to hone them, and several life lessons were given.
In 'Into the Spotlight' Morris, an eight-year-old boy who has never received dance training beyond watching YouTube, is given charge of the choreography of a play. He's never been trained by a choreographer either, but is left to his own devices. He, along with his sisters, is giving a role acting one of the three titular characters of a play. One of his sisters, Marigold, is also given the task of writing the entire play, again without training (she's never written a play) or assistance. The icing on the cake, though, is that they have five WEEKS to write the play, and THREE to cast, rehearse, block, choreograph, learn lines... Oh, did I mention that this play is the make-or-break performance for their theatre, filled with their found family, which is also their home?
Add to all of this that there is a 'villain' who deliberately sabotages the theatre 'to inspire them' and that a cat is adopted who hates loud noises and the theatre owner instantly acquieses to no more pyrotechnics ever... And I found this too unrealistic to enjoy. I could not suspend my disbelief far enough, and I mostly just skimmed the second half so I could be done with it. No life lessons (bar one morale-boosting speech from Dawson), all three children are somehow born actors (again, with no training or background) and the play is a hit. I could tell that too much was riding on it for it to NOT work, but Trixiebellini was an unpleasant surprise, making the whole plot even more saccharine. Who destroys a roof just to 'inspire' people?! I expect more consistency than this in Captain Underpants.
HOWEVER. It's certainly more relatable for today's children than the old-fashioned original. And, true to form, Carrie Hope Fletcher has once again written a positive, harmless piece of fluff. It might not be for me, but I'm sure some children would enjoy it.
I love the theatre, and especially musicals. I've also read one of Carrie Hope Fletcher's novels before, and found it to radiate positivity and hope, a lovely fluff read. So I purchased this for the Library.
While no one could accuse 'Ballet Shoes' of being particularly realistic in terms of the children's financial woes (Why keep on multiple servants and have daily cake if you have no household incomings?!) there at least was a real sense of the children having to work hard to BECOME good at their passions. Yes, Posy had 'innate talent', which was nonsensically attributed to her birth family. (For a book about people 'making their own name', it certainly focused on the titular shoes being linked to Posy's 'destiny') But she also trained for years so that she knew what to do with it. Petrova and Pauline were shown to read books or watch performances about their interests to hone them, and several life lessons were given.
In 'Into the Spotlight' Morris, an eight-year-old boy who has never received dance training beyond watching YouTube, is given charge of the choreography of a play. He's never been trained by a choreographer either, but is left to his own devices. He, along with his sisters, is giving a role acting one of the three titular characters of a play. One of his sisters, Marigold, is also given the task of writing the entire play, again without training (she's never written a play) or assistance. The icing on the cake, though, is that they have five WEEKS to write the play, and THREE to cast, rehearse, block, choreograph, learn lines... Oh, did I mention that this play is the make-or-break performance for their theatre, filled with their found family, which is also their home?
Add to all of this that there is a 'villain' who deliberately sabotages the theatre 'to inspire them' and that a cat is adopted who hates loud noises and the theatre owner instantly acquieses to no more pyrotechnics ever... And I found this too unrealistic to enjoy. I could not suspend my disbelief far enough, and I mostly just skimmed the second half so I could be done with it. No life lessons (bar one morale-boosting speech from Dawson), all three children are somehow born actors (again, with no training or background) and the play is a hit. I could tell that too much was riding on it for it to NOT work, but Trixiebellini was an unpleasant surprise, making the whole plot even more saccharine. Who destroys a roof just to 'inspire' people?! I expect more consistency than this in Captain Underpants.
HOWEVER. It's certainly more relatable for today's children than the old-fashioned original. And, true to form, Carrie Hope Fletcher has once again written a positive, harmless piece of fluff. It might not be for me, but I'm sure some children would enjoy it.
halfbloodgee's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Ballet Shoes when I was younger and this was a really nice throwback
jessx24601's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
helenlovesthelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
larny10's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
geobook37's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
chloe09's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful book! I’ve fallen in love with the pebbles, I’ve never read ballet shoes but I have just bought it as I now want to read it! So it’ll be nice to have some background on the fossil ladies! And GUM! Thoroughly recommend!!!
EDIT: I have now read ballet shoes and it’s made me fall in love with this book even more!!
EDIT: I have now read ballet shoes and it’s made me fall in love with this book even more!!
katrina26's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
musicalmuppet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0