You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
slow-paced
villain origin story, feminine rage, & supporting women’s wrongs!! love the use of ballet as a contrast to the story
I really liked the tone and atmosphere of this book. The darkness mixed with the world of ballet was beautifully written. We really get to see how someone can become addicted to power and the consequences of it. The book also explores the harms of looking for acceptance in the wrong places.
While I enjoyed this book, I felt something was missing. Considering the premise and the elements of magic, power, and sacrifice, the book felt a bit tame or anticlimactic. It almost felt as if it was just getting started by the time it ended.
But it was enjoyable and different from anything I’ve read recently.
Edit: I just found out there will be a second book! That might explain some of my feelings!
While I enjoyed this book, I felt something was missing. Considering the premise and the elements of magic, power, and sacrifice, the book felt a bit tame or anticlimactic. It almost felt as if it was just getting started by the time it ended.
But it was enjoyable and different from anything I’ve read recently.
Edit: I just found out there will be a second book! That might explain some of my feelings!
Laure Mesny’s only dream in life is to join the Paris Ballet. Dance is all she knows. She has danced her whole life to the detriment of familial relationships and friendships outside that which is part of the ballet. But she has to work harder than almost anyone else just to be given even a modicum of consideration. She’s not a pretty little waif of a white girl like most of the girls trying to join the company. She’s black… and that’s not something that flies too readily in the ballet.
But when prima ballerina Josephine Maurier takes a shine to Laure and offers her the opportunity to make all her dreams come true, she jumps at the opportunity knowing it may be her only shot. But she really has no idea what could truly happen to her and what it means to “sell your soul,” per se.
I enjoyed it. I found it to be a thematic mix of Black Swan and The Devil’s Advocate. However, about halfway through, it starts making leaps in time that weren’t always easy to keep up with because of the introduction of new characters and quick dismissal of older ones.
But when prima ballerina Josephine Maurier takes a shine to Laure and offers her the opportunity to make all her dreams come true, she jumps at the opportunity knowing it may be her only shot. But she really has no idea what could truly happen to her and what it means to “sell your soul,” per se.
I enjoyed it. I found it to be a thematic mix of Black Swan and The Devil’s Advocate. However, about halfway through, it starts making leaps in time that weren’t always easy to keep up with because of the introduction of new characters and quick dismissal of older ones.
3.5. this was a lot of fun, although i’m put off by the fact that i keep getting recommended books thinking they’re horror novels only to find out that they’re really more dark fantasy. that’s more my problem than the book’s, but it limits my enjoyment of it nonetheless. i wish more time was spent on the relationship between laure and coralie, but i think the author wanted coralie’s betrayal to be more of a surprise, so they kept her character in the background too much imho. i also wish there was more focus on mystery and atmosphere in the segments set in elysium, and less focus on lore and world-building—although the way that we find out about that lore feels really organic, which is admirable. the writing quality is good, but not great.
Honestly just a taste thing. I found the voice to be very stereotypical "ill show 'em" attitude with a cringe element that I found hard to stomach. I'm sure YA readers may enjoy though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Racism, Classism
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i enjoyed this, i just think there was a little too much of it where not enough was happening
i think this was a really well-written book and i really enjoyed laure as a character! there was just something about it that didn’t quite grip me right away
i think this was a really well-written book and i really enjoyed laure as a character! there was just something about it that didn’t quite grip me right away
slow-paced
Note to self: I can't keep expecting books marked as both horror and YA to deliver on the horror part. It wasn't bad, just... not that interesting.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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:
Complicated