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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Dual timeline narrative of a trio of ballerinas and their friendship, as they rise through the ranks of the Paris Opera Ballet.
Told from the perspective of Delphine, the story is told in the past as a student and young woman, and in present tense on her return to Paris after a turn of tragic life events.
It’s a very endearing story on lifelong friendship , forging your own path, and staying true to yourself.
I think it would have been even more interesting to have had the story told from the perspective of all three girls…. Especially when they were younger to get the perspective of the cutthroat way of moving up in ballet ranks. It’s always alluded to, but only one point of view.
Told from the perspective of Delphine, the story is told in the past as a student and young woman, and in present tense on her return to Paris after a turn of tragic life events.
It’s a very endearing story on lifelong friendship , forging your own path, and staying true to yourself.
I think it would have been even more interesting to have had the story told from the perspective of all three girls…. Especially when they were younger to get the perspective of the cutthroat way of moving up in ballet ranks. It’s always alluded to, but only one point of view.
This seems like a simple enough book at the outset but towards the end it really makes you think. I think the actual ending could have happened earlier than it did though. I think the final events were a little out of left field to me and then it was all just over. Overall a great read.
4.5 stars rounded up. The first half of this novel, while beautifully written about the beautiful dance of ballet in the beautiful city of Paris, is slow, only hinting at interesting things to come. The pace picks up significantly in the second half.
Delphine entered ballet school when she was eight years old. There, she became lifelong friends with Margaux and Lindsey. The narrative bounces from their years in school together, very slowly and painfully working their way up to the present day, when Delphine returns to the Paris Opera Ballet, where the now-36-year-old wants to turn her career in a new direction as a choreographer. She had left thirteen years earlier for St. Petersburg, partially following a man and for other reasons that are revealed over the course of the story.
I couldn’t imagine the life of a ballerina, constantly being judged by every part of your body. We regular women often feel judged about our weight and shape, but nowhere the scrutiny someone in this field would receive. I haven’t been obsessed with dance since high school, but this novel reminded me of how much admiration I have for dancers, although I’m not the slightest bit jealous of a life in the ballet—other dance forms obviously don’t require constant indoctrination from when you’re a little kid.
The character arc of this book and the insights into female friendships are the reason I gave it 5 stars. The revelations come slowly and you have to work for them, but I appreciated both the internal conflict of the characters of both wanting to be the greatest and also hating the constant judgment about their bodies and how unless you become a principal, you’re just a faceless body with bloody feet and a hungry stomach in the background.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES DECEMBER 7.
Delphine entered ballet school when she was eight years old. There, she became lifelong friends with Margaux and Lindsey. The narrative bounces from their years in school together, very slowly and painfully working their way up to the present day, when Delphine returns to the Paris Opera Ballet, where the now-36-year-old wants to turn her career in a new direction as a choreographer. She had left thirteen years earlier for St. Petersburg, partially following a man and for other reasons that are revealed over the course of the story.
I couldn’t imagine the life of a ballerina, constantly being judged by every part of your body. We regular women often feel judged about our weight and shape, but nowhere the scrutiny someone in this field would receive. I haven’t been obsessed with dance since high school, but this novel reminded me of how much admiration I have for dancers, although I’m not the slightest bit jealous of a life in the ballet—other dance forms obviously don’t require constant indoctrination from when you’re a little kid.
The character arc of this book and the insights into female friendships are the reason I gave it 5 stars. The revelations come slowly and you have to work for them, but I appreciated both the internal conflict of the characters of both wanting to be the greatest and also hating the constant judgment about their bodies and how unless you become a principal, you’re just a faceless body with bloody feet and a hungry stomach in the background.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES DECEMBER 7.
I almost gave this an extra star because the writing was fine and I stuck with it-- although I can't say I was ever in a hurry to pick it up--but the ending was too silly, melodramatic and out of the blue to be borne. Also, authors, can you just TELL A STORY FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END? WHY WHY WHY do we have to jump all over the place in time? This even started double jumping within the time frames. I guess there was some girl power feminist theme in here, which would have been helped if any of the female characters had been remotely likeable, which they were not. (But the male characters were much worse, comically bad in some cases.) There was potential here, but it was an ultimate fizzle.
The way that this book is miscategorized will be my villain origin story.
To put it simply: THIS IS NOT A THRILLER
It was more of a contemporary with secrets and a slightly thrilling ending (which would’ve been better if it was less thrilling imo, more on that later) That’s perfect for me since I’m really not in a thriller mood.
But I am in a mood to read about ballerinas, because I’ll pick up anything that even mentions dance. And this book did justice to my love of ballet because it immersed me into the world of POB (Paris Opera Ballet) and the drama.
I loved the cutthroat and competitive atmosphere of POB, and how rivalries formed among the girls. The book also didn’t shy away from the uglier sides of ballet: the dancers’ sacrifices, the endurance of pain, rivalries, and how women typically have a shorter career than men.
I also enjoyed reading about the three main characters and their complicated relationships with each other. They are quite unlikeable at some points, but I didn’t really mind that.
The only issue I had was with the thriller elements. The big reveal was so underwhelming. And the ending felt quite unrealistic and rushed.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book. Honestly would’ve been better if the book either leans into the thriller elements more or leans into the contemporary genre.
To put it simply: THIS IS NOT A THRILLER
It was more of a contemporary with secrets and a slightly thrilling ending (which would’ve been better if it was less thrilling imo, more on that later) That’s perfect for me since I’m really not in a thriller mood.
But I am in a mood to read about ballerinas, because I’ll pick up anything that even mentions dance. And this book did justice to my love of ballet because it immersed me into the world of POB (Paris Opera Ballet) and the drama.
I loved the cutthroat and competitive atmosphere of POB, and how rivalries formed among the girls. The book also didn’t shy away from the uglier sides of ballet: the dancers’ sacrifices, the endurance of pain, rivalries, and how women typically have a shorter career than men.
I also enjoyed reading about the three main characters and their complicated relationships with each other. They are quite unlikeable at some points, but I didn’t really mind that.
The only issue I had was with the thriller elements. The big reveal was so underwhelming. And the ending felt quite unrealistic and rushed.
Spoiler
Also, since when are we pushing the “if you don’t treat my friend well, I’ll kill you without any consequences” agenda?Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book. Honestly would’ve been better if the book either leans into the thriller elements more or leans into the contemporary genre.
Even though its culture is sometimes problematic, the world of ballet always draws me in, so I was interested in seeing what this story was about. I liked the descriptions of the ballet and life in Paris, but the story was too much. It seemed like the author wanted to add in as much drama as possible, and it fell short. I kept going back and forth about how I felt about the narrator, Delphine, and decided that she really is somewhat of a narcissist, and it was hard to relate to her feelings. Not my favorite read, but not mad about reading it.
The Ballerinas highlights the scandals, work-pressures and drama within the ballet community. The story is told in alternating timelines and centers on main characters Delphine, Lindsay and Margeaux. In the past, you read about their quest to become professional ballerinas at the Paris Opera Ballet and in the present, the traumatic memories and aftermath of their success 14 years later when Delphine returns to Paris to choreograph her own show. This book exposes the world that exists behind the scenes of ballet companies and their dancers. One that is hard to see from the outside. I really enjoyed the plot, slow-burn pace and character development within the story. Of note, going in I would disregard the comparison to Luckiest Girl Alive, as it is NOT a thriller, and think of this book more as a women's fiction/ drama.
Thanks Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ARC! Pub Date 12/7/21
Thanks Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ARC! Pub Date 12/7/21
Kinda just fine, and I don't feel like I got who most of the characters actually were. The author definitely did not trust anyone to pick up on themes that weren't explicitly beat into their heads either.
The characters never landed for me, which meant the story didn't quite land either.