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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
A trio of Paris Opera Ballet dancers: narrator Delphine, Lindsay the American, and Margaux who happens to be gay make their way through the school, the company, and poor choices. When Delphine, now a choreographer, returns to Paris from St. Petersburg after a breakup, she wants her friendships to resume, and maybe to finally sleep with that hot guy she said no to when she was a virgin.
Good and bad things happen, Delphine is a jerk, and maybe there's a little manslaughter, but everyone learns something in the end. I guess that's my snarky way of saying this book is okay. I didn't love it, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed.
Good and bad things happen, Delphine is a jerk, and maybe there's a little manslaughter, but everyone learns something in the end. I guess that's my snarky way of saying this book is okay. I didn't love it, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed.
This book marks two intense, gorgeous, and grotesque novels about ballerinas I've read this year - more than any other year, I'll say! (The other book being [b:The Turnout|55573785|The Turnout|Megan Abbott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606063004l/55573785._SY75_.jpg|85456495].) I couldn't help but draw similarities and differences between the two, as both feature women in ballet who are just out of their prime - but in many ways, the books couldn't be more different.
The Turnout takes place in New York City, two former ballerina sisters running their own school of dance, with a horrendous builder coming in and ruining everyone's lives. It's a more typical psychological thriller, with gradual breakdowns, a web of lies, and stunning twists delivering punch after punch. The Ballerinas is much more subdued, more literary fiction than thriller, exploring childhood female friendships, loss, and the journey of maturing. It can be poky in parts, but is mostly soft and pensive, sad and withdrawn.
Our main character, Delphine Leger, is a former Paris Opera Ballet-trained ballerina in her mid-thirties who returns to Paris in order to choreograph her first solo ballet, a work about Tsarina Alexandra. Her two bestest-of-best friends from childhood and POB's Academy, Margaux and Lindsay, are both still working as ballerinas. Lindsay in particular is still hustling, working so hard to finally become a "star," the formal highest role a ballerina can achieve.
The book weaves between three basic timelines: the trio of girls in POB's school, almost ready to graduate and join the coryphee (corps) of dancers; Delphine as a young corps member meeting Dmitri, a Russian choreographer who sees Delphine as his muse; and present-day, Delphine choreographing her Tsarina ballet featuring Lindsay as the titular Alix.
The book mostly focuses on the girls' relationships when they were young, how carefree (well, as carefree as young ballerinas reaching for the highest roles can be) and tight-knit they were, in sharp contrast to their disjointed, almost broken relationships in the present day. They're all in different places in their lives, with Delphine having disappeared to St. Petersburg for several years and not stayed in touch, not even attended her two friends' weddings. Margaux has personal problems of her own having to do with substance addiction and fertility issues, and Lindsay is as maniacally driven to get promoted as ever. Over the course of the months it takes for Delphine to choreograph her ballet, which morphs into different forms according to the whim of what the POB board wants, these relationships ebb and flow and culminate in something somewhat aligned, even somewhat like the aforementioned The Turnout.
I really enjoyed the writing - I thought it was beautiful and real, and although Delphine frustrated me at times, she was mostly a relatable, reliable main character. Seeing these three young women in such a unique, insular, different bubble than what I know was fascinating, as diving into any niche, highly competitive world usually is.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC via Netgalley!
The Turnout takes place in New York City, two former ballerina sisters running their own school of dance, with a horrendous builder coming in and ruining everyone's lives. It's a more typical psychological thriller, with gradual breakdowns, a web of lies, and stunning twists delivering punch after punch. The Ballerinas is much more subdued, more literary fiction than thriller, exploring childhood female friendships, loss, and the journey of maturing. It can be poky in parts, but is mostly soft and pensive, sad and withdrawn.
Our main character, Delphine Leger, is a former Paris Opera Ballet-trained ballerina in her mid-thirties who returns to Paris in order to choreograph her first solo ballet, a work about Tsarina Alexandra. Her two bestest-of-best friends from childhood and POB's Academy, Margaux and Lindsay, are both still working as ballerinas. Lindsay in particular is still hustling, working so hard to finally become a "star," the formal highest role a ballerina can achieve.
The book weaves between three basic timelines: the trio of girls in POB's school, almost ready to graduate and join the coryphee (corps) of dancers; Delphine as a young corps member meeting Dmitri, a Russian choreographer who sees Delphine as his muse; and present-day, Delphine choreographing her Tsarina ballet featuring Lindsay as the titular Alix.
The book mostly focuses on the girls' relationships when they were young, how carefree (well, as carefree as young ballerinas reaching for the highest roles can be) and tight-knit they were, in sharp contrast to their disjointed, almost broken relationships in the present day. They're all in different places in their lives, with Delphine having disappeared to St. Petersburg for several years and not stayed in touch, not even attended her two friends' weddings. Margaux has personal problems of her own having to do with substance addiction and fertility issues, and Lindsay is as maniacally driven to get promoted as ever. Over the course of the months it takes for Delphine to choreograph her ballet, which morphs into different forms according to the whim of what the POB board wants, these relationships ebb and flow and culminate in something somewhat aligned, even somewhat like the aforementioned The Turnout.
I really enjoyed the writing - I thought it was beautiful and real, and although Delphine frustrated me at times, she was mostly a relatable, reliable main character. Seeing these three young women in such a unique, insular, different bubble than what I know was fascinating, as diving into any niche, highly competitive world usually is.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC via Netgalley!
THE BALLERINAS was our #buddyreadwithmandb pick for January and while I'm not 100% sure it was a winner, I still enjoyed it.
My thoughts:
-it's a story that does a deep dive into the lives of ballerinas & what it takes to be one
-Black Swan vibes
-female friendships & how awful women can be but also how resilient we are
-past & present timelines
-a little romance mixed in
-HEAVY read with triggers like cancer, sexual assault, etc
I wanted a little more from the ending but overall it was a solid read!
My thoughts:
-it's a story that does a deep dive into the lives of ballerinas & what it takes to be one
-Black Swan vibes
-female friendships & how awful women can be but also how resilient we are
-past & present timelines
-a little romance mixed in
-HEAVY read with triggers like cancer, sexual assault, etc
I wanted a little more from the ending but overall it was a solid read!
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book centers around ballerinas in the Paris Opera Ballet throughout their lives - from age 13 to 36. It mainly focuses on Delphine, our narrator, and her two friends Margaux and Lindsay. With a combination of present day scenes and flashbacks, we learn about the harsh world of professional ballet and how it takes its toll on them. This book is very character-driven and focuses on their development as opposed to plot development.
I enjoyed reading this book overall mostly due to the drama behind the curtain, so to speak: who's cheating on who, so and so was injured, she will get cut from the company next season, etc. I found the structure to be a little boring sometimes mostly because I wasn't sure where this story was going. Every time some big secret was vaguely brought up, I thought we would have to wait until the end to hear the details but it was always revealed much sooner. However, I certainly did not see the end coming.
Like I said before, I loved reading about the drama behind the scenes of the ballet company as well as the focus on the competitive aspects and how, at some point, you might age out before achieving star status. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy character-driven stories where the characters are flawed, make many mistakes, and are still working on it by the end.
I enjoyed reading this book overall mostly due to the drama behind the curtain, so to speak: who's cheating on who, so and so was injured, she will get cut from the company next season, etc. I found the structure to be a little boring sometimes mostly because I wasn't sure where this story was going. Every time some big secret was vaguely brought up, I thought we would have to wait until the end to hear the details but it was always revealed much sooner. However, I certainly did not see the end coming.
Like I said before, I loved reading about the drama behind the scenes of the ballet company as well as the focus on the competitive aspects and how, at some point, you might age out before achieving star status. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy character-driven stories where the characters are flawed, make many mistakes, and are still working on it by the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Sexism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
I am definitely in the minority, but I loved how slow the book was in the beginning. The author's descriptions were gorgeous, and I liked the glimpse into the lives of ballerinas, both the passionate beauty and the brutally gruesome moments.
The ending came up as a very heavy contrast to the slow build I had so enjoyed. It was a quick unraveling that seemed a bit slap-dash and almost as if it was entirely out of the author's control.
I do look forward to reading other books by her though. I feel like she shows a lot of promise, and she knows how to write lovely prose.
The ending came up as a very heavy contrast to the slow build I had so enjoyed. It was a quick unraveling that seemed a bit slap-dash and almost as if it was entirely out of the author's control.
I do look forward to reading other books by her though. I feel like she shows a lot of promise, and she knows how to write lovely prose.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Don't be fooled by this voice-driven slow burn — it's so worth sticking with especially when it comes ablaze. What I thought was yet another thriller about toxic female friendships and damaged women turned out to be a well-crafted feminist read full of rage and power.
I have to admit: I was put off by the lukewarm reviews and took my time with this book, reading it in small bits every day. But this is exactly the kind of book that should be savoured slowly.
The protagonist, Delphine, had me yoyo-ing throughout. Sometimes I rooted for her and wanted so much for her, other times I was frustrated by her decisions. I also loathed what a crappy friend she was and her lack of self-awareness, with the minuscule character development she displayed coming too little and too late.
Yet at the same time, I found this to be a solid suspense novel and an incredibly satisfying read. I also particularly loved the Parisian setting. Even more fascinating was all the insight into the ballet industry as well as what dancers endure at every level.
Perhaps this book suffered from being marketed as a twisty thriller (it isn't), but I think it's rather misunderstood and deserves to be appreciated for what it is.
Favourite quotes:
I received an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley.
I have to admit: I was put off by the lukewarm reviews and took my time with this book, reading it in small bits every day. But this is exactly the kind of book that should be savoured slowly.
The protagonist, Delphine, had me yoyo-ing throughout. Sometimes I rooted for her and wanted so much for her, other times I was frustrated by her decisions. I also loathed what a crappy friend she was and her lack of self-awareness, with the minuscule character development she displayed coming too little and too late.
Yet at the same time, I found this to be a solid suspense novel and an incredibly satisfying read. I also particularly loved the Parisian setting. Even more fascinating was all the insight into the ballet industry as well as what dancers endure at every level.
Perhaps this book suffered from being marketed as a twisty thriller (it isn't), but I think it's rather misunderstood and deserves to be appreciated for what it is.
Favourite quotes:
✨ "This is the promise we dancers make to each other: the world might not remember you, but other ballerinas always will."
✨ "Ballerinas are like pointe shoes: you have to break them down before they're of any use."
✨ "I think the real tragedy of life is that we're always the people we were, and it's only our outsides that change. And then one day we wake up to find we're the only adults left in the room — but inside, we're all just children pretending."
✨ "Every institution that employs young women inevitably places those young women at the bottom of the ladder."
✨ "There was nothing shocking about the ritual degradation of young women."
✨ "It's not about you... It's the hardest lesson to learn, because we want to believe so much that we were the special one, we were the one who made him fall in love, finally and for good. But that's the trap, do you see? And it's cruel precisely because it works on everyone."
✨ "Blonde or brunette. Spit or swallow. Virgin or whore. Men are always trying to get us to pick a camp, to declare our allegiance, to reveal what kind of woman we are so that they can judge whether we're doing it right. Why can't they just let us be people?"
✨ "Why is it that trauma is written so easily on women's bodies? It's so readable if you know how to look."
✨ "I just knew I never wanted to live in a world where you weren't my friend."
I received an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley.
My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/ 5 stars
This is a story about Delphine and her two best friends Lindsay and Margaux. They are ballerinas at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. The timeline shifts back between when the girls are just starting out at the company, competitively growing up the ranks to hopefully one day be a Principal to when Delphine eventually comes back to POB as a choreographer. Delphine mysteriously leaves her position as a soloist and goes to St. Petersburg. The story eventually unfolds why she suddenly leaves her friends and why she is trying to mend the relationships of her past in the present.
This is a slow burn and takes a while to get into the story coming from someone that loves everything Ballet (and Paris for that matter). This is a cross between a more serious Centerstage meets Black Swan. My favorite part is the relationship and the evolution of Delphine’s relationship with Stella, her neighbor. Delphine is not supposed to be likable, she has many different facets and flaws to her personality that make her very self-involved and ignorant. She gets called out for it a few times - and it is very satisfying to watch her character’s growth. The ending surprised me - it definitely took a turn I wasn’t expecting and then I had to re-read it to make sure that’s what really happened. A very strong debut from Kapelke-Dale and definitely recommended for any ballet lovers.
Thank you to St. Martins Press & Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
This is a story about Delphine and her two best friends Lindsay and Margaux. They are ballerinas at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. The timeline shifts back between when the girls are just starting out at the company, competitively growing up the ranks to hopefully one day be a Principal to when Delphine eventually comes back to POB as a choreographer. Delphine mysteriously leaves her position as a soloist and goes to St. Petersburg. The story eventually unfolds why she suddenly leaves her friends and why she is trying to mend the relationships of her past in the present.
This is a slow burn and takes a while to get into the story coming from someone that loves everything Ballet (and Paris for that matter). This is a cross between a more serious Centerstage meets Black Swan. My favorite part is the relationship and the evolution of Delphine’s relationship with Stella, her neighbor. Delphine is not supposed to be likable, she has many different facets and flaws to her personality that make her very self-involved and ignorant. She gets called out for it a few times - and it is very satisfying to watch her character’s growth. The ending surprised me - it definitely took a turn I wasn’t expecting and then I had to re-read it to make sure that’s what really happened. A very strong debut from Kapelke-Dale and definitely recommended for any ballet lovers.
Thank you to St. Martins Press & Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
The pace of this book was too slow and the characters did not resonate with me.