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vegprincess's review against another edition
3.0
This is a novel told from the past (late 70s and early 80s) and the present. I liked the "past" parts better, when Mirabelle was a young ballet dancer living in New York. It's a slightly dark novel, which I tend to like. It was more of a 3.5 star book for me.
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
I had some issues with this, and the ending felt flat, but it was an enjoyable read and definitely one I'd suggest to people who are into ballet books! But don't expect cliche ballet - this is more Lolita than Black Swan.
I had some issues with this, and the ending felt flat, but it was an enjoyable read and definitely one I'd suggest to people who are into ballet books! But don't expect cliche ballet - this is more Lolita than Black Swan.
megabees's review against another edition
3.75
truly a very strong first 2/3 of the book and then a weaker 1/3 in the back.
ballet is cruel and she got it tho
ballet is cruel and she got it tho
b00kluver's review against another edition
3.0
Well written. I just couldn't like or empathize with the characters.
kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
In one storyline we are in 1977 in New York in the ballet world as a young girl is yearning to make it and is doing almost anything to get her place in the professional ballet world. The other storyline is present day as a professor who teaches dance history and things of that nature and she gets a letter that takes her back in time and she must go to New York City to confront the past and get some answers. At a certain point these storylines will converge.
As usual, I liked one storyline over one - Mira in 1977 as she is a young naive thing entering the ballet world. As a young girl who loved ballet fiercely, but knew from day one it would never be a profession, I could semi understand Mira and her drive for perfection. I loved reading a girl's story as she is learning about herself and trying to decide what she wants her future to look like.
In one storyline we are in 1977 in New York in the ballet world as a young girl is yearning to make it and is doing almost anything to get her place in the professional ballet world. The other storyline is present day as a professor who teaches dance history and things of that nature and she gets a letter that takes her back in time and she must go to New York City to confront the past and get some answers. At a certain point these storylines will converge.
As usual, I liked one storyline over one - Mira in 1977 as she is a young naive thing entering the ballet world. As a young girl who loved ballet fiercely, but knew from day one it would never be a profession, I could semi understand Mira and her drive for perfection. I loved reading a girl's story as she is learning about herself and trying to decide what she wants her future to look like.
kagold240's review against another edition
Sometimes literary fiction is obnoxiously literary. This is one of those times.
chelle_thebelle's review against another edition
1.0
Whoever wrote the synopsis for this book also works for Netflix. How else to explain such a misleading summary?
I checked this book out in the hopes of a good ballet book. What I got was a portrait of life in New York in the late '70s and, for every two sentences about ballet, there were two chapters about the protagonist's relationship with a creepy older man. She could have had any other hobby and the story would have been largely the same.
I checked this book out in the hopes of a good ballet book. What I got was a portrait of life in New York in the late '70s and, for every two sentences about ballet, there were two chapters about the protagonist's relationship with a creepy older man. She could have had any other hobby and the story would have been largely the same.
jesassa's review against another edition
2.0
Even though this was a short book, it felt so long! Although there are some beautiful phrases sprinkled throughout, I found all of the ballet terms to be tiring. (Maybe if you were a ballet enthusiast this wouldn't be an issue.) It seemed overlong and the cause of the twist was cliche.
scraphorse's review against another edition
4.0
Coming of age in the harsh reality that is ballet.
This book held me from the beginning. Anyone who has spent hours across from "the mirrors" seeking approval should read this book.
This book held me from the beginning. Anyone who has spent hours across from "the mirrors" seeking approval should read this book.