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sierrajhansen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
this book had such beautiful writing that demanded it be read slowly, while i wanted to read it voraciously. i appreciated that each chapter gradually crystallized to explore a clear overarching theme, from sex, pain, power, and the abuses of old white male choreographers such as balanchine. i didn’t know a lot about ballet before reading this book, as i don’t consider myself to be a dancer or an athlete, but appreciated learning more about the psychology of dancers and the insular world they exist within.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Eating disorder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Toxic relationship
annab123's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This book made me cry. Alice so perfectly captured my experience as a former serious ballet dancer. I felt so seen by this book.
savannalope's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
2.75
I think that my expectation for this book was that it would feel more like a personal memoir but it felt as though Alice was often sharing anecdotes and quotes from other former ballerina's. I often was a little confused about who she was quoting or speaking about (this may also have been compounded by listening to the audiobook vs reading the physical book). It was expecting a more personal account of Alice's experience with ballet but I finished the book and still felt like I did not know much about Alice as a person. It made me want to read memoirs/more books about some of the ballerinas she quoted and talked about in the book.
lucymphillips0's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
scschaecher's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
4.25
Growing up a ballerina may not kill you, but you will be forever traumatized! ✨💖🩰😘
In all honesty: super interesting. A bit more biography focused than I expected. Also a bit more body-image-eating-disorder focused (which is important but not necessarily new information). I really enjoyed the discussion of femininity and the chapter about the five senses and how ballerinas are taught to move in space. The chapters about being moved/touched/controlled by adults/teachers and how it impacts lifelong relationships and the ones about being taught injury meant you were doing something correctly by pushing yourself hard and you should continue through it was also very reflective and interesting.
In all honesty: super interesting. A bit more biography focused than I expected. Also a bit more body-image-eating-disorder focused (which is important but not necessarily new information). I really enjoyed the discussion of femininity and the chapter about the five senses and how ballerinas are taught to move in space. The chapters about being moved/touched/controlled by adults/teachers and how it impacts lifelong relationships and the ones about being taught injury meant you were doing something correctly by pushing yourself hard and you should continue through it was also very reflective and interesting.
aubs_11's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Drug use, and Eating disorder
kerryamchugh's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Eating disorder
Moderate: Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic relationship