Scan barcode
A review by dhrish
Tiny Pretty Things by Dhonielle Clayton, Sona Charaipotra
4.0
C/W: Eating disorders, bullying and harrasment, racism, mentions of a student-teacher relationship, references to drug and alcohol use and addiction
I picked up "Tiny Pretty Things' because I was watching the Netflix series and wondering why the show didn't watch like a YA adaptation. It is probably because apart from having the same name and being set at a ballet school, the two have very little in common.
This is a YA that showcases the absolute pettiness that comes out with familiarity and competitiveness. Gigi, Bette and June offer three very different views into a world where familiarity breeds contempt. While I can't say whether this is an accurate depiction of a ballet school, I did feel a sense of familiarity from the characters.
Bette just wants to be good enough for her mother who has made ballet success synonymous with their household.
Gigi, is the new girl and only Black student, who desperately wants to be included in a group that has known each other for forever.
June, is half-Korean and that leaves her not-fitting in, in ballet or with the other Korean girls.
Each girl has a different story and they intersect in such interesting ways. I adored the tender moments between the three girls even when they didn't like each other so much. People have said that there is a lot of drama in this story. While I agree that this assessment is true, I think it is a good representation of athletes who train for careers at such a young age, in an environment that is not able to provide jobs for everyone.
I would suggest picking up the audiobook, as this book is in the first person, and each girl is read by someone different, so it helps make the storylines easier to follow.
I picked up "Tiny Pretty Things' because I was watching the Netflix series and wondering why the show didn't watch like a YA adaptation. It is probably because apart from having the same name and being set at a ballet school, the two have very little in common.
This is a YA that showcases the absolute pettiness that comes out with familiarity and competitiveness. Gigi, Bette and June offer three very different views into a world where familiarity breeds contempt. While I can't say whether this is an accurate depiction of a ballet school, I did feel a sense of familiarity from the characters.
Bette just wants to be good enough for her mother who has made ballet success synonymous with their household.
Gigi, is the new girl and only Black student, who desperately wants to be included in a group that has known each other for forever.
June, is half-Korean and that leaves her not-fitting in, in ballet or with the other Korean girls.
Each girl has a different story and they intersect in such interesting ways. I adored the tender moments between the three girls even when they didn't like each other so much. People have said that there is a lot of drama in this story. While I agree that this assessment is true, I think it is a good representation of athletes who train for careers at such a young age, in an environment that is not able to provide jobs for everyone.
I would suggest picking up the audiobook, as this book is in the first person, and each girl is read by someone different, so it helps make the storylines easier to follow.