annexelizabeth 's review for:

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

4.0

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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a thought-provoking, engaging look at the world of ballet and the costs of trying to achieve perfection. though rachel kapelke-dale's prose sometimes leaned into cliche with the metaphors and aphorisms she used, i found her writing style otherwise to be accessible and enjoyable. in particular, i found the way that she dove deep into delphine's psyche and her relationships with herself, her body, her loved ones, and ballet to be really fascinating. however, that aforementioned leaning on cliche in order to, i suppose, further elucidate how delphine is feeling and what she is experiencing, was sometimes distracting. i felt like her writing was solid without it and that this novel could have used a stronger editorial hand in that regard; her repeated use of these time-worn cliches could make the novel read somewhat childish at times.

overall, though, i did quite like this novel! a visceral, thoughtful look at ballet, ambition, and female friendship