Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Published: December 7, 2021
Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher
Summary:
Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.
Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she’s been away…and some secrets can’t stay buried forever.
Moving between the trio’s adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside––all culminating in a twist you won’t see coming, with magnetic characters you won’t soon forget.
My thoughts:
As soon as I received this book, I knew I had to read it. I have such a fascination with ballerinas and the ballet. Plus, can we just take a moment to observe this stunning cover? It’s absolutely gorgeous and totally drew me in.
I loved the way this story was told, alternating between the past and present. It’s definitely a slow-burn at first, laying the foundation of the story. While the ballet is part of everything, what’s really at stake here is the friendship between the three girls and how their own drive and ambition really takes center stage.
There is definitely a darkness to this story and I loved that. Something has happened and these girls hold a secret that is just begging to be released. Again, this slow-burn really works here if you are patient enough to allow the author to develop the characters and the story line. Once you reach the halfway point, things start to take off.
I really enjoyed this one. It’s full of tension and suspense and the character study is top-notch. If you haven’t picked this one up yet, I highly recommend doing so.
