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The Ballerinas
A Novel
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Check link for latest rating. ( 12,026 ratings, 2,301 reviews)
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The Ballerinas
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for readers interested in contemporary women's fiction, psychological thrillers, and stories that delve into the complexities of friendship and ambition within elite artistic worlds like ballet.
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See moreDare 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.
Ballerinas are like pointe shoes: you have to break them down before they are any use. . .
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Thirteen years ago, Delphine Léger 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 thirty-six 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 a magnetic cast of characters you won't soon forget.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Endorsed by The New York Times for its exploration of how trauma and power imbalances impact dancers, this debut novel immerses readers in the fraught atmosphere of the Paris Opera Ballet academy. Praised by Booklist as a "highly readable, dramatic look behind the curtains," and described by Publishers Weekly as a "well-crafted thriller," the book offers "deliciously observed emotional tangles" according to Library Journal. Fans of Megan Abbott will appreciate the thriller elements, while Book Riot warns you'll "never look at ballet the same."
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781250810113
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 12 December 2022
Country: United States
Imprint: Saint Martin's Griffin,U.S.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 21.0mm
Width: 137.0mm
Height: 210.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 304
Collections
About the Author
Rachel Kapelke-Dale is the author of THE BALLERINAS, and co-author of GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND (Penguin 2014), a memoir about the significance and nuances of female friendships. Kapelke-Dale spent years in intensive ballet training before receiving a BA from Brown University, an MA from the Université de Paris VII, and a PhD from University College London. She currently lives in Paris.
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