The Ballerinas started slowly for me but drew me into this very competitive world. It centers on three girls who grew up together at the Paris Opera Ballet and switches between their younger years and present day. At the heart of it are the complexities of these friendships. An intriguing read.

‘What is the ballet, after all, if not the ballerinas?’

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Ballerinas: A Novel’ by Rachel Kapelke-Dale in exchange for an honest review.

Thirteen years ago, Delphine was considered one of the best dancers in the world. Yet she had abandoned her position as a soloist at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg. She took with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux.

Now aged 36, Delphine has returned to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House to embark upon the next phase of her career as a choreographer. Yet, as any reader of suspense fiction knows, secrets rarely stay buried.

‘The Ballerinas’ is at its heart a novel about the world of ballet from the inside: about the demands placed upon dancers, internally and externally, in the quest for artistic perfection and the ambition required to become a principal ballerina in the short window available. It also explores the complexities of friendship between women in this highly competitive field. There are also themes of exploitation and the #MeToo movement.

The novel moves between the trio's adolescent years and their time with the prestigious ballet company through to the events of 2004 that led to Delphine leaving Paris and 2018, the novel’s present day. However, this non-linear format didn’t quite work for me and interfered with my sense of engagement with the narrative.

As a young girl I lived for ballet, yet I didn’t gain the height to continue, though I did retain a love for dance of all kinds. As a result, I had approached ‘The Ballerinas’ primarily as a novel about the rarified world of ballet. While it contain elements of suspense, this clearly was not its main focus despite the marketing.

My general practice is to not over rely on the publishers’ summary in advance of reading and so I wasn’t disappointed when the novel proved thriller-lite. In addition, while I did find the first half a bit slow and the constant time switching confusing, I felt that the narrative picked up considerably in its second half and overall came together for me.

While I know that twisty psychological thrillers are extremely popular, my feeling is that ‘The Ballerinas’ didn’t need to be promoted as such and that its strength lies in the depiction of this insular and fascinating world. It is undoubtedly an ambitious novel and I admired that aspiration.

On a side note, the cover art was stunning in its simple depiction of two ballerinas.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The Ballerinas is a women’s fiction style novel about a thirty-something French choreographer and former ballerina who has been made and unmade by the world of ballet, men and her lifelong friends.

Delphine is back in Paris after thirteen years in St. Petersburg and waiting for her are former friends, an almost lover and a job choreographing for one of the most prestigious dance companies in the world. As Delphine tries to define this next phase of her life she is out of step with all of the people she left behind and struggling for artistic autonomy as she choreographs a ballet based on the Romanovs. Over the coming months she will face her past, make amends and move toward a more authentic life.

I think it’s a huge mistake to market this novel as a thriller. There is little of that genre on the page and instead it is both a coming of age novel and a piece of feminist fiction. Using the world of ballet as a backdrop Kapelke-Dale shows how women are continually defined by their relationships to men and are easily both built up and torn down at their whims. It is also a peek behind the curtain of the inner workings of the ballet and life in both Paris and St. Petersburg. It is well-researched and beautifully written and I never questioned the authenticity of the characters or their world.

I highly recommend The Ballerinas for fans of ballet, Paris and the lifelong journeys of women.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ballerinas is a study in duality; it’s beautiful and ugly, strong and fragile, perfect and messy. Rachel Kapelke-Dale brings her world of the Paris Opera Ballet to life, showing the stunning highs, the athletic perfection, along with the cost and the all-consuming nature of ballet. At the center of it all are the titular ballerinas, women of immense power who appear fragile, women who are objectified by one and all.

After thirteen years away, Delphine has returned to Paris. The former ballerina turned choreographer is eager to be reunited with her best friends, Margaux and Lindsay. Kapelke-Dale takes readers between past and present, through the blood, sweat, and tears as the students turned professional ballerinas strive to become the best of the best. The past is filled with triumph, ambition, friendship, and pain; the present with strained relationships, broken dreams, and Delphine’s desperate hope for more, though hanging over her is a secret that could ruin everything she holds dear.

The Ballerinas is atmospheric, Kapelke-Dale’s writing sucking me in even though I will admit the first half of the book is rather slow. I loved the descriptions of ballet, the beautiful and the painful moments that make up everything. The author’s love of the subject is there, even though she doesn’t shy away from the realistic moments which break the fantasy you see on stage. The objectification of women, the rampant misogyny, the imbalance of power is all given it’s due attention and it was fascinating to watch Delphine’s understanding of these topics deepen as she grows older. Even when I wondered where the plot was going, Kapelke-Dale’s writing was beautiful. Halfway through the story hits its stride and from there it’s an intense, interesting read. The characters aren’t likeable, but they’re engaging and I wanted Delphine in particular to break free and claim her power. I didn’t know where the story would take Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay, but I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down until Kapelke-Dale spun everything together at the end.

I thought The Ballerinas was going to be more of a YA thriller (which I love) but I was pleasantly surprised to find this novel touched on much deeper topics. I love a thriller with ballerinas and I absolutely adored this book.

The story focuses on Delphine, a ballerina turned choreographer and also includes her 2 best friends from ballet school, Margaux and Lindsay. It is no secret the ballet world is competitive and cutthroat, but this novel dives into it much further. It really encapsulates how pitting talented women against each other can alter friendships forever.

Thank you St Martins Press, Rachel Kapelke-Dale, and Netgalley for this book in exchange for my review. The plot was well done and loved the dynamics of this story. Great writing as well. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating from me.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I really wish I could say I enjoyed this book. I had been anticipating reading it for a couple months and when I finally got to it, I was really disappointed.

There will definitely be people who absolutely love this book and the writing but for me it fell flat. I think it was the combination of unlikeable character paired with very detailed ballet language. I typically love books based around the arts, but because this one was so detailed I found myself getting distracted from the story.

The story is categorized as a mystery thriller but I didn’t see that relation to the genre.

I ended up giving up on this book at around the 45% mark after many attempts to keep going, I just was struggling with it too much.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book.

Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay have been best friends since childhood, when they were dancers with the Paris Opera Ballet School. Delphine moved to Russia, and now in her mid-30s, she returns to Paris to choreograph the ballet she hopes will launch the next phase of her career. However, she has a dark secret and wonders if she can ever make things right with her friends.

The Ballerinas was an extremely fascinating, raw, emotional, and beautifully written book. While this novel is obviously centered around ballet, the all-consuming passion and the struggle to live up to societal expectations and pressures could occur in any field. Through dual timelines, the author explores the dark and grueling side of ballet and the physical and emotional toll it takes on the ballerinas. The stress, the competition, the dedication, and the drive to always be the best bleeds into every area of these complex and flawed characters’ lives. They sacrificed practically everything to pursue their dreams, but their need to constantly strive for perfection caused so much conflict and drama in their friendship. Was it all worth it in the end?

Pick this one up if you enjoy character-driven novels with a lot of drama and a bit of intrigue, or if you have an interest in ballet!

This book, was not what I was expecting it to be! I was thinking more ballet thriller or horror and at the beginning my thoughts (I thought!) we’re confirmed. The further I read though the more it evolved into something else. The suspense is definitely still there and twists gallor, however, it tells a deeper story about women in society and in this case ballet. It speaks to so much that we deal with in our jobs and lives. It also is about just growing up! Hands down recommend to my thriller fans who want a little more life substance in their book.

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is an emotional read about friendships, the choices we make, and most of all, forgiveness. A well-written, fast-paced read that is sure to send you on an emotional roller coaster.

Thank you to #stmartin'spress and #netgalley for an ARC of this book. I tried really hard to like it but I could not find anything that great about this book. I almost didn't finish it but read a couple of reviews that said it starts slow but gets better in the middle. For me that did not happen. The Delphine character had no redeeming qualities. She was such a narcissist. Her 2 other friends were not much better. The parts about the life of a ballerina were very informative and maybe that is what happens to you if you continue on the road to being a ballerina. I personally did not like this book.

I know very little about the world of dance especially ballet but have watched the pettiness and jealous of mean girls in school for many years as an educator. No matter the efforts to stop it, somehow consumes some. The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale takes it into the world of professional ballet. It is often not a pretty picture with the competitiveness needed to reach the top. Then the loyalty to friends comes back to haunt one too.

This story moves back and forth from the younger days of three ballerinas to the present time. Secrets are revealed that some wanted to never see the light of day. Then there is the unusual twist. Ballet will never look the same to me again after this inside look.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the eARC!

The Ballerinas is being marketed as Black Swan meets Dare Me meets Luckiest Girl Alive and a ballet thriller. But I really think that’s doing this book a disservice.

It’s not a thriller. And if you go into it thinking it's going to be a thriller like I did, you’re going to be very disappointed.

The Ballerinas is a character-driven book that follows three dancers in the Paris Opera Ballet (POB), Delphine, Margaux and Lindsay split between two timelines: their time coming up through the ballet school and 16 years later as adults. Switching back and forth between these timelines, we learn that Delphine has killed someone at some point and that her and Margaux did something awful to Lindsay many years ago.

The first third of the book dragged for me. It wasn’t until the second half that we got into the meaty bits about each woman’s ambition and what they would and wouldn’t do to succeed in the cutthroat world of professional ballet that the book got good. The last third read like a feminist manifesto.

There’s a line I really hope that makes it into the final version of the books about discovering all the women you thought were crazy were normal and that their “crazy” responses actually make sense when you look at their lives and what they’re up against.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy character driven books and strong, ambitious female characters.

The Ballerinas is out 12/7!
3/5 stars

cw: abortion

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This book details the understandably hard work and long hours to become a ballerina and the jealously involved to become the premier in their profession.

Unfortunately, with the shifting timelines back and forth and odd increments, the unlikeable characters, and not really a psychological thriller, this wasn’t a favorite of mine. The story was very slow and had a difficult time completing.

I requested this book based on the beautiful cover and the description, but the characters did not feel magnetic to me nor did the women seem to have a true friendship. The story also included so many different topics, it was like throwing every trope into the book.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for providing the opportunity to read this new work.

Well, this is nothing like what I normally enjoy reading, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance. This is the closest I will ever get to becoming a ballerina, but I really felt as if I were a part of that world and hanging right there with Delphine, who I really liked. The descriptions of what ballerinas actually go through were brought alive and the descriptions of Paris were amazing! I kind of feel as though I just took a trip to France! I loved everything about this book and would definitely recommend looking for more from this author!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Rachel Kapelke-Dale and St. Martin's press for this ARC!

This book is about three friends involved in the cutthroat world of dance. Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay were classmates and close friends in the Paris Opera Ballet School. Years later, Lindsay and Margaux are ballerinas with the company and Delphine returns to the company as a choreographer determined to make it up to Lindsay for an incident that occurred years ago she had a role in which may have hampered Lindsay's career. This book uses ballet as a microcosm for the larger world to illustrate the way in which women are held back and controlled by men although the women in the book are not always so nice to each other either. The women in the book do care about each other at least though, and they are able to learn and grow and mature. The men are not. There is not a man in the book who is not a user and abuser of women in some way or who has any redeeming factor at all. This seems very one-sided and the complete opposite of misogynistic. Do men hold women back and try to control them? Yes, very often they do, and clearly, society as a whole favors men in general over women, but that does not mean that all men are all bad all the time. However, you would think so from reading this book.

The Ballerinas follows the lives of three ballet dancers in the Paris Opera Ballet, Delphine, Margeaux and Lindsey. All dancers that, as children, lived at the Ballet in order to further their training and expertise in their craft. This book is told in alternating timelines, describing their lives growing up, alternating with their lives now, when they are adults in their mid-thirties.

These characters are flawed, as many who are obsessed with their talent or craft can be. They live and breathe ballet dancing, and their lives revolve around what goes on and how much and how quickly they can move up in the company. The description of their singular focus is spot on, and their obsessive desire to dance is exactly how life would be in a real life company.

Relationships are investigated. Delphine has relationships with men within the company, first a choreographer, then a fellow dancer, but despite the similar lifestyle, the relationships are far from complicated. Lindsey, the lone American in the group, attempts a relationship with a man outside of the lifestyle, and the book shows how that is not easy (or ideal) either. These dancers are loners, bonded together by their love of dancing and the loneliness that they would feel if they did not have each other.

I really loved this book, and found it fascinating from start to finish. However, for some, it may be a little slow. There is very little "action" and mostly talk and relationship building. The story is told from Delphine's point of view, and some may not prefer to hear her talk about her feelings and thoughts for a books worth of pages.

This book, however, will appeal to the little girl in all of us. Who didn't want to become a ballerina when they grew up? This book speaks to that in all of us, and was definitely a worthwhile and entertaining read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible, deep, honest ride!

Although I am nowhere near to become a ballerina (considering I do not have the height, discipline or basic motor coordination) and live in Paris (or St. Petersburg), it was impossible to not relate to these characters and feel empathy towards every single woman.

I absolutely love the writing, the complex characters and all of the tension building up more and more as the chapters went by. So many life lessons here and there and a very relatable, honest take on being a woman and all of the unspoken angst that comes within us.

“If you don’t risk anything, you risk everything”

The Ballerinas, while a bit slow in the first half, really is an enjoyable read, especially for anyone (like me) who grew up dreaming of being a Ballerina and has spent their life performing.

Rachel Kapelke-Dale fully immerses the reader in a grounded look at the discipline required to excel at the downright brutal (fictional) Paris Opera Ballet School.

Based on the blurb I expected this story to be more of a thriller, but I would categorize it as an atmospheric, character driven historical fiction with a serving of suspense.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I feel very torn about this book. The writing, character development, and overall narrative were great. But the characters themselves were just blah to me. I need at least one character I can root for. These all were very "first world problems" kind of characters and I think there may have been some missed opportunities.