Interesting and charming. Will be recommending to other readers and especially to young readers. Thank you very much for the opportunity to review.

I'm so sorry that I hadn't posted a review for this. I had a hard time finding time to read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read this book.

Last Dance follows Miriam, a ballerina who injures herself during practice. Because of that, she doesn't just have to give up her role as prima ballerina, but she has to give up dancing altogether. How can she do that when being a professional ballet dancer is what she has worked for her whole life? In the depths of her despair, she encounters a spirit that gives her magical ballet shoes that allow Miriam to dance again. But what will be the cost?

As a dancer, I know firsthand how cruel the dance world can be. Injuries due to overworking are unfortunately very common there. I love how Last Dance addressed this. The plot of this graphic novel isn't the only thing that addresses the consequences of overworking, because throughout the story, fellow ballet dances warned Miriam as well and I love that.

The story is beautiful, but the plot isn't unique. I enjoyed the story a lot and will definitely read it again, despite the story being quite predictable. I highly recommend this graphic novel to others, but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece.

3.5 stars

I’m a big fan of ballet books for girls. I think it's a great complement to their training, motivate and sometimes they learn some stuff that is hard to cover in class.
In this case, I found this story useful for some aspects like the importance of rest, self-care, and the different roles at a ballet company.
I'm not a lover of illustrations and typography, but this is my opinion, and sometimes I feel that the story doesn't catch you up.
I think some of the characters like Suzanne, twist the story a good way because Miriam it's a very stubborn and selfish girl and the ghost's a very dark presence.
I think it's a great contribution to the discipline to have different books, for all ages and preferences.

Black Swan for middle-graders. Decent art, not too scary (despite the Faust-like deal with a devilish entity), and some lessons about accepting limitations but also accepting help.

A clever and toned-down version of Black Swan for middle readers.

If you’ve seen Black Swan, you already know the basics of this one. There’s some plot variation, but essentially this is the same general story, but muted and sanitized for a younger audience.

It’s a great take on the “principal dancer sells her soul“ motif, still creepy and enticing but appropriate for young readers and with a very different ending.

The “message” in all of it is a good one in theory, though I thought a little extreme. Miriam certainly needed to learn that being the best ballerina no matter the cost wasn’t okay, but to go from that to “you don’t need to be good, just do your best” felt like a little much. I’m not sure we needed to completely murder ambition to make the point that sometimes you need to know when to quit.

Otherwise I thought this was outstanding. It’s fun, just a tiny bit creepy, has a largely good resolution, and is perfect for young ballet enthusiasts.

I also loved the art.

*thank you to Netgalley, Iron Circus Comics and Hanna Schroy for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


4 stars.

This has a pretty good message to it. It makes it quite a powerful story and I can easily see it being beneficial to those people who are struggling with their own inner demons. It's also not strictly about Ballet in particular but the message it sends can be applied to almost any situation where negative emotions overtake you.

I wasn't sure about the illustrations at first to be honest but by the end, I quite liked them. It worked well with the story.

I was unable to view this title because of the format in which it was presented. Best of luck with the upcoming publication of the book!

This story of a prima ballerina who accepts a faustian deal after an injury sidelines her is children's' horror at its finest. I loved the illustrations which so greatly added to the mood of the story. Of course, being a children's book, there were a few lessons to be learned, but, overall, it's wonderfully written and immersive.

I must admit, I was a bit worried when I saw this was labeled "horror" because I'm a big scardey cat, but I knew I had to read it because it centered on ballet - and I'm so glad I did read it! This was a beautiful graphic novel that talked about the importance of growing up and understanding that sometimes dreams change. I think it can be really easy to become so focused on our own goals that we forget that we aren't the only ones who have goals. Schroy does a great job of illuminating the importance of acknowledging other's hard work and adapting to change. Loved it!

As a dancer and a lover of graphic novels, Last Dance was quite a delight to read with beautiful illustrations that complemented the text. I got Black Swan vibes from reading about a young girl who loses her spot as prima ballerina after an unfortunate injury and now is making a “deal with the devil” to gain back her abilities. The graphic novel really depicts how challenging and grueling the life of a dancer is. It also shows the lengths some will go to in order to succeed and stop at nothing even if it hurts others along the way. It ends with a positive message and Miriam learns a valuable lesson that she now carries with her and onto others. I would especially recommend this graphic novel to young readers who appreciate the art of dance.

A beautifully illustrated story about a young ballerina who suffers a career-ending injury. She thinks she will do anything to get back on top, but when she finds out the cost, she must decide whether it is really worth it. Aimed at middle schoolers, but might also be good for mother-daughter book clubs.