This is a subtle novel of friendship set in the Paris Opera Ballet. Delphine is back in Paris, having left her lover Dmitri in St Petersburg, and she's choreographing. She's also back in contact with her BFFS Margaux and Lindsay, with whom she shared the ups, downs, and traumas not only of adolescence but also of competing to first be chosen by and then moving up in stature in the ballet. Delphine's mother was one of the most famous of ballerinas but the woman who comforted her was Stella, who loved across the hall who is now elderly and dealing with medical challenges. And what of Margaux and Lindsay? Margaux has issues as does Lindsay. And then there's Jacques, the object of Delphine's teen fantasies. This moves back and forth in tine (a lot) which could be irritating in lesser hands but with works here. There's a topical subplot involving me too. The ugliness in ballet- the mangled feet, the eating disorders, the competition- is bared. Delphine has to make tough decisions as do her friends and while you might not agree with them, both sides are presented. It's a well written tale of a woman facing herself. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Great read.

The story of three ballerinas and their journeys in the intriguing world of ballet. I was immediately captivated by the characters. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I did think there were a little too many storylines at times. A lot happened towards the end of the book that I wished was a larger plot throughout the whole book.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me at 56%, after a week of slogging along. While I think this will appeal to a lot of readers, I found the characters to be limited in development and the plot was really slow. I was hoping for a bit more of a psychological thriller. I do think it will appeal to a lot of readers, but it just did not appeal to me.

After literally having to force myself to read 49% of this book, I had to walk away. Part was the illusion going in that this was a mystery/thriller, while the other part was not connecting with the characters. We all have books that are just a miss and this was one of those for me.

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

I love the cover of this book and it's one of the reasons that I wanted to read it. The fragile looking but athletic body, knowing what goes into working one's way to the top of the ballet world, the final result, if obtained, can look so appealing and desirable. But the reality is that achieving success requires climbing over countless others, sacrificing emotional, mental, and physical health for something that might evade one no matter how close one comes to the best of the best. And no matter how hard one may work, how high one may go, nepotism and politics can still overshadow talent and backbreaking work.

Delphine, Lindsay, and Margaux came together years ago, Delphine and Margaux when they were eight and Lindsay a few years later. Over the years, as they made the cut while so many other girls fell by the wayside, the girls' friendship endured. At the age of twenty two, Delphine left behind her soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in Russia, as an assistant and lover to an older man. Now Delphine is back in Paris, fourteen years later, as a choreographer. Hopefully this will be the beginning of successful career, out from under the limelight of a man, standing on her own two feet, rather than in the shadow of her former lover.

Margaux and Delphine have a secret, something they did to Lindsay over fourteen years ago. Never does Delphine plan to reveal the secret but Margaux feels differently. Can the friendship of this trio, one that Delphine feels doesn't really includes her anymore, survive the truth? What does Delphine owe Lindsay? She's now willing to risk her new career by giving Lindsay a part that Lindsay probably can't handle. Their careers have been build on a cutthroat hill of sand and everything is about to collapse around them.

I was hesitant to pick up this book and I was correct in thinking it probably wasn't for me. Nobody is likable in this story other than one old lady who Delphine ignores unless she needs something from her. To have reached the heights they have reached, maybe narcissism is a necessity, but it's not enjoyable to read about selfish Delphine, who only remembers her obligations when she needs to do so for her own benefit. All the men in this story are made out to be misogynist buffoons, charming and suave until their true colors are revealed to the women. The writing is good but the subject matter is not for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

"If you don't risk anything, you risk everything."

A compelling and interesting read. A really powerful book that had me tearful at times.
I was totally immersed in the world of ballet, the beauty of it and all its flaws. Set in Paris the story follows three dancers from the age of 13.
This is an emotionally tense story of female friendship. Also shows how the male dancers hardly suffer from the same fates and choices that the female do in the ballet world.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Intense look at the world of ballerinas and the patriarchal structure that governs that world. This is a story of female friendship, sacrifice, power dynamics in relationships and chasing dreams that come at a cost. The story was well-written and interesting but I did not become caught up in the lives of the characters. I could objectively recognize that this novel is well-written but it just did not move or captivate me.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

An intriguing look into a prestigious ballet school in Paris, and relationships forged there. Secrets and betrayals abound, although this was a slow-burn. It took me well into the second half to learn what had happened in the past to lead the characters where they were. Nonetheless, I cared enough about the main character to keep going and see it through. A solid read!

3.75 en pointe stars

I have always loved ballet, so I was drawn to this title. I’ve taken classes for a few years and professional ballerinas make it look so easy when I know it is so difficult!

This tale centers on three friends at the Paris Opera Ballet School. Can you truly be friends though in such a competitive atmosphere? This book explores that and really is a character-driven tale. What sacrifices will they make to get ahead?

Delphine and Margaux are the original two students and friends, and Lindsay joins a few years later. The book switches back and forth in time, giving us pieces of the story. There’s foreshadowing of a deep secret that finally comes out. It’s clear that the school promotes the ballerinas that have perfect form and keeps very high standards. The work is grueling and takes its toll on their bodies. The schedule creates an insular world as well.

Delphine leaves the ballet company and follows a choreographer to St. Petersburg. This was an interesting angle as these women can’t be top ballerinas forever. I enjoyed seeing one potential path, but it’s hard to excel, even in this female dominated world of ballerinas. There are powerful men on the boards, as choreographers, and artistic managers and they like to keep things just as they are traditionally. Plus, there’s the public image to consider, and many feel it’s best to keep the unsavory things very quiet.

As Delphine returns to Paris fourteen years later, she tries to patch up her friendship with Margaux and Lindsay. She is casting for her own ballet and wants to have a spot for Lindsay especially. Romantic relationships can be tricky for these dancers as the training consumes so much of their lives. And how do these women balance a desire for a family when it is hard to take a break from dancing for pregnancy?

A thought-provoking tale that gave me a behind-the-scenes view of ballet. I still love to watch ballet, but I think it’s very hard on the ballerinas.

What would you do to get to the top? What sacrifices would you make? Who would you leave behind? The world of ballerinas can be dark. Secrets can follow you where ever you go. When Delphine leaves behind the Paris ballet she thinks that she is escaping her legacy. It is a chance to start new and make a name of herself. But 13 years later she is right back where she started. Can she make amends with her fellow ballerinas? Will the secret she has run away come back to haunt her?

The Ballerina's is a deep look into the dark side of the ballet. Delphine growth as a person and choreographer through out the story is very beautiful. The fact that she for the first time in her life is able to see others around her and how actions truly affect the past and the present gives her character just a great growth arc. I also enjoyed Lindsey and seeing her passion and pain unfolding throughout the story. Her dedication to an art is just beautiful. Margaux is there but really and I kind of wish her story could have played out a bit more in the book. I did however enjoy her utilization as reflection of Delphine's past. I truly enjoyed the books lay out of having both past and present playing out together through out the book. I think that it helped the story play out very smoothly.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

The book was okay. A deep and honest look behind the scenes of the ballet world. I had trouble caring much about the characters, so the book was not a favorite for me.

Definitely not the thriller I was expecting, actually not a thriller at all. This is a character driven study about what it means to be female and to be a ballerina.
The three ballerina's, have been friends for years, since before becoming members of the exclusive and highly esteemed Paris Opera Ballet. All three are driven, obsessed with dance, and supremely flawed young women. Their world is an exclusive one, solely centered around ballet and nothing much else.
Delphine, the narrator, tells the story of the three women from when they first meet to many years later when she returns to the fold after giving up her dancing career and following a man to Russia to become a choreographer. After learning some very hard truths about this man she returns to Paris and the ballet as choreographer, hoping to reignite the friendship with her two friends that she has let fall to the wayside through the years.
To Delphine most things on the surface look the same, but through the course of numerous mishaps, she comes to realize a few truths about life. To be an adult is not a number in age, you do not immediately become an adult because you simply reach a certain birthday. As ballerinas, the women are used to being watched, being onstage, seen by thousands. But what a price it costs, to achieve perfection,to constantly shape and mold oneself, body and soul to someone else's ideal of perfection. What it is like to be seen, but never really seen for who you really are.
This is definitely a feminist character study, showing the price women pay to succeed in what is still a male dominated world. Yes, in the lives of ballerina's this is more exaggerated than in other women's lives and careers, but at some level we can all relate.
I enjoyed this book, it holds your interest despite it not being the thriller it is advertised as. The characters are all unique and likable, the subjects that are touched upon are real issues we see everyday. I recommend this to readers of women's fiction, strong characters, talented writing, you won't be disappointed.
Thank you to St., Martin's Press and to NetGalley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

The high-sheen glamour of the dance world is hiding a seedy underbelly in this suspenseful tale of three friends.

My stomach was in knots for the entire first half of the book—I had no idea what I was going to read next.

The second half changed gears rather abruptly and sadly, much of the building tension was released.

Recommended to readers of women’s fiction and character driven yarns.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4017586025

This is character driven for sure and the characters are amazing!
I loved them all, but Delphine was the perfect center for this story.
Drama, deceit, and did I mention drama?
Sooo freaking good!!!
I was switching between ebook and audio and I think the audio is the way to go.
The narrator is is stellar!
Much love to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for my DRC's.

Wow, I was so fully immersed in Paris and the ballet world! I completely believed that the author has lived in Paris and was a part of the POB from the way she wrote this book. There's a certain pleasure to be had from reading a book written by someone who obviously knows the subject matter back to front, and it felt like watching the ballet from behind the scenes. The story itself is somewhat disjointed and just a tad slow, but it quickly picked up the pace and I was absorbed in Delphine's present and past timelines and really rooting for her and her friends to make it. The ending went in a direction I wasn't sure about, but I think at the end of the day, this book is brilliantly written and I fully enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone!

4.25

I’ve been hanging onto this one for quite some time, and while I had an idea of what I thought it would be like, that idea was mostly wrong. I thought it was going to be a thriller, which really wasn’t the case; it was actually a lot more than that, and I appreciated the inclusion of and focus on some social issues as they pertain to the dance world but also to society in general. The protagonist is an interesting mix of traits; she’s kind of a terrible friend for most of her character arc, and it’s satisfying (if a touch unbelievable) to see how much she tries to grow and change by the conclusion of the story. I enjoyed the focus on ballet, language, and relationships throughout the book, and something about the narrative style and structure did work for me. The story was compelling, even though it didn’t create suspense in the way that I was expecting. Either way, I enjoyed it. It’s likely that I’ll pick up other books by this writer in the future.

The Ballerinas is a very impressive debut from Rachel Kapelke-Dale. Set in the glamorous and gruelling world of the Paris Opera Ballet, the book follows the friendships ( and occasional rivalries) of Delphine, Margot and Lindsay from their adolescent years at the ballet school to the present day. The trio started out at the same time, and at first seemed to have similar career trajectories, but the attrition rate at the school is very high, and as they get a little older and wiser they start to figure out that it is impossible for them all to succeed at the highest level.
In the present day we see Delphine return to the Ballet , not as a dancer but instead as a choreographer, with the dual ambition of creating the ballet that will launch her career , and atoning for a something she did decades before which may have destroyed Lindsay's career, and certainly ruined the trios friendship. As the reader moves between the past and present timelines, the truth about what really happened between the girls is revealed as well as how it has followed them into adulthood.
I have always loved books about the ballet, ever since I was a little girl, and I was immediately drawn to the beautiful cover of this book. The story inside lived up to my hopes, while it showcased the beauty and grace of the art, it did not diminish the hard work and struggle involved, and the reader is given a harsh dose of the painful realities of being a dancer. I loved the complexities of the relationships between the three main characters, the struggles between friendship and ambition that both tore them apart and yet drew them together when they needed it most.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishing company, St. Martin's Press, and the author, Rachel Kapelke-Dale for an early read of this book, for my honest review.

If you love some competition between friends, especially those who are trying to make a name for themselves as dancers, you will love this book. I couldn't read this book fast enough; each page was non-stop thrills, and the ending of this book twisted and turned, and you just didn't see any bit of this coming.

What a great read, and I'm waiting on pins and needles for the next one from this author.

This novel is a glittering must read for lovers of ballet and Paris. Shifting back and forth from past to present, the novel centers on the relationship between three friends and dancers at the Paris Opera Ballet-- Margaux, Lindsay and Delphine, (from whose perspective the story ii told). I learned a lot about the world of ballet, and particularly the sexism built into the system for women, who are judged based on their bodies, and who ironically succeed to the extent that they are able to appear weaker and more fragile, while male dancers are valued for their physical strength. While primarily a novel of female friendships in a sexist, competitive environment where becoming pregnant can end a career, the novel is also a mystery and a tale of self-discovery., Highly recommended. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review..

Being marketed as a Black Swan thriller, I felt as though The Ballerinas was more of a drama. Told in multiple timelines, it did take me awhile to grasp who was who and what was going on in the book. The prologue was extremely intriguing, but the rest of the book seemed to take on a different tone. I went in with a skewed perception of the book and ultimately, it did sour my experience reading it. Ultimately, this one fell flat for me.