Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay are three talented women, bound together in a sorority of the Paris Opera ballet, a world that demands rigorous physical challenges and fierce competition. Presentation and appearance are paramount. The facade has value; the interior is inconsequential. Their lives are dictated by the desires and preferences of others, mostly male. They do not grow up in a timely manner, but rather through a slow, painful process. Delphine tries to escape but does not find what she seeks. When she abandons her cheating Russian lover, she returns to Paris and her friends. Given the opportunity to choreograph a new ballet, she reunites with the man she loves, exposes a seedy aspect of the ballet world and kills someone. Rachel Kapelke-Dale’s principal characters share grief, loss and guilt, but little joy. Their friendship is tested and damaged yet we find ourselves rooting for a new understanding among them, a more mature approach to life.

Enjoyed this dark story of close friends, their secrets and recounting their formative years. The dynamics of the trio play out as expected with ever changing allegiances. However, they stay friends through loss, betrayal, career challenges and the loss of dreams. It’s a solid story in the challenges of friendship.

Intriguing concept and a fantastic cover, but in my opinion, this book was a bit of a mess.

I thought “ballerinas, France, and a secret of betrayal” had all the pieces for a page turner. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The plot felt very disorganized like it was missing something. It sold itself as kind of a mystery of what happened to cause main character/narrator Delphine to leave France, but that reveal was so minor to everything else in the book- it left me confused as to why it was even such an unknown. About two-thirds of the way through, the book shifts to a “Me Too” plot. Which wasn’t horrible to a man-hating feminist such as myself, just out of blue and not super interesting because it had to wrap up really fast before the end of the book. Overall, I think the book was trying to be a character story; it just never built the emotional depth necessary, and it didn’t create a strong enough bond with Delphine for any of her growth to be particularly meaningful.

The actual reading of it was fairly clear and there were flashbacks from the present day to the 1990s when the characters were teenagers. Those parts were the most engaging because it was when Delphine was a dancer. The dance stuff was interesting for someone who has had any exposure to ballet, or if you have seen Center Stage about twenty times like I have. I didn’t totally hate it, but the author missed the mark on keeping the reader invested in the midst of a chaotic plot.

2.5 stars, rounded up to 2

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing a NetGalley ARC of The Ballerinas! This book doesn't publish until December 7th, but I loved reading it and couldn't wait to share it (#NoShelfControl to be found here.)

In one sentence: Secrets run deep at the Paris Opera Ballet, and when former dancer Delphine returns as a choreographer, the lives of her friends Lindsay and Margaux will never be the same.

This book was exactly what I was craving - part story about female friendship, part feminist reflection/discussion about identity, part thriller, part armchair trip to Paris! The action takes place in two timelines - the ballerinas' time at the ballet school in Paris and Delphine's return at age 36. I enjoyed how the timelines wove together - the flashbacks really informed the present timeline. The action unfolds a little slowly at first, but wow is the last third of the book a wild ride!

I think there's a little something for everyone in this book, and I'd recommend it to a wide variety of readers. It's dramatic, but not creepy, and the feminist elements made it more than just a "read it, then forget it" thriller (not that I don't love those too!) 4.5 stars rounded to 5 for Goodreads.

As a dance mom to two ballerinas, the subject matter of this book drew me in, but the complex characters and the story kept me reading. While ballet seems beautiful to the observer, there can be some difficult issues that elite dancers deal with behind the scenes, and this book really takes some dark turns in showing some of those issues. The friendship between the three ballerinas really intrigued me, as it must be difficult to maintain strong friendships in such a pressure filled world. Some of the choices that they make will have you screaming at them, but that is ultimately what will keep you turning the pages. I did not expect it to end as it did, which is a testament to the author’s writing. There isn’t a dull moment in this book, and I think a lot of readers will enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and to St Martin’s Press for the e-galley!

DNF - did not finish. I was intrigued by this one but, I could not connect with the writing and storyline so I decided to put this one down. Thank you, publisher and netgalley for the chance to check this out!

At first the novel seemed as though it was taken from too many network shows about teens and their angst. But as the story unfolds it becomes deeper and more adult. At its heart the story is really about women and their friendships. But the wonderful backdrop of Paris and the ballet make the book sparkle. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This was such an interesting peek into this world, especially with a dynamic point of view capturing "then" and "now." While I found this a bit slow and disjointed at times, I think readers will enjoy this one!

I enjoyed this book. If you're a fan of dance, drama, intrigue, or anything like that, then I think this one will be worth picking up. I thrive on shows like Gossip Girl, Bunheads, Make it or break it, so I went right for this story. Ballet dancers are some of the hardest working people, the amount of training, discipline, and heartbreak is insane. This book captures it so well, both the drama of the career in dancing, but what it looks like to come back on the other side. Highly recommend this book, I enjoyed it and had trouble putting it down.

I enjoyed looking behind the walls of ballet: the hardships, the friendships, the rivalry. There are secrets and consequences. It is an entirely different world. This story had me captivated. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I expected more of a thriller vibe, but instead got a book about very highly competitive dancers with a few myseteries of their own. The first half of the book was a little slow going and took a bit to get into but the second half made it worth it! The author does a great job at describing the behind the scenes nightmares that dancers go through. Overall, a very solid read

This almost makes you feel sorry for those ambitious monsters. It really makes you appreciate seeing someone like Simone Biles able to step back and celebrate someone else.

Wow. Wow. Wow. WOW. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC. Okay, 5 stars. I feel like I became a better person after reading Rachel Kapelke-Dale's fiction debut The Ballerinas. Fans of Big Little Lies and Little Fires Everywhere will love this book and its pacing. Set in the most prestigious Parisian ballet company we meet a trio of dancers who are best friends. One has returned to Paris after spending 13 years in St. Petersburg and is ready to embrace her past, but is forced to come to terms with the people she loves today. Taut and beautifully written, The Ballerinas explores what it means to grow up, and stop being so small especially in a world dominated by the male gaze.

I grew up dancing and loved the deep dive into the world of professional ballet. The sacrifices made, the cut throat competition... it's all laid bare. Strength meets beauty and grace, but at what cost?

This was an engaging, well-researched book set in a fictitious ballet school and company in France. The author dove deep into the culture and experiences of this life while examining the interpersonal relationships of three friends.

This was a slow burn but once I got into it, I was at the edge of my seat wanting more. I loved how informative it was about the insides of a ballet company, the drama that can take place and especially the secrets. It was eye opening on how much these ballerinas take on and the stress they are put under. I would definitely recommend this one to all my dance mom friends!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for an early copy of this book for my honest review!!

Delphine and her two childhood friends must navigate the intense world of becoming professional ballerinas. This follows them through school and after into their careers. Centering around Delphine and her obstacles. Um it’s very slow and it took my awhile (like a month) to get into this. I’m not the biggest fan of this but I am greatful for the opportunity to read it and review.

Three friends with a past that haunts them, set in the backdrop of the highly competitive world of ballet. Loved the development of the characters and loved the story. This is one I would recommend to others.

not quite my cup of tea. subject matter was not a good fit and pretty much everyone seemed awful. very hard read. i'm sure there is an audience for this book; many seem to like reading or watching these types of situations but i have always found them difficult and uncomfortable.

This is a tough review to write. To start with, I liked the book. It was atmospheric and engaging and continued to propel the story forward. I was interested in the characters and their progress as well as the relationships.

I did have some pretty big issues despite this. There were several big life-changing storylines and the resolution was placed off center for each. This gave the book a lot of unpredictability which can be good but there is a comfort in knowing where you’re going in a book. Without spoilers, one of the resolutions is mind-bogglingly (we’ll make that a word 😂) unrealistic. I also didn’t resonate with the main character being referred to as “the nice one” as the main character arc is her coming to terms with glaring selfishness.

This book tackles some extremely heavy topics - eating disorders, alcoholism, sexual abuse, consent, grooming, abortion, and death to name a few. All are presented in the setting of a ballet school and feel realistic in the setting of the story but the lack of focus led to the book resonating slightly less for me.

I did enjoy the female leads and feminist themes as well as the ballet setting as someone who danced, though not at a high level, for quite a while. I’d still recommend the book going into it knowing it isn’t a traditional storytelling style! More real life.

Fascinating book about ballerinas, 3 friends who share some, but not all, of their desires, secrets, and lies. Rich in description, it was easy to imagine these girls, now women, roaming the streets of Paris, and in the confines of a dance studio. There was some “Black Swan” element throughout, and the ending was a twist I didn’t see coming. Curvy, winding and sinuous, there were many surprises while reading. Kudos to the author for a great read. If you like competition, dance and dance history, or are a Francophile, you would enjoy this book. Four solid stars.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in advance for my honest opinion.