Wow! The Ballerinas is a thrilling novel from beginning to end. Rachel Kapelke-Dale deftly weaves the idea of men controlling women's bodies all throughout, and she does so in a way that's just flawless. I highlighted multiple passages that just HIT really hard. Friendship amongst women, physical autonomy, and love are three main themes that shine through so well, especially since that same idea of men controlling women's bodies is present in each of those themes. The reader sees how men's control affects friendships, bodies, and love, whether it's love of others of love of self. I don't know if I'm making any sense in this review, but I just finished the book like, two minutes ago, and I'm still riding the high of it. Basically, I'm trying to say that I love this novel, and I feel deeply shaken by it in a good way.

I received a free copy of this novel from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I stopped and started this one because I had trouble getting interested in it until I was 46% through it. I would not say I am fan of the ballet but I have read and enjoyed other novels that take place in that setting. I had trouble getting a feel for the characters or where the novel was going. But once I got about halfway through the book I felt like I was finally understanding the characters and I began to look forward to finding out what happens to them.

I sincerely thank St. Martin’s Press for my ARC of The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale.

Classical dance is a form of church with its sense of sacramentality, reverence for form, commitment to community, and attitude of faith in the greater purpose. The dance, the ballet is more important, bigger than its population. In The Ballerinas this is the backdrop Rachel Kapelke-Dale has effectively created in the world we find our heroine, Delphine and her companions Lindsay and Margaux.

The Ballerinas is written in a parallel of what was and what is now. We experience the characters in their youth growing, learning their craft, and seeking their desires. And we see them today and the price they have paid for having the right to claim the title of ballerina.

Delphine is exquisitely drawn; we know all and experience her pain and passion. This is a story about women and their world within the Paris Opera Ballet, POB. It is also a story of the sacrifices they make for an art, a fascination and desire that captured them when they were too young to understand the implications of their choices.

The story is brilliantly executed. It is more than a story of three ballerinas, It a portrait of life, growth, and love. The story never lags and always leaves the reader wanting more. What will happen next? The climax is a surprise with more revelations for the characters and readers.

In The Ballerinas, Rachel Kapelke-Dale takes an archetype and breaths life into it. This book is a must read at 5 stars out of 5.

When I was a young girl, I dreamed of being a ballerina as the ones I had seen in The Nutcracker. But I never took Ballet classes. I had a friend that did, and I saw the pain of blisters and bloody feet she went through to learn ballet. That kind of shattered my fairytale dream. This story is about three young girls who begin their friendship and their career as ballerinas. One of them is the daughter of a Prima Ballerina of the Paris Opera Ballet, and her mother is quite a task master teaching her the dance from the age of three. The three girls become life-long friends, and much of the story revolves around their relationships. I really loved this book! I enjoyed the details shared about training for ballet, and was on a roller coaster of emotions watching the evolution of the three friends Lindsay, Margaux, and our main character Delphine. Towards the end it dragged a bit to me, but the climax and conclusion blew me away. I was not expecting them at all. I highly recommend this book as a great read and want to thank the author, publisher, and Net galley for giving me the opportunity to read it.

This book was not what I expected. I have heard people say that ballerinas are tough and cut throat and not the sweet beautiful girls they appear to be. Well this book proved that! I was amazed at what these girls/women go through to be the best. The story wasn't quite what I was expected either. I didn't know what caused Delphine to go to Russia, what caused the distance between the friends, and what would take place. There are so many layers to this story. The layers make you look at good vs. evil. My heart hurt for Delphine. I was glad to see her grow as the book went on. It was as if she was stunted as a teenager and hadn't continued to become an adult. I was happy with how the book ended and how the women were able to confront their issues and work through them.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book frustrated me a bit. I felt that it spent too much time alluding to the "big, dark secret" between the three girls, and when it was finally revealed, it was so anticlimactic. While I enjoyed the book overall, I'm not sure it's one I will be returning to read again in the future.

The premise of this was right up my alley, but I struggled to ever get invested in this one.

Unfortunately after trying to pick it up multiple times, I ended up adding it to the "did not finish" pile. I hope to try again, but unfortunately this wasn't for me.

I enjoyed the inside look into the life of ballerinas, both from the dancer and choreographer viewpoint. However, aside from that, I didn't particularly enjoy this book. The story follows the complicated friendship of three dancers from the age of thirteen. I always enjoy books about female friendship, but I found this friendship to be a little too messy. It actually made me a little uncomfortable. I thought the plot was a bit boring and the characters unlikeable. The main character, Delphine tells the story in dual timelines, which I found to be a bit confusing at times.

I think I may have been disappointed because the book is marketed as a thriller and I kept waiting for exciting twists, which never really happened. There is an incident that is referred to throughout the book, and when it is eventually revealed, it's underwhelming. I found the ending to be abrupt and felt that there were storylines that were left unfinished.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The reader becomes immersed in the world of ballet, the practice, dedication and sacrifice for one's craft. The long days, the disappointing assignments and the struggles to become the best. First portion of the book is a bit slow paced laying out the path as the second half the author wrapped up the story and quickened the pace, the conclusion is well laid out as well.

We’re introduced three ballerina friends Delphine ( narrator of the story), Margaux, Lindsey met at young age when they perform at Paris Opera Ballet, find themselves trying to plan their futures as they age out of the profession. We witness the rivalry, anxiety attacks, high tension, excruciating demands of their profession they have to deal for finding their place at the entertainment industry. However, each of them find it difficult to think of anything other than their passion for dance. Each of them have unfulfilled hopes of becoming a star of the ballet as well as an underlying resentment of the expected portrayal of a ballerina.

Disappointing and most serious problem with this story were the countless sexual predators and perpetrators or actual sex crimes basically unpunished and discussed in such a non-alarming way that it was disturbing. I wish the author would have at least explored even briefly the punishment these predators faced. Definitely not a Mystery/Thriller but a decent story

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free as well as the author, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date: December 7, 2021

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC of Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale in exchange for my honest opinion. I’m afraid my honest opinion isn’t very favorable. First off it was advertised as a mix of Black Swan, Dare Me and The Luckiest Girl Alive - hence a real thriller. Nothing in this book would be classified as a thriller in my book. The first half was incredibly slow and not very interesting. I would have ditched it if it wasn’t for my commitment to NetGalley to read what I pick. The second half was much better in comparison. The narrator, Delphine is so whiny and unlikeable. Goodness girl grow up. The three friends didn’t show any friendship to each other. They simply were rotating in the same dancing world in my opinion. I’m sorry but I wouldn’t recommend this book.

This book was good, not great, but good. The character development is what kept me reading but it was hard to get through at points. There was just moments where I would get confused as to what was happening. It was honestly hard to understand all the ballet terms, probably what turned me off the most.

In her debut novel, Kapelke-Dale tells the story of three best friends, Delphine, Lindsay, and Margaux, who are talented and passionate ballerinas at the elite/prestigious Paris Opera Ballet. At a young age, they have to learn how to navigate the highly demanding and competitive world of ballet that is inherently exploitative of women and girls. Although their relationships with each other are strong, they’re aso rife with rivalry, secrets and betrayal that are always posed on the outskirts of their friendship, ready to rip them apart if revealed.

As we start the novel, our main character, Delphine is back in Paris after being in Russia for 13 years. There’s the sense that she was running away from something all those years ago- something that still haunts her to this day. Back home, she attempts to make amends, reconcile with her two best friends, reconnect with her elderly neighbor who’s a mother-figure to her, and reignite a relationship with the one that got away, Jock. In the process, shocking discoveries come to light, revealing dreadful truths and unforeseen events that irrevocably change everyone’s lives.

This novel is fundamentally about two things: the power of female friendships and women’s justified rage in the face of patriarchal control. It reminded me of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends in that they both artfully examine the messiness of women's friendships, and of the sensational film Promising Young Woman, since they both cover MeToo themes excellently, featuring men who abuse their power with impunity, the women that are complicit with their inaction, and ultimately the women that expose their abuse to the world.

I enjoyed this book although I wish it had been a little faster-paced.

I would categorize it as Women’s Fiction and would recommend it to fans of books set in Paris, novels featuring intense friendships, ballet and MeToo storylines.

The world of ballet is highly competitive and often carries lifetime consequences.

Delphine, Lindsay, and Margaux grew up in the prestigious POB (Paris Opera Ballet), pushing each other toward perfection and the coveted star position within the corps.

Delphine’s mother was one of the POB’s legends of the stage. Her painting still holds a place of honor within its esteemed walls, adding to the expectations the staff and other dancers have of Delphine. Adding to that stress is the loyalty she has for her best friends, and the clear knowledge there’s only room at the top for one.

Mistakes are made, and Delphine abandons her promising career to run away from what she’s done. In St. Petersburg, she’s given a second chance- as a choreographer, though even that comes with a price.

Now, she’s returned to Paris hoping to repair broken bridges and prove herself among her peers.

If only the past wasn’t waiting to knock her off her feet.

This is an emotional read about friendships, the choices we make, and most of all- forgiveness.

I thought the book was well-written, though it could have used a few less four letter words, and less jumping between the past and present. It became exhausting to keep up with the emotional angst, but overall, a good read.

Rachel Kapelke-Dale delivers a debut novel that catches your attention from the very first. Readers are given a glimpse into the Paris Opera Ballet and their ballet school through the eyes of three friends and dancers - Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay. The book oscillates time periods between when the girls first met, when they were in their twenties, and in their mid-thirties. Of course, there is drama. There is love, and there is loss. There are unexpected twists. And there is the complexity that defines friendships that last decades. I would highly recommend this book to any who enjoys books about friendships and the consequences that follow choices that are made.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, & Rachel Kapelke-Dale, for the advance digital copy of The Ballerinas", in exchange for my honest review.
The description of this book caught my attention because I've never been to see a ballet, although I made my kids suffer through lots of lessons.
I really struggled to read this. The iconic Parisian setting & tidbits of insight into the world of ballet is all that kept me hoping for the pace to pick up. It crawled along & the three main ballarinas/girlfriends just didn't hold my interest. Although there was some intrigue & past secrets, it certainly was not thrilling.
The constant switching between time periods was not smooth, I had to keep looking back & forth to see what year it was.
I truly don't want to be critical, perhaps the book just wasn't what I expected. I did think the final chapters were well written.

Thanks to Net Galley and Book Club Girls for an ARC of this book. Although well written I thought the author had too many stories going on simultaneously. I can’t say I liked any of the characters and although I usually enjoy books with chapters that went from the past to present day, I don’t think these chapters flowed consistently.

I requested this one because it might be a 2021 title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book is not my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one rather than push myself to finish it only to give it a poor review.

I expected this to be more of thriller, but it read more like women's fiction.

Another favourite book of the year! I loved every moment of this book. I have not been this engrossed in a novel for such a long time.

This is a deep character-driven story where you get to go beneath the polished surface of the Paris Opera Ballet and into the lives of three ballerinas. I think if you disregard the Black Swan comparison you’ll enjoy this novel a lot more for what it is, which is a nose dive into what it’s like to be a woman in ballet and societies expectations for women.

Delphine returns to the Paris Opera Ballet after having been away for fourteen years. She goes back to choreograph a new dance in the hopes of finally making a name for herself. She also has high hopes of reconnecting with her long-time ballet best friends, Margaux and Lindsay. At the same time, Delphine is grappling with the traumatic memories that drove her to leave Paris and flee to Russia. The three friends are now in their mid-thirties, none of them are happy with the success they have achieved thus far, nor the prospect of their impending retirement from dance. However, things are not the same between the friends and secrets threaten to surface. The story alternates between their youth and adulthood.

This novel explores the trios complex friendship, their jealousies and darkly competitive nature. These are dynamic characters that I will remember for some time to come! I liked the fact that the author didn’t glorify the problems that come with ballet, she presents a very real and raw account of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my opinions! This was such a treat.

Etoile.

I’ve been on a ballet tangent recently which led me to requesting The Ballerinas.

Set at the fictional Paris Opera Ballet, the story follows three dancers from the age of thirteen. I was totally immersed in their fascinating existence.

However, as much as the book centers around ballet, at the heart are deep friendships with a feminist flavor. Not a thriller, but a character driven novel with a few mysteries unfolding throughout.

With a trio of flawed but likable female leads and narrated by French girl Delphine in dual timelines. At present, her relationships with two best friends Margeaux, also French, and American Lindsay, are strained. Much to Delphine’s own doing.

The other timeline details their rise from the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet school into acceptance at the company. In addition to the competitive nature underlying their affinity for each other and the secrets they hold.

I loved this book and the beautiful cover! I would recommend it to those liking female friendships and characters growing within the circumstances of the plot.

Thank you to UK NetGalley, the author Rachel Kepelke-Dale, and St. Martin’s Publishing for my electronic ARC. It’s much appreciated!

This is a fantastic story of three friends, Delphine, Lindsay and Margaux, who meet when they are young girls at a prestigious ballet school in Paris. The story is told from Delphine's POV and it was captivating and kept me turning the pages. Together they train and compete for advancement. Can three young girls remain friends when they compete for the same thing? Can they honestly support each other? The story flips back and forth between the past and present and Ms. Kapelke-Dale slowly reveals the secrets that cannot stay hidden forever.

The story is not solely about the world of ballet, but more the relationships surrounding the men and women in their lives. Delphine left the ballet company suddenly with a Russian choreographer and finally comes back to the school as a choreographer thirteen years later. She tries hard to get back to the same level of friendship with Lindsay and Margaux who are still dancing, but people change and friendships evolve. Everyone always referred to Delphine as the nice one, but a shocking moment changes everything. The story is full of twists and turns and I did not see the ending coming. I've never taken ballet and it didn't matter as this story is about the friendship of three girls who grow into three accomplished young women.