For once, I was able to be absorbed in a book on NetGalley. I adored the flowing writing, the setting, and the beautiful language. One of the things I look for in a book besides that, is the ability to be educated somehow, and this book achieved that, among a number of other things. I’ve never wanted to go to a Paris more, or watch ballet for that matter. I believe I will have a greater appreciation for it BECAUSE of this book.
It had plenty of drama, al-most too much. I expected it at every turn. My only complaint would be that the author glossed over a particular death a little too easily, and although the book pretty much explains why since it is geared toward female empowerment, it seemed a little...I don’t know...inhumane. It didn’t bother me so much but it might be a point of contention among other readers.
I felt honored to pre-read it, and definitely recommend.

I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I will start this review by saying that as young ballet student I have always love the ballet. This book is listed as a Mystery & Thriller/Woman’s fiction and that confuses me because I really do not see it as a mystery/thriller. I just did not get the mystery/thriller classification. This is a modern day story of a group of young girls who bond as students of ballet and move through life struggling to achieve and progress as professional dancers in a very difficult field of work. The attention to detail of the life on a student, the difficulties and relationship problems they discover and the competition between both male and female artists is given in such a clear and wonderful way. The choices they make will impact their future successes. The settings are mostly Paris and St Petersburg. Delphine, Lindsay and Margaux begin as friends and mature as professionals. The hardships of the dance routines and the injuries they endure are accurately explained.

I could not put the book down and absolutely do recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the hardships of dancers. I felt it was personal to me and know any little girl who studied ballet and dreamed of becoming a star ballerina will love it.

I hate giving bad reviews, but for me reading this book was valuable time wasted. I am sorry for being so cruel about it because I mean I have never written a book myself and I am sure it was a lot of hard work poured into "The Ballerinas" by the author......... But this is my opinion and hopefully I may be able to stop someone from believing the unimaginable hype surrounding this book. Besides the very unlikeable main characters of Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsey-- the story itself is so lifeless. I forced myself to finish this one hoping for some kind of payoff but there was none. I just did not care.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and give an honest review.

I think I’ve mentioned this before but I am such a sucker for pretty covers. This one reminded me of a Degas painting and I was intrigued. Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an advanced copy of this book! It will be released in December.
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The book is about three women who grew up in the Paris Opera Ballet. Two of them, Margaux and Lindsay, are currently under contract with the company and the other, Delphine, has moved on to become a choreographer.
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As the book gets going it’s mainly about the hierarchy and structure of the ballet and how that effected these women as they grew up. It influenced every aspect of their lives and molded their relationships. Up to that point I was really interested. Then about halfway it got a little crazy. It felt like the author threw in as many plot twists as possible. It gave a me whiplash bouncing between catastrophes. Aaaaddddnd...the ending was not my favorite. **Spoiler Alert** At the last minute Lindsay’s husband who seemed to be an amazing guy turns evil, injures Lindsay badly, and is pushed out a window to his death by Delphine. At which point all three ladies are like, No big deal. He was a jerk. Then the investigating police officer who is questioning Delphine pretends not to hear her confession and lets her go. 😒
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At first I thought the book was about the dedication of these woman to their craft and the behind-the-scenes look at the ballet world. It ended up being about men trying to control women. It seemed like a huge leap from one to the other and not a natural storyline arc. Overall, while I was engaged the whole time it just ended up being too much.

3.5 stars, rounded down to three. I had mixed feelings about this book. There were things I really loved and things I didn’t.

What I loved: I love when a book transports me into a different lifestyle. I enjoyed a glimpse in the life of a professional Paris ballerina. I found the parts detailing what it was like growing up and working in the field of dance very interesting. The physical pain, the fierce competition, the close friendships, the rivalry, the sacrifices, the devotion... It was my favorite part of the novel.

The first half of the book moved slowly. I enjoyed it, but it was a slower read. Not too much action, but a lot of the behind the scenes in the world of dance that I loved. The two timelines didn’t bother me as it often does. It was done well, flowed well, and didn’t pull me out of the story. I actually really liked that the timeline switches were within the same chapters instead of each being a separate chapter.

As you read, there was always this impending sense of doom; the reader knows something horrible in the past happened and something horrible is going to happen in the future, we just don’t know what right away.

The second half picked up the pace. I couldn’t put it down and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. But...I felt that the big secret, what Margaux and Delphine did to Lindsay, was anticlimactic. The whole scene played out seemed a bit ridiculous, in my opinion.

. This book has feminism tones, but it came across to me more as man hating. Besides a handful of male dancers that weren’t even side characters but just occasional names mentioned, all the main men characters were despicable and only saw women as objects. None of the characters were very likable, but the woman were written in what was meant to be a positive light. I’m ok with not liking characters. I don’t believe a reader has to like the protagonist in order to like the story.

The ending had an event that I didn’t see coming, but I didn’t like the characters’ response to it.

One other thing I didn’t personally care for was the language. A LOT of f-bombs. That just isn’t my thing and I felt like it distracted me from the story.

Overall though, I did enjoy the book and I loved learning more about ballet life. I could actually see the choreography in my head. The author did an amazing job at using only her words to show the dances. I want to watch the Ballets that Delphine created. If you love ballet, you probably will really enjoy this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #TheBallerina

“Don’t they realize,” I’d hissed to Margeaux during a curtain call after a particularly grisly performance of Swan Lake fifteen years ago, “that we’re all covered in the most disgusting sores under our shoes?” . . .

“Of course they know,” she said between her teeth. “That’s why they like to watch.”

—from “The Ballerinas”

This is a very interesting character-driven book that will appeal to all lovers and survivors of the ballet life. It focuses on three women - main character Delphine, and her two friends Margeaux and Lindsay, who grew up training in the Paris Opera Ballet.

This book has a different tone and story than Black Swan, which it’s being compared to, but both that movie and this book do an excellent job analyzing the destruction and damage women in the ballet face in their quest to be dancers. The horrible sores beneath the beauty. This book is also interesting and a bit different from Black Swan because in it we also meet male dancers, and we see how they rarely suffer the same difficult choices and fates as the female ballerinas.

I would not classify this as a thriller, particularly, though it is emotionally intense, but more of a character study and a high drama about destructiveness and female relationships. Delphine is a very interesting and complex character. We see her in a series of different timelines - from her teen years as a dancer whose sexuality is awakening (and simultaneously being repressed by her training) to her adult years as a choreographer, reuniting her old friends and lovers to dance in a ballet of her own.

I really appreciated the way this book used the ballet as an exaggerated metaphor for the painful things all women face in society as they age - the desire to be beautiful, the limited amount of time allotted to a woman to succeed or be an “ingenue” compared to a man, the complicated and sometimes destructive nature of female friendship and jealousy.

I did have a few issues with the book - sometimes the many alternating timelines jumped around too quickly for me, and other times I was frustrated with Delphine’s naïveté. The story felt a little disjointed at times and even though I like alternate timelines, I think this one might have benefited by telling the story a little more in order. I also thought the transition from the events in the middle to the dramatic end was a bit abrupt.

Nevertheless, I found this an emotional, compelling, and always interesting read. Rachel Kapelke-Dale has a whole lot of talent, and has painted a truthful (in my experience as a young ballet dancer), interesting and painful tale that is hard to put down, particularly if you love the ballet. Lovers of the ballet and fans of female-driven character studies will really enjoy this. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this author does next as she continues to grow. She’s one to watch.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC.

I really tried to get into this book but it’s just not holding my attention or drawing me in. This unfortunately will be a do not finish book for me at this moment. I’m not sure if it’s the switching through different time frames or if it’s just not a good match of a book for me. I appreciate being able to review this book and hopefully one day I can finish it but right now it’s currently not for me.

This book had such potential: a hidden-from-the-reader mystery, the competitive backdrop of professional ballet in Paris, and feminist themes. Unfortunately, the execution was subpar for me. The mystery didn't feel impactful or loom large enough to hook me, the characters were all insufferable and clueless, poor pacing (the first half of the book was set-up), and the number of side plots were distracting. I think focusing the story on the feminist themes could've made this more compelling for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC ...I really wanted to love this story, Paris, St. Petersburg, ballet insider lives...but I had a difficult time with the dual, sometimes triple time lines. Seems to me it would have flowed better had more time been spent in each time frame instead of the choppy back and forth and forth. I DID enjoy the idea of female friendship and how it will evolve but true friendship never really dies. Another enlightening issue is the "cost" to women in pursuing a life dedicated to ballet, none of which applies to the men that have chosen this profession.

Loved The Ballerinas! The book was so beautifully written and I fell in love with the characters and loved seeing their story unfold. My first book by Rachel Kepelke-Dale, but will definitely not be my last!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Oh, my goodness! This is a terrible book. It has absolutely no redeeming qualities.

Where do I begin? First and foremost, the three ballerinas are dreadful characters. Delphine, who is the main protagonist is especially irritating. I do not think I have ever read about a more selfish and self-absorbed character. Honestly, no matter how she spins it, there is no justification for what she does to Lindsey's husband.

Although one of the major themes is feminism I just saw a lot of male bashing, especially on Delphine's part. I am glad that she is able to get justice for what was done to her. However, I feel that instead of turning her negative experiences with men into something positive, she becomes bitter like her mother.

I'm not sure why this is being compared to "The Black Swan". That is a masterpiece while this is pedestrian at best.

I was so excited to get approved for this book. I was not disappointed - I really liked this one. Learned alot about ballet - I've never been a dancer and did not realize how cutthroat professional dancing is! Great story about friendship and I was intrigued until the very end! I will definitely recommend this book!!

I thought this novel sound interesting but sadly, I was disappointed. The story is very slow building and there was nothing exciting to keep me wanting to read. The characters weren’t developed enough for me to care about them. I usually enjoy a book whose timeline goes from present to past but this book left me confused.

I thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this novel.

I loved this book, and when I was younger I would go to the Nutcracker ballet with my grandmas, mom and cousin. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the Nutcracker, but I loved it more and more each time.

This book is a little less glamorous than the Nutcracker, but it proves that the ballet is far from perfect. Ballet and dance has an age limit on it, and I liked that one of the characters wanted to push the boundaries of having an older woman as the lead. This book also had secrets and jealousy, and that's the type of book I enjoy the most.

I also loved the flashbacks between the past and present. It can be sometimes hard to follow, especially if there is a lot going on. I think the author did a good job, and I could follow everything very easily. I couldn't put this book down!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for letting me review this amazing book!

At a very young age Margeaux, Lindsay and Delphine start their training at the Paris Opera Ballet where they become fast friends and take the reader by the hand on their journey to the top. Something happens in their teen years that will have a big impact on their professional lives.

In the present Delphine has just moved back from Russia and tries to strengthen ties with her old friends in Paris after a 13 year absence. But life is not that simple. The girls have grown into women with a lot more life experience.
Going back and forth in time, the past catching up with the present, the mystery slowly unfolds. Complicated by modern day issues these ladies have a lot of mending to do.

Very cleverly woven together, this is a story of friendship, the pleasure and the pain.
The workings of the ballet are well choreographed, the writing is excellent and pleasantly paced, the characters are indepth and true to life. The Ballerinas is a heartwarming story that will leave a long lasting impression.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

The story of three friends that are there for each other to the very end. Ballet is super competitive. You are careful what you share with the other ballerinas. Anything you say will be used against you. You trust no one!
A brilliant story of courage, strength, loyalty and hate and fear.
Great read!

The Ballerinas is a gem of a book. Focusing on the friendship/competition between three young ballet students the story follows them as they mature...through triumphs, jealousy, injuries, disappointments and finally through truth. The book is so much more than a story about dancing. It is raw and emotional as the author reveals those things that drive her characters... eventually to the point of murder. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

It's hard to be a ballerina. The grueling work begins when one is barely out of diapers and continues and intensifies throughout the teenage years, culminating (if you are very, very lucky) into a career that usually ends by age thirty-five. And in the meantime, you have to starve yourself ,humble yourself before egotistical choreographers and the only friends you have are other ballerinas, all of whom you compete against on a constant basis. Fun, huh? Kapelke-Dale does a wonderful job of portraying this world for us in THE BALLERINAS. We watch Delphine, Margaux and Lindsay as they grow from teenagers to young adults in this world - their joys and heartbreaks and the secret that binds them to one another. THE BALLERINAS has really well-developed characters and an intriguing plot and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I'm sorry to have to say it, but this book isn't for me. The cover is lovely; it reminds me of an impressionist painting, and the premise sounded very interesting.

For the first 10-20 perfect, I was completely drawn into the story. The writing was crisp, pretty but not overdone, and I loved the characterization of ballet and ballerinas in Paris, though I'm not a dancer myself.

But then it just got, dare I say, tedious. The writing that I had enjoyed got a bit repetitious, and I found myself waiting for twists that never happened. The major characters, all who are supposed to be in their mid-thirties during the present narrative are all so incredibly immature; the book just ends up sounding like whiny YA. You can throw around as many f-words as you'd like, it doesn't make anyone sound more grown up. Unfortunately, with the repetitive "we'll never get over what we did to Lindsey," I started to skim to find out what it was they did, but after a certain point, I just didn't care. And the awkward preachy monologues were a bit much. I checked out at being told that "there's an inherent indignity being in a woman's body. It's an exercise in constant humiliation." Excuse me, but what? I've never felt undignified or humiliated for being my gender, but thanks for that offensive generalization, I suppose.

I also didn't feel like this was anything fully French. The author is an American living in Paris, and outside of very French names, everyone sounded like they were centered in New York.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for making this available for review.

While I would not classify this book as a “mystery/thriller,” I did enjoy reading about the relationships and complications of the three primary characters. I don’t know if the author studied ballet in Paris, but the details seem specific enough that the book feels as though it was written by someone with personal knowledge of that world. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.