As a former dancer I really wanted to like this book but it fell flat. I found it to be a bit confusing with all of the time changes and I didn’t find any of the characters to be particularly interesting.

Thank you, Net Galley, for not only allowing me to preview this book, but for helping my find a new author to read and enjoy.
I was fascinated by this book. What little girl doesn’t dream of being a ballerina. I picked up this book thinking i was going to get a historical book about ballet. Although you do get some history, what you do get is a book about 3 friends who met in ballet school and watch their lives unwind in front of you from their teenage years into adulthood. I could not put this book down. And just when I thought I had settled in to an ending... bam! You should give this book a read! I can hardly wait to see what the author has in store next!!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My prediction is that The Ballerinas will be book of the year! I would definitely add this book to your TBR list right now, as you will not want to miss this one!
For me, I fell in love with the beautiful cover at first, and then I became intrigued with the idea of reading about dancers (ballerinas). With all the books that I have read, this was the first that told the story of ballerinas. In The Ballerinas, we learned about the lives of three ballerinas named Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay. Delphine was the main narrator/character, and I just could not get enough of her story. I resonated with her feelings and what she went through in life so much. I honestly could not turn the pages fast enough, I wanted to be there in their world.
The Ballerinas deals with many issues that all women go through in their lifetime, and this is why I feel that this book is going to touch so many. I do however feel that the ending was rushed a little bit (although that could be me being greedy because I wanted more), and I didn’t get too much closure on one of the male characters named Jock. With that being said, I still highly recommend reading this book. I guarantee it will end up being one of your favorites! Rachel Kapelke-Dale is a new author to me, but her writing is outstanding! I’m definitely looking forward to future reads from her.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my advanced review copy of this book. The Ballerinas is to be published in December 2021.

I really wanted to love this book. The cover is stunning, and the premise was intriguing enough for me to want to dive right in. I adore ballet, and I was looking forward to all this novel was offering.

Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. There is a dual timeline, going back and forth between the past and present, but the past was written from the perspective of the present, meaning that the reader is not fully immersed in the past. I found myself getting confused about which storyline I was reading, because details from the present were included in the past narrative. This also made the past storyline seem insubstantial.

The Ballerinas is also being marketed as a thriller, but I found that aspect to be very weak. It was very predictable, and I kept waiting for twists that never came. Sure, there were some shocking events, but I didn't find them to be very surprising or impactful.

There were themes regarding both friendship and feminism is this novel that I liked, yet they fell flat for me. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, beyond frequent annoyance at the main character for how she was behaving, which kept me from being as invested in the events that transpired as I wanted to be.

"Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School."

I am always looking for books set in the ballet world and they are surprisingly hard to find outside of the children’s shelves, so I was beyond excited when I heard about this book and it did not disappoint. My non-spoiler thoughts on it below:

- This is both an entertaining and an impactful story. It offers a raw and truthful look at the world of ballet and the societal struggles these three women face covering everything from reproductive rights, to beauty standards, to the #MeToo movement.
- When it feels like so many of the stories set in this world focus solely on the competition between women, I appreciated that this book shied away from that while still acknowledging the natural conflict that arises in female friendships.
- Even though I found the pacing slow at times, I adored every second I got to spend in this world and with these characters.

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Woah is all i can say for this amazing amazing book
This book got me in all my chills. So dear future readers kindly have a box of tissues ready as you read this wonderful book.
I didn't know what to except going into this book but Ms. Dale assured me and made a fan out of me by the time i was done with it. From her amazing writing bringing both past and present together and an intriguing plotline and characters. Now i want to learn more about Russia, France and the Amazing World of Ballet.
I'd definitely recommend this to everyone. I'm pleased to announce another book my friends and my book blog will be having an earful of because of how amazing this book is.

This was interesting. I LOVE dual timelines and that aspect made this a less-than-24-hour-read for me. The women were wonderfully complex and complicated. The secrets were juicy. The competitiveness was fierce. The emotion was raw. And as someone who is naive about the dance world, that part of the story was wildly entertaining.

Fantastic book that took me back to my 15 years of ballet before a knee injury and subsequent surgery ended my dreams of being a ballerina! I remember the culture well and it does not differ very much from the books description of French ballet. It was an intriguing read and I could not put it down! I really enjoyed all of the twists and turns in this book, and will definitely be seeking out more from this author. Fantastic all-around and very telling in regards to human nature, especially human ballerina nature!

Great book. The detail made me feel like I was there in the moments with the dancers. I loved the relationships between the main characters and the multiple timelines throughout the book. 4 stars!

It pains me terribly that my first review here has to be like this. It pains me even more because ballet is one of my favourite topics to read about and I am basicly ok almost with everything on this topic.
Well, “The Ballerinas" turned out to be a poorly written book which make me cringe every second page. We had to spend way too much time with a stupid, egotistical, cruel heroine whose endlessly whining inner monologues are rather exhausting. It would be ok if she was at least a little interesting or the plot was at least little more believable. The way the characters behave and talk here is just beyond me. They act out of blue and give the weirdest speeches I’ve ever heard. And yes, here we have the most awkwardly handled abuse scenes ever. Such a waste of time.

I’m actually a dancer myself so this was an interesting read. The duel timelines kept me wanting more and overall I enjoyed this debut. I had a hard time getting into the book at first but once it picked up, I couldn’t put it down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is astounding; I might even say her novel is a tour de force. I was fortunate to have a dear friend in my adult life named Edith Royal. She founded the first ballet company in Orlando, Florida. But at one time, she had danced on the New York stage with Rudolf Nureyev. I know this, not because she told me, but because I saw the photos in her bedroom. She was not a person to draw attention to herself. Long after Edith retired into private life with her husband, I was at church when a beautiful young woman entered (or I could say “floated) down the aisle. Edith saw her, and at the end of the service, she asked the ballerina where she danced. When the young ballerina responded and then asked Edith her name, the ballerina immediately dropped into the most extended and lowest bow. This was a sign of respect. She was honoring Edith, a great ballerina with a remarkable history and reputation. I have always been fascinated by ballerinas with their graceful arms, ability to move on air, and commanding beauty. This book does all of the girls/women/ladies a great honor with the telling of this story. A ballet dancer is a challenging profession; the demands are extraordinary, the abuse they suffer is unfathomable, and they are expected to accept it without complaint. The stories you hear of the ruthlessness of the ballet are not untrue. I’m sure they may be exactly as we read in this story about three best friends who are all competing to be the principal dancer. I loved this book. It is not just about ballerinas; it’s about the injustice that many women are subjected to in society today. For every plié forward sometimes, we take two steps back. Bravo to Ms. Dale! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC but my review and opinions on my own without bias. #ballerina #theBallerinas #dance #paris #competition #murder #jealousy @rachelkapelkedale @netgalley

This novel explores the ballet world from the viewpoint of three dancers that have been friends for a long time. The book goes between the time when they were young and the current time when they are 36 years old. Delphine has just come back to the Paris Opera Ballet to choreograph a ballet after being in Russia for a number of years. She has chosen Lindsay to play the lead in her ballet. This novels explores their relationships and the relationships with the dancers in POB. This is an excellent book.

So sad I was unable to read but unfortunately it kept giving me an error saying it couldn’t download.

I have never read this author or if I can recall correctly a story about dancing. BUT I am so very glad I did. This was such a great book. I loved the characters and story line. I will definitely look for more by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this!

Pub Date: 12/21-- def recommend

A stunning book. I adored it. This tale of three friends, unfolds across their lives in the insular and unique world of professional ballet. And yet rather than being just a glimpse into this unique world, this story somehow captures enduring truths about how women struggle to achieve our dreams and potential. Well drawn characters, a plot that kept me turning pages, and so many thought-provoking points. This is a great book for book clubs, friends who want something meaty to talk about, or even a private retreat where you take time to journal about your own life and consider how things have unfolded and what you want from this point forward. All the stars - highly recommend.

As someone who loves the ballet, friendship-centric fiction, and women-driven narratives, it’s entirely unsurprising to me that I picked this book up and refused to put it down.

But what is a little surprising to me was that I found The Ballerinas to be *such* a delightful and fast read (featuring a more mature take on dance novel tropes) that I would absolutely recommend it to someone who doesn’t know or care about ballet.

I very much enjoyed this book! It was a compelling look at ballerinas, which I always enjoy, and the three main characters were interesting; I enjoyed learning their motivations slowly in both of the timelines. The nonlinear structure worked well, though the pace of the character learning her lessons towards the end were so back to back they got a little clunky at one point. I’m guessing some of the confusing moments will be resolved in the corrected proof. Overall, I was a big fan of this one and read it in under a day during a reading slump, so I highly recommend it!

I love dance novels. I can smell the studio and perfectly picture what these ballerinas look like. The complexities of friendship, secrets, and competitiveness are examined, along with the role that men play in women's lives.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

There was a lot happening in this book, which made it an incredibly fast read. Delphine returns to Paris, where she spent her formative years as a ballerina. She’s now a choreographer and looking to reconnect with her two best friends and the life she left behind. Secrets and “the one who got away” aren’t so easy to forget, though, as Delphine finds out when she revisits her past choices.