Maya and Natasha are twins abandoned by their mother during the siege of Leningrad in 1941. Now, in 1958, they are seniors at The Vaganova Ballet Academy which makes them eligible to compete to dance with the Kirov Ballet and join the company on its tour to America the following year.

A new Kremlin law prevents two family members from the troupe to travel abroad together because of feared defection. As a deterrent, if one defects, the family that remains in Russia is punished.

Although the tension between Maya and the man who loved her was lacking, it was countered by the depth of Natasha explaining how the clinical explanation of her injuries differed from recounting to her lover the events in her life that led up to the injuries. The distinction was poignant.
It seemed like no matter how the sisters’ actions hurt each other, they only served to bring them toward a moving conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publisher for an advance copy of this novel.

An absolutely beautiful debut -- ballet, historical fiction, politics, twin sisters torn apart by circumstance, and the tiniest dash of War and Peace. As we pass back and forth between Maya and Natasha's stories, we see two women, broken by time and circumstance, find their own individual moments of peace and triumph. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

calling all ballerinas, this is a fabulous read! Post WWII, Soviet Union. Two sister are deserted by their mother, a Prima Ballerina with the Kirov Ballet, and taken by a family friend. THe girls are enrolled in the Vaganova Ballet Academy and ask to tour with the company year later. In political ballet piece, your heart will pull for these girls. I loved every page!

This was a beautifully done story from Cold War Soviet and I always enjoy the Ballet elements to that concept. I was invested in the sisters bond and how everything was realistic and well written. The rest of the characters were wonderfully done and was engaged with the story overall. Elyse Durham has a strong writing style and can’t wait for more from the author.

“Maya & Natasha” by Elyse Durham is an absolutely fantastic story of family loyalty and betrayal in the brutal world of ballet. The story revolves around twin sisters born in Soviet Russia during the Cold War who were fortunate enough to study ballet at the famed Vaganova Academy. Bound emotionally together because of the suicide of their mother, we follow their journey through the rigorous years of training to the ultimate audition in their senior year for the one coveted spot in the country’s famed ballet company. As their relationship cracks and they begin to betray each other to further their careers, the reality of the unforgiving world they live in is mesmerizing.
The author did an exquisite job of adding the historical content into her beautiful prose. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel, I loved every word and and would give this more than 5 stars if I could.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the eARC. I am rounding the book up to 3.5 stars.

The book was very interesting of how the ballet world operates in Russia. Therefore, it led to the family dynamics between the twin sisters. Later, each sister got to experience their own path separately. Overall, a good book to read.

Maya & Natasha by Elyse Durham is a great historical fiction that takes place in during the Cold War era.

This is a book that is not just about eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the dramatic Cold War years, but also about family dynamics and tested relationships.

Maya and Natasha are sisters that through internal and external circumstances are tested in many ways. Trust, loyalty, love, loss, and what we in the end truly choose as our path are all concepts that are tested and delivered within this novel.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Mariner Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/18/25.

Beautiful and heartbreaking. Enchanting as it was passionate.

Thank you Netgalley and Mariner Books for the digital ARC!

An absolutely heartbreaking story of family bonds and betrayal.

Natasha and Maya are twin sisters whose life begins with a dark beginning in Soviet Russia. The two have a lucky upbringing through Vaganova, Russias elite ballet academy. The two are inseparable and learn to overcome hardship together. As the two enter the final year in school that is where bonds are tested, and the cut throat world of ballet challenge the sister’s alliance to each other.

As the women grow, the distance between the two increases. The heartbreak they cause each other leads to a broken bond, one that can be directly related to the deep divide caused by the Soviet nation.

A beautiful story of family and the ultimate forgiveness both have to extend to each other to renew their broken relationship.

Oh the thrilling, brutal world of Ballet - it is endlessly fascinating to me, and even more so when you throw in delicious historical and cultural twists like 2 ballerinas in Cold War Russia...This was my first book by Elyse Durham - but it definitely won't be my last. What a fantastic, unputdownable story. It had everything I was looking for - lyrical writing, a captivating heroines you can't look away from, wonderful historical accuracy, and that special twin-sister bond and loyalty. One of the things I really appreciated was that it felt authentic to me - that these heroines felt authentic to the times and culture that they were born into (not 21st century Western women magically implanted into the Soviet era). I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as I wanted to know how this would end. Highly recommended and I can't wait to own this novel in print!

A beautiful family saga that had me keep returning for more! Maya and Natasha follows two twin sisters native to the Soviet Union over the course of a decade. It has heart, drama, and betrayal. Research is clearly prevalent throughout this novel and as a fan of historical fiction, I loved every snippet. As my own grandmother grew up in East Germany (which was under Soviet control), this offered me an insight into how my own family lived during such a tumultuous time in history. I cannot thank NetGalley and Mariner Books enough for this arc!

MAYA & NATASHA is a wonderful novel that I recommend for fans of historical fiction. The author has clearly done her research, and the 1950s time period and the setting of Soviet Russia are expertly conveyed. The ballet academy details must have been hard to get right, but I feel like the author does a fabulous job. We feel like we are right there with the sisters.

Speaking of sisters, the dynamic between Maya and Natasha rings true as well, and I especially appreciated the psychological insights about their bond as well as their competitiveness.

My one minor complaint is that the novel could have been shorter. However, the length did not detract too much from my overall enjoyment.

I look forward to more from this author. Brava!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to an advance e-galley; all opinions in this review are 100% my own.

Ok first what an absolutely beautiful cover I love how their tutus almost melt into each other. Ok now to the actual review. I loved this book, I was a ballet dancer for a long time growing up so it was nice reading about the competition and it being realistic and not just a phoned in part. You can tell the author did actually research into every part of this book so it was authentic. I liked the alternate narrations from the sisters. Also learning and understnading how their lives and personalities were shaped by their childhood and their environment was really interesting.

Amazing debut by Elyse Durham! If you’re a ballet lover who enjoys historical fiction, you must add this novel to your to-read list. Before I jump into my review, a quick definition: In ballet lingo, a pas de deux is a dance for two. The Kennedy Center defines it perfectly, explaining that a pas de deux represents “the coming together of two people who carry with them all kinds of intense emotions, including love, grief, fear, deceit, joy, and longing.” This novel is pas de deux between twin sisters who grew up in Russia during the Cold War and studied at the famed Vaganova Academy. Bound together by the untimely death of their mother, the totalitarian regime they live under and the notoriously rigorous training at the Vaganova, the girls have come to rely on each other completely. But as they enter their final year as Vaganova students and approach the time to audition for a coveted spot at the Kirov Ballet (now known as the Mariinsky Ballet), cracks start to appear in their relationship. Both sisters end up betraying one another at different stages of their artistic careers, literally shattering their once-unbreakable bond. The novel paints a vivid picture of Soviet-U.S. relations during the Cold War and gives readers a glimpse into ballet history (with appearances by George Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein, Jacques D’Amboise and more)—with a bit of Tolstoy’s classic War and Peace thrown in. Some sections did move a tiny bit slowly, but overall this was a wonderful debut that I highly recommend. 5/5 pointe shoes!

"Maya and Natasha" is a breathtaking debut novel that masterfully intertwines the intricate world of Cold War Soviet ballet with a deeply emotional family saga. The novel's remarkable attention to detail and thorough research shines through on every page, offering readers a vivid and authentic glimpse into the harsh realities and mesmerizing artistry of the era.

Set against the backdrop of 1950s Soviet Russia, the story of twin sisters Maya and Natasha is brought to life with stunning precision. The author’s meticulous exploration of the Vaganova Ballet Academy and the Kirov Ballet immerses readers in a world where every pirouette and jeté is steeped in historical significance and personal sacrifice. The complex portrayal of the Soviet regime's impact on the arts and the lives of the characters is both insightful and poignant.

The novel deftly balances historical accuracy with emotional depth, allowing readers to fully engage with the sisters' struggles and triumphs. The portrayal of Maya and Natasha's evolving relationship—marked by both fierce competition and unbreakable bonds—adds a powerful dimension to the narrative. Their personal journey, shaped by a world that is as unforgiving as it is mesmerizing, is rendered with a sensitivity and nuance that make their story both compelling and unforgettable.

In "Maya and Natasha," the combination of supreme research and exquisite storytelling results in a novel that is as educational as it is enthralling. This debut not only captures the essence of an era but also delivers a deeply moving tale of dreams, loyalty, and the complexities of sisterhood.

Okay this book was FANTASTIC!! I had no idea what to expect and I was just blown out of the water with this story. It was so well done. Highly recommend!

I was very fortunate to receive an advance copy of this historical fiction debut!!

The story alternates between Maya and Natasha, twin sisters who are competing for one coveted spot in the ballet and how their lives diverge from each other and come back again. Durham did a great job with character development and had a unique way of adding tidbits for the reader for even more minor characters, which I really enjoyed.

The novel takes place during the cold world era in both Russia and the United States. Durham does a wonderful job setting the scene of Russia in the 1940s through 1960s. Since I was born after the Cold War, I left the novel interested in learning more about this part of history. Durham does a great job paralleling Maya's experience in the United States with Natasha's experience in Russia.

If you like a multi-character, heart wrenching story then this one is for you!

I appreciated the author taking the time to note which characters and events she took liberty with throughout the book. Note: I have not read War & Peace and wonder if that would have added to my overall experience with the novel.

Overall, I highly recommend and look forward to future works from this author!!

4.5 stars