I unabashedly live my unfulfilled childhood dreams of becoming a ballerina vicariously through characters in books whose own lives are entrenched in the highly-competitive and prestigious world of elite ballet. When I had the opportunity to pick up an Advanced Readers Copy of debut YA author A.K. Small's Bright Burning Stars, I was ecstatic. The cover was mysteriously gorgeous, and the story held much promise of being true to life, as Small was born in Paris and trained as a ballerina there. For half a week, I excitedly delved into the world of the "rats" of the Paris Opera Ballet School in France daily, devouring all the tantalizing details of what it is like to be a ballet student in the most competitive of environments.
Bright Burning Stars introduces us to two ballet students with great promise - Marine and Kate. They also happen to be best friends and even Moon Sisters, sharing a room together at Nanterre, their ballet school, and making a Moon Pact one night to rule Nanterre and never let anyone come between them. However, the girls are now First Division dancers, and this is their last year to prove that they have what it takes to win the "Prize" - to be named the top female dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet School and to be invited to join the Paris Opera's corp de ballet. As the competition becomes a fierce "rat" race to the top, the girls have to examine just how far they will go to win the Prize, and if their friendship can withstand the competition. When Kate sets her sights on the top male dancer at Nanterre - Cyrille, the Demi-God - and Marine begins questioning if she can be top dancer with her less than traditional body type, the friendship and limits of the girls is pushed to the max. Just what would you do to win the Prize?
A.K. Small has created a brilliant, glittering, and seductively dark world of dance in Bright Burning Stars. Just like Marine and Kate are utterly consumed by ballet, you will find yourself obsessively turning the pages of this compulsive read. The Paris Opera Ballet School is cutthroat and dangerous, and I loved every minute of this book, which highlights the pitfalls and triumphs of the competition that elite athletes face, as well as the inner battles confronted by anyone who wants to be the best at their art or trade. Bright Burning Stars explores concepts such as pushing oneself to the brink of disaster, as well as finding redemption after you've sold your soul for the things you want most in this world. In all, this novel is sure to be savored and remembered by anyone who loves stories that examine the darkness that is hiding behind a smile; those stories that show us that all that glitters is not, in fact, gold.
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Availability: eBook in Hoopla; eBook in CloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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GENRE: Psychological Fiction; Realistic Fiction; Multiple Perspectives THEME: Let's Dance (From class to recital, these books about dancers aren't short on sparkle motion.) TONE: Emotionally Intense STORYLINE: Character-Driven WRITING STYLE: Compelling; Gritty; Richly Detailed CHARACTER: Complex; Flawed SUBJECT: Ambition; Ambition in Teenage Girls; Ballet; Ballet Dancers; Best Friends; Boarding Schools; Competition in Teenage Girls; Dance Schools; Paris Opera Ballet; Teenage Girl Ballet Dancers; Teenage Girls
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