A dancer contemplates returning to the same cut-throat world of ballet that nearly destroyed her in this sweeping, emotional novel. It’s been two years since an injury forced Natalia into a depressive semiretirement in Paris. When she finally visits her hometown of St. Petersburg, her old frenemy Dmitri is ready and waiting with an offer for her to reclaim her signature role in Giselle at the Mariinsky Theatre—if she’s up to it. But would accepting the role mean conquering her demons…or diving back into the snake pit? We were caught up in the massive pressure and intense drama of Natalia’s world right from the start. We loved how the narrative jumps around in time, from her first successful landmark audition at age seven to the romance that bloomed between Natalia and her dance partner at the Mariinsky Company to the explosive secret that broke her world apart. This peek behind the curtain will leave you contemplating what it means to be a truly dedicated artist.

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW