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callistabanks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
This was a super weird read. The way it was written was sort of weird and a little chaotic, which I didn't really like, it made it a bit more difficult to read. The writing of the book, while sort of jumpy and a bit incoherent, was well detailed almost more than it needed to be in some places.
The storyline was also sort of odd, the second half of the book was much better than the first, I really enjoyed when it got into the thrill of it all with the deaths. The ending definitely took me by surprise, which I liked, it was unexpected but it sort of worked. I really liked how this book showed the realities of a dancer/ballerina, from the hard truth of what they go through as children, toughening their feet and also the jealousy and bullying that can happen (for poor Bailey who was chosen for Clara), but also how injuries can ruin it all, as seen in Charlie, who barely even taught after his injuries. I also loved how it spoke of pain being their friend and that's what they were taught by their mother, which is very much a dancer's view and a harsh reality of being one.
*** Spoilers beyond this point ***
I thought their family dynamic was super freaking weird, from Dara and Marie's discussions as children about their bodies, to their mother and father's constant fighting, to their mother taking in Charlie as a "son" but also getting with him and then Dara marrying him after the fact. Not to mention the constant implying of there being some sort of incest between Dara and Marie, or some sort of weird dynamic in which they both shared Charlie, or they were some weirdly incestuous throuple. I also thought that Marie and Dara had a weird relationship with each other, although I liked at the end when they sorta realised how f*cked up their dynamic and how they grew up was, which in turn made them realise they needed to separate. It was nice seeing Marie, away from the dance school and on her own travelling, while Dara went on a different path, and stayed teaching at the school.
The characters were very much unlikeable, and I didn't feel too attached when either Derek or Charlie died, they were a shock and unexpected but I didn't feel I cared for either of them. Especially considering both of them were cheating on their respective partners, and made questionable decisions throughout the book.
I really liked the surprise of Charlie killing himself, it was somewhat unexpected, as you didn't really get any insight of his thought process. Additionally, I also really liked when Derek died, I disliked his character since his entrance, and it only grew as you saw how he treated Marie and his wife.
I also found it hard to tell if any of these "accidents" were actually accidents, the fire and then flood in the studio, or the fire in their house, all incidents felt like they were planned by someone.
All in all, the story was an interesting one, between the writing style, the story and the unlikeable characters, I couldn't give it more than 3 stars. There were bits I liked and obviously, bits I didn't like, but I think it is a very interesting read.
The storyline was also sort of odd, the second half of the book was much better than the first, I really enjoyed when it got into the thrill of it all with the deaths. The ending definitely took me by surprise, which I liked, it was unexpected but it sort of worked. I really liked how this book showed the realities of a dancer/ballerina, from the hard truth of what they go through as children, toughening their feet and also the jealousy and bullying that can happen (for poor Bailey who was chosen for Clara), but also how injuries can ruin it all, as seen in Charlie, who barely even taught after his injuries. I also loved how it spoke of pain being their friend and that's what they were taught by their mother, which is very much a dancer's view and a harsh reality of being one.
*** Spoilers beyond this point ***
The characters were very much unlikeable, and I didn't feel too attached when either Derek or Charlie died, they were a shock and unexpected but I didn't feel I cared for either of them. Especially considering both of them were cheating on their respective partners, and made questionable decisions throughout the book.
I really liked the surprise of Charlie killing himself, it was somewhat unexpected, as you didn't really get any insight of his thought process. Additionally, I also really liked when Derek died, I disliked his character since his entrance, and it only grew as you saw how he treated Marie and his wife.
I also found it hard to tell if any of these "accidents" were actually accidents, the fire and then flood in the studio, or the fire in their house, all incidents felt like they were planned by someone.
All in all, the story was an interesting one, between the writing style, the story and the unlikeable characters, I couldn't give it more than 3 stars. There were bits I liked and obviously, bits I didn't like, but I think it is a very interesting read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
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