neofista's review against another edition
5.0
envie de devenir une danseuse etoile mtn! j’ai dévoré ce livre il est vraiment top bravo
mountain_adventures's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
While I have read many stories about Misty Copeland, it was good to finally read her story in her words instead of others inserting their agenda on Misty's story.
yyc's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 rounded down
this was an autobiography of misty copeland’s journey throughout ballet. i love misty copeland, she’s a gorgeous dancer and a source of inspiration for many people. i think she’s an extremely important cultural figure and her story is important too.
however, this book felt like it needed more editing. in many passages, it would tell a story from the past or introduce someone, but then immediately jump to the present. for example, in a chapter where she talks about her husband, olu, she introduces him and then immediately says that he became her husband, before delving back into the stories about him. there was no strand of foreshadowing or anything, everything was presented to the reader immediately. the book also switched between the past and present randomly in the middle of chapters which just made for an unpleasant reading experience.
misty copeland’s struggles as a dancer part of a marginalised race were highlighted beautifully throughout this book, but i was slightly misled into thinking she had a hard time entering ballet - she was actually a prodigy even though she began late and she was highly celebrated with lots of media coverage.
the book was also more focused on her journey from being part of the corps to being a soloist, rather than from a soloist to a principal, but it was still interesting either way. there were also parts about her injury and some interesting insights into being a professional ballerina. it was a light and easy read, with the language being super simple and upfront and not leaving much to the reader to infer. it felt like it was for younger audiences
this was an autobiography of misty copeland’s journey throughout ballet. i love misty copeland, she’s a gorgeous dancer and a source of inspiration for many people. i think she’s an extremely important cultural figure and her story is important too.
however, this book felt like it needed more editing. in many passages, it would tell a story from the past or introduce someone, but then immediately jump to the present. for example, in a chapter where she talks about her husband, olu, she introduces him and then immediately says that he became her husband, before delving back into the stories about him. there was no strand of foreshadowing or anything, everything was presented to the reader immediately. the book also switched between the past and present randomly in the middle of chapters which just made for an unpleasant reading experience.
misty copeland’s struggles as a dancer part of a marginalised race were highlighted beautifully throughout this book, but i was slightly misled into thinking she had a hard time entering ballet - she was actually a prodigy even though she began late and she was highly celebrated with lots of media coverage.
the book was also more focused on her journey from being part of the corps to being a soloist, rather than from a soloist to a principal, but it was still interesting either way. there were also parts about her injury and some interesting insights into being a professional ballerina. it was a light and easy read, with the language being super simple and upfront and not leaving much to the reader to infer. it felt like it was for younger audiences
tiffanychou's review against another edition
3.0
Content was pretty good; writing style could be better. 3.5 stars.
laurenpedersen's review against another edition
4.0
I had never heard of Misty Copeland before my mom gave me this book. She wanted a story of a ballerina to include in the list of 40 books for my 40th birthday because I danced ballet when I was young. Misty shares her story of perseverance from an unstable home life starting ballet as a teenager at the Boys & Girls Club to her promotion as a principal dancer for ABT in New York. It’s an incredible story of dreams, dedication, economic disparity, and community support.
sailor93's review against another edition
3.75
This was a good read that I mostly enjoyed. Misty Copeland is the first Black principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, which is a very prestigious position in one of the best ballet companies in the world. Her story is inspiring and she's a lovely dancer. I couldn't help but be a jealous of her natural ability in dance, but I also know that she went through many more struggles than me and worked very hard. I also liked the insight into life as a professional dancer.
The writing was okay. The book isn't written exactly in chronological order, which was confusing at times. The chapters were organized around topic discussed, but the timeline jumping made it confusing for me. I also thought some sections were boring or repetitive, especially near the end.
The writing was okay. The book isn't written exactly in chronological order, which was confusing at times. The chapters were organized around topic discussed, but the timeline jumping made it confusing for me. I also thought some sections were boring or repetitive, especially near the end.