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Rachel Kapelke-Dale
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The Ballerinas: A Novel Hardcover – December 7, 2021

by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 847 ratings
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
See all formats and editions
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Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.

"Enthralling...irresistible." ––New York Times
"A standing ovation to this debut." ––E! News

Thirteen years ago, Delphine Léger abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now thirty-six years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she's been away...and some secrets can't stay buried forever.

Moving between the trio's adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside––all culminating in a twist you won't see coming, with a magnetic cast of characters you won't soon forget.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    St. Martin's Press
  4. Publication date
    December 7, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250274230
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250274236
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

The Ballerinas Rachel Kapelke-Dale
The Ballerinas Rachel Kapelke-Dale Cathy Marie Buchanan quote
The Ballerinas Rachel Kapelke-Dale Araminta Hall quote
The Ballerinas Rachel Kapelke-Dale Ella Berman quote

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the "Biggest Mysteries and Thrillers for the Rest of 2021" ––Goodreads

"The ways in which women torture their bodies in pursuit of creative dreams make for enthralling fictional drama. This terrain proves irresistible in The Ballerinas, a debut novel set in the hothouse atmosphere of the Paris Opera Ballet academy as three students grow up, compete, forge friendships and embark on a trail of destruction...Kapelke-Dale has thought through the larger picture, and examined how trauma and asymmetries of power derail so many dancers."
––The New York Times

"A standing ovation to this debut."
––E! News

"This highly readable, dramatic look behind the curtains is an unqualified success."
––Booklist

"A well-crafted thriller for fans of Megan Abbott's."
––Publishers Weekly

"Deliciously observed emotional tangles"
––Library Journal

"You'll never look at ballet the same."
––Book Riot

"Deftly uses the professional dance setting to explore the complexities of female friendships and the lingering impacts of ballet's patriarchal culture as it hurtles toward the bloody conclusion promised on the first pages."
––Dance Magazine

"Engrossing, deft and insightful, I loved The Ballerinas―from its provocative opening pages, to its blistering climax, to its exactly right final scenes."
––Cathy Marie Buchanan, New York Times bestselling author of The Painted Girls

"Deftly constructed and crackling with tension, The Ballerinas is a stunner of a novel, with electric prose and careful observations on loyalty, ambition, power, and rage within the crucible of intense female friendships. I tore through this unforgettable thriller."
––Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here

"Wonderfully atmospheric, The Ballerinas is a twirling dream of a story."
––Araminta Hall, author of Our Kind of Cruelty

About the Author

Rachel Kapelke-Dale is the author of The Ingenue and The Ballerinas, and co-author of Graduates in Wonderland. Kapelke-Dale received a B.A. from Brown University, where she rode on the varsity equestrian team, an M.A. from the Université de Paris-Diderot, and a Ph.D. from University College London. She currently lives in Paris.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press; First American Edition (December 7, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250274230
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250274236
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 847 ratings

About the author

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Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Rachel Kapelke-Dale

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RACHEL KAPELKE-DALE is the author of THE BALLERINAS (St. Martin's Press 2021) and coauthor of GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND (Penguin 2014), a memoir about the significance and nuances of female friendships. The author of VANITY FAIR HOLLYWOOD's column “Advice from the Stars,” Kapelke-Dale spent years in intensive ballet training before receiving a BA from Brown University, an MA from the Université de Paris VII, and a PhD from University College London. She currently lives in Paris.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
847 global ratings
A really slow beginning but ultimately a good read
3 Stars
A really slow beginning but ultimately a good read
I’m disappointed with how slow this book started because ultimately I ended up really liking it. I just feel that it could have been better paced.The novel is told over two storylines - one starting in the late 1990s with three dancers Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay as they make their way in the elite Paris Opera Ballet. The second is more present day (2018) and focuses on Delphine as she returns to the POB as a choreographer where Margaux and Lindsay still dance. Delphine is holding on to a secret from their past that is slowly exposed through the other narrative and threatens to destroy her friendships and everything she has worked for. Additionally, more drama with other cast members and colleagues at the school also keep her in a precarious position professionally and personally.I always love a good school setting so this book already had a major leg up in that regard. And what could be better than a super elite school full of perfect humans?! I loved the drama between the dancers at the school, the gossip, and the sordid relationships. I wanted more!!Delphine was a selfish and self centered individual and I enjoyed the “coming of age” arc with her character. However, I had expected more to come out of the ballets Delphine was choreographing and was a little disappointed in how that all played out. I felt like the big secret was drawn out for too long and could’ve been better exposed. Ultimately it felt a little underwhelming.The book takes a darker turn about halfway through and that’s when my interest was really piqued. I appreciate that the author was likely setting the scene and creating the image of these used and abused women, but I think if some of the ending scenes had been previewed much earlier, the pacing of the novel would have been significantly better.Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.
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Top reviews from the United States

JKD
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved living vicariously, through Delphine!
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
I started ballet when I was 6 years old. I wasn’t serious enough about it to give up skiing, and by 17, I was struck by another skier resulting in a fractured back. I loved living vicariously, through the eyes of Delphine, knowing I would never have had the perseverance to be a professional ballerina, even if I had been good enough!
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carmen
4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
The plot, in my opinion, was greatly lacking. But I rated it a four because of the wonderful work this author did to bring the true story behind professional ballet, and the darkness underneath. Therein lies the brilliance. I’d highly recommend for any woman who, like myself, took ballet is a little girl and dreamed of being a ballerina. I do recommend this book. While the plot was virtually nonexistent and there were too many loose threads that should have been tied together, it’s the best book I’ve read… It’s the story… The true story… of the costs to the body and mind of the women trying to carve out their own place in the brutal world of ballet
5 people found this helpful
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Dog-yeared
3.0 out of 5 stars Not really about ballet
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2022
Verified Purchase
In the end, a dumb read. Central figure is the daughter of a former star of the Paris Opera ballet, now a choreographer, trying to cast her old chums in a new ballet--but it's more about realtionships over time than about actual dancing or performing ... and not that much "in" Paris.
7 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars oddly incredible
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2022
Verified Purchase
Great character building. Easy to follow even though I know nothing about ballet. Could relate to the situations and characters greatly.
2 people found this helpful
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S&T
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars life isn't all poetic dance moves.
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
An interesting backdrop to discover contemplating misogyny and what we give up to be loved and admired.

The trio all have flaws, but designed to make you consider a larger picture.
2 people found this helpful
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Elsie
3.0 out of 5 stars Not Realistic
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2022
Verified Purchase
I wanted to care about the characters, but I never really could. While some of the events were realistic and current, the last few chapters were unbelievable. The story overall seems more like chic lit than real literature.
12 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put this down!
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
A well-written story that weaves the rigors of ballet training with the emotional progression of three friends over time.
5 people found this helpful
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Kitty
4.0 out of 5 stars Drama Queens
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
The dance information is very interesting but the story is too much of a soap opera. Too many dramatic events with too much inner turmoil.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Effarante Victoire
3.0 out of 5 stars Good casual reading
Reviewed in Germany on April 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
Good story and well thought out. Had never read any fiction about ballet. Easy reading but wrong pick for me as not my usual reading category and I'm not so much interested in the professional ballet world. Being acquainted with the non-professional one has been enough.
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SMNZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Feminism meets Ballet
Reviewed in Australia on September 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
Professional ballet dancers are probably the most hardcore people you will ever meet. They dedicate their whole lives - often starting at 6yo - to classes and never stop. Their quest for perfection in movement, form, technique & interpretation is never fulfilled: they're only as good as their last performance.

Long hours, gruelling conditioning, punishing schedules and strict diets create a super species of women in particular. Constantly examined by civilians for the eating disorders and mental frailties supposedly created by life on the razors edge of professional dance, they are also held up as ideals. The most feminine, graceful, beautiful women, the princess in the fairytale, worthy of symphonies and operas. United in a sisterhood of cygnets and flowers, they must blend in as one but also stand out as unforgettable when the role demands it.

Self-control, dedication, steely determination and an almost superhuman ability to dance through discomfort is what makes a ballerina, yet she can never conquer time.
To live is to age and to age is to die. And dancers have a very finite lifespan career wise.

It must be so frustrating to do all you can to be the best you can be but ultimately fail due to time & gravity. And so often it's that awareness that is always at the heart of ballet books - both fiction, biography & memoir.

THE BALLERINAS is the first novel I've read, that balances that with true feminist thought about the industry, and how it sits alongside growing from a girl to a woman.

Borrowing from recent events at NYCB, & Marinsky; plus the #MeToo & #TimesUp movements, this novel succinctly paints a picture of an industry shaped by the patriarchal male gaze attempting to revamp its image while protecting reputations and minimising harm to the old gods.

Rarely do you see an explanation of being a woman in modern society so well explained. It makes sense I suppose that a dancer - someone whose whole life is about their body and how it relates to other bodies - is the one to express frustration at women being dependent on men not to harm us because they're usually bigger, stronger, more at ease with aggression and better resourced.

I enjoyed this a lot - it rings true on a number of levels: aging, sex, love, beauty, children, competition between women, abortion, motherhood....

I can't wait to read what this author writes next.
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