This isn't an over-dramatised tale of death and romance, there's no blood and no gore, it's just a novel about ballet dancing in its barest form and I was surprised to find that this was more than enough. The realism in Bunheads really works to its advantage and makes the story more meaningful. I've read these kinds of stories before that are meant to be all about the realism with little excitement, sadness or anything particularly noteworthy - I have always found them dull. I was curious about it after reading Tatiana's review, but this novel has been described as all the things that usually bore me to death: gentle, subtle, subdued, quiet. I didn't really think I'd like this book, I have to admit. You can't not develop respect for ballet dancers after reading this work. But if you have ever wondered what it takes to become a ballerina, Bunheads holds all the answers. It is not a very plot-driven story, it is contemplative, and the characterization could have been deeper. Even though her work is physically and emotionally draining (and Flack doesn't shy away from giving readers all the gory details), the rewards of it are huge too - fame, the tremendous rush of excitement during the performances, the satisfaction when a momentary perfection of movement is achieved, access to high society. The novel follows her through a transformative year in her life, during which she is trying to decide if her love for dance is strong enough to abandon all dreams of normality - going to college, getting to know her parents, falling in love, or even having enough free time to read a book - and to dedicate herself entirely to her career. 19-year Hannah is a dancer with a major ballet company. (Imagine being fired for having breasts big enough to require a bra!) It would be very easy to find some high drama in it to write a shocking novel around - backstabbery, injuries, life-threatening dieting, exhausting, endless rehearsals - and it would probably be a more dynamic, more exciting novel than Bunheads.īut Sophie Flack chose to write a realistic story instead. The quietness of this novel works both against it and to its advantage.īallet dancing is an unforgiving, competitive, extremely demanding form of art. Bunheads is a very subdued, gentle novel about ballet dancing.

Bunheads by sophie flack