As a dancer myself, I was drawn to this book as not many ,
well barely any, books have dance as their focus. After finishing this book, I
will say that I was impressed by the amount of dance in this book, such as the rehearsals
and the steps, and how the power of dance was represented through the plot.
This book deals well with the pressures that are put onto dancers for not just
performing at their best, but also with keeping up with other aspects of their
lives; it's something that I feel is often ignored. There is also an huge
element of mystery in this book which kept me engaged throughout the novel.
Added to that, the twist at the end meant that this was a really enjoyable
read. I would recommend this to any dancers in particular as I feel that we're
almost underrepresented in fiction, but also to anyone else who enjoys mystery
with a splash of urban fantasy.
***
The reason for Vanessa wanting to join the Academy
immediately got me interested in the story. Obviously, a missing sister is
never a good thing, but it meant that I was instantly suspicious of everyone
who would have known Margaret while she was at the Academy. That sudden
suspiciousness allowed me to be alert throughout the whole novel and the
constant reminders from Vanessa about why she was there in the first place
throughout the novel were an important structural part as they meant that the
whole novel linked well. In addition to that, Vanessa thinking that she saw her
sister as various moments reminded me of the struggle that she was facing.
Losing any family member is hard, but it is worse when they're not dead and you
don't know what fate they've met.
Although it was not introduced until later in the novel, one
of the best parts of this book to me was the introduction of the fantasy
element. It was the perfect explanation for what had happened to the missing
girls, as by the end point I was realising that what had happened to Margaret
and the other girls would be hard to explain by any other means. It added
another level to the novel beyond the initial mystery and as it was only told
to the reader when the novel was already nearing its conclusion, it helped the
levels of tension to rise and everything to come together. I really commend
Black on how the end of this novel was done as it allowed an end that not only
left me satisfied, but also wanting more.
In terms of romantic interests, I have to admit that I
wasn't that impressed with Zep. The date that he and Vanessa went on at the
start of the novel was sweet, but from then on it only seemed like they were
dating because they were the two leads in the ballet. There was no spark and no
passion. On the other hand, over the course of the novel, the idea of Justin as
a romantic interest started to appeal to me. Yes, there was the slight issue of
him stalking Vanessa, but once it was revealed that it was only to keep her
safe, it made me respect Justin a lot more and start to realise who's interests
he had in mind. I think I would be happy
if at the end of this series he and Vanessa ended up together.
Friendship was also a key theme in this novel. This book
covered the issue of friends leaving for boyfriends/girlfriends well and also
explored the pressures that dance can put on friendships. It is not easy being
the best at dance and it is not easy doing not so well at dance. It puts
strains on friendships and can be really harmful to them, but in this novel
they managed to overcome that, which sets a really good example to all dancers.
The only thing that I would pick up on as not liking about the friendship is
that Elly disappeared at the end of the first week of term, yet the friends
acted like they knew her completely. Maybe if more time had been left between
them starting at the school and the disappearance then their total concern
would have been more believable.
Overall, this book was a nice quick read with high levels of
tension and an important insight into the struggles that dancers often face
when trying to become the best that they can be. That added to the introduction
of a fantasy element has meant that I will definitely be looking out for the
next book in this series.
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