Hey blog readers! Who wants to read another one of my long-winded book reviews? Ok good, cause I had a lot of fun writing this one!
Back of the book blurb:
"All theater romances are tragedies. Ella Blythe knows this. Still, she cannot help but hope her own story may turn out different than most--and certainly different than the tragic story of the Ghost of Craven Street Theater. Yet as she struggles to maintain her tenuous place in the ever-shrinking ballet company, win the attentions of principal dancer Philippe, and avoid company flirt Jack, Ella cannot deny the uncanny feeling that her life is mirroring that of the dead ballerina.
Is she dancing ever closer to the edge of her own tragic end? Or will the secrets that are about to come to light offer release from the past?
Mystery and romance make the perfect dance partners in this evocative story from fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano."
My review:
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭒
At first, I was skeptical. Like, really really skeptical. I hadn’t even read the book yet before I had some preconceived notions about whether I was going to like it or not. First, this was a new-to-me author. Second, I’m not too keen on books written in 1st person. I know, I know, call me old-fashioned, but sometimes Historical fiction doesn’t flow as well if the book’s in 1st person. Third, it’s about a ballerina. I don’t know what it is about ballet, but all the pink and the tulle and the tiptoes… *cough* I’m just not into that sort of thing I guess.
Soooo, with all that said, I just wasn’t sure what to expect when I signed up to read and review A Midnight Dance. And let me tell you, I was a bit caught off guard with how well I liked it! I actually couldn’t put it down, it was so good.
The characters.
Ella Blythe was the main character and her story was heartbreaking & beautiful & full of growth throughout the pages. She first came across as extremely naive and the daydreaming type. These character traits really made her stand out against the other ballet crowd. She had quite the burdens to carry around and yet we see throughout her dance (both onstage and off) that she strove to rely on God’s strength. I can’t say I related a lot with her character, but I did like how she was so unique… also, she was a perfectionist and that was about the only thing Ella and I had in common. With the help of some not-so-subtle shoves by Jack, Ella found her wings to fly without the constraints of fearing “not enough” as a perfectionist.
Jack Dorian. I found him to be annoyingly sweet and irritatingly perfect for Ella. At first, the guy was so annoying, unpredictable, and full of himself. But in his usual Jack fashion, his spontaneous and unusual training strategies won over in the end. After the day at the circus, his story started to grow on me and I rooted for him after knowing more of his growing up years. He was still a little pushy, but in a goofy well-meaning sort of way. I would have liked to see his character grow a little more and maybe share more of the spotlight with a bigger POV.
With the other side characters in mind, I would have liked to see less loose ends and more stories wrapped up. We saw a lot of glimpses into side characters (Lily, Mama Jo, Philippe, Marcus de Silva, and Fournier) but was only left with what could have been. The book’s main focus was on Delphine Bessette’s story/mystery and less on the side characters.
The setting & plot.
There’s something about this book that SO reminded me of The Greatest Showman. I don’t know if it’s the contrasting of poverty and riches or if it was the outcasts that the ballet dancers were deemed in that era. But yeah, for some reason I kept thinking of The Greatest Showman (lol, it could have been the trapeze scene *winks*). Lets just say, I would not want to be in the theater industry at that time in history! This book really showed a glimpse of how hard, unforgiving, and messy it actually was at the time.
The plot was so intricate and detailed. I loved the complexity and mysticalness of it. However, my head was spinning just trying to keep up with so many plot twists and trying to solve the backstory mysteries. If you were to ask me to sum up the plot for you in a paragraph, I couldn’t! You’d just have to read the book for yourself ‘cause I’m still not exactly sure what all happened there at the end.
Concluding thoughts.
This book was written with such pose and raw authenticity. The quality of writing style was perfect for the Victorian England era. Most authors aim to “show not tell,” Politano has definitely achieved that standard! One last point I’ll make before wrapping up, I really appreciated the message in this book. It was all about finding one’s identity. The characters both had a lot of family drama and secrecy laced throughout their childhoods. These events shaped their worldview and it was hard for them to break away from shame and the feeling of being unwanted. I liked seeing how Ella (and Jack?) eventually allowed God to fill those holes in her life. True identity is found through Christ (no matter ones background) and not in the world’s acceptance. Also, the world is full of beauty and life is too short not to dance once in a while! (*whispers* you’ll most likely find me dancing to something just a lil bit different than ballerina music tho!)
If you are a fan of family tree mysteries, a smidgen of fairytale romance, and red ballet slippers, then I’d gladly recommend A Midnight Dance!!
***Thank you Revell Reads for a complimentary copy. All thoughts are my own!
What's your favorite genre to read?
Have you ever read a book about ballet?
Comment below!
Many Blessings,
Brooklyne Elysse
