The dance of the dolls

Lucy Ashe

Book - 2023

"It's 1933 in pre-war London. Identical twin sisters Clara and Olivia Marionetta are rehearsing for their performance in the ballet Coppélia at the recently opened Sadler's Wells Theatre. Disciplined and dedicated, Olivia is the perfect ballerina- but no matter how hard she tries, she can't compete with Clara's rebellious charm. And now Clara has started a relationship with someone who Olivia secretly desires: passionate, bohemian Nathan, a pianist at the theater. Meanwhile, Olivia is unaware that she has cast a spell on another frequent visitor to Sadler's Wells- Samuel, a bashful ballet shoemaker apprentice, who steals into the building to catch a glimpse of her whenever he can. With rehearsals for Coppélia... intensifying, both girls increasingly feel as though they are being watched. As infatuation turns to obsession and sinister secrets begin to emerge, all starts to unravel..." -- Dust jacket flap.

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FICTION/Ashe Lucy
0 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
1st Floor FICTION/Ashe Lucy Due Nov 15, 2024
Subjects
Genres
Historical fiction
Thrillers (Fiction)
Published
New York : Union Square & Co [2023]
Language
English
Main Author
Lucy Ashe (author)
Item Description
Includes reading discussion guide and a conversation with Lucy Ashe (pages 338-344).
Physical Description
viii, 344 pages ; 24 cm
ISBN
9781454951230
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Clara and Olivia Marionetta are identical twin sisters studying at the new Vic--Wells ballet company in London in 1933. Nathan Howe, the company pianist, was a child prodigy raised by doting parents who abandoned him, but his brilliant career is a thing of the past. Young Samuel, an apprentice shoemaker and aspiring designer, makes pointe shoes for the company dancers. He has a crush on Olivia, while Nathan is obsessed with Clara. As the company prepares a new production of Coppelia, the sisters struggle with their ambitions: Clara wants fame, but Olivia strives for perfection. Then Clara's relationship with Nathan takes a sinister turn, while Samuel learns about true love. The author, who trained at the Royal Ballet and studied English at Oxford, places historical figures such as Ninette de Valois, Constant Lambert, and Lydia Lopokova alongside her fictional characters. She also provides an introduction to basic ballet technique and historical notes to help readers appreciate the atmosphere in her story. Historical-novel fans as well as those who enjoy a bit of gothic intrigue will appreciate this story.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Former ballerina Ashe's insights into the world of professional dance elevate this unsettling debut thriller about identical twin sisters and the toxic male attention they attract. In prewar 1930s London, Olivia and Clara Marionetta are both dedicated to their budding ballet careers, though their goals are different. Studious Olivia wants to be a star ballerina, diligently saves her paltry salary for a rainy day, and prefers rest to late nights out. Clara, on the other hand, just wants to dance, spend money, and party. Clara is dating the bohemian Nathan, a former child prodigy who plays piano at the newly opened Sadler's Wells Theater, where the sisters are rehearsing Coppélia, a ballet about a dancing doll that begins comically before taking a sinister turn. Shy Samuel, an apprentice ballet shoemaker, is infatuated with Olivia, but afraid to even talk to her, and expresses his love instead through a series of exquisite handmade slippers. As the sisters' suitors start to treat them with more than innocent infatuation, their lives begin to imitate art a little too closely. Ashe's persuasive behind-the-scenes ballet sections lend heft and authenticity to what could otherwise be mere window dressing, and she transitions her narrative from charming slice of historical fiction to pulse-pounding suspense at an expert pace. It's a fiercely memorable debut from a writer to watch. (Sept.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

DEBUT Ashe, a former ballet dancer, eloquently describes the world of ballet and presents memorable, well-rounded characters in her first novel. Identical twins Olivia and Clara Marionetta are ballerinas for the Vic-Wells Ballet in London, 1933. They are rehearsing for a performance of Coppélia, a story in which a young man becomes obsessed with a life-sized dancing doll. Olivia, the more serious of the sisters, has caught the eye of shy ballet shoe-maker Samuel, who attempts to connect with her by leaving anonymous gifts and notes. Olivia's affections, however, are turned toward pianist Nathan, Clara's beau and a former child prodigy who seeks to reclaim his former fame and prestige with Clara at his side. But free-spirited Clara feels stifled by Nathan's quest for perfection, and she longs to live a life of adventure and change. With the performance drawing nearer, life begins to imitate art, as each person's obsession reveals underlying tensions. VERDICT Based on the real ballet scene in prewar London, this immersive tale will be a delight for historical-fiction fans who like a touch of suspense.--Anitra Gates

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

PROLOGUE He wheels her out into the road. He should stay hidden, but part of him wants to be seen: he deserves her. He has waited long enough, worked hard enough. She belongs to him, dressed forever in the same red skirt with the same pink shoes tied around her ankles. Lace and net graze against her motionless thighs. Her skin is smooth porcelain and her lips are pink. Never has there been a lovelier figure, unchanging, unbroken by the pace of time. Her sightless eyes will not fade. A beautiful statue, preserved forever. He has watched her for so long, holding her in his gaze, locking her into position like a photograph. He imagines dancing with her, the two of them arm in arm under the stars. Silent, of course, but that is no matter. It is better that way. She is a dancing doll, his Coppélia, created at last. He can finally believe it, now that he has her in the wheelchair. Pausing at the end of the street, he reaches down to her wrist and lifts her arm above her as if she is waving to a crowd. Ice-cold. He drops her arm in fright. Life lingers, like a promise; but he is afraid of what will happen when she wakes. He needs to move quickly. Excerpted from The Dance of the Dolls by Lucy Ashe All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.