Thriller set in the world of ballet by Erin Kelly

Submitted: 12th April 2021

Swan Lake of the Ballet

You wouldn’t think that a thriller set in the world of the London Russian ballet would work but it does. Boy does it work.

I have never seen a ballet myself and didn’t even know the story of Swan Lake, the story of which is woven into this mystery. Whilst reading this however, I started to read up about it and I now even know how ballet dancers mould their shoes to their feet and do those amazing steps on their toes. Now that is a good book, right?

BookTrail Travel to the locations in Watch Her Fall

Thriller set in the world of ballet by Erin Kelly

Setting: the world of ballet

BookTrail Travel to the locations in Watch Her Fall

#Bookreview

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Dance your way into the world of the Russian ballet

Watch Her Fall takes you pirouetting into the harsh and cruel world of the artistic and classical world of ballet. It takes its inspiration from the famous ballet Swan Lake. I knew nothing of this world and even less about the story of Swan Lake but I am now fascinated by both.

Ava is one of the ballerinas who trains hard to the point of torture and exhaustion. Her father is right there behind her pushing her forwards and wanting her to be perfect. The pressures of this get too much and she lashes out at other dancers. She’s hardly the most popular dancer in the class.

Ava’s relationship with her rival dancer, Juliet, was interesting to learn about. How they both react to the upcoming tour of Swan Lake and the pressures and disappointments it will create. This story and the wonderful twirls and intricate steps form the pace and the structure of the plot. It makes for a great reading experience being literally lead a dance…….towards an unexpected yet rewarding ending.

The themes of dark and light, greed and pride, ambition and failure create a fascinating stage for this novel. The author holds the threads of the famous Odette and Odile from Swan Lake and swashes a theatrical paintbrush over their world.

I’ve since watched Swan Lake a few times on You Tube now and appreciate this novel even more. What a world Erin Kelly takes and makes her own.