This novel follows Kate, a talented but insecure corps de ballet dancer whose life is upended when her older sister and fellow dancer, Gwen, suffers a devastating breakdown. Left to navigate the ruthless world of a professional company alone, Kate grapples with guilt, self-doubt, and the long shadow of her sister's talent.
Meg Howrey offers an unflinching look at the immense physical and psychological toll of ballet, exploring themes of sibling rivalry, artistic ambition, and the all-consuming nature of the art form.
Spanning decades, Astonish Me tells the story of Joan, a dancer who leaves the professional stage behind after a passionate affair with a Soviet ballet superstar whom she helps defect.
Years later, her quiet suburban life is disrupted when her prodigy son shows an extraordinary talent for ballet, pulling her back into the world of intense competition and long-buried secrets. Shipstead masterfully explores the sacrifices, legacies, and emotional power dynamics that shape dancers' lives on and off the stage.
Drawing from her own experience as a corps de ballet dancer, Sophie Flack provides a strikingly authentic glimpse into the daily life of an elite New York company.
The story centers on nineteen-year-old Hannah, who finds herself torn between her lifelong devotion to ballet and the tempting allure of a world beyond the punishing routine of rehearsals and performances.
The novel offers a compelling, behind-the-curtain look at the discipline, camaraderie, and personal sacrifices required of professional dancers.
Set in Belle Époque Paris, this historical novel imagines the lives of Marie and Antoinette van Goethem, sisters striving to escape poverty by joining the Paris Opéra Ballet. The narrative follows Marie as she becomes the model for Edgar Degas’s famous sculpture, “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.”
Buchanan vividly illustrates the harsh realities behind the romanticized image of ballet, portraying an era where art and survival were inextricably linked, often at a great emotional and physical cost for young dancers.
Told in dual timelines, Girl Through Glass alternates between Mira, a gifted young ballet student in 1970s New York City, and her adult self, Kate, a dance professor haunted by her past.
Wilson crafts a powerful narrative about the intoxicating allure and inherent dangers of the ballet world, examining how the intense pressures and relationships of Mira's youth shaped her adult identity. It is a poignant exploration of ambition, obsession, and the delicate line between artistic devotion and self-destruction.
This YA thriller plunges readers into the hyper-competitive environment of an exclusive Manhattan ballet academy. Told from the perspectives of three ambitious students—Gigi, Bette, and June—the novel uncovers a world of sabotage, betrayal, and relentless perfectionism.
As the dancers vie for the top spot, they confront racism, eating disorders, and immense pressure from their families and instructors, revealing the dark side of striving for perfection at any cost.
A mesmerizing blend of supernatural thriller and ballet noir, The Walls Around Us connects the stories of two dancers: Violet, an aspiring Juilliard student with a dark secret, and Orianna, a fellow dancer imprisoned for a terrible crime.
Nova Ren Suma’s lyrical, haunting prose explores the intense, sometimes toxic, friendships between ambitious girls. The novel uses the discipline and grace of ballet as a chilling counterpoint to its themes of guilt, jealousy, and justice.
Theo is a talented seventeen-year-old ballet dancer on the verge of a professional career, but her focus is shattered when her childhood best friend, who was abducted years ago, is found. The event forces Theo to confront her own traumatic past and the secrets she has kept buried.
In this gripping YA contemporary novel, Colbert uses the world of classical ballet—with its demands for control and perfection—as a powerful backdrop for exploring trauma, consent, and the difficult path toward healing.
Set within a family-run ballet school, this literary thriller explores the intricate and claustrophobic relationship between sisters Dara and Marie, whose lives are thrown into turmoil after a suspicious fire and the arrival of a menacing contractor.
Known for her examinations of female ambition and competition, Abbott uses the disciplined, painful world of ballet to dissect themes of obsession, family secrets, and psychological control. The result is a dark, atmospheric novel about the hidden tensions beneath a polished surface.
Delphine, a dancer at the Paris Opéra Ballet, returns to the stage after a decade away, forced to confront her past with her former friends and rivals, Lindsay and Margaux.
The novel delves into the fierce, complicated friendships between female dancers, the power structures within the elite ballet world, and the immense physical sacrifices demanded of them. It is a compelling look at ambition, loyalty, and a woman’s fight to reclaim control of her own body and career.
This sweeping biographical novel chronicles the epic life of Rudolf Nureyev, the legendary ballet dancer who defected from the Soviet Union and became a global icon.
Through a collage of different voices—from his first teacher in provincial Russia to his lovers and contemporaries in the West—McCann constructs a vibrant, multi-faceted portrait of a ferociously talented and volatile artist. The novel is a profound meditation on art, exile, sexuality, and the staggering price of genius.