Bunheads [Kindle Edition]

I was eagerly anticipating this book being published in the UK after hearing rave reviews of it from many international reviewers. I've never been particularly interested in the ballet, but this book gave a very fascinating insight into the dancing world. This book will certainly appeal to anyone who has an interest in dance as well as fans of coming of age, contemporary novels. Apparently, this book also has a lot of likeness to Black Swan (though toned down), though I've never watched it - so if you liked that, check this out!

It is clear that Sophie Flack, the author, has an incredible knowledge of ballet and the inner workings of ballet groups. There is quite a lot of dance-related terminology used without any explanation but I don't think that it is at all necessary to know what all of the terms mean - it's easy to just get drawn into Hannah's world. Hannah is our protagonist who is completely devoted to her art . However, alongside her, we struggle to decide whether she is making the best choice for herself - can she be a ballerina and lead a 'normal' life? It's hard to say and even at the end, it's difficult to know if Hannah has made the right choice for herself or not. Hannah is a very down to earth and realistic character and it's understandable to see how and why she had issues with her options for the future.

I wouldn't say that there were many 'OMG' moments or huge plot twists, but there is a lot of underlying drama in Bunheads. The book is rather subdued and relaxed but it's certainly not boring - it's just subtle. There is the right amount of gritty and raw information about the strictness and mentality of some dancers. The details are quite constant and very realistic. The novel wasn't so much focused on the struggles of being a dancer but rather with how Hannah and her friends dealt with them and how they grew and developed in such a disciplined situation.

I thought that the relationships in this book were very well written. Hannah's friendships are typical of an environment that's quite female dominated and very competitive. I found it difficult to trust some of Hannah's friends, just like she did. I did find them quite endearing in their own way though and everyone in the group had distinct personalities and attitudes.
I really loved Hannah and Jacob's relationship. It took a while for chemistry to build up between them and I did feel sorry for both of them a lot of the time. I sympathised with Jacob for putting so much effort into trying to spend time with Hannah and I sympathised with Hannah for finding it difficult to find that time. I found their relationship to be very realistic, I just loved the development of it and that they worked together through the problems. I don't know what Hannah was doing with the other love interest, the balletomane Matt, but it was interesting to see the different kinds of people that dancers come across in their lives.

Overall, this was a very interesting book which taught me a lot about the backstage goings-on of ballet dancers and the hard work that they go through, both physically and mentally. This was a relaxed but entertaining book that had me questioning to the end. I think that this one will appeal to a lot of young adult and adult readers alike.

When Bunheads appeared on my reading radar there was very little doubt I was going to read it. I LOVE ballet stories, I have ever since I was a little girl. I took ballet lessons as a child, dreamt of being ballerina and even had a part as a mouse in a swish production of The Nutcracker aged 8. Sadly nature wasn't on my side and I definitely do not have a ballet dancers body! Or, to be fair, the dedication. But I do still like a good Ballet story.

And Bunheads IS a good Ballet story. Oh, how I was transported into the gruelling, competitive and slightly mystical world of The Manhattan Ballet company while reading this book. Sophie Flack vividly brings a world, in which very few have access, to spectacular life. I could almost feel the pain and adrenaline of each performance.

I really enjoyed Hannah as a character and her conflict between her dedication to the ballet and blossoming romance with Jacob. What surprised me was how mature this book actually was. Hannah is 19, and is written like a believable, if somewhat naive, 19 year old, and I think Bunheads would be enjoyed by people who don't usually consider books from the YA section as well as teens themselves. Hannah's naivety comes from her sheltered and reclusive life as part of the demanding ballet company and drives home the commitment these dancers make. I know it's not something I could ever do! Jacob is gorgeous romantic interest; sensitive, creative, patient and Hannah couldn't have wished for a better first love. I did wish she'd treat him kinder at times and got a little bit frustrated on his behalf when Ballet came before him time and time again, but then I'm not the most dedicated person, so understanding Hannah's focus was fascinating.

If like me you grew up dreaming of being a Ballerina, you'll love Bunheads. I'd say an interest in dance would make this book more enjoyable as it is a HUGE feature, but you can also appreciate it as a lovely romance and coming of age story too. Recommended.

Bunheads was such an indulgent read for me, I'm fascinated by anything to do with dance- despite not being a dancer myself- I love watching movies like Black Swan and Step Up, old childhood books like Ballet Shoes, and TV show dancing competitions. I love everything from the beautiful costumes and dramatic make up to the fairy-tale like sets to the art of dance itself. I've been to the theatre to watch ballet a few times and every time I get so caught up in the story that the ballerina's tell with their feet and reading Bunheads was almost like watching one of those dances, it gave me the exact same feeling of enchantment, magic and excitement.

What I loved most about Bunheads was the behind the scenes feel to it. Author Sophie Flack danced with the New York City ballet for nine years before writing this book so she shares with us first-hand information on exactly what goes on behind closed doors and what goes into this kind of profession. Not only did I love reading about our main character Hannah and her friend's performances but I also loved reading about a dancer's life off the stage from the extreme and challenging rehearsals to the gruelling training and physio. I found the simplest things like how they get their shoes to fit them perfectly and all the different moves fascinating. The life of a professional dancer is fiercely competitive and I came away from this book with a newfound respect for dancers and the dedication and passion they have for what they do. Despite the gorgeous dresses and fairy-tale's that they dance to the job is at times anything but glamorous and I loved this insider's look on the life of a young dancer trying to stand out from the crowd.

Whilst this books main focus is on the world of ballet dancing it also has themes of romance, friendship, rivalry and self-discovery. Hannah is a really interesting leading lady to read about with her conflicting emotions about ballet and her journey as she tries to decide what she wants from life. I also loved the love interest in this book Jacob and wanted Hannah to be with him pretty much from the moment they met! I also really liked Hannah's best friend Bea who was such a good friend to Hannah and didn't let the pressures of trying to get noticed come between their friendship.

Overall I thought that Bunheads was a really unique contemporary read. This book made me feel like a little girl again devouring a magical ballerina story wishing all the while that I too could get all dressed up and dance with princes and feel like a princess every night. Sophie Flack captures the magic and beauty of ballet and transforms it to the page flawlessly. This was a gorgeous debut that has made me see the world of competitive dance in a whole new light!