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Oct 12, 2011

Tatiana rated it:

Bunheads is a very subdued, gentle novel about ballet dancing. Think Black Swan

minus craziness, blood and sex.

The quietness of this novel works both against it and to its advantage.

Ballet dancing is an unforgiving, competitive, extremely demanding form of art. (Imagine being fired for having breasts big enough to require a bra!) It would be very easy to find some high drama in it to write a shocking novel around - backstabbery, injuries, life-threa More...

10 comments like (29 people liked it)

Jan 03, 2012

Emily rated it:

I didn't really think I'd like this book, I have to admit. I was curious about it after reading Tatiana's review, but this novel has been described as all the things that usually bore me to death: gentle, subtle, subdued, quiet... I've read these kinds of stories before that are meant to be all about the realism with little excitement, sadness or anything particularly noteworthy - I have always found them dull. Until now.

The realism in Bunheads really works to its advantage and makes t More...

6 comments like (14 people liked it)

Nov 08, 2011

Darkfallen rated it:

While this book was so good, for me, that I finished it in one day; I fear that it may not be as good for others. Here's what I mean...

I trained in ballet for 15 years. I basically learned to walk, was potty trained, and then off the dance school I went at the age of 2. So when I was reading this book, it was more than that. I was seeing this book. I loved the way Sophie Flack walks you through the ballets Hannah is doing step by step. However she uses all of the proper French terms More...

9 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 16, 2011

Mary rated it:

I'm stoked for this book. My appreciation for Sophie Flack goes back more than 10 years, when I desperately envied her and the life I imagined she had. Beautiful, thin, and definitely going somewhere, she was featured all over the Discount Dance Supply catalogs and their Dance Magazine advertisements when I was a teenager. Pouring over catalogs, magazines, and the few dance books I could get access to in semi-rural Virginia, I strived for ballet success. I craved both knowledge of and entry More...

0 comments like (7 people liked it)

Dec 29, 2011

Laura rated it:

(full disclosure: I was the author's librarian waaay back when!)

This is a great look at how a girl's dream (ok, passion and obsession) with becoming a ballerina can change as she becomes a woman. With the Metropolitian Ballet and its Academy standing in for New York City Ballet and its School of American Ballet, we also get a great behind-the-scenes look at the lives of those girls, the ones that really pursued the dream to become the ballerina many of us wanted to be when we were y More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Feb 15, 2012

Linda rated it:

I've been wanting to read a YA novel set in the world of ballet for a very long time now, so I was ecstatic when I heard about Bunheads. I downloaded it to my Kindle pretty much the second it released and stayed up way too late reading it. It was so worth it, though, because I absolutely adored this book.

I connected very strongly with the main character, Hannah. Nothing is just handed to her. She's a talented dancer, but even so she has to work incredibly hard and even then she does More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 10, 2012

Colleen rated it:

BUNHEADS by Sophie Flack is the engaging and beautifully written story of a lovely young ballet dancer named Hannah who is struggling to make sense of her life. While set in the competitive, mysterious and insulated world of professional dance, Hannah's journey is one that all readers, no matter their background, can relate to. Why? Because everyone, at some point, has pondered the question: "Is this what I want to do with my life?"

The story is very poignant yet very funny More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 23, 2012

kari rated it:

I loved this story and the way it's told. It's first person present and you feel that you are experiencing the story along with Hannah. She has lived and breathed ballet for most of her life, attending a prestigious ballet school from the age of fourteen which neccessitated living away from home and then joining the company at seventeen. There is the constant rehearsals and classes and competition for better parts and advancement. I could feel Hannah's frustration.
One of the things I most More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 10, 2012

Stefania rated it:

I loved this book! As someone who danced from the age of 3 to 17, I really identified with the world that Hnnah lived in. I was never good enough to reach the level that Hannah reached, but there were still so many things that I experienced as well. I made similar sacrifices to continue dancing as long as I did. I did question whether it was worth it or not many times, but I also knew that my skill level would never allow me to advance to a point where my entire life would be taken over by d More...

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Jan 08, 2012

Christiana rated it:

Possible Reasons I Really Dug This Book:
1. It reminded me of the movie Center Stage
2. It gave a realistic portrayal of the life of a ballet dancer, which I have always been a bit curious about
3. It had a lovable boy interest
4. Hannah's hardships are relatable: to be the best, better than anybody, you almost always have to have a drive to do nothing else and happily give your life over to it. And it's okay if you aren't the best and want to allow yourself to live outside More...

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Jan 03, 2012

Stacy rated it:

Pros: Flack does a fantastic job of writing about ballet; dance is not an easy art to translat into prose, and Flack succeeds in capturing both on- and off-stage action beautifully. The book is realistic about the pressures and problems of the ballet world without being overly sensational, reflecting nicely the main character's acceptance of distorted behaviours such as anorexia and over-exercising.

Cons: The core story arc felt weak and not entirely believable. Perhaps it's because my More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 01, 2012

Liza added it

I received a copy of the BUNHEADS ARC from Heidi of YABibliophile. http://www.yabibliophile.com/ Thanks Heidi for passing this on to me.
Ever wondered what it's like to be a ballet dancer? If so, BUNHEADS is the novel for you. Even though Sophie Flack's novel is fiction, it's clear she draws upon her firsthand knowledge from when she danced for the New York City Ballet from 2000-2009. She does an exquisite job explaining this world and making it real for the reader - the intensity, competit More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2011

Shellie rated it:

Bunheads by Sophie Flack is the 49th young adult novel I have read this calendar year. I've been all sorts of places and experienced all sorts of things with the authors; but, the world Flack invited me to peer into was by far the most unusual, unfamiliar, and fascinating. In truth, I have a greater chance of personally experiencing cryogenic freezing and reanimation on a new planet or saving a human clone from a life of scientific experimentation than I do of dancing ballet.

Thou More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 03, 2011

Jessica rated it:

Read full review at Cracking the Cover
Any young woman who ever dreamed of becoming a ballerina will probably want to read Sophie Flack‘s “Bunheads.” And they should, because even though the book isn’t perfect, the dancing in it is.

“Bunheads” is definitely a ballet book like “Center Stage” is definitely a ballet movie. Some romance and life choices are thrown in, but the real meat is the dancing.

A former member of the New York City Ballet, author Sophie Flack is more than More...

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Nov 29, 2011

Ellen rated it:

Inside of a Competitive Ballet World
-By Ellen

The experience of Hannah Ward leads us into the competitive ballet world, where you study, rehearse and perform all day long. 19 year-old Hannah is one of the corps dancers in the Manhattan Ballet Academy. She does not consider herself as a ballerina because ballerinas are the stars of the company while she is just a ballet dancer, one of the corps girls. Hannah came to New York City alone at a young age, found her way to pursuit her More...

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Nov 28, 2011

Jenny rated it:

Despite being a contemporary young adult novel rather than a paranormal or dsytopian, Bunheads still transports us to a completely different world, one where fierce competitors replace the vampires, werewolves and faeries, and bustling theater wings surrounding a glittering stage become the center of our story. While this tale is decidedly vampire-free, demons run rampant in all their intangible and abstract glory, the dancers of the Manhattan Ballet company struggling daily with weight and conf More...

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Nov 27, 2011

Melanie added it

Hannah’s entire life is dance. When she’s not dancing for the Manhattan Ballet Company, she is taking exercise classes to keep herself in shape or attending swank parties to ensure that patrons of the arts keep the money rolling in. Hannah does not have time for any other interests, and she especially does not have time for dating. If she is ever going to get the roles she’s dreamed of since childhood, she must maintain her focus.

Of course, all of that is easier said than done, espec More...

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Nov 14, 2011

Amanda rated it:

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy.com...

First Impressions: I’ve always loved ballet. I’ve enjoyed going to the New York City Ballet and seeing Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and many others. I know the French terminology, and basically everything else except for how to dance myself. I’m just not that coordinated and I enjoy food way too much. Hence, I’ll never be a dancer, but I enjoy reading about people who are. What intrigued me about this book was that it More...

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Nov 07, 2011

Bethzaida rated it:

My thoughts:

Since I was a little girl I’ve been drawn to everything that has to do with ballerinas. With their pretty dresses and make up. But I never wanted to be one I just wanted to know what happens behind stage. If you are like me, fascinated with ballerinas then “Bunheads” is the book for you. I definitely felt that the author knew what she was talking about since she was a ballerina herself. Let me tell you that is not as pretty as it seems.

I knew that being a ballerin More...

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Nov 02, 2011

Krystal rated it:

was surprised how much I liked this novel. The main character certainly wasn't the nicest, smartest, or best overall I have read, but that was part of what made her so likable. I really enjoyed following Hannah's point of view and getting glimpses into her thought processes throughout the novel. She is determined, extremely hardworking, and manages to persevere through the pain and disappointment that comes with being a dancer.

The story starts with all of the ballet More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 22, 2011

Liralen rated it:

One thing that struck me as I read this was how much it reminded me of Dancing for Degas -- which is not to say that either book lacks originality, only that, despite the difference in time and location (Bunheads is contemporary and set in NYC; Dancing for Degas is -- surprise, surprise -- set in Paris at the turn of the century), so many of the themes and struggles are the same. Competing for roles, aiming for promotion, knowing what it means to catch the eye of a patron of the company... It is More...

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Oct 19, 2011

Maggie rated it:

I should have written this review while the book was still fresh in my mind, but I remember liking it, so that’s a start. I loved that Sophie Flack was a dancer with the New York City Ballet; I loved that Hannah could actually dance (insert mini-rant about Center Stage and how Jody couldn’t dance). I loved how issues about lack of time, eating disorders, injuries, and lack of “normal life” were brought up but it didn’t turn into a problem novel. I also liked the romance … it was sweet and rea More...

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Oct 19, 2011

Maggie rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 18, 2011

Nancy rated it:

My take: Hannah is a thinly veiled Sophie Flack, a former member of the Manhattan Ballet Company and a solid voice in Young Adult (semi) fiction. Her life experience has clearly and definitively shaped her writer's voice. Flack's story is about Hannah, a dancer. She spares no reader from the brutality of ballet. On stage, the dancers are graceful and defy gravity. They dance in unison and in perfect time. But performing is only one aspect of the job. The work is grueling and punishing, both phys More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 16, 2011

Melanie rated it:

Bunheads by Sophie Flack is a behind the scenes look at what it is like to dance in the Manhattan Ballet. The book is full of authentic dance terms and really provides the reader with a strong sense of what pains men and women go through to progress in this highly demanding and very specific world of Ballet. I love that the author was a ballerina, and she neither over-glorifies nor horrifies this crazy world. I was very interested in the story-line; which is basically: will Hannah push hersel More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 15, 2011

Michaela rated it:

Finally! A book that reflects the work ethic, sufferings, rewards, trials, hopes, and emotions of ballet dancers! I love how it accurately portrays a dancer's life- the geography of New York and sight seeings wonderfully transports me to the Big Apple while the descriptions of performances, gives me a first row seat to the world of ballet!
In this book, Hannah, a ballet dancer who dreams of being a soloist dancer- even principal- commiserates with friends over the strains and hardships in a More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 15, 2011

Barbara rated it:

Ballet has been Hannah Ward's life for a long time now. When she turned 14, she moved to New York to train, and now, at 19, as a member of the Manhattan Ballet company, she must rehearse, exercise, watch her weight, and perform constantly. All the work is worth it, though, since dance is her life. When she meets Jacob, though, she feels drawn to him, and the life he leads. When it's clear that he would like a serious relationship with her, she goes into an on again, off again routine, avoiding h More...

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Sep 28, 2011

Sara rated it:

Bunheads by Sophie Flack follows Hannah a dancer in the Corps of the Manhattan Ballet. Sophie's life is the ballet, she goes to rehearsal and class and performances every night and hopes to become a soloist. When she meets a guy outside of the ballet she finds herself struggling to find the time to see him and starts questioning her priorities. Is the life of a professional dancer really what she wants?

I loved this book. It was a book about a dancer that was obviously written by s More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 28, 2011

Goldengirl rated it:

The story is about Hannah, a 19 year-old dancer (don’t call her a ballerina) for the Manhattan Ballet who is at a pivotal point in her life: move on up in the ballerina ranks, or drop it all to see what else the world has to offer.

Author Sophie Flack was a former ballerina for the NYC Ballet, so she knows what she’s talking about. She draws a detailed picture of life as a working ballerina, and it’s a grueling image. She takes the reader to the backstage goings-on that “pedestrians” More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 12, 2011

kristin (paper reader) rated it:

To be honest, I know nothing about ballet except that it takes an intense amount of dedication for an amazing result. While I didn't understand all of the forms and positions aside from maybe a plié it didn't hinder my reading at all. This was a fun, quick read that I think a lot of people will find themselves in.
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"My name is Hannah Ward. Don't call me a ballerina."

Hannah, a senior member of the corps de ballet of the Manhattan Ballet, vaguely remembers a time befor More...

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