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No Castanets at the Wells

(Sadler's Wells #3)

Lorna Hill

3.99 · Rating details · 297 ratings · 15 reviews

Fans of Sebastian and Veronica (see A Dream of Sadler's Wells and Veronica at Sadler's Wells) will love this story about Caroline, Veronica's loyal younger cousin. Back in Northumberland, Caroline has been working on her dancing, hoping to emulate Veronica's success. In the meantime, she has also made friends with a charming young man, Angelo Ibanez, a Spanish dancer and m ...more

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Published (first published 1953)

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· 297 ratings · 15 reviews

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Dec 12, 2011 Louise Armstrong rated it it was amazing

This book really comforted me when I was young because the heroine worked and tried and worked and hoped, yet was totally rubbish right up to the end - when a twist (that I won't give away) reveals that a change of direction/focus/location can make everything come good. What a great message for a miserable, and rather unsuccessful, youngster. Don't give up: 'The game's not won or lost until the last counter's played.'

Who knows how influential this book was? I am now able to look back and think, ...more

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Apr 16, 2017 Beth rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Could this be read as a book about the harsh realities of the ballet world and the people who fail in ballet - but make slightly different dreams come true? Sure.

But I read it as a book of, frankly, ridiculous privilege afforded to someone to grows up rich, decides she wants to dance, gets into a top school easily, has no problem staying with a friend in London, meets a Spanish dancer through her talented cousin, and has avenues luckily open up for her. She doesn't have to go home with her dream Could this be read as a book about the harsh realities of the ballet world and the people who fail in ballet - but make slightly different dreams come true? Sure.

But I read it as a book of, frankly, ridiculous privilege afforded to someone to grows up rich, decides she wants to dance, gets into a top school easily, has no problem staying with a friend in London, meets a Spanish dancer through her talented cousin, and has avenues luckily open up for her. She doesn't have to go home with her dreams dashed and rebuild her life; she also doesn't have to stay in a tiny apartment or worry about money while she's chasing her dream. And this is after her parents are forced to cut back - and only keep one car and one gardener for their estate.

(That exchange, where they bring up the possibility of staying in Veronica's old apartment - I laaaaaughed. The amazing thing about Veronica's story was the way Veronica blithely concealed the reality of her London living conditions from her aunt, who would have been horrified had Veronica been slightly less naive.)

Anyway, here she stays with a world-famous dancer and a theater critic power couple, to keep their daughter company, as one does when she is trying to make it in the cutthroat ballet world.

Fiona's story is a great counterpoint to this wide-eyed idealism:

"You don't understand," said Fiona. "You're only a kid. Love doesn't come into it. Love is only something you read about in fairy tales. 'The Prince and the Princess lived happily ever after!' Nobody believes in that romantic sort of rubbish when they're grown up. I daresay I shall get along all right, and at least I shall be rich."

Goodness knows Fiona isn't a sympathetic character, but her disillusionment here is much more real than Caroline's "I've been kicked out!" tears.

Ending the book with Sebastian's point of view is a conceit that doesn't really work for me, because I don't like Sebastian. But then: I don't really like anyone in this world. They're either entirely too successful or amazingly obnoxious. ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Daisy May Johnson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, childrens-literature, gifted-and-talented, girlsown, perfect, series

These are the most beautiful books I own. The hardback editions of the Chalet School come close to them (that is, when I can sell my liver to afford one) but somehow they never quite reach the great grace of the Sadler's Wells books. I think it all centres on that front cover and the way that they, all of them, catch light so well. These are sunlight, morning books full of warmth and glowing life. The artist, Esme Verity, is actually Hill's daughter working under a pseudonym. And she's gifted, i ...more

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Jan 01, 2011 Speakercoret rated it liked it

Shelves: punya-sendiri, indonesian, lagi-dipinjem, kids, memori-masa-kecil

sebelum ke radal, ngider2 bms sebentar sambil nungguin ijul n aini, eh dapet buku ini ^_^
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kalo urutan terbit kayaknya terbitnya pesta topeng di wells dulu baru ini, tp gramed nerbitin ini jadi buku 3, buku empatnya malah pesta topeng...
bikin bingung aja -_-

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Di buku ketiga ini tokoh utamanya Caroline, sepupu veronica.
Setelah veronica pergi belajar tari di well’s, sebelum ke radal, ngider2 bms sebentar sambil nungguin ijul n aini, eh dapet buku ini ^_^
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
kalo urutan terbit kayaknya terbitnya pesta topeng di wells dulu baru ini, tp gramed nerbitin ini jadi buku 3, buku empatnya malah pesta topeng...
bikin bingung aja -_-

---------------------------------------------------------------

Di buku ketiga ini tokoh utamanya Caroline, sepupu veronica.
Setelah veronica pergi belajar tari di well’s, caroline kesepian, dia tak pernah akur dengan Fiona, kakaknya sendiri.

Walaupun banyak kegiatan dan pesta di Northumberland, tapi Caroline merasa ada yang salah pada hidupnya.. Dia ingin menari seperti veronica, apalagi setelah dia berkenalan dengan angelo yang pandai tarian spanyol, dia semakin ingin belajar menari tapi ia belum punya keberanian utk bicara dengan ibunya soal ini. Ketika kekayaan keluarganya mulai habis, dan orang tuanya tidak bisa mengirimkan dia kesekolah yang bergengsi seperti Fiona, dia memberanikan diri utk bicara pada ibunya tentang keinginannya menari. Akhirnya ibunya terpaksa menyetujui keinginan Caroline, dan diapun berangkat ke London, utk sekolah di Sadler Well’s dan tinggal bersama Mariella, sepupu Jane Foster, temannya di Northumberland . Mariella anak ballerina terkenal, Irma Foster, Ayahnya seorang kritikus tari, karena kesibukan orang tuanyalah yg menyebabkan Mariella kesepian, sehingga orang tuanya mencarikan teman utk tinggal bersamanya.
Setelah beberapa lama Caroline belajar di Sadler Wells dia merasa tariannya tidak mengalami kemajuan, dia menyukai pelajaran akting tapi tarian balet klasik membuatnya bosan dan merasa serba salah, dia menyukai tari, tapi balet klasik bukan jiwanya, terlalu lembut, terlalu gemulai, kadang dia ingin menghentakkan kaki dan berteriak saat menari.. dan dia merasa hanya tinggal waktu sampai Sadler well’s pun menyerah akan dirinya. Keputusan Sadler Well’s yang akhirnya meminta caroline utk menghentikan saja pelajarannya bagaimanapun membuatnya sedih. Saat dia akan kembali ke Northumberland, di stasiun Kings Cross London, Caroline kehilangan karcisnya dan menyebabkannya ketinggalan kereta, yang membuatnya malah bertemu dengan Angelo kembali. Angelo sedang mencari partner tari untuk Audisi di televisi. Sebuah kebetulan? Atau takdir?

Dibuku ini tetap Fiona masih menyebalkan, saat dia pura2 tidak sengaja membuat raket sylvia jatuh kesungai, saat dia berusaha merebut peran jane di sandiwara.. hadeeeh... pengen tabok pengen injek bawaannya.. tapi jadi seru sih :p
...more

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Nov 04, 2017 Rosemary Atwell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-reads

Caroline's story is not quite as focused as Veronica's, partially because characters are introduced upon whom Hill will concentrate in order to set the scene for the following two novels and also because both the main characters - Caroline and Mariella - embody a different type of struggle from the fierce determination and singular dedication displayed by both Veronica and Sebastian.

The novel seamlessly carries the Northumbrian narrative thread on from the final events of 'Veronica at the Wells ...more

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Oct 11, 2014 Deborah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

When we first met Caroline, two books ago, she was the kind but rather ordinary younger sister of the awful Fiona. She's still kind but rather ordinary (well, as ordinary as you can be if you've been brought up in an ancestral hall) in this book, which I think may be why I like it so much. Veronica is mostly off-stage, so to speak, as Caroline keeps her own presence at Sadler's Wells a secret (Veronica is off touring a lot of the time, which is helpful) and this is Caroline's story: the story of ...more

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Jun 15, 2009 Mutia rated it it was amazing

Wah, buku yang bagus sekali (sayang punya gw ilang)... ceritanya berlatar belakang kota kecil di Inggris, tentang seorang anak perempuan yang terobsesi jadi penari balet karena terinspirasi sama sepupunya... setelah kerja kerasnya ternyata dia menemukan fakta bahwa dia tidak berbakat dalam menari balet -yes, in ballet, talent does matter-

ternyata dibalik kegagalannya, tuhan punya rencana lain, pada akhirnya dia sukses jadi penari flamenco... dan kesuksesannya menari flamenco salah satunya ditunj ...more

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Oct 18, 2015 Tina rated it it was ok

Prijetno. Caroline je tak lik, za katero si res želiš, da bi se ji nasmehnila sreča. Sicer je Fiona že utrujajoča, človek bi mislil, da se bo kaj razvila. Fino je bilo slišati malo več o Veronikinem uspehu in o Sebastijanu.

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Jan 17, 2008 Pamela rated it it was amazing

No Castanets at the Wells menceritakan tentang Caroline, sepupu Veronica Weston, yang juga belajar ballet di Sadler Wells. Namun sekian lama di Wells, Caroline semakin menyadari bahwa potensinya bukan di dunia Ballet. Dia lebih menyukai tarian Spanyol yang lebih semangat dan menggunakan castanet.

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Oct 04, 2016 Felicity rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics

This book focuses more on Caroline Scott Veronica's cousin. And how she ends up going to the Wells but feels ballet isn't right for her. Then she meets Angelo who introduces her to Spanish dancing!

I enjoyed this book more than the 2nd book but missed Veronica! ...more

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Jun 21, 2020 Victoria rated it really liked it

Shelves: favourite-childhood-books

Part of my re-read of this lovely series. This book waited around for so long before getting going that I had to dock a star for slowness. Equally frustrating was the fact that it ended just as it felt Caroline's real story was beginning. At the same time, it's a story about her finding her way, which she did. The rest of it would surely just be hard work and success, so I suppose we saw the most interesting bit. Alongside that, all the time-wasting details of setting and normal life, attending ...more

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May 19, 2009 Ririn rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction

Seri Saddler's Wells ini favorit saya waktu mudaaa~ >w< (lebay-mode on) ...more

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Oct 08, 2012 hhertzof rated it really liked it · review of another edition

These are growing on me. I like the overlapping timelines.

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About Lorna Hill

Lorna Hill

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Hill attended school in Durham and then went to Le Manoir in Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. She obtained a BA at Durham University, and there met her husband, a clergyman. They moved to the remote parish of Matfen, Northumberland, where she played the organ in church and ran a Sunday school.

Hill's career as an author began when her daughter Vicki, then about ten years old, fo ...more