Dance of Shadows, Chapters 1-3

December 17, 2012
Black debuts with a paranormal twist on the hypercompetitive world of professional ballet school, first in a planned trilogy. When 15-year-old Vanessa Adler is accepted to the prestigious New York Ballet Academy, more awaits her than she expected, including a decades-long mystery of disappearing ballerinas, a hidden diary, sadistic rituals (upperclassmen
demand a “blood sacrifice” from new recruits), and demonic possession. The novel swerves between thriller territory (will Vanessa discover whatever became of her vanished older sister?), coming-of-age angst (does sexy dancer Zeppelin Black consider Vanessa his girlfriend?), and customary dancer rivalries (why was Vanessa, a freshman, cast as lead in The Firebird?), with a romantic triangle, themes of dominance and submission, and a strained relationship between Vanessa and her mother also in the mix. Although the supporting cast is only superficially developed, the story gains traction as it focuses on otherworldly elements, including revelations of legends of demons called forth by means of a mysterious dance. Black pulls off an enticingly eerie conclusion, setting the stage for the next book. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michael Stearns and Ted Malawer, the Inkhouse.

November 15, 2012
An overheated debut mixes high-stakes ballet education with the occult. Fifteen-year-old Vanessa, though astonishingly gifted, didn't apply to the ultraprestigious New York Ballet Academy because she wants a career in dance--she did it in the hope of finding her older sister, Margaret, who disappeared from the school after being cast as the Firebird as a freshman three years ago. Once at NYBA, she draws the attention of choreographer Josef and two senior boys, the obnoxious Justin and the lustrous-eyed Zeppelin (a name so hilariously unballetic it could only have been meant ironically--except it seems not to be). It will surprise no one except the catty senior girls that Vanessa is cast as the Firebird, just as her sister was before....Vanessa's investigation proceeds in fits and starts; irritatingly, an early mystical warning she receives during a hazing incident is dropped. That she does not recall this while rehearsing the mysterious "Danse du Feu" in an underground studio whose charred walls are interrupted only by the white silhouettes of dancers, one of whom resembles Margaret and that sometimes seem to dance with her, will have readers grinding their teeth. A lengthy midsection devolves into a rushed and chaotic conclusion that turns out to be little more than a setup for a sequel. Care and attention to details of the ballet cannot compensate for slipshod plotting; both balletomanes and urban-fantasy fans should look elsewhere. (Urban fantasy. 13-16)

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January 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-An ending that can't gracefully suspend disbelief follows a middle that drags on far too long in this paranormal ballet melodrama. The novel begins with sinister initiations, ravishing lead male dancers, and instant BFFs at the New York Ballet Academy, where Vanessa studies just three years after her sister disappeared during her tenure there. Ballet is a family tradition, but Vanessa's passion for dancing is not her deepest motivation for attending the school. She wants to find her sister, or at least learn what happened to her. Joseph, the school's temperamental, perfectionistic choreographer, has decided to try, once again, to stage Stravinsky's The Firebird, the same ballet that was canceled after Margaret vanished. Vanessa is distracted by gorgeous senior Zep, already cast as Prince Ivan, who seems to have eyes for her even though he is involved with senior queen-bee Anna. It seems a foregone conclusion that newcomer Vanessa will be his Firebird, despite her freshman status, but she remains unsettled by bizarre happenings, like dorm-friend Elly suddenly and untraceably leaving school. The strange basement practice room at adjacent Lincoln Center with burn marks on the floor and white outlines of dancers surrounded by ash on the walls creeps Vanessa out. Cryptic warnings from Justin, the third side of a love triangle, about the dangers of the school accompany plot developments that spin things from improbable to impossible. Secret conspiracies seeking dark power through dance and an ancient secret society to combat them finally pirouette the plot right off the stage. Not likely to receive standing ovations from any but the least demanding readers.-Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2012
Grades 7-10 Vanessa arrives at the New York Ballet Academy as the best young dancer to have auditioned. But there is more than ballet in her reason for coming. Her sister, Margaret, was a student there several years agountil she disappeared, leaving her family distraught. Vanessa wants to figure out what happened to Margaret, but she soon finds herself embroiled in a bizarre plot that has elements of the supernatural, and to her consternation, she is at its center. The plot is so full of holes, a corps de ballet could dance through it, beginning with why her parents would let Vanessa follow in Margaret's footsteps, and ending with the fact that more than a few missing girls from an esteemed ballet school would have long ago made someonethe police? the media? the school?take notice. But readers who don't look too closely will appreciate the story's slow reveal and be caught up in the feverish dance descriptions (and the moody love for an enigmatic partner that comes with them). Hopefully much of the repetition will be cut in the next book, which continues the search for Margaret. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The publisher is going all out on social media, and putting resources into a six-figure ad campaign. That should get the title notice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)