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The Cranes Dance (2012)

by Meg Howrey(Favorite Author)

3.63 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0307949826 (ISBN13: 9780307949820)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Vintage Books

review 1: Picked this novel up on a whim while on the road, and have to admit I really enjoyed it. Told from the perspective of Kate Crane, talented ballerina and older sister, the book takes place shortly after her sister, Gwen's mental breakdown. The writing is witty, modern and I found it easy to get lost in the story; both sisters are neurotic, but in a way that is endearing and not exhausting. Reading the reviews, there are a lot of comparisons to "Black Swan," but I didn't get that vibe at all-- the issues of friendship, love, ambition, etc are all very believable. Kate's voice can be darkly humorous, but her character and quirks come across as those of anyone who has ever had a passion that they can love and hate at the same time. My only qualm is that the ending feels rushed... more and a little bit forced. Other than that, definitely recommend this to anyone who considers themselves a "perfectionist" or secretly wishes they were a ballerina.
review 2: Probably really 3.5 stars but such a quick read I gave it 4. Kate Crane is a professional ballerina in the NYC ballet. She has made it to soloist but her younger sister surpassed her to principal. When her sister has a nervous breakdown and Kate sends her home to their parents, we follow Kate through her routines at practice and show, and she unfolds the story for us of how she and her sister came to be where they are today. Kate is frank and fairly humorous and seems like a real person, albeit a fairly messed up one. This also seems a bit like Ishiguro lite, in that you can tell that Kate is a relatively unreliable narrator, but you are not sure how unreliable until the story reaches closer to the end. Is Gwen really crackers or was Kate just jealous of her and looking for her own time to shine? Is Kate a caregiver or a saboteur? Or can it be both? Can you be both jealous AND nevertheless a loving sister looking out for what's best for your sister?Super fast read, interesting setting in re: professional ballet. less

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