Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Title & Author:
Bunheads by Sophie Flack
Publisher:
Poppy
Publication Date:
October 10, 2011
Pages:
294
Source:
Finished copy from Publisher

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah’s universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other “bunheads” in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life? – Goodreads

I did a theatre summer camp as a kid. In the morning, we’d have acting lessons, In the afternoon, we’d have dance lessons. And they WERE hard dance lessons then. And no fun So reading Bunheads by Sophie Flack just left me in total AWE of how hard ballet dancers really work and how freaking dedicated they are.

First off – I absolutely loved how the story in Bunheads started. “Don’t call me a ballerina.” It’s a brilliant first line. It intrigued me and made wonder…”well, isn’t this story about ballerines? What’s your deal, Hannah?” and then she explains. And tells me her story. And I love her. I loved her character, especially because she’s indecisive and unsure.

Okay, Bunheads isn’t exactly action packed. I felt like, rather than a typical story (with the rise, climax, fall, etc.) Bunheads goes a bit more…subtle and slowly. It’s more of a window into a girl’s life – a rather normal life, with the exception of her spending every waking moment doing ballet things. Interesting ballet things and also boy kissing.

And Bunheads was really relatable. Sure, I don’t have to decide between a life and ballet, but I’ve had to decide between two really important things before, and I have a lot of issues with not enough time, just like Hannah.

I know this wasn’t a very cohesive review, so let me say flat out – I enjoyed Bunheads by Sophie Flack immensely. I thought it was a wonderful contemporary with interesting characters in an interesting setting. I don’t recommend Bunheads to anyone looking for a lot of action, but I do recommend it for anyone interested in a thoughtful contemp. Plus, boys and kissing.

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