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c100's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
vgdesigns's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Clothed in Movement
Author Siena Cherson Siegel and illustrator Mark Siegel combine their talents to tell a coming-of-age novel about the joys and fears of a ballet dancer. Siena’s life has never been predictable, but what she loves is ballet. As a ballerina she can move and live through music, dreaming of becoming a dancer in the New York City Ballet. When she pushes herself too hard after an injury, her choices may lead to the end of her dreams. Siena must find the strength in herself to find out what she really wants in life, and find her love of dancing again.
Mark Siegel’s art is given a dreamlike quality thorough shades of purple lightly water coloring the background and characters. While each inky figure is sketched in a loose cartoon style. Siena’s visions of ballet are drawn in darker shades, hinting at her out of reach dreams. After her injury, the colors turn to a sad shade of blue until the end where she comes to terms with her past and present. Siena Cherson Siegel does not over burden the story with words, but flows with movement as Siena reflects upon her life. Beautifully describing her passion of ballet in each description of the performances Siena watches.
As Siena grows up her dreams change, and when she loses her passion for dancing Siena struggles with her sense of worth. Including insecurities about her weight, so a bit of a warning for a starvation type eating disorder. Siena’s struggles are relatable as she figures out relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend. Not all of her choices lead to happy outcomes, but she learns to open up to people when she struggles with the pressure of succeeding. In the end forgiving herself, moving on to find a new passions, and a renewed love of dancing.
Author Siena Cherson Siegel and illustrator Mark Siegel combine their talents to tell a coming-of-age novel about the joys and fears of a ballet dancer. Siena’s life has never been predictable, but what she loves is ballet. As a ballerina she can move and live through music, dreaming of becoming a dancer in the New York City Ballet. When she pushes herself too hard after an injury, her choices may lead to the end of her dreams. Siena must find the strength in herself to find out what she really wants in life, and find her love of dancing again.
Mark Siegel’s art is given a dreamlike quality thorough shades of purple lightly water coloring the background and characters. While each inky figure is sketched in a loose cartoon style. Siena’s visions of ballet are drawn in darker shades, hinting at her out of reach dreams. After her injury, the colors turn to a sad shade of blue until the end where she comes to terms with her past and present. Siena Cherson Siegel does not over burden the story with words, but flows with movement as Siena reflects upon her life. Beautifully describing her passion of ballet in each description of the performances Siena watches.
As Siena grows up her dreams change, and when she loses her passion for dancing Siena struggles with her sense of worth. Including insecurities about her weight, so a bit of a warning for a starvation type eating disorder. Siena’s struggles are relatable as she figures out relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend. Not all of her choices lead to happy outcomes, but she learns to open up to people when she struggles with the pressure of succeeding. In the end forgiving herself, moving on to find a new passions, and a renewed love of dancing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Eating disorder
ktdakotareads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, and Medical content
robinks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
I liked how different mental health struggles were visually portrayed in this novel. The story also gives readers a deep dive into the competitive and harsh world of ballet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Fatphobia
jessoehrlein's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Follows the author from Puerto Rico to joining SAB in children's division and then staying in the school through C1, with progress from there derailed by not properly responding to an injury, not really talking to teachers/mentors at the right times (maybe? hard to tell on this one) and not always getting the best advice from them when she did, and insecurity. And also, the absolute fixation on City Ballet that can come with being an SAB student.
There's also a thread of side-eyeing the academic education that she's able to get while training at SAB, whether at Professional Children's School or through correspondence courses, though things turn out well on that front.
There's a lot here that's pretty scattered, especially around family and relationships amidst the dance, and I wish those threads had been more tightly integrated into how the story was told. (This feels like an odd thing to say about a memoir, but.)
I did appreciate that she talked about summer intensives! It doesn't tend to be so neglected in memoirs, but I see a lot less summer intensive discussion in most ballet YA-aimed books than there would be in reality.
(And oof, I miss State Theatre/City Ballet.)
There's also a thread of side-eyeing the academic education that she's able to get while training at SAB, whether at Professional Children's School or through correspondence courses, though things turn out well on that front.
There's a lot here that's pretty scattered, especially around family and relationships amidst the dance, and I wish those threads had been more tightly integrated into how the story was told. (This feels like an odd thing to say about a memoir, but.)
I did appreciate that she talked about summer intensives! It doesn't tend to be so neglected in memoirs, but I see a lot less summer intensive discussion in most ballet YA-aimed books than there would be in reality.
(And oof, I miss State Theatre/City Ballet.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
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