This thriller set in the cut-throat world of New York ballet functions as a microcosm of societal hierarchy when gifted African American dancer Gigi arrives from California to upset the lily-white world of the American Ballet Conservatory.
The story alternates between the first-person narratives of Gigi, Bette (who looks "like a ballerina from a music box"), and June, Gigi's roommate, whose Korean mother danced in the ABC and whose white father remains a mystery to June. Waiting for the cast list of The Nutcracker to be posted, Gigi thinks, "After one month here at school, the first major casting makes me feel my skin color like a fresh sunburn." All of the girls compare themselves to "Queen Bette," who casts a blonde, blue-eyed spell over her peers. When Gigi not only wins the roles Bette covets but also the affections of her longtime "on-again-off-again" boyfriend, Alec, Bette takes action. Some blame Bette for the unraveling of the company's previous prima ballerina and warn Gigi to "be careful." But Bette is not the only dancer who feels threatened by Gigi's talents. "The boys like the competition. We thrive on it. Makes us work harder," Alec tells Gigi, adding, "The girls make it dark, full of drama... They let it get to them and act crazy."
Sona Chariapotra and Dhonielle Clayton layer in boy-on-boy crushes, girl-on-girl crushes, and stage mother dramas as readers try to discover who's behind the latest prank on Gigi. There's no shortage of motives here, and enough chemistry and love triangles to keep the pages turning. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness