On Pointe by Lorie Ann Grover Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of On Pointe
Book Review: EXCELLENT
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this book for my daughter and after skimming through it I sat down and read it myself. Although the book is somewhat about ballet - anyone who has ever had a dream, a family, and some rough times growing up will relate. What I loved most is the author writes with such clarity from each character's perspective. She voices opinions that real teenagers have as well as letting you know how the adult characters feel. Worth every penny.Book Review: Hated it! - Check out Ballet Friends instead
Summary: 1 Stars
Yuck! The terrible free verse or whatever style is so hard to read. When I got to the depressing part, I closed it and donated it to my library. Such a downer. Anybody who likes ballet should check out Ballet Friends: Get to the Point! Its so much better, and funny, and a real feel-good book. Who wants to be depressed? Take my advice and buy Ballet Friends instead.Book Review: Her Brevity is Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
In her second novel, ON POINTE, Lorie Ann Grover appears to follow the philosophy that less is more; and quite brilliantly. The brevity of her prose punctuates each idea that she very carefully sculpts for her reader. While wordiness may appeal to some, Grover is skilled at painting sketches in vivid, powerful colors getting right to the heart of the matter.Her books are in the young novel category, but her publishers might find it interesting that many of her readers are grown women. Grover writes about hard hitting issues that many contemporary women have grown up with. Her characters are young women on the threshold of adulthood, but their thoughts are reminiscent of the tape that has played through every grown woman's mind at various points in time with themes that our society pounds into the female psyche.
As an avid reader of non-fiction, Grover's works are the first fiction I've read in years -- again quite by accident as my daughter encouraged me to read both ON POINTE and LOOSE THREADS.In turn, I encourage other women to read her work.
In loose terms, Grover could be a modern day Emily Dickinson. The only recommendation is that Simon & Schuster change marketing plans to reach Grover's widest potential audience.
Book Review: On Pointe
Summary: 5 Stars
Clare has a dream: to dance professionally. In the summer before her senior year in high school, she moves to her grandfather's home to train more seriously and try for the City Ballet:
There are only
sixteen positions
in City Ballet.
Sixteen positions
make the company.
How many in my class?
How many in the conservatory?
How many in western Washington
dream
like me
to be
one
in sixteen?
Clare trains hard and loves to dance. (I especially appreciate Lorie Ann Grover's descriptions of the pain and the beauty of dancing on pointe.) But Clare has a problem--one that escalates while living at her grandfather's--she's becoming too tall. And there's not much she can do about that.
Clare's not alone in her struggles. Her "best friend" in Madame's serious class is Rosella and Rosella has been throwing up to maintain her weight. Dia has grown too big and needs "a big bra" and her hips "are huge." But with the stakes as high as they are no one does much talking. When Dia is called in for "the talk" with Madame, for example, Dia disappears without a word. And no one mentions her absence.
Add to Clare's stress her mother's constant mention of "our dream" when they talk on the phone. (Note to moms: don't do this!) Oh, and grandfather--a wonderful, kind, prune juice drinking man six days of the week--becomes a little passive aggressive on the whole Sunday church-going issue.
In writing "On Pointe" as a novel in verse, Grover has chosen wisely from an aesthetic point of view. Clare's personality--straightforward, hardworking, serious--comes through in Grover's spare free verse. "On Pointe" is for anyone who has ever thought, "Even though I'm trying hard,/failure/could be/my future."
"On Pointe" is highly recommended for children as young as ten and as old as eighteen. I'd also recommend this book to the moms of the world (even the most well-meaning of us can make some big mistakes).
Book Review: On Pointe
Summary: 4 Stars
On Pointe is a novel-in-verse book written long poem form. This book is for the most part an easy read. You wont want to put it down. This book shows the life of a girl named Clare and her dream of becoming a member of the City Ballet Company.
Clare is faced with different problems between her parents, and the kids fighting for the same spot she is. This book is for anyone who enjoys dance or just reading about a girl who is trying to live out her dream.
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