BOOK REVIEW: Varation by Rebecca Yarros

-

In the romance novel Variation, Rebecca Yarros explores the very real scourge of bigotry against ballerinas. I’m only being halfway tongue-in-cheek for this is a major source of stress throughout the novel – ala Capulets and Montagues. The protagonist Alyssa, the daughter of the Miranda Priestly of ballerinas, paradoxically can best be described as a principal ballerina with everything to prove. After an injury sets her back, she retreats to recover in private, but an irresistible coast guard from her past (Hudson Ellis) and a bad little girl with wild accusations (Juniper) turn her world upside down.


WRITING: The writing doesn’t particularly grip me however Yarros does a lovely job of providing a cliffhanger or revelation at the end of every chapter, making it a real page turner or whatever the equivalent is for the audio version. This seems like such a small thing, but you would be amazed by how many authors end their chapters with bland, uninteresting occurrences like “and then he ate a sandwich.”  


CHARACTERS: Alyssa and her love interest are sweet and a credible pair, however, nothing in their personalities pop for me. It’s Gavin’s precocious niece that steals the show, though her character seems a bit extra at times and too old for her age, I’ve seen enough bad children for her behavior to not break my suspension of disbelief.  


THEME: At its heart, it is a story about two people trying to find their own path as the world around them pulls them in different directions. It is a morality tale about how dishonesty and mistrust only hampers relationships and hinders growth. I also like how the story gets into the mind of a ballerina: the meticulousness, the perfection and the unwillingness to let go. I give the story 3.7 stars, but we’ll round it up to four for having such a lovely cover


⭐⭐⭐⭐

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If the Shoe Fits: A Meditative Book Review

-
Image
  OVERVIEW:  Cindy Elanor Woods is a Plus-sized fashionista with an underlying cynicism due to losing both her parents at a young age. Despite having a degree in fashion design, she is currently jobless until opportunity knocks in the form of a reality dating show -- Before Midnight . Cindy accepts the offer and joins the show looking for the chance to show off her fashion chops but (as the book cover blatantly intimates) she may end up finding love in the process. COMMENTARY: When you have to endure the pain of a loved one dying at an early age, fairy tales are basically bullshit to you. Because of this perspective, Cindy essentially embodies the experience of the reader and all of us who roll our eyes at Reality Show "Romance". Yes, these shows are an essential papering over of some harsh realities in the world and how love truly comes about. But in that same way, isn't that silhouetted dress, those painful high heels, that brilliant shade of red lipstick? Is it an unt...
Read more

Artist Spotlight: Carol Simon and Stories of Gratitiude

-
Image
  “Stay Happy and Be Positive” that is the the mantra of Houston Artist Carol Simon. Though my exploration of women artists, I've encountered a wide variety of styles. From the sublime to the dark art that looks deliberately like roadkill. But all the art, it seems, presents its own message. If there is a message that Carol Simon that resonates with me it's gratitude. This is most perfectly embodied in her Gratitude Collection which I won't display here for copyright issues, but to describe the art, I would say it is a kaleidoscope of nebulae -- spurts of joy -- calling us to have gratitude in the simple joys of life. Take me, for instance. Right now I am sitting in a bar, sipping wine, with access to the internet. Normally, I would just sit here and stare into the abyss. Maybe mourn the meaningless of life, but gratitude commands me to take advantage of it. There was a time when I had no laptop, no internet, no place to write. And I still wrote. But now, the paralyzing f...
Read more

The Art Spotlight

-
Image
  In today's Art Spotlight, we look at Art By Megan. Megan describes her art as such:  "Reflections of light on water, shadows created by trees, and fallen leaves, as well as petals on contrasting surfaces inform my subject matter. I paint these fleeting moments, so they are noticed." Her paintings remind me of the goddess Athena: the goddess of wisdom and art. They seem like two starkly different components but philosophers have long talked about the connection between the two. How you can tell a lot about the morals of a community by the type of art they consume.     One looks like a collection of leaves of varying colors flowing in a twist of wind. They evoke happiness. Joy. A beauty that women have had to learn to see in the face of obstacles. A beauty men have had to learn to slow down and see. A baby's laugh. A beautiful sunset. On the other end are her sea paintings which evoke something completive and wise. The deep blue reminds me of long deep talks about fee...
Read more