Novels set in the world of ballet - your recommendations.

[musixa]

I've just really enjoyed a thriller set in the ballet world ('Watch her fall' by Erin Kelly) and it's got me on the hunt for more.

I don't think I have read any others apart from the well-known children's classics (also much loved).

I'm open to any genre, doesn't have to be another thriller or recently published contemporary or historical or even biographical - basically anything set in this environment that's a good read!

Dancer by Colm McCann, about Nureyev.

The only one I can think of is A Chance to Sit Down by Meredith Daneman.

Interesting one. My first thought was the Lorna Hill books which I absolutely loved as a child, but they were obviously your favourites too!

She also wrote about Margot Fonteyn. Balletomane by Arnold Haskell - not a novel but he was a ballet critic for years and knew all the greats, some of them when they were starting out on their careers.

It's non fiction but really good:

www.amazon.co.uk/Raising-Barre-Dreams-Midlife-Nutcracker/dp/0738218316

@musixa I was about to suggest the only one I can think of, Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead, then I found this list of ballet novels which includes the Shipstead book.

Thank you, all, these are great - definitely interested in biographies, and thank you for linking the list @Terpsichore I will go through that too.

I don't know why I haven't thought of this reading theme before, as I loved ballet books as a child (despite being far too chunky and clumsy myself to find dancing of any kind enjoyable as a pastime). Something about the ballet fascinates me - probably the intensity and discipline needed to thrive as a dancer.

I really enjoyed Prima Donna by Karen Swan. She's one of my favourite authors, in this book one of the main characters is a prima ballerina.

Hope In A Ballet Shoe by Michaela DePrince.
Not just about ballet though.

A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotsen.

Ballerina by Edward Stewart is so good. I read it as a teenager and have reread it numerous times since then. My copy has completely fallen apart and big chunks of pages are missing or I'd go and reread it again now!

Tiny Pretty Things is very enjoyable.