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City of Night Birds
'A novel that will be read and loved for the next one hundred years, and essential reading for right now. I could not have loved it more.' Coco Mellors, author of Blue Sisters
'This story left me thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters.' Reese Witherspoon
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK FOR DECEMBER 2024 * A HARPER'S BAZAAR BEST BOOK OF 2024
Slowly recovering from a terrible accident, Natalia is faced with a devastating choice – to return to the cutthroat world of Russian ballet that nearly broke her, or to walk away forever – in this sweeping novel of love and redemption
Prima ballerina Natalia Leonova was once celebrated across the world, her signature bravura in demand on stages from St. Petersburg to Paris to New York. But at the top of her career, an accident forces her into sudden retirement. Injured and alone, she turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past, still haunted by her relationships with two gifted dancers, Dmitri and Alexander. These men were responsible for her soaring highs, her darkest hours and, ultimately, both played their part in her downfall.
So when Dmitri resurfaces with a tantalising offer for Natalia, she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice in order to dance again – and for the chance to return to the great love of her life. Painting a vivid portrait of a world in which ruthless ambition, desire and sublime artistry collide, City of Night Birds unveils the making of a dancer with profound intimacy and breathtaking scope.
From the author of Beasts of a Little Land, winner of the Yasnaya Polyana Award
'A beautifully crafted must read' Jason Mott, author of Hell of a Book
'This story left me thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters.' Reese Witherspoon
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK FOR DECEMBER 2024 * A HARPER'S BAZAAR BEST BOOK OF 2024
Slowly recovering from a terrible accident, Natalia is faced with a devastating choice – to return to the cutthroat world of Russian ballet that nearly broke her, or to walk away forever – in this sweeping novel of love and redemption
Prima ballerina Natalia Leonova was once celebrated across the world, her signature bravura in demand on stages from St. Petersburg to Paris to New York. But at the top of her career, an accident forces her into sudden retirement. Injured and alone, she turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past, still haunted by her relationships with two gifted dancers, Dmitri and Alexander. These men were responsible for her soaring highs, her darkest hours and, ultimately, both played their part in her downfall.
So when Dmitri resurfaces with a tantalising offer for Natalia, she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice in order to dance again – and for the chance to return to the great love of her life. Painting a vivid portrait of a world in which ruthless ambition, desire and sublime artistry collide, City of Night Birds unveils the making of a dancer with profound intimacy and breathtaking scope.
From the author of Beasts of a Little Land, winner of the Yasnaya Polyana Award
'A beautifully crafted must read' Jason Mott, author of Hell of a Book
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2024
1797 people are currently reading
30924 people want to read
About the author
Juhea Kim
4 books908 followersJuhea Kim's internationally bestselling debut novel, Beasts of a Little Land, was a finalist for the 2022 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. It won the 2024 Yasnaya Polyana Award, Russia's biggest annual literary prize awarded by the Leo Tolstoy Estate-Museum. Juhea is donating the entire prize money to Siberian tiger and Amur leopard conservation. Beasts of a Little Land has been published in 13 countries to date and a TV series adaptation is currently in development. She donates a portion of the worldwide proceeds of Beasts of a Little Land to tiger and leopard conservation.
Juhea's second novel, City of Night Birds, is forthcoming in November 2024. She donates a portion of the proceeds of City of Night Birds to Caritas Somalia, a development and emergency aid NGO.
Her writing has been published in Granta, Slice, Zyzzyva, Catapult, Guernica, Shenandoah, Times Literary Supplement, Joyland, Sierra Magazine, The Independent, Portland Monthly, The Massachusetts Review, and Dispatches from Annares anthology, among others. Her translation of Yi Sang Award-winning author Choi In-Ho was published in Granta.
She has given lectures and workshops at Arizona State University, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, the University of São Paulo, Seoul International Book Fair, and more.
In addition to writing fiction, Juhea also works with essays and narrative journalism focusing on the environment. She serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Korean Tiger Leopard Conservation Fund. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Art and Archaeology. She lives in London. Follow Juhea on Instagram @juhea_writes.
Profile photo © Bitna Chung
Juhea's second novel, City of Night Birds, is forthcoming in November 2024. She donates a portion of the proceeds of City of Night Birds to Caritas Somalia, a development and emergency aid NGO.
Her writing has been published in Granta, Slice, Zyzzyva, Catapult, Guernica, Shenandoah, Times Literary Supplement, Joyland, Sierra Magazine, The Independent, Portland Monthly, The Massachusetts Review, and Dispatches from Annares anthology, among others. Her translation of Yi Sang Award-winning author Choi In-Ho was published in Granta.
She has given lectures and workshops at Arizona State University, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, the University of São Paulo, Seoul International Book Fair, and more.
In addition to writing fiction, Juhea also works with essays and narrative journalism focusing on the environment. She serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Korean Tiger Leopard Conservation Fund. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Art and Archaeology. She lives in London. Follow Juhea on Instagram @juhea_writes.
Profile photo © Bitna Chung
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,351 reviews
November 20, 2024
For the week I spent reading this, it felt like a gift to exist.
An exceptional book—one that I’m devastated I let myself finish. I truly could have read this, forever.
A revered ballerina returns to the country, and ballet academy, she started her career in, only to find that all of her ghosts have come along with her.
I found myself hooked from the first to the very last line. There is so much about love, art, and legacy within these pages. I especially appreciated how, because we spend many years with these characters, it feels like a life of my own has passed alongside of them. I knew them as well as myself, by the end.
Gorgeous, through and through.
(thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for a review)
An exceptional book—one that I’m devastated I let myself finish. I truly could have read this, forever.
A revered ballerina returns to the country, and ballet academy, she started her career in, only to find that all of her ghosts have come along with her.
I found myself hooked from the first to the very last line. There is so much about love, art, and legacy within these pages. I especially appreciated how, because we spend many years with these characters, it feels like a life of my own has passed alongside of them. I knew them as well as myself, by the end.
Gorgeous, through and through.
(thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for a review)
February 21, 2025
Brava! This is a stunning and accurate portrayal of the competitive world of ballet. Juhea Kim's breathtaking and emotional journey of a principal dancer is an immersive and unforgettable experience. I have longed for ballet to be depicted properly for years, and this is it!
We are introduced to Natalia Leonova, a prima ballerina who has just returned home after a devastating injury forced her to wait in the wings for two years. Now, not only does she need to face the ghosts of her past, she needs to make a decision. Does she return to the stage or leave ballet after dedicating her whole life, body, and soul to this beautiful art? Like most professional ballet dancers, she has sacrificed a normal childhood and relationships to attain her level of artistry.
Kim's poetic and lyrical prose kept me captivated from start to finish. It is powerfully evocative utilizing images of birds throughout from a murder of crows to night birds to the albatross and the swan. There is beauty and grace juxtaposed with chaos, destruction, and tragedy, which parallels Natalia's life and a ballet dancer's journey. Birds taking flight are symbolic of a dancer masterfully performing a variation on stage and becoming an artist. Themes of ambition, loss, love, trust, passion, forgiveness, family, and more make this memorable story worthy of a standing ovation.
We are introduced to Natalia Leonova, a prima ballerina who has just returned home after a devastating injury forced her to wait in the wings for two years. Now, not only does she need to face the ghosts of her past, she needs to make a decision. Does she return to the stage or leave ballet after dedicating her whole life, body, and soul to this beautiful art? Like most professional ballet dancers, she has sacrificed a normal childhood and relationships to attain her level of artistry.
Kim's poetic and lyrical prose kept me captivated from start to finish. It is powerfully evocative utilizing images of birds throughout from a murder of crows to night birds to the albatross and the swan. There is beauty and grace juxtaposed with chaos, destruction, and tragedy, which parallels Natalia's life and a ballet dancer's journey. Birds taking flight are symbolic of a dancer masterfully performing a variation on stage and becoming an artist. Themes of ambition, loss, love, trust, passion, forgiveness, family, and more make this memorable story worthy of a standing ovation.
September 25, 2025
Steeped in the world of ballet (Russian ballet), this novel succeeds on several levels. You definitely get a peek behind the ballet curtains (albeit in a fictional way) and there are love affairs, friendships, marriages, partnerships and frenemies — the dancers moving between the daily grind at the barre also move through each others’ lives.
It’s also a story of artistic obsessions, family communication and secrets, and the grace that comes with maturing and forgiving others, and maybe even forgiving yourself. Plus you’ll learn a ton about ballet, politics, the dance world, and the pull of celebrity.
Not unlike the book, The Favorites which was about ice skating, this book feels the same, but it is definitely more intense and a bit less soap opera-like. Several parts saddened me (unlike The Favorites which never quite touched me that way). ‘
I won’t lie—I’ve had a love for ballet ever since watching Baryshnikov dance The Nut Cracker when I was a young teen. While I still long to have managed more than a year or two of ballet, I see the sacrifices demanded of ballet dancers and realized I would never have made it even close!
It’s also a story of artistic obsessions, family communication and secrets, and the grace that comes with maturing and forgiving others, and maybe even forgiving yourself. Plus you’ll learn a ton about ballet, politics, the dance world, and the pull of celebrity.
Not unlike the book, The Favorites which was about ice skating, this book feels the same, but it is definitely more intense and a bit less soap opera-like. Several parts saddened me (unlike The Favorites which never quite touched me that way). ‘
I won’t lie—I’ve had a love for ballet ever since watching Baryshnikov dance The Nut Cracker when I was a young teen. While I still long to have managed more than a year or two of ballet, I see the sacrifices demanded of ballet dancers and realized I would never have made it even close!
May 26, 2024
City of Night Birds was a very different story from Kim's first work, but it was no less enjoyable. The way the tale wove between past and present, slowly filling in the blanks, worked well. The prose was easy reading yet still descriptive and captivating, and Natalia was a character who caught and held my interest right from the start. I enjoyed the ballet/theatre setting, and, in fact, reading the book made me want to watch some ballet again, as it's been a while since I last saw any live performances of the medium. I am giving this book 4.5 stars. It's well worth a read for those who enjoy contemporary literature with a strong character/psychological focus.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2025
apologies in advance to whoever picked this for book club, but jesus christ, what was the POINT? I kept waiting for it, with ever diminishing hope, and it never came.
so many pointless plot threads. (at one point she starts like, having hallucinations and it seems like it’s going to be a big deal and then it just…fizzles out??) couldn’t be bothered with clearly keeping track of past versus present because everything was the same level of monotonous. (note that even the goodreads blurb has no idea what to put in terms of the basic premise and therefore vastly overshoots, because, well, uh, what is the arc here? yeah, exactly.) like, give me any plot point in this book and I could not tell you with any degree of certainty whether we were in russia or france lmao.
an aging, injured, obsessive ballerina? oh, and she’s russian? groundbreaking. (this book feels so unmoored from time and then out of nowhere we’re talking about, like, the annexation of crimea, or iphones, or the invasion of ukraine, and I’m like, OH, RIGHT, this isn’t…guadagnino’s suspiria remake or whatever.)
why should I care about this woman??? because she’s a good dancer? I’ve never seen her dance!!! so being told she can jump really high (in spite of her—GASP—GREEK FEET) is not enough to make me care!!!!! and baby, if EVER there were a situation where your soul-rending heartache could be solved by , it’s this one—although at one point??? was I hallucinating????
not incompetent on a technical level, but god, this is not doing any favors for the reputation of literary fiction as a genre. and, WAIT, FUCK, this is so funny, I was about to say, “sadly, I’ve never read beasts of a little land—a book many readers claim to be better than this one—and now I never will,” only then I looked it up on goodreads and realized that I HAVE IN FACT READ IT, some three years ago, also for book club, and had since entirely purged the memory from my brain. scream. I’m so sorry juhea kim. your writing and I just weren’t destined to be soulmates <3
so many pointless plot threads. (at one point she starts like, having hallucinations and it seems like it’s going to be a big deal and then it just…fizzles out??) couldn’t be bothered with clearly keeping track of past versus present because everything was the same level of monotonous. (note that even the goodreads blurb has no idea what to put in terms of the basic premise and therefore vastly overshoots, because, well, uh, what is the arc here? yeah, exactly.) like, give me any plot point in this book and I could not tell you with any degree of certainty whether we were in russia or france lmao.
an aging, injured, obsessive ballerina? oh, and she’s russian? groundbreaking. (this book feels so unmoored from time and then out of nowhere we’re talking about, like, the annexation of crimea, or iphones, or the invasion of ukraine, and I’m like, OH, RIGHT, this isn’t…guadagnino’s suspiria remake or whatever.)
why should I care about this woman??? because she’s a good dancer? I’ve never seen her dance!!! so being told she can jump really high (in spite of her—GASP—GREEK FEET) is not enough to make me care!!!!! and baby, if EVER there were a situation where your soul-rending heartache could be solved by , it’s this one—although at one point??? was I hallucinating????
not incompetent on a technical level, but god, this is not doing any favors for the reputation of literary fiction as a genre. and, WAIT, FUCK, this is so funny, I was about to say, “sadly, I’ve never read beasts of a little land—a book many readers claim to be better than this one—and now I never will,” only then I looked it up on goodreads and realized that I HAVE IN FACT READ IT, some three years ago, also for book club, and had since entirely purged the memory from my brain. scream. I’m so sorry juhea kim. your writing and I just weren’t destined to be soulmates <3
April 8, 2025
A beautiful book about artistry, coming-of-age, dance, and ambition describing the making of a dancer with profound intimacy and breathtaking scope.
Prima ballerina Natalia Leonova was once celebrated across the world, but at the top of her career, an accident forces her into sudden retirement.
Jumping back in time to the start of Natasha’s love for ballet, this books vividly shows the ruthless ambition, precious friendships, and desire of someone so enamoured with her art, she becomes trapped by it.
As an ex-competitive dancer myself (obviously not to this level), Kim put into words something that I’ve always felt but never been able to express, except in my own action of dancing.
What stood out to me was Natasha’s sole focus on her passion. Her obsessive nature grated and exhausted her and others without a proper focus. While this can be a strength in such a driven world, it can also cause your downfall - isolation, poor self-confidence and worth, an unhealthy relationship with food, exercise, and your self-care.
“I don't think any dance is just movement. No art is pure abstraction. There is always meaning behind it.”
I always find myself disappointed by fictional books writing about dance as it never feels realistic. To me, this was authentic and intimately real.
Don’t go into this expecting a sports romance. This is more lit fic.
The second half gets more political, bringing in the war between Russia and Ukraine. I think this might alienate some readers (why the sudden change in tone, pace, tension). However, I do think this is a very relevant element to consider.
Can we separate art and politics? The artist from the political? The artist from the art?
How can we condone enjoying art, spending money, time, resources, when people are dying?
The romance was not the biggest tension for me. Similarly, the present plot line didn’t grab me as much as Natasha’s initial rise.
This was very nearly a five stars except for me not buying into the romance and relationship.
“People think loving someone means letting them be who they are. What a widespread lie that is. Love doesn't set anyone free. Art does."
Beautiful descriptions of both dance, atmosphere, place, and the intricacies of relationships, this was breathtaking.
Thank you to Oneworld publications for sending me the physical arc in exchange for a review. My cover is very different to this one shown here and I hope that is released to the public.
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Prima ballerina Natalia Leonova was once celebrated across the world, but at the top of her career, an accident forces her into sudden retirement.
Jumping back in time to the start of Natasha’s love for ballet, this books vividly shows the ruthless ambition, precious friendships, and desire of someone so enamoured with her art, she becomes trapped by it.
As an ex-competitive dancer myself (obviously not to this level), Kim put into words something that I’ve always felt but never been able to express, except in my own action of dancing.
What stood out to me was Natasha’s sole focus on her passion. Her obsessive nature grated and exhausted her and others without a proper focus. While this can be a strength in such a driven world, it can also cause your downfall - isolation, poor self-confidence and worth, an unhealthy relationship with food, exercise, and your self-care.
“I don't think any dance is just movement. No art is pure abstraction. There is always meaning behind it.”
I always find myself disappointed by fictional books writing about dance as it never feels realistic. To me, this was authentic and intimately real.
Don’t go into this expecting a sports romance. This is more lit fic.
The second half gets more political, bringing in the war between Russia and Ukraine. I think this might alienate some readers (why the sudden change in tone, pace, tension). However, I do think this is a very relevant element to consider.
Can we separate art and politics? The artist from the political? The artist from the art?
How can we condone enjoying art, spending money, time, resources, when people are dying?
The romance was not the biggest tension for me. Similarly, the present plot line didn’t grab me as much as Natasha’s initial rise.
This was very nearly a five stars except for me not buying into the romance and relationship.
“People think loving someone means letting them be who they are. What a widespread lie that is. Love doesn't set anyone free. Art does."
Beautiful descriptions of both dance, atmosphere, place, and the intricacies of relationships, this was breathtaking.
Thank you to Oneworld publications for sending me the physical arc in exchange for a review. My cover is very different to this one shown here and I hope that is released to the public.
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December 13, 2024
Natalia dreams of a return to dance—maybe. Sidelined by an injury that forced her early retirement, she didn't expect another chance. But here she has it, back in St. Petersburg, where she trained and where she did not plan to return. And she isn't sure she wants it.
City of Night Birds takes us through Natalia's training and career, and gradually we learn more about what led to her injury and her broader choices and why she is back in St. Petersburg. Let's talk about the book, and let's talk about the book in the context of Russia in 2024.
The book:
I'm intrigued by the contemporary setting here. More on that later, but most of the fiction I've read about Russia, ballet or no ballet, is historical fiction about the USSR. For Natalia, though the state still plays a...significant role...in her life, it does not quite have the overt fingers in every pie that Soviet Russia did. That interests me in part, I think, because theoretically Natalia has options; she basically goes into ballet as a strong dancer and never falters, but if she had quit ballet at some earlier point, she wouldn't be punish-assigned to a life of drudgery; she'd be able to at least attempt a new career path.
I'm less interested, it must be said, in her success after success after success. Having read dozens of contemporary ballet memoirs, and a fair amount of fiction besides, I'm finding that what interests me more are the books about dancers who are good but not great, or even who are great but not celebrated. Natalia never has to choose between two second-rate job offers, or to come to the realization that she just can't reach the heights she hopes for (even returning from injury, her capabilities are limited more by depression and grief than by anything else.
This is a fairly slow-moving book. I'd say that it's character-driven, but I really wished we had character development from more characters than Natalia. Her romances fell flat to me, partly because her paramours are never really developed beyond a sketch and a prayer—we get an impression of who they are, and then I think we're supposed to trust that that's enough. (The man with whom Natalia spends a huge chunk of the book: What is their relationship based on? Is Natalia supposed to be flattered that he dicks around until he meets her and decides to make her an exception, seemingly because she is more talented than his short-term flings?) A later romance strikes me as quite sad in the way neither character is interested in (or interested in hearing about) their partner's interests; there's a point to be made about not being in the same claustrophobic world, but it's not fleshed out, so it feels more pointed than...than natural extension of the story, I guess.
The other thing I'm intrigued by: I remember this day. Every moment of one's life is the beginning of the end in some way; every decision you make is a death of other possibilities. But this is the point that divides my life into before and after, a cleave line that easily breaks a diamond in half. When all the dominos of my life were lined up, ready to fall. (loc. 2247*) It's a nice quote, but I'm interested mostly because while the language is very different, the sentiment is almost exactly the same as one expressed in Maya and Natasha, another Russian (USSR, in this case) ballet book coming out soon. No weird implications here—no reason to think it's anything other than coincidence—but fascinating how similar the sentiments yet how different the circumstances in the two books.
The book in the context of Russia in 2024:
Kim's first book was published in December of 2021, shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I can't say when she started writing City of Night Birds, but if I had to guess I'd think it was either before that invasion and the ensuing war, or it was early enough in the war that Kim thought it would all be long over by the time the book was published. That...is not the case.
On the one hand it's interesting to see something about ballet in contemporary Russia. On the other hand, it is really, really hard to write fiction in the shadow of an ongoing conflict—ongoing in real life and ongoing in the book—in a way that feels intentional and respectful. And this does not hit the mark.
Again: I'm guessing that Kim did not set out to write a book dealing directly with war. And people are not state, and the characters in this book are not generally aggressors, and I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with writing something that is...let's say set in a politically problematic place. But it's hard to see a major character stubbornly express public support for Russia in (I think) 2014 in the book, and to see Natalia's reaction be, basically, "This is not great but can't art be apolitical?" The way that character's arc plays out, and the casual mention at the end of the book of "the end of the war" (which, in the book, has apparently come to pass), leave me with the impression that the war was shoehorned into the book late in the day because, well, it hasn't ended yet.
Can you write a book set in an aggressor country in and about a time period when that country is doing terrible things? Sure. Writers in the US do it all the time. Some of them even do it well. But...I am left wishing Kim had gone for a different timeline here, or set the book somewhere else altogether. 2.5 stars.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
City of Night Birds takes us through Natalia's training and career, and gradually we learn more about what led to her injury and her broader choices and why she is back in St. Petersburg. Let's talk about the book, and let's talk about the book in the context of Russia in 2024.
The book:
I'm intrigued by the contemporary setting here. More on that later, but most of the fiction I've read about Russia, ballet or no ballet, is historical fiction about the USSR. For Natalia, though the state still plays a...significant role...in her life, it does not quite have the overt fingers in every pie that Soviet Russia did. That interests me in part, I think, because theoretically Natalia has options; she basically goes into ballet as a strong dancer and never falters, but if she had quit ballet at some earlier point, she wouldn't be punish-assigned to a life of drudgery; she'd be able to at least attempt a new career path.
I'm less interested, it must be said, in her success after success after success. Having read dozens of contemporary ballet memoirs, and a fair amount of fiction besides, I'm finding that what interests me more are the books about dancers who are good but not great, or even who are great but not celebrated. Natalia never has to choose between two second-rate job offers, or to come to the realization that she just can't reach the heights she hopes for (even returning from injury, her capabilities are limited more by depression and grief than by anything else.
This is a fairly slow-moving book. I'd say that it's character-driven, but I really wished we had character development from more characters than Natalia. Her romances fell flat to me, partly because her paramours are never really developed beyond a sketch and a prayer—we get an impression of who they are, and then I think we're supposed to trust that that's enough. (The man with whom Natalia spends a huge chunk of the book: What is their relationship based on? Is Natalia supposed to be flattered that he dicks around until he meets her and decides to make her an exception, seemingly because she is more talented than his short-term flings?) A later romance strikes me as quite sad in the way neither character is interested in (or interested in hearing about) their partner's interests; there's a point to be made about not being in the same claustrophobic world, but it's not fleshed out, so it feels more pointed than...than natural extension of the story, I guess.
The other thing I'm intrigued by: I remember this day. Every moment of one's life is the beginning of the end in some way; every decision you make is a death of other possibilities. But this is the point that divides my life into before and after, a cleave line that easily breaks a diamond in half. When all the dominos of my life were lined up, ready to fall. (loc. 2247*) It's a nice quote, but I'm interested mostly because while the language is very different, the sentiment is almost exactly the same as one expressed in Maya and Natasha, another Russian (USSR, in this case) ballet book coming out soon. No weird implications here—no reason to think it's anything other than coincidence—but fascinating how similar the sentiments yet how different the circumstances in the two books.
The book in the context of Russia in 2024:
Kim's first book was published in December of 2021, shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I can't say when she started writing City of Night Birds, but if I had to guess I'd think it was either before that invasion and the ensuing war, or it was early enough in the war that Kim thought it would all be long over by the time the book was published. That...is not the case.
On the one hand it's interesting to see something about ballet in contemporary Russia. On the other hand, it is really, really hard to write fiction in the shadow of an ongoing conflict—ongoing in real life and ongoing in the book—in a way that feels intentional and respectful. And this does not hit the mark.
Again: I'm guessing that Kim did not set out to write a book dealing directly with war. And people are not state, and the characters in this book are not generally aggressors, and I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with writing something that is...let's say set in a politically problematic place. But it's hard to see a major character stubbornly express public support for Russia in (I think) 2014 in the book, and to see Natalia's reaction be, basically, "This is not great but can't art be apolitical?" The way that character's arc plays out, and the casual mention at the end of the book of "the end of the war" (which, in the book, has apparently come to pass), leave me with the impression that the war was shoehorned into the book late in the day because, well, it hasn't ended yet.
Can you write a book set in an aggressor country in and about a time period when that country is doing terrible things? Sure. Writers in the US do it all the time. Some of them even do it well. But...I am left wishing Kim had gone for a different timeline here, or set the book somewhere else altogether. 2.5 stars.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
February 22, 2025
I give up ... This is so boring
December 29, 2024
I absolutely loved this author’s first book, Beasts of a Little Land, so I was super exciting to dive in this book. This book is a bit slower and harder to get into but once I was in the middle of it I couldn’t stop reading. It’s so beautifully written with so many beautiful sentences that it is a book meant to be read slowly so you have time to think and absorb the writings. Consider me a fan anxiously awaiting her next novel.
October 19, 2024
[2.5/5 stars]
Natalia Leonova was once a celebrated prima ballerina, now struggling with addiction after a devastating accident. When she returns to St. Petersburg, she is unexpectedly given a chance to dance again in her signature role, however, she also has to face people from the past.
Kim invites one to dive in the world of ballet - beneath the apparent glamour and glory, the story is laden with determination, sacrifices and self-discipline of ballerinas while they deal with betrayals, pressures and toxic relationships. There's a vivid portrayal of the obsession with art, in the way the depths of unhealthy devotion and egocentrism can manipulate one. Kim examines body image, expectations, fame, love and mother-daughter relationship through moments of introspection; and ultimately will leave one questioning the true cost of ambition. One can feel Kim's personal connection with the story as a lifelong dancer and a balletomane, the care put into the narrative translated into details and descriptive writing style.
Having said that, unfortunately my issue with this book is the lack of attachment and cohesion. The flamboyant touch reads like a straightforward storyline, devoid of much tension and falling short at exposing the complexity of the ballet world. Perhaps I was expecting a metaphorical imagery of ballet, instead, the story has a more realistic approach of people impacted by ballet, which is not to say that I don't appreciate it, yet even if this stays true to reality, I felt a certain disconnection with the characters, whose one-dimensional relationships (including the romantic interactions) were unconvincing. While the protagonist goes through many tribulations, the things seem to come too easily due to her talent and too often I wished for her to just move on.
CITY OF NIGHT BIRDS is a unique coming-of-age story about the tribulations of life of a ballerina conveyed through a character study. Vastly distinct from her debut novel, those who love a ballet world or are passionate about art will appreciate this novel more.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Ecco books . All thoughts are my own ]
Natalia Leonova was once a celebrated prima ballerina, now struggling with addiction after a devastating accident. When she returns to St. Petersburg, she is unexpectedly given a chance to dance again in her signature role, however, she also has to face people from the past.
Kim invites one to dive in the world of ballet - beneath the apparent glamour and glory, the story is laden with determination, sacrifices and self-discipline of ballerinas while they deal with betrayals, pressures and toxic relationships. There's a vivid portrayal of the obsession with art, in the way the depths of unhealthy devotion and egocentrism can manipulate one. Kim examines body image, expectations, fame, love and mother-daughter relationship through moments of introspection; and ultimately will leave one questioning the true cost of ambition. One can feel Kim's personal connection with the story as a lifelong dancer and a balletomane, the care put into the narrative translated into details and descriptive writing style.
Having said that, unfortunately my issue with this book is the lack of attachment and cohesion. The flamboyant touch reads like a straightforward storyline, devoid of much tension and falling short at exposing the complexity of the ballet world. Perhaps I was expecting a metaphorical imagery of ballet, instead, the story has a more realistic approach of people impacted by ballet, which is not to say that I don't appreciate it, yet even if this stays true to reality, I felt a certain disconnection with the characters, whose one-dimensional relationships (including the romantic interactions) were unconvincing. While the protagonist goes through many tribulations, the things seem to come too easily due to her talent and too often I wished for her to just move on.
CITY OF NIGHT BIRDS is a unique coming-of-age story about the tribulations of life of a ballerina conveyed through a character study. Vastly distinct from her debut novel, those who love a ballet world or are passionate about art will appreciate this novel more.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Ecco books . All thoughts are my own ]
December 20, 2024
I wrote 3 pages of quotes I loved. This book was wonderful expression of art dance love tragedy death and life. Wonderful book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 27, 2024
City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim is an absolutely captivating book!
I loved Juhea's first book, Beasts of a Little Land, and right from the beginning of this one, I recognized her gorgeous writing style. It is so uniquely hers, in the beautiful descriptions that make me want to savor every phrase, but at the same time make me eager to devour the story. I love that City of Night Birds is about ballet, which I adore both to watch and to accompany from the orchestra pit. As I read this story, my brain fills in the soundtrack, and it brings back fond memories of ballet music I've performed, in particular Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, in which I played tenor sax. 🎶🎷🩰
Natalia Leonova (Natasha) and Seryozha, childhood neighbors, end up studying at the same elite dance school. Juhea's gorgeous prose drew me into the enrapturing world of ballet. Natasha sacrifices so much - her physical snd mental health - in pursuit of perfection. Friends and lovers come and go, but she is so damaged, and so single-minded in her devotion to dance, she has difficulty making lasting connections. The viciously competitive world of ballet makes it hard to trust any other dancers. She falls in love with Alexander (Sasha), one of her co-stars, and they have a passionate and volatile relationship. Natasha is pushed and pulled around my Sasha and by Dmitri, a treacherous snake who likely sweats poison when he dances.
All artists suffer for their art, to some degree, but ballet is a particularly demanding art form in the pain it demands its dancers to endure, the fragility of the body and the shortness of dancers' careers. Juhea, an amateur dancer, brings her personal love of ballet to the story.
I enjoyed this book so thoroughly that as soon as I finished it, I was tempted to go right back to the beginning and start again!
Thank you to Ecco Books and Harper Collins Publishers for a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.
I loved Juhea's first book, Beasts of a Little Land, and right from the beginning of this one, I recognized her gorgeous writing style. It is so uniquely hers, in the beautiful descriptions that make me want to savor every phrase, but at the same time make me eager to devour the story. I love that City of Night Birds is about ballet, which I adore both to watch and to accompany from the orchestra pit. As I read this story, my brain fills in the soundtrack, and it brings back fond memories of ballet music I've performed, in particular Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, in which I played tenor sax. 🎶🎷🩰
Natalia Leonova (Natasha) and Seryozha, childhood neighbors, end up studying at the same elite dance school. Juhea's gorgeous prose drew me into the enrapturing world of ballet. Natasha sacrifices so much - her physical snd mental health - in pursuit of perfection. Friends and lovers come and go, but she is so damaged, and so single-minded in her devotion to dance, she has difficulty making lasting connections. The viciously competitive world of ballet makes it hard to trust any other dancers. She falls in love with Alexander (Sasha), one of her co-stars, and they have a passionate and volatile relationship. Natasha is pushed and pulled around my Sasha and by Dmitri, a treacherous snake who likely sweats poison when he dances.
All artists suffer for their art, to some degree, but ballet is a particularly demanding art form in the pain it demands its dancers to endure, the fragility of the body and the shortness of dancers' careers. Juhea, an amateur dancer, brings her personal love of ballet to the story.
I enjoyed this book so thoroughly that as soon as I finished it, I was tempted to go right back to the beginning and start again!
Thank you to Ecco Books and Harper Collins Publishers for a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.
December 10, 2024
After reading Juhea Kim’s debut novel, Beasts of a Little Land, I was highly anticipating another novel from her. City of Birds did not disappoint. It was very different from Beasts, which admittedly I probably would not have picked up at first glance. I know nothing about the Russian ballet or any ballet for that matter, and it doesn’t particularly peak my interest. But of course, being a novel by Juhea Kim, I had to read it. I am glad I trusted Juhea Kim to deliver a superb novel. I didn’t think I could love City of Night Birds more than Beasts, but I do. After reading Beasts and City, I am convinced Juhea Kim can write absolutely ANYTHING and I will not only read it, but I will LOVE it.
Breathtaking, addictive, passionate. I read City of Night Birds so fast, I just could not put it down. The writing is simply beautiful (as is always the case with Juhea Kim) the story a work of art, and characters that were so complex yet relatable. I was completely immersed in this novel and ruthless world of ballet. But I do want to say, this book is so much more than that. It wasn’t just about ballet: it’s also about art as a whole and its significance or relevance in a world on fire so to speak. It’s also about a woman’s journey, redemption, and love. Truly, Juhea Kim and City of Night Birds deserve a standing ovation.
Breathtaking, addictive, passionate. I read City of Night Birds so fast, I just could not put it down. The writing is simply beautiful (as is always the case with Juhea Kim) the story a work of art, and characters that were so complex yet relatable. I was completely immersed in this novel and ruthless world of ballet. But I do want to say, this book is so much more than that. It wasn’t just about ballet: it’s also about art as a whole and its significance or relevance in a world on fire so to speak. It’s also about a woman’s journey, redemption, and love. Truly, Juhea Kim and City of Night Birds deserve a standing ovation.
November 8, 2024
Natalia Leonova’s life is changed forever when a Prima ballerina is visiting her mother’s seamstress business and makes note of her exceptional jumps. Against her mother’s advice she enters tryouts for the local academy, it’s not her exceptional talent that gets her an in but her severe and perilous drive, a ballerina is born.
But nothing is that simple , Natalia is driven, she works hard, she is impossible, her passion is unmatched and as the pages of City of Night Birds unfolds we are taken on an intimate journey through the life of Natalia, prima ballerina in the Russian Ballet and then Paris. With alternating timelines between past and present, we watch her journey unfold coming to a precipice as we find out what ended her career too soon, but is it really over?
This story was enthralling, fascinating, magical even, entering the life of a coveted ballerina in politically charged Russia. The scope and passion of Kim’s writing is written from a place of personal experience and missed dreams, it shows, there is a level of passion in the writing as well as a believability at the very unique and small world a ballerina orbits.
Natalia our main character carried herself on confidence and drive, I loved that her talent wasn’t innate but ingrained deliberately. When main characters grapple with life over love over passion we get caught up in a story that is compelling because we all have an opinion of the path she should choose. The whole time reading Natalia surprised me at every turn. Kim doesn’t shy away from discomfort and this story is voracious and brash I was enamoured start to finish.
But nothing is that simple , Natalia is driven, she works hard, she is impossible, her passion is unmatched and as the pages of City of Night Birds unfolds we are taken on an intimate journey through the life of Natalia, prima ballerina in the Russian Ballet and then Paris. With alternating timelines between past and present, we watch her journey unfold coming to a precipice as we find out what ended her career too soon, but is it really over?
This story was enthralling, fascinating, magical even, entering the life of a coveted ballerina in politically charged Russia. The scope and passion of Kim’s writing is written from a place of personal experience and missed dreams, it shows, there is a level of passion in the writing as well as a believability at the very unique and small world a ballerina orbits.
Natalia our main character carried herself on confidence and drive, I loved that her talent wasn’t innate but ingrained deliberately. When main characters grapple with life over love over passion we get caught up in a story that is compelling because we all have an opinion of the path she should choose. The whole time reading Natalia surprised me at every turn. Kim doesn’t shy away from discomfort and this story is voracious and brash I was enamoured start to finish.
December 12, 2024
Don't waste your time with this "book"
January 8, 2025
This book is a contemporary/historical fiction about ballet, struggles of prima ballerinas and performing artists. I would say this is a good read if you are into “dance” books, speak Russian or interested in Russian art culture/scene. This book is not bad but not great.
Overall, the book is amazingly written. HOWEVER, I read in a post published by the author on RBC that her editor advised against writing a ballet book and IMO, she should have taken this advice.
I don’t think this is her best work, and I personally will feel less inclined to read any of her other books.
Personally, I feel the book is too long to get to the plot, and has unnecessary parts to the storyline. I find a lot should have been edited out. I love her writing style, but this book didn’t do it for me due to the unnecessary parts, ending isn’t really shocking and predictable, and I find that the back and forth between the different time periods of the story gets very confusing. After a while, I find that we lose the momentum of the story by trying to remember who, what, when? What’s happening now? Without mentioning the different Russian names and nicknames - this might make sense to someone who is a native speaker or knows a lot about the language and culture, but for others, it’s not that obvious. I didn’t know that Natalia = Natasha, Alexander = Sasha. Also the author includes Russian, French words here and there but the translation is not included? I speak French so I understood everything but I don’t speak Russian, was I suppose to Google the words every time? It gets confusing and tiresome.
Overall, the book is amazingly written. HOWEVER, I read in a post published by the author on RBC that her editor advised against writing a ballet book and IMO, she should have taken this advice.
I don’t think this is her best work, and I personally will feel less inclined to read any of her other books.
Personally, I feel the book is too long to get to the plot, and has unnecessary parts to the storyline. I find a lot should have been edited out. I love her writing style, but this book didn’t do it for me due to the unnecessary parts, ending isn’t really shocking and predictable, and I find that the back and forth between the different time periods of the story gets very confusing. After a while, I find that we lose the momentum of the story by trying to remember who, what, when? What’s happening now? Without mentioning the different Russian names and nicknames - this might make sense to someone who is a native speaker or knows a lot about the language and culture, but for others, it’s not that obvious. I didn’t know that Natalia = Natasha, Alexander = Sasha. Also the author includes Russian, French words here and there but the translation is not included? I speak French so I understood everything but I don’t speak Russian, was I suppose to Google the words every time? It gets confusing and tiresome.
January 11, 2025
The book starts out promising. It has a cool premise and the writing is descriptive. Unfortunately, the story is dull and lacks momentum. Natalia is so talented that she never has to put in much work. It's one victory lap after another. As a result, it's hard to stay invested. I also think it's a mistake to include Russia's invasion of Crimea and Ukraine in the story. The author doesn't have much to say and ends up skirting around the topic anyway. Admittedly, no one would be happy no matter what she does. Still, she would've been better off had she just set the book in another period. My last complaint is that the ending is such a copout and doesn't feel earned. It's as though the author is too lazy to write out what happen so she includes a timeskip instead.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Ecco for a free review copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Ecco for a free review copy.
December 28, 2024
2.5 stars
Bored me to tears. Too much ballet (well, duh, in a book about a prima ballerina), and a decidedly anti-climactic reveal of the life-changing thing that wrecked her life two years before.
Bored me to tears. Too much ballet (well, duh, in a book about a prima ballerina), and a decidedly anti-climactic reveal of the life-changing thing that wrecked her life two years before.
May 2, 2025
City of Night Birds opens in the present day with a flight to St. Petersburg—a homecoming for world-famous ballerina Natalia (also called Natasha) Leonova. Ever since an accident stalled her career two years previously, the once preternaturally talented and ambitious Natalia now spends her time numbing her pain with pills and alcohol, imagining that her days of dancing are behind her. When she lands in her old hometown, however, she receives an invitation to return to the stage as Giselle, her signature role—an offer so tempting that she accepts despite the fact that it comes from Dmitri, a peer she has cause to be wary of.
Read the rest of my review HERE on BookBrowse and an article I wrote on Giselle HERE.
Read the rest of my review HERE on BookBrowse and an article I wrote on Giselle HERE.
September 12, 2025
Absolutely loved this. Addictive and compulsive like The Queen’s Gambit, but with ballet 😍
March 8, 2025
at its best when talking about ballet; at its worse when a man is involved
July 27, 2025
Read to 38%.
*Le sigh*. I guess I should have expected this in a book about ballet. I was really enjoying this one… moody, reflective, thoughtful. But then there had to be a background character at 38% who is a gay man who “likes boys”. So disappointing.
One other flaw in that the narrative often switches between the current timeline and reflection on the past without warning, which can be confusing.
*Le sigh*. I guess I should have expected this in a book about ballet. I was really enjoying this one… moody, reflective, thoughtful. But then there had to be a background character at 38% who is a gay man who “likes boys”. So disappointing.
One other flaw in that the narrative often switches between the current timeline and reflection on the past without warning, which can be confusing.
December 10, 2024
City of Night Birds by Jukea Kim is everything I hoped for a so much more. This novel appealed to my nostalgia as a dancer practicing ballet in the 1980s because is brought back so many memories of ballet, performances, politics, white nights, Baryshnikov and similar leading men.
Natalia Leonova is presented in two timelines – one as a rising star at Mariinsky (and its “rivalry” with Bolshoi) and one as a prima ballerina coming back from a devastating injury and a more devastating broken heart. I find myself drawn to stories with strong characters but Natalia and her classmates at Mariinsky are presented as stereotypically Russian, meaning there is a distance that is cultural and protective. It is how I remember the Russian performers when I was younger, and I developed an affinity for Natalia, Nina, Sofiya, Seryozha, and Sasha. (If you get a chance, I recommend watching Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines in White Nights for a glimpse into Russian politics, ballet and its performers.)
“When you have more life ahead than behind, dreams are more real than reality.”
Natalia was raised by her single mother, a seamstress for Mariinsky, but was unable to develop a real bond as her mother was ruined by the abandonment by Natalia’s father. However, she was close with her “aunt” Sveta, a ballerina and her closest confidant throughout her life. She shows promising ballerina characteristics without training and is accepted to the school, where she rises in the ranks. Soon she is winning a grand prix and being recruited in Paris. Throughout her career, Natalia is plagued by trust issues. Her fellow dancers make varying life choices, and she questions hers at every turn. However, her determination and discovery of herself help her find her way.
“Who are the people we truly love? I don’t think it’s people we like, but the ones we keep thinking about. I have met scores of wonderful people, men and women, with whom I shared intimacies, laughter, goodwill – and then never thought about again after I moved on to the next theater and engagement …They hadn’t taken up any room inside of me. Then some others occupy a huge part of your mind, and your heart, for years and maybe your whole life. Maybe they take up space inside your soul, so you can never really lose them without losing yourself, too.”
Kim creates beautifully accurate worlds of ballet at the highest level in both Moscow and Paris. She has written breathtaking and very flawed characters that comprise the seemingly harsh dance world, and yet shows that the hardest and ugliest of characters can ultimately be the most understanding. Natalia’s life story is woven with threads of stories from her parents and her friends. I would like to have known more about some of the characters like Sveta, Sofiya and Léon, but they appeared when Natalia needed them, which I guess was sort of the point. This is a story about finding yourself and ballet. There are some mentions of the political history of Russia and the Ukraine, but historical perspective is not the aim of this novel.
“No matter how great a work of art is, it comes to an end. In fact, in order to be great, it must end. But life never comes to an end. When one thread is knotted, even when another is broken, it continues weaving together to an everlasting music so that the whole of it can only be seem from the height of infinity.”
Thank you to HarperCollins Press for the ARC of this book through NetGalley, which I received for my honest review. Any quoted or excerpted material in this review may differ from the final published edition.
Natalia Leonova is presented in two timelines – one as a rising star at Mariinsky (and its “rivalry” with Bolshoi) and one as a prima ballerina coming back from a devastating injury and a more devastating broken heart. I find myself drawn to stories with strong characters but Natalia and her classmates at Mariinsky are presented as stereotypically Russian, meaning there is a distance that is cultural and protective. It is how I remember the Russian performers when I was younger, and I developed an affinity for Natalia, Nina, Sofiya, Seryozha, and Sasha. (If you get a chance, I recommend watching Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines in White Nights for a glimpse into Russian politics, ballet and its performers.)
“When you have more life ahead than behind, dreams are more real than reality.”
Natalia was raised by her single mother, a seamstress for Mariinsky, but was unable to develop a real bond as her mother was ruined by the abandonment by Natalia’s father. However, she was close with her “aunt” Sveta, a ballerina and her closest confidant throughout her life. She shows promising ballerina characteristics without training and is accepted to the school, where she rises in the ranks. Soon she is winning a grand prix and being recruited in Paris. Throughout her career, Natalia is plagued by trust issues. Her fellow dancers make varying life choices, and she questions hers at every turn. However, her determination and discovery of herself help her find her way.
“Who are the people we truly love? I don’t think it’s people we like, but the ones we keep thinking about. I have met scores of wonderful people, men and women, with whom I shared intimacies, laughter, goodwill – and then never thought about again after I moved on to the next theater and engagement …They hadn’t taken up any room inside of me. Then some others occupy a huge part of your mind, and your heart, for years and maybe your whole life. Maybe they take up space inside your soul, so you can never really lose them without losing yourself, too.”
Kim creates beautifully accurate worlds of ballet at the highest level in both Moscow and Paris. She has written breathtaking and very flawed characters that comprise the seemingly harsh dance world, and yet shows that the hardest and ugliest of characters can ultimately be the most understanding. Natalia’s life story is woven with threads of stories from her parents and her friends. I would like to have known more about some of the characters like Sveta, Sofiya and Léon, but they appeared when Natalia needed them, which I guess was sort of the point. This is a story about finding yourself and ballet. There are some mentions of the political history of Russia and the Ukraine, but historical perspective is not the aim of this novel.
“No matter how great a work of art is, it comes to an end. In fact, in order to be great, it must end. But life never comes to an end. When one thread is knotted, even when another is broken, it continues weaving together to an everlasting music so that the whole of it can only be seem from the height of infinity.”
Thank you to HarperCollins Press for the ARC of this book through NetGalley, which I received for my honest review. Any quoted or excerpted material in this review may differ from the final published edition.
January 1, 2025
I have always been intrigued by the world of ballet, particularly Russian ballet, and this novel satisfied my intrigue wonderfully. The main character is Natasha, who trains at the Marinsky (in St. Petersburg), becomes a prima ballerina at the Bolshoi (Moscow) and then moves to Paris to dance as a prima ballerina with the Paris Opera. We first meet Natasha when she has returned to St. Petersburg after an injury and is training to dance again. From there the story moves back and forth in time. We see Natasha as a child, a teenager, a young woman and a woman in the prime of her dance career – but throughout these life phases, dance is the driving, overwhelming and completely subsuming aspect of Natasha’s life. Of course, there are also men – almost all of them successful dancers, because, after all, who else is she going to meet? The personalities of these men (from arrogant, manipulative to loving) are also formed as a result of their chosen profession of dance.
This novel takes a deep, detailed dive into the world of dance. I learned so much, including details of how a dance company actually works and the various aspects of famous roles, including how dancers interpret those roles. A major underlying theme was the incredible commitment, both mental and physical, that successful dancers make. The novel did not shy away from the deep friendships created by sharing the arduous training and work as well as the keen – and often destructive – competition. If you want a novel with well done characters that portrays the world of dance in all its aspects, this one is for you.
This novel takes a deep, detailed dive into the world of dance. I learned so much, including details of how a dance company actually works and the various aspects of famous roles, including how dancers interpret those roles. A major underlying theme was the incredible commitment, both mental and physical, that successful dancers make. The novel did not shy away from the deep friendships created by sharing the arduous training and work as well as the keen – and often destructive – competition. If you want a novel with well done characters that portrays the world of dance in all its aspects, this one is for you.
December 23, 2024
Stunning, emotional, lyrical, and poetic. Juhea has done it again. City of Night Birds is so full of soul and heart, it is a story I believe that should be read by everyone at least once in their lives.
I truly believe that Juhea has mastered the art of writing “real” characters. They are so full of depth, and raw humanity.
I got the same feeling reading this book as I did when I read “Just Kids” by Patti Smith. Just so very human. It reads like a memoir, though it is fiction.
The dual timeline between Natalia’s past and present weaves the story so seamlessly to itself, and as a reader you have no option besides weaving yourself right into it while you read.
This story is so special to me, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to fully put into words all that it means to me.
I was so graciously gifted an arc copy of City of Night Birds over the summer and had the pleasure of rereading it a couple times before its publishing date!
I highly recommend picking up this book, it’s such a treasure to me and a true time capsule of humanity.
I truly believe that Juhea has mastered the art of writing “real” characters. They are so full of depth, and raw humanity.
I got the same feeling reading this book as I did when I read “Just Kids” by Patti Smith. Just so very human. It reads like a memoir, though it is fiction.
The dual timeline between Natalia’s past and present weaves the story so seamlessly to itself, and as a reader you have no option besides weaving yourself right into it while you read.
This story is so special to me, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to fully put into words all that it means to me.
I was so graciously gifted an arc copy of City of Night Birds over the summer and had the pleasure of rereading it a couple times before its publishing date!
I highly recommend picking up this book, it’s such a treasure to me and a true time capsule of humanity.
August 1, 2025
Natalia Leonova becomes a prima ballerina, working for both Russian and French ballet companies. Abandoned by her father and having a complex relationship with her mother, Natalia becomes extremely dedicated to her art. But “art in its highest form is dangerous.” It is selfish and demands full emotional and physical dedication of the body. Natalia lives to prove everyone wrong about her but it costs her personal life
Every dancer dreads the day, injury and age will prevent him/her from dancing. Natalia’s career is no different- she suffers bunions, bleeding toes, multiple stress fractures but an almost fatal accident causes her to take the longest hiatus of her career. This is when she unravels physically and psychologically, and has to find her way back.
When I started to read this book. I kept thinking of the movies Center Stage and Black Swan. Natalia retells the story of her humble beginnings at Mariinsky Ballet, forming a small group of friends who help each other get through the grueling practices and lessons.
“In ballet, the character between you and the character blurs until you are not even sure what’s real and what’s pretend. Indeed, art of any kind is impossible without its creator believing it’s truer than reality. That’s the difference between art and something merely beautiful.”
This novel was so rich in themes of art, pursuit of perfection, love, loss and the search for self beyond the stage.
Every dancer dreads the day, injury and age will prevent him/her from dancing. Natalia’s career is no different- she suffers bunions, bleeding toes, multiple stress fractures but an almost fatal accident causes her to take the longest hiatus of her career. This is when she unravels physically and psychologically, and has to find her way back.
When I started to read this book. I kept thinking of the movies Center Stage and Black Swan. Natalia retells the story of her humble beginnings at Mariinsky Ballet, forming a small group of friends who help each other get through the grueling practices and lessons.
“In ballet, the character between you and the character blurs until you are not even sure what’s real and what’s pretend. Indeed, art of any kind is impossible without its creator believing it’s truer than reality. That’s the difference between art and something merely beautiful.”
This novel was so rich in themes of art, pursuit of perfection, love, loss and the search for self beyond the stage.
Want to read
November 27, 2024Thank You, Lindsey for posting this as Reese’s December Pick. I love books about Ballet and Ice Skating. I recently finished:
The Favorites by Layne Fargo and really enjoyed that one:
Here is my 4 Star Review. It was about a couple how were competitive Ice Dancers. Ballet is incorporated into the story. Here is my review if anyone is interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So, also got a copy of this book and am looking forward to reading it 💕 ⛸️ 💃
The Favorites by Layne Fargo and really enjoyed that one: Here is my 4 Star Review. It was about a couple how were competitive Ice Dancers. Ballet is incorporated into the story. Here is my review if anyone is interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So, also got a copy of this book and am looking forward to reading it 💕 ⛸️ 💃
February 20, 2025
This was just … incredibly slow paced for my liking, with minimal payoff. It was depressing to say the least and so dull I almost didn’t feel compelled to finish it but yeah I don’t think the author really had anything meaningful to say. The story is just .. there.. like oh things happen and then things happen again.
January 31, 2025
Just read 250 pages building up to revealing this mysterious 'accident' that the main character won't talk to anybody about
The girl crashed her bike on the Arc de Triomphe roundabout
The girl crashed her bike on the Arc de Triomphe roundabout
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2025
*audiobook
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