Nocturne Book Review

Nocturne

A Novel

By: Alyssa Wees

Publish Date: 21 February 2023

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Rey

Sci-Fi, Fantasy

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

In this haunting, lyrical fantasy set in 1930s Chicago, a talented ballerina finds herself torn between her dreams and her desires when she’s pursued by a secretive patron who may be more than he seems.

Growing up in Chicago’s Little Sicily in the years following the Great War, Grace Dragotta has always wanted to be a ballerina, ever since she first peered through the windows of the Near North Ballet Company. So when Grace is orphaned, she chooses the ballet as her home, imagining herself forever ensconced in a transcendent world of light and beauty so different from her poor, immigrant upbringing.

Years later, with the Great Depression in full swing, Grace has become the company’s new prima ballerina—though achieving her long-held dream is not the triumph she once envisioned. Time and familiarity have tarnished that shining vision, and her new position means the loss of her best friend in the world. Then she attracts the attention of the enigmatic Master La Rosa as her personal patron, and realizes the world is not as small or constricted as she had come to fear.

Who is her mysterious patron, and what does he want from her? As Grace begins to unlock the Master’s secrets, she discovers that there is beauty in darkness as well as light, finds that true friendship cannot be broken by time or distance, and realizes there may be another way entirely to achieve the transcendence she has always sought.

Book Review:

I wish I could say that I loved this book but I only barely gave it 3 stars. I t started out great with her back story and how to overcame a lot to get where she is now. Then the story turned into something I just had a hard time wrapping my mind around. I’m not saying it was bad but it wasn’t for me.

She has a lot of talent not only for dancing but for the violin. She plays the violin to earn money to get her first pair of ballet slippers and then she gives up the violin. When she joins the Ballet Scholl she has never taken classes and the mistress takes her under her wing and teaches her not only with the class but alone.
She has one friend who also teaches her after hours to help her. She has come a long way and she has earned her spot of prima ballerina when her friend leaves to get married. Then the story starts to turn weird in my mind.

I won’t go into too much detail because it will ruin the story. If you like weird and maybe unbelievable stuff you will like this story.