Clara and Olivia 

By: Lucy Ashe 

Review: 

I knew I wanted to read Clara and Olivia as soon as I heard about it. I was instantly drawn to a tale about the ballet. 

As a dancer in my younger days I am still fascinated by the ballet ad theatre. 

Add to that the elements of suspense and psychological thriller and this really is a must read book. 

I loved the way that the story was interwoven with real life events and people. Samuel and the Freeds were a particular interest to me. The craftsmanship and strength that goes in to creating pointe shoes and the fact that it is one of the best known brands (one I myself used) pulled me in. 

The look behind the scenes of the Vic Wells Ballet was in itself a story worth reading. The addition of romance, lust and control made it an impossible book to put down. 

There were elements of a psychological thriller that made me shiver, combined with the romance and grace of the ballet. 

The author herself used to be a ballet dancer and I feel that this shone through in the book - there was a real feel of authenticity to the way the ballet was written about. Her talents however do not stop there - without a doubt this is a must read book for 2023! 

I was lucky enough to read an advanced digital copy as part of a blog tour for review.