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Watch Her Fall
***THE TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER***'A dazzling psychological thriller ' Sunday Times' Deliciously sinister and obsessive ... with one hell of a twist ' Observer'Twist follows twist, like The Red Shoes rewritten by Patricia Highsmith' Mail on Sunday'It seems so effortless .. it's brilliant and you really do not guess what's coming' Virgin Radio, Graham Norton'Expect deceit, duplicity and one hell of a twist!' RED'Kelly's best yet ... Genius twists and turns ' Good Housekeeping' Erin Kelly is at the top of her game. A seriously clever, and humane, novel' SARAH VAUGHANI WATCHED HER RISEAva has devoted her life to being the best at what she does. Now she's at the top, she has the world at her feet.I TRACKED HER EVERY MOVEExcept, the feeling of success isn't what Ava expected. She's lonely and paranoid - and terrified. Because someone is watching her. A rival who wants what she has and is prepared to kill to get it.AND NOW I'LL WATCH HER FALLFURTHER PRAISE :'Kelly's depiction of this claustrophobic and ambitious world is brutally convincing ... You don't have to be a dance expert to enjoy it' Daily Mail'Psychological crime is the speciality of Erin Kelly, and Watch Her Fall is a prime example of her work ... bravura fare' Barry Forshaw, Financial Times'A captivating hall of mirrors of a novel, where nothing and no one is as they seem' PAULA HAWKINS'From the first page I was wrapped up in Ava's swooping, all-consuming passion and totally gripped by the explosive twists which held me to the very last page' ADELE PARKS'Most ambitious and captivating book to date . . . so thrilling and unexpected that it made my head spin' LISA JEWELL'Watch Her Fall is not only a cleverly plotted, beautifully written thriller; it is also a mesmerising glimpse behind the curtain into a world few of us will ever see' CLARE MACKINTOSH'Superbly dark, gloriously twisted and utterly seductive - this is Erin Kelly at her mind-bending best' RUTH WARE'Beautifully dark and complex. So good!' JANE FALLON'A thrilling high-wire of twists and switchbacks' MARIAN KEYES'The plot twists are abundant, the prose eloquent and vivid' Daily Express
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2021
252 people are currently reading
4,135 people want to read
About the author
Erin Kelly
56books1,577followersErin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998.
She has written for newspapers including the The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
She has written for newspapers including the The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews
November 18, 2021
What a mind f*ck!
4.5 stars
“Our Swan Lake is a thriller.�
Watch Her Fall is a psychological thriller about a ballerina who is the star of an elite ballet company. Having scored the dual role of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, she is under great pressure to dance to perfection. Not only is she battling her controlling father, who is also the company's artistic director, but she is also battling the other ballerinas who would kill for her role.
That is all I am going to say about the plot.It is best to go in blind.
I could have never predicted where this book would go or how it would end. There are several WTF moments; however, to get there, you will have to make it through part I, which is a character study told through the eyes of the main character Ava Kirilova.
Ava makes for an intriguing narrator. She is cold and calculating, but she is also fascinating.
While this book is full of surprising twists and turns, it moves very slowly. Each chapter is a character study. The reader is inside the character’s heads, experiencing the events through their eyes only.
Swan Lake serves as the backdrop to the events of the story. One will not realize who closely elements of the plot mirror Swan Lake until the end.
This is a tense, twisty, and just plain crazy read! If you are not a fan of ballet and/or don’t enjoy slow-paced character studies, this book is not for you. For those who make it through to the end, the payoff is grand!
I received an ARC of this book from Mobius Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
“Our Swan Lake is a thriller.�
Watch Her Fall is a psychological thriller about a ballerina who is the star of an elite ballet company. Having scored the dual role of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, she is under great pressure to dance to perfection. Not only is she battling her controlling father, who is also the company's artistic director, but she is also battling the other ballerinas who would kill for her role.
That is all I am going to say about the plot.It is best to go in blind.
I could have never predicted where this book would go or how it would end. There are several WTF moments; however, to get there, you will have to make it through part I, which is a character study told through the eyes of the main character Ava Kirilova.
Ava makes for an intriguing narrator. She is cold and calculating, but she is also fascinating.
While this book is full of surprising twists and turns, it moves very slowly. Each chapter is a character study. The reader is inside the character’s heads, experiencing the events through their eyes only.
Swan Lake serves as the backdrop to the events of the story. One will not realize who closely elements of the plot mirror Swan Lake until the end.
This is a tense, twisty, and just plain crazy read! If you are not a fan of ballet and/or don’t enjoy slow-paced character studies, this book is not for you. For those who make it through to the end, the payoff is grand!
I received an ARC of this book from Mobius Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2022
Holly hell! When I read the blurb I thought I’m reading more intense version of Black Swan but this is definitely something original, harsh, ultra realistic, mind blowing about the competitive, compelling, physiologically and mentally overwhelming world of ballerinas!
The quote at the beginning is stunning and summarizes everything about the whole story:
“A dancer dies twice- once they stop dancing and this first death is the more painful�
Welcome to London Russian Ballet Theater with its perfectionist, strict director, founder of Nikolai Kirilov, such an ambitious, dedicated soul who performed nearly 60 years and he’s still directing the phenomenal Swan Lake, even though he’s dealing with his health issues, walking with a cane.
Swan Lake: the eternal story of doomed love reflects the dark side of each innocent souls and it’s also about appearance can be deceiving! Nothing as it seems!
In the early productions of Swan Lake, Odette and Odile were performed by two different dancers. But now same dancer usually plays both roles after all, the white and black swans never meet.
Ava is the daughter of Nikolai, thirty years old, experienced ballet who is lucky enough to perform both the virginal Odette and the dark, seductive Odile, this challenging dual role is one of the most coveted in all ballet which dancers would kill for the part!
And as we slowly witness Ava’s inner fears about getting old, being lonely at the top, to be replaced by younger and more talented version of herself, we start to think maybe she’s self sabotaging herself because of too much pressure she’s dealing with and she may envy the new second ballet who will Odette for a few moments gives her shark vibe who smells her blood. But there’s something more ominous lurking around those competitive corridors of theaters. Let’s not forget how Ava’s father plays narcissistic mind games like a puppeteer with his students by pulling their strings!
Maybe somebody is out there, planning to watch Ava’s fall like a hawk!
The book starts too slow and firstly I thought why my favorite goodreads reviewers gave five stars to this book. But after reading acts and focusing on interludes, I thought “okay this is well constructed, multi POVed, truly impressive four starred story� and� yes the bomb exploded! That twist� that freaking twist was game changer!
Those details depictions about how the hierarchy works at the theater, how people dig each other’s graves behind their backs, how the manipulation, inner fears, darkness, lies will be ruin of people made me rethink my grade and of course I rounded up 4.5 stars to 5!
Excuse me but we’re talking about one of the brilliant authors of Broadchurch ( of course I also enjoyed series: they casted freaking brilliant Tennant and Colman as duo) But this book is something so different, so complex, so enigmatic, so clever than my latest thriller readings. This is something refreshing, thrilling, mind bending, extra intelligent!
I’m not spilling any beans! I have no intention to ruin your reading experience! But i’m telling you my friends, don’t you ever dare to add this book to your tbr to get lost in the crowd! Just grab it and start reading and send me thank you notes ( I also accept Magnolia bakery banana pudding or Sprinkles cupcakes as well)
Special thanks to NetGalley and Mobius Boks for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
The quote at the beginning is stunning and summarizes everything about the whole story:
“A dancer dies twice- once they stop dancing and this first death is the more painful�
Welcome to London Russian Ballet Theater with its perfectionist, strict director, founder of Nikolai Kirilov, such an ambitious, dedicated soul who performed nearly 60 years and he’s still directing the phenomenal Swan Lake, even though he’s dealing with his health issues, walking with a cane.
Swan Lake: the eternal story of doomed love reflects the dark side of each innocent souls and it’s also about appearance can be deceiving! Nothing as it seems!
In the early productions of Swan Lake, Odette and Odile were performed by two different dancers. But now same dancer usually plays both roles after all, the white and black swans never meet.
Ava is the daughter of Nikolai, thirty years old, experienced ballet who is lucky enough to perform both the virginal Odette and the dark, seductive Odile, this challenging dual role is one of the most coveted in all ballet which dancers would kill for the part!
And as we slowly witness Ava’s inner fears about getting old, being lonely at the top, to be replaced by younger and more talented version of herself, we start to think maybe she’s self sabotaging herself because of too much pressure she’s dealing with and she may envy the new second ballet who will Odette for a few moments gives her shark vibe who smells her blood. But there’s something more ominous lurking around those competitive corridors of theaters. Let’s not forget how Ava’s father plays narcissistic mind games like a puppeteer with his students by pulling their strings!
Maybe somebody is out there, planning to watch Ava’s fall like a hawk!
The book starts too slow and firstly I thought why my favorite goodreads reviewers gave five stars to this book. But after reading acts and focusing on interludes, I thought “okay this is well constructed, multi POVed, truly impressive four starred story� and� yes the bomb exploded! That twist� that freaking twist was game changer!
Those details depictions about how the hierarchy works at the theater, how people dig each other’s graves behind their backs, how the manipulation, inner fears, darkness, lies will be ruin of people made me rethink my grade and of course I rounded up 4.5 stars to 5!
Excuse me but we’re talking about one of the brilliant authors of Broadchurch ( of course I also enjoyed series: they casted freaking brilliant Tennant and Colman as duo) But this book is something so different, so complex, so enigmatic, so clever than my latest thriller readings. This is something refreshing, thrilling, mind bending, extra intelligent!
I’m not spilling any beans! I have no intention to ruin your reading experience! But i’m telling you my friends, don’t you ever dare to add this book to your tbr to get lost in the crowd! Just grab it and start reading and send me thank you notes ( I also accept Magnolia bakery banana pudding or Sprinkles cupcakes as well)
Special thanks to NetGalley and Mobius Boks for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
April 6, 2021
4-5 stars rounded up.
Swan Lake is about to open at the London Russian Ballet Theatre run by Nikolai Kirilov who tyrannically instils rigorous Russian technique into the dancers in his company. Taking the lead role of Odette and Odile is Nikolai’s daughter Ava Kirilova. The storyline cleverly mirrors the ballet in the evolving twists and turns in this well written thriller. The Acts and Interludes are told from several perspectives and these different narratives work well taking the storytelling into unexpected directions delivering a sequence of surprises.
Although I think the book starts a little slowly it builds into something that is hard to put down. I love the premise and the fascination of the ballet company, the impending performance of Swan Lake with all the accompanying obsessions, envy of those in the key roles and greedy jostling for the limelight. The characterisation is excellent, you more than sense Ava’s imperious haughtiness in her prima ballerina position and also her paranoia as she gets older with eyes on those younger talents in the ranks and Nikolai's cold hearted egotism and drive for perfection. The characters emotions and feelings are well conveyed too. There are jarring off notes throughout with elements of challenging defiance which sets off ripples of unease and some fear. The story has multiple elements to it such as manipulation, deception, sabotage, some intrigue and so many dark secrets that have to stay buried. I love the fact the story is based around Swan Lake which lends itself to so much potential in a plot and includes moments of dramatic irony which are excellent and I love the ultimate twist at the end which I did not see coming!
Overall, this is the best Erin Kelly novel I’ve read. The background of ballet allows maximum drama which the author fully utilises. It’s clever, intense, dark and a very compelling read and I like the use of the visual imagery of the swan feathers at key moment.
With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc for an honest review.
Swan Lake is about to open at the London Russian Ballet Theatre run by Nikolai Kirilov who tyrannically instils rigorous Russian technique into the dancers in his company. Taking the lead role of Odette and Odile is Nikolai’s daughter Ava Kirilova. The storyline cleverly mirrors the ballet in the evolving twists and turns in this well written thriller. The Acts and Interludes are told from several perspectives and these different narratives work well taking the storytelling into unexpected directions delivering a sequence of surprises.
Although I think the book starts a little slowly it builds into something that is hard to put down. I love the premise and the fascination of the ballet company, the impending performance of Swan Lake with all the accompanying obsessions, envy of those in the key roles and greedy jostling for the limelight. The characterisation is excellent, you more than sense Ava’s imperious haughtiness in her prima ballerina position and also her paranoia as she gets older with eyes on those younger talents in the ranks and Nikolai's cold hearted egotism and drive for perfection. The characters emotions and feelings are well conveyed too. There are jarring off notes throughout with elements of challenging defiance which sets off ripples of unease and some fear. The story has multiple elements to it such as manipulation, deception, sabotage, some intrigue and so many dark secrets that have to stay buried. I love the fact the story is based around Swan Lake which lends itself to so much potential in a plot and includes moments of dramatic irony which are excellent and I love the ultimate twist at the end which I did not see coming!
Overall, this is the best Erin Kelly novel I’ve read. The background of ballet allows maximum drama which the author fully utilises. It’s clever, intense, dark and a very compelling read and I like the use of the visual imagery of the swan feathers at key moment.
With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc for an honest review.
November 29, 2021
Clever, clever, clever!!!!
Ballet is a cut throat world and Erin Kelly shows us just that with her latest novel, Watch Her Fall. This book will keep you en pointe! 🩰
Ava Kirilova is at the top of her *ballet* game and is playing the part of Odette and Odile in the upcoming production of Swan Lake in which her father is the director.
Someone dies, someone is injured, and nothing is what it seems. As my friend Meredith said beautifully in her review "What a mindfuck!"
I can't go into details of the plot because it's that tricksy, twisty, jaw dropping type of book that could so easily be spoiled and I don't want to do that to you.
My suggestion to you is to just go out and get copy and then sit back and savor the drama as there is plenty of it to be had here. Erin Kelly knocked this one out of the park as far as I'm concerned and for that I am thankful. ALL THE STARS!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mobius Books for my complimentary copy.
Ballet is a cut throat world and Erin Kelly shows us just that with her latest novel, Watch Her Fall. This book will keep you en pointe! 🩰
Ava Kirilova is at the top of her *ballet* game and is playing the part of Odette and Odile in the upcoming production of Swan Lake in which her father is the director.
Someone dies, someone is injured, and nothing is what it seems. As my friend Meredith said beautifully in her review "What a mindfuck!"
I can't go into details of the plot because it's that tricksy, twisty, jaw dropping type of book that could so easily be spoiled and I don't want to do that to you.
My suggestion to you is to just go out and get copy and then sit back and savor the drama as there is plenty of it to be had here. Erin Kelly knocked this one out of the park as far as I'm concerned and for that I am thankful. ALL THE STARS!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mobius Books for my complimentary copy.
February 22, 2022
Watch Her Fall by Erin Kelly is a Mobius- Hodder & Stoughton publication.
A strangely absorbing thriller�
This is one of the most imaginative novels I’ve read so far this year. The story begins with the focus centered around the drama and competition of a ballet company.
Ana will play the dual role of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake- but the pressure is intense. Her own father runs the London Russian Ballet Company and is nearly tyrannical with his control over Ana and her techniques. Meanwhile, it would appear she has some severe and ruthless competition.
The tone grows darker and even more intense as the ‘Swans� behave more like Vultures as they plot to get the upper hand- ready to effortlessly step into Ana’s position. But it seems as though someone has decided to take the competition to a whole new, and deadly level�
I had no preconceived notions when I started reading this book. I have read some of this author’s work in the past, I liked her work- but I was not prepared for such a strangely hypnotic mind trip.
This book was so good! Tense from start to finish, with a great set-up and some psychological twists and turns that had me rooted to my chair! This is one of those books where the less you know the better- and I doubt anything else I might add would really do it justice anyway.
Overall, this is certainly not your run of the mill psychological thriller. Kelly certainly knows how to weave a dark, mesmerizing, edge of your seat tale of suspense!
4.5 stars
A strangely absorbing thriller�
This is one of the most imaginative novels I’ve read so far this year. The story begins with the focus centered around the drama and competition of a ballet company.
Ana will play the dual role of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake- but the pressure is intense. Her own father runs the London Russian Ballet Company and is nearly tyrannical with his control over Ana and her techniques. Meanwhile, it would appear she has some severe and ruthless competition.
The tone grows darker and even more intense as the ‘Swans� behave more like Vultures as they plot to get the upper hand- ready to effortlessly step into Ana’s position. But it seems as though someone has decided to take the competition to a whole new, and deadly level�
I had no preconceived notions when I started reading this book. I have read some of this author’s work in the past, I liked her work- but I was not prepared for such a strangely hypnotic mind trip.
This book was so good! Tense from start to finish, with a great set-up and some psychological twists and turns that had me rooted to my chair! This is one of those books where the less you know the better- and I doubt anything else I might add would really do it justice anyway.
Overall, this is certainly not your run of the mill psychological thriller. Kelly certainly knows how to weave a dark, mesmerizing, edge of your seat tale of suspense!
4.5 stars
April 25, 2021
Swan Song.
“A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing and this first death is the more painful.� Martha Graham.
Ava Kirilova is at the height of her career. As a principal dancer with the London Russian Ballet she has finally been named for the iconic dual role of Odile and Odette in Swan Lake. She’s determined, focused, and aware of her position.
However, her controlling father stifles any individual artistic expression in favor of the Russian way - his way. It’s his vision and his company, and he’s masterful with psychological maneuvers to control his dancers. Including Ava.
A reader doesn’t have to know much about ballet to like the book. It’s a mystery/thriller at the core. However, if you’re drawn to reading about passion - an inner calling, then this may appeal to you the way it did me.
The immersion into the ballet world with its precise movement, discipline, and exquisite costumes was all encompassing. Descriptions so realistic that I felt present in the rehearsal studios, orchestra pit, shadowy patron boxes and seeing rosen dust suspended under stage lights.
Not to mention the famous thirty two fouettes choreographed for the Black Swan. These pirouettes and the pas de deux of the second act are an audience favorite and deemed performance challenge pinnacles in a dancer's career.
I was so intrigued (should I say obsessed?) with the technique described that I researched and discovered Svetlana Zakharova of the Bolshoi Ballet. I watched her in both the black Swan and white swan passes - several times. So beautiful and perfect and brought the book even more to life.
I loved this book and Watch Her Fall is a new permanent favorite.
I purchased a hardback copy from The Book Depository.
“A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing and this first death is the more painful.� Martha Graham.
Ava Kirilova is at the height of her career. As a principal dancer with the London Russian Ballet she has finally been named for the iconic dual role of Odile and Odette in Swan Lake. She’s determined, focused, and aware of her position.
However, her controlling father stifles any individual artistic expression in favor of the Russian way - his way. It’s his vision and his company, and he’s masterful with psychological maneuvers to control his dancers. Including Ava.
A reader doesn’t have to know much about ballet to like the book. It’s a mystery/thriller at the core. However, if you’re drawn to reading about passion - an inner calling, then this may appeal to you the way it did me.
The immersion into the ballet world with its precise movement, discipline, and exquisite costumes was all encompassing. Descriptions so realistic that I felt present in the rehearsal studios, orchestra pit, shadowy patron boxes and seeing rosen dust suspended under stage lights.
Not to mention the famous thirty two fouettes choreographed for the Black Swan. These pirouettes and the pas de deux of the second act are an audience favorite and deemed performance challenge pinnacles in a dancer's career.
I was so intrigued (should I say obsessed?) with the technique described that I researched and discovered Svetlana Zakharova of the Bolshoi Ballet. I watched her in both the black Swan and white swan passes - several times. So beautiful and perfect and brought the book even more to life.
I loved this book and Watch Her Fall is a new permanent favorite.
I purchased a hardback copy from The Book Depository.
April 2, 2021
I had a sick day (a sentence I am currently obligated to follow with the words ‘not Covid�) and decided to treat myself by getting stuck into Erin Kelly’s latest. Watch Her Fall is set, irresistibly, in the world of ballet, and � even better � against the backdrop of a production of Swan Lake. At 30, Ava is finally ready to dance the dual role of Odette and Odile, the culmination of a career overseen by her exacting father Nikolai Kirilov, the legendary director of the London Russian Ballet Theatre. However, the production is beset by bad luck, and Ava is particularly upset to observe Nikolai’s apparent favouritism towards a younger dancer who is taking the part of ‘second swan�.
To say more about the plot might risk spoilers. Like some of Kelly’s previous books (, ), Watch Her Fall is split into chunks told from the perspectives of different characters, some of whom initially seem obscurely connected to the others (or not connected at all). By Act II, it appears we are very far from the story’s glamorous beginnings. Yet I continued to be just as gripped as I had been at the start. And eventually, the narratives slot together beautifully and ingeniously.
This is a delightful return to form, a juicy and compelling page-turner. While I gratefully devoured it all within a day, I actually wish I’d given it a bit more time � I think measuring it out in morsels would be even more pleasurable than racing through it.
I received an advance review copy of Watch Her Fall from the publisher through .
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To say more about the plot might risk spoilers. Like some of Kelly’s previous books (, ), Watch Her Fall is split into chunks told from the perspectives of different characters, some of whom initially seem obscurely connected to the others (or not connected at all). By Act II, it appears we are very far from the story’s glamorous beginnings. Yet I continued to be just as gripped as I had been at the start. And eventually, the narratives slot together beautifully and ingeniously.
This is a delightful return to form, a juicy and compelling page-turner. While I gratefully devoured it all within a day, I actually wish I’d given it a bit more time � I think measuring it out in morsels would be even more pleasurable than racing through it.
I received an advance review copy of Watch Her Fall from the publisher through .
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December 22, 2021
I've read several thrillers that involve ballet this year, and I always find myself both intrigued and disgusted by the world of ballet and its cutthroat competitiveness and its odd sexual undertones. This book is no different, but I must say that is my favorite of the ballet thrillers that I have read to date. Kelly perfectly captured the toxic air that seems to surround ballet while constructing a multi-layered, twisty plot with more than a few surprises!
The plot focuses on the ballet, Swan Lake, and Ava Kirilova, its star who has been training her whole life for the much-coveted dual role of Odette and Odile. Since a young age, her father, the Russian ballet master, Nikolai, has been guiding her and molding her to become his masterpiece. As opening night nears and her father's criticism increases, Ava grows more and more paranoid that someone is plotting against her and will cause her father to replace her with one of her understudies. Coincidences begin building up that seem to validate Ava's paranoia. Then an opening night injury and its aftermath changes Ava's life forever.
You think at this point that it is a thriller involving the ballet production and what is going on behind the scenes with Ava and the other dances. It's not though. At about the 25% point, the POV shifts away from the ballet and goes in an entirely different direction and introduces several new characters. I initially thought I might be disappointed that it was moving away from the ballet, but I wasn't at all. I thought Kelly did a phenomenal job at transporting the reader from one place and one character to the other without losing sight of the main plot. I also found the imagery brilliant with strong descriptions, such as when Ava compared the effects of the brutal summer heat to the grueling toll ballet dancing takes on a body - "the heatwave has, in a way, made dancers of everyone: civilians are experiencing what it is to drag discomfort around with you, to not be allowed to forget your flesh." The entire book is chock full of descriptions such as that in which the reader can visualize what the characters are feeling.
My only real gripe was that there are a lot of "flashbacks" where something will happen and then the POV switches and another character will relive the same scene through their eyes. I found it a bit repetitive, and I thought it slowed the pace at times. I also did think that the book was a tad too long, and there were a few times in the middle of the book that I was close to losing interest, but then ultimately it would come back around and hook me again.
Overall, a thriller where the themes are intertwined with Swan Lake, and at times deciphering what is the truth, and what is good and what is evil, is both tricky and dizzying. 4 stars!
The plot focuses on the ballet, Swan Lake, and Ava Kirilova, its star who has been training her whole life for the much-coveted dual role of Odette and Odile. Since a young age, her father, the Russian ballet master, Nikolai, has been guiding her and molding her to become his masterpiece. As opening night nears and her father's criticism increases, Ava grows more and more paranoid that someone is plotting against her and will cause her father to replace her with one of her understudies. Coincidences begin building up that seem to validate Ava's paranoia. Then an opening night injury and its aftermath changes Ava's life forever.
You think at this point that it is a thriller involving the ballet production and what is going on behind the scenes with Ava and the other dances. It's not though. At about the 25% point, the POV shifts away from the ballet and goes in an entirely different direction and introduces several new characters. I initially thought I might be disappointed that it was moving away from the ballet, but I wasn't at all. I thought Kelly did a phenomenal job at transporting the reader from one place and one character to the other without losing sight of the main plot. I also found the imagery brilliant with strong descriptions, such as when Ava compared the effects of the brutal summer heat to the grueling toll ballet dancing takes on a body - "the heatwave has, in a way, made dancers of everyone: civilians are experiencing what it is to drag discomfort around with you, to not be allowed to forget your flesh." The entire book is chock full of descriptions such as that in which the reader can visualize what the characters are feeling.
My only real gripe was that there are a lot of "flashbacks" where something will happen and then the POV switches and another character will relive the same scene through their eyes. I found it a bit repetitive, and I thought it slowed the pace at times. I also did think that the book was a tad too long, and there were a few times in the middle of the book that I was close to losing interest, but then ultimately it would come back around and hook me again.
Overall, a thriller where the themes are intertwined with Swan Lake, and at times deciphering what is the truth, and what is good and what is evil, is both tricky and dizzying. 4 stars!
March 23, 2021
Review published in:
"Watch her fall" is partly set in the ruthless world of ballet, and I say partly cause contrary to what the synopsis implies, there's a large portion of the story that has almost nothing to do with it and, honestly, I found that a bit disappointing.
I had never read a book set in this environment so when I first found out about this book and Swan Lake inspiration (I loved Black Swan!) I was over the moon. The first act started great. The underlying tension from the very start as opening night drew near was phenomenal. The respect and feat every member of the company had for Nicky was palpable. I don't know to what extent the day to day of the company is exaggerated, but I found a bit implausible that an adult woman could barely function by herself on the real world (you don't know what data is, really?).
Anyway, the first act set things for what I expected would be a story of ballerina's rivalries, fighting for the role of Odette/Odile, but the second act darted off in a completely unexpected direction, and that's where it went downhill for me.
The story was all over the place, there were different POVs rehashing from another perspective the same scenes we had already read about, what made it a bit repetitive. There was a whole plot line that, imo, was completely expendable and I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more had it centered on the ballet plot line.
Character development was good and some twists and turns toward the end managed to hold my attention, but I missed some last conversation before the last act.
While it kept me entertained till the very end and the writing was good enough for me to want to read more books by this author, I was expecting much more from this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Watch her fall" is partly set in the ruthless world of ballet, and I say partly cause contrary to what the synopsis implies, there's a large portion of the story that has almost nothing to do with it and, honestly, I found that a bit disappointing.
I had never read a book set in this environment so when I first found out about this book and Swan Lake inspiration (I loved Black Swan!) I was over the moon. The first act started great. The underlying tension from the very start as opening night drew near was phenomenal. The respect and feat every member of the company had for Nicky was palpable. I don't know to what extent the day to day of the company is exaggerated, but I found a bit implausible that an adult woman could barely function by herself on the real world (you don't know what data is, really?).
Anyway, the first act set things for what I expected would be a story of ballerina's rivalries, fighting for the role of Odette/Odile, but the second act darted off in a completely unexpected direction, and that's where it went downhill for me.
The story was all over the place, there were different POVs rehashing from another perspective the same scenes we had already read about, what made it a bit repetitive. There was a whole plot line that, imo, was completely expendable and I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more had it centered on the ballet plot line.
Character development was good and some twists and turns toward the end managed to hold my attention, but I missed some last conversation before the last act.
While it kept me entertained till the very end and the writing was good enough for me to want to read more books by this author, I was expecting much more from this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2021
Watch Her Fall is an exquisite novel, certainly to my mind Erin Kelly’s best book yet, which is saying something considering the quality of what came before.
Set in the intense, emotional world of ballet, the dancers living in a bubble of professional artistry, a world of complete focus and competition, Ava is about to hit the pinnacle of her career. However there are those in her life who would see her fail..
The writing here is simply superb, an immersive, descriptive joy to read that sets you in a place like no other. It is part mystery, part character study, all drama, an extremely complex and intelligent tale that subtly dances in the mind much like a ballet itself.
The intricate nature of the relationships, especially between Ava and her father, the unforgiving Mr K, sets the scene for an unpredictable, deeply heart wrenching mystery where both nothing and everything is as it seems. I fell into this one and emerged feeling a bit battered but a bit in awe. One of those novels you live and breathe as much as you read.
If I read a better book this year I’ll be very surprised.
Highly Recommended.
April 9, 2022
I enjoyed the start of the book the introduction to the inner sanctum of the ballet world, but it all quickly became a tedious cliche and the story unnecessary convoluted, my concentration must have been poor as I had trouble following on and felt like I kept missing parts of the story to make any sense of it, by the ending I was more confused than ever. I do believe this story had potential to blow me away but the execution didn’t do it for me.
January 24, 2021
The blurb is, I think, a little misleading as only about half of this book is set against the ballet company - though the themes of doubling and identities which appear in Swan Lake are duplicated in the plot, even when the narrative is looking elsewhere. It's interesting, too, the focus on Rothbart and the consequent father/daughter dynamic which has echoes in the story.
That said, we do have to accept some glaring implausibilities: that a young ballerina in a famous London company about to go on international tour doesn't have a phone or understand what data is, doesn't have a bank account and so on.
There's some clunkiness which seems to go with the melodrama of the genre . There's also some grating writing: bleeding scratches are described as 'my thighs shooting out red liquid threads... red snakes [that] swim through the water then die' - yeurgh!
But if you're looking for a twist-upon-twist page-turner then this is fun and entertaining.
Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC via NetGalley
That said, we do have to accept some glaring implausibilities: that a young ballerina in a famous London company about to go on international tour doesn't have a phone or understand what data is, doesn't have a bank account and so on.
There's some clunkiness which seems to go with the melodrama of the genre . There's also some grating writing: bleeding scratches are described as 'my thighs shooting out red liquid threads... red snakes [that] swim through the water then die' - yeurgh!
But if you're looking for a twist-upon-twist page-turner then this is fun and entertaining.
Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC via NetGalley
March 30, 2021
First things first. Do you require any knowledge whatsoever about the art of ballet or indeed Swan Lake? No, you do not. Will you end up wanting to watch a ballet performance? Probably, yes.
This isn’t an easy book to review. I’m weighing up every word I type because I constantly feel like I’m on the verge of spoiler territory so this might end up being insanely vague.
‘Watch Her Fall� ticks so many boxes. There’s a bit of a mystery to solve. There is often the kind of tension you can cut with a knife and intriguing, multi-layered characters I couldn’t quite put my finger on. And all of it is knitted together with such incredibly delightful writing from Erin Kelly. But that’s not all. ‘Watch Her Fall� also manages to lay bare the sheer ruthlessness behind the scenes of, in this case, the ballet world. Although I’m sure it’s something you’ll find in any competitive environment. As soon as you rise, there are people waiting in the wings to watch you fall. And as if that isn’t enough there are complex relationships to sink your teeth into, especially those involving Mr K. Good grief, what a character he is!
From the very beginning, I was swept away, utterly wrapped up in these characters� lives. Nothing or nobody is what or who it seems. With every chapter, it felt as if everything I had read before that was turned completely onto its head. Every time I thought I was close to figuring out what was going, Erin Kelly managed to turn me around again and I swear I thought my head was going to explode. (/amateur dramatics)
Obviously, Swan Lake plays a big part in ‘Watch Her Fall�. It’s not just due to the performance the London Russian Ballet Company is preparing itself for. There is a rather more subtle thread about this coveted ballet that runs throughout the entire story but I’m going to leave that for you to discover on your own. It is incredibly well done, though. Truly impressive.
March was a weird month for me and, as many of you know, my reading has been all over the place for ages. So, in all honesty, the biggest compliment I can give ‘Watch Her Fall� is that it absolutely captivated me from the very first page to the very last one and just did not let go. I flew through this story and it provided me with the perfect escapism that I so desperately needed.
‘Watch Her Fall� is full of emotion and extremely insightful. It is also wonderfully immersive and evocative. Cleverly plotted and delightfully twisty, it is quite easily my favourite Erin Kelly novel to date. I thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommend it! Brilliant!
This isn’t an easy book to review. I’m weighing up every word I type because I constantly feel like I’m on the verge of spoiler territory so this might end up being insanely vague.
‘Watch Her Fall� ticks so many boxes. There’s a bit of a mystery to solve. There is often the kind of tension you can cut with a knife and intriguing, multi-layered characters I couldn’t quite put my finger on. And all of it is knitted together with such incredibly delightful writing from Erin Kelly. But that’s not all. ‘Watch Her Fall� also manages to lay bare the sheer ruthlessness behind the scenes of, in this case, the ballet world. Although I’m sure it’s something you’ll find in any competitive environment. As soon as you rise, there are people waiting in the wings to watch you fall. And as if that isn’t enough there are complex relationships to sink your teeth into, especially those involving Mr K. Good grief, what a character he is!
From the very beginning, I was swept away, utterly wrapped up in these characters� lives. Nothing or nobody is what or who it seems. With every chapter, it felt as if everything I had read before that was turned completely onto its head. Every time I thought I was close to figuring out what was going, Erin Kelly managed to turn me around again and I swear I thought my head was going to explode. (/amateur dramatics)
Obviously, Swan Lake plays a big part in ‘Watch Her Fall�. It’s not just due to the performance the London Russian Ballet Company is preparing itself for. There is a rather more subtle thread about this coveted ballet that runs throughout the entire story but I’m going to leave that for you to discover on your own. It is incredibly well done, though. Truly impressive.
March was a weird month for me and, as many of you know, my reading has been all over the place for ages. So, in all honesty, the biggest compliment I can give ‘Watch Her Fall� is that it absolutely captivated me from the very first page to the very last one and just did not let go. I flew through this story and it provided me with the perfect escapism that I so desperately needed.
‘Watch Her Fall� is full of emotion and extremely insightful. It is also wonderfully immersive and evocative. Cleverly plotted and delightfully twisty, it is quite easily my favourite Erin Kelly novel to date. I thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommend it! Brilliant!
December 8, 2021
Just when I thought that thriller couldn’t surprise me any more � along comes Erin Kelly’s latest book WATCH HER FALL. Set in the world of professional ballet (who knew that behind the beauty of dance hides such brutality?) it seemed very different from any of Kelly’s previous books and I remember thinking: “Is this really a mystery?� Well, eat humble pie you distrusting reader, because once the stage was set, the first unexpected plot development sent me tumbling head over heels over the edge of the stage like a drunken ballerina in a death twirl. Wow, I did not see that coming!
Let’s rewind a bit. The book’s background of a famous Russian ballet company performing the famous Swan Lake was fascinating. I never imagined that professional dancers would have an easy life, their toned bodies and graceful moves speaking of years of gruelling workouts and harsh discipline. On top of that, there was the competition among the dancers, each vying for the lead role and the attentions of their ballet master, the infamous Nikolai Kirilov (Mr K). We first hear from the POV of Ava Kirilova, Mr K’s daughter, who is the stars of the show, performing the coveted roles of Odette and Odile. She is also facing one of a dancer’s worst fears: of her career winding down due to the ageing process. Every day she is confronted with fresh, younger dancers who are dreaming of the day they will take over the leading role. HER role. I loved the way Kelly presented Ava, her fears, her strict discipline, her almost slavish affection for her father, who has full control over her. I admit I was totally in the dark as to where this would all lead.
For fear of spoilers, I will not give any more away. Let’s just say that the story took a turn I had not expected, and it was around the 80% mark that I knew I had been totally blindsided. And if that wasn’t enough, the surprises just kept coming until the very end, and I still had no idea where Kelly was leading me. It’s been a while since a thriller managed to totally wow and surprise me, and I loved it! There was absolutely nothing predictable in this novel, nor did it follow any of the popular (and often overused) thriller tropes that mark a lot of contemporary novels out there today. I applaud the author for giving us one of a kind, a book that will take you out of your own world into the unknown. It was all so brilliantly carried out!
In summary: to those readers who are a bit jaded with popular thriller tropes and predictable twists, this one is for you! It starts off as a bit of a slow burn as you get into each character’s mind, which worked well when it came to the moment I knew I had been duped. Loving an immersive character study, especially one that messes with my mind, I was in my element here. Cleverly constructed, multi-layered and intriguing, the book was a stand-out thriller for me and cements Erin Kelly even more firmly on my favourite authors list. Highly recommended to anyone who has been feeling disenchanted with overused thriller tropes.
Let’s rewind a bit. The book’s background of a famous Russian ballet company performing the famous Swan Lake was fascinating. I never imagined that professional dancers would have an easy life, their toned bodies and graceful moves speaking of years of gruelling workouts and harsh discipline. On top of that, there was the competition among the dancers, each vying for the lead role and the attentions of their ballet master, the infamous Nikolai Kirilov (Mr K). We first hear from the POV of Ava Kirilova, Mr K’s daughter, who is the stars of the show, performing the coveted roles of Odette and Odile. She is also facing one of a dancer’s worst fears: of her career winding down due to the ageing process. Every day she is confronted with fresh, younger dancers who are dreaming of the day they will take over the leading role. HER role. I loved the way Kelly presented Ava, her fears, her strict discipline, her almost slavish affection for her father, who has full control over her. I admit I was totally in the dark as to where this would all lead.
For fear of spoilers, I will not give any more away. Let’s just say that the story took a turn I had not expected, and it was around the 80% mark that I knew I had been totally blindsided. And if that wasn’t enough, the surprises just kept coming until the very end, and I still had no idea where Kelly was leading me. It’s been a while since a thriller managed to totally wow and surprise me, and I loved it! There was absolutely nothing predictable in this novel, nor did it follow any of the popular (and often overused) thriller tropes that mark a lot of contemporary novels out there today. I applaud the author for giving us one of a kind, a book that will take you out of your own world into the unknown. It was all so brilliantly carried out!
In summary: to those readers who are a bit jaded with popular thriller tropes and predictable twists, this one is for you! It starts off as a bit of a slow burn as you get into each character’s mind, which worked well when it came to the moment I knew I had been duped. Loving an immersive character study, especially one that messes with my mind, I was in my element here. Cleverly constructed, multi-layered and intriguing, the book was a stand-out thriller for me and cements Erin Kelly even more firmly on my favourite authors list. Highly recommended to anyone who has been feeling disenchanted with overused thriller tropes.
September 19, 2021
Erin Kelly has been one of my favorite thriller authors since I read He Said/She Said back in 2017, and she has yet to disappoint me. I love, love, love the world of ballet after taking it for years until my love for competitive horseback riding took over, and now I'm a "dance mom" to a young ballerina who just started pointe work this fall, so I was immediately drawn to the synopsis of Watch Her Fall since it takes place in the world of ballet, with Swan Lake, the characters of innocent Odette and dark Odille, as the backdrop.
Ava Kirilov is the principal dancer of the London Russian Ballet Theater and daughter of Nikolai Kirilov, the founder and director of the company. She'll be dancing both Odette and Odille in the upcoming performance of the ballet company's world tour of Swan Lake, the height of her career. It's a role that is coveted by the other ballerinas since it's a career-making (or breaking role), and there are always other dancers, younger dancers, ready to step into the spotlight, to take the place of another, which is Ava's fear since she's 30 and not getting any younger. Is she paranoid in her fears of being replaced? Or is there really someone trying to take her role? Is her father, a brutal perfectionist who pits his dancers against each other with mind games trying to set her to fail for some reason?
Like Kelly's previous books, and what I think she really excels at like no other, is writing a slow-burn thriller that is perfectly paced. I expected the novel to unfold slowly then build with dramatic intensity and have climatic twists because I've read and loved Kelly's other books but if you have never read her books, then just be aware that it is a slow-burn, but it's more than worth it! I also loved how unexpected the twist was since I had no idea it was coming; anytime I can't guess what's coming is always a plus for me since it so rarely happens when I read a thriller/suspense/mystery anymore!
Kelly's writing is always so beautiful; I have always said her books read like a literary thriller because her prose is gorgeous. In this case, it can be compared to the beauty of ballet with the way that her writing is both lyrical and provoking, as well as disturbing at times. This is not only my favorite book by Kelly but easily one of my favorite books this year. Brava!!
Thank you NetGalley and Mobius Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ava Kirilov is the principal dancer of the London Russian Ballet Theater and daughter of Nikolai Kirilov, the founder and director of the company. She'll be dancing both Odette and Odille in the upcoming performance of the ballet company's world tour of Swan Lake, the height of her career. It's a role that is coveted by the other ballerinas since it's a career-making (or breaking role), and there are always other dancers, younger dancers, ready to step into the spotlight, to take the place of another, which is Ava's fear since she's 30 and not getting any younger. Is she paranoid in her fears of being replaced? Or is there really someone trying to take her role? Is her father, a brutal perfectionist who pits his dancers against each other with mind games trying to set her to fail for some reason?
Like Kelly's previous books, and what I think she really excels at like no other, is writing a slow-burn thriller that is perfectly paced. I expected the novel to unfold slowly then build with dramatic intensity and have climatic twists because I've read and loved Kelly's other books but if you have never read her books, then just be aware that it is a slow-burn, but it's more than worth it! I also loved how unexpected the twist was since I had no idea it was coming; anytime I can't guess what's coming is always a plus for me since it so rarely happens when I read a thriller/suspense/mystery anymore!
Kelly's writing is always so beautiful; I have always said her books read like a literary thriller because her prose is gorgeous. In this case, it can be compared to the beauty of ballet with the way that her writing is both lyrical and provoking, as well as disturbing at times. This is not only my favorite book by Kelly but easily one of my favorite books this year. Brava!!
Thank you NetGalley and Mobius Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 20, 2021
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Watch Her Fall is one of those mystery-thrillers that are very difficult to write a review for, because the less you know about it, the better. The sort of book where you can tell the blurb has been meticulously crafted not to give away anything more that is necessary to lure the reader in.
But I can say this: it was an excellently crafted and written novel, with twists and turns like a road running over the Alps, and I didn't suspect any of them. Of course, these days when so many stories have already been written, you need to do something really unexpected to make a reader gasp and whisper "No," under their breath when they reach that denouement, and this can often veer into the ridiculous, overly complex, or the implausible. There were elements of the last two here, but not enough to overwhelm. It's implausible enough not to guess, but manages to fall just on the right side of realism.
Watch Her Fall is one of those mystery-thrillers that are very difficult to write a review for, because the less you know about it, the better. The sort of book where you can tell the blurb has been meticulously crafted not to give away anything more that is necessary to lure the reader in.
But I can say this: it was an excellently crafted and written novel, with twists and turns like a road running over the Alps, and I didn't suspect any of them. Of course, these days when so many stories have already been written, you need to do something really unexpected to make a reader gasp and whisper "No," under their breath when they reach that denouement, and this can often veer into the ridiculous, overly complex, or the implausible. There were elements of the last two here, but not enough to overwhelm. It's implausible enough not to guess, but manages to fall just on the right side of realism.
October 11, 2021
This was a great book, and has given me a new fascination with 'Swan Lake'. I have never known anything about the plot of it, but this hooked me into Watch Her Fall straight away. The atmosphere of a ballet school was fantastic, and the author truly captured the intensity of the competition between dancers. I LOVED this part of the story.
The other part of the story fell off the boil a little for me, and I was disappointed with the direction it took and found some of the POVs difficult to follow.
But overall I enjoyed this book very much.
The other part of the story fell off the boil a little for me, and I was disappointed with the direction it took and found some of the POVs difficult to follow.
But overall I enjoyed this book very much.
August 5, 2022
I've read all of Erin Kelly's books. She's probably my favorite psychological thriller author. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't that great and I'm bummed out about it.
I was geared up for a novel about the highly competitive, cutthroat world of ballet. While there is a bit of that, it's not the bulk of the story.
Without giving the story away, I'll say there was a plot twist that did surprise me. However, the means of getting there was exhausting. The plot became so convoluted that it ended up diluting down the good parts of the book. I'm shockingly so unsatisfied with this read and this is the first time I've ever disliked an Erin Kelly book. I gave the book 3 stars only because of the writer and not because of my enjoyment of the book.
I was geared up for a novel about the highly competitive, cutthroat world of ballet. While there is a bit of that, it's not the bulk of the story.
Without giving the story away, I'll say there was a plot twist that did surprise me. However, the means of getting there was exhausting. The plot became so convoluted that it ended up diluting down the good parts of the book. I'm shockingly so unsatisfied with this read and this is the first time I've ever disliked an Erin Kelly book. I gave the book 3 stars only because of the writer and not because of my enjoyment of the book.
April 1, 2021
Kelly is already known as one of the best, most original writers of psychological fiction. I have read all of her previous novels and enjoyed every one of them. This novel, Watch Her Fall, catapults her to the next level, it is a thrilling and cinematic story of control, deceit and passion. It's a story that the reader must invest heavily in, filled to the brim with layers of intrigue, told with a precision that is quite stunning and populated by characters who are never quite who they seem to be.
I have little previous knowledge of ballet, or of the story of Swan Lake, and I have found this element of this story quite fascinating. My YouTube history is now made up of video clips from various performances of Swan Lake, and knowing the story has given me an appreciation of the beauty of this form of dance.
Ava Kirilova is the principal dancer at the London Russian Ballet, and is about to achieve her life time dream; she will be Odile and Odette in the production of Swan Lake currently being devised by Nicky Kirilova, or Mr K, as he is affectionately known as. Not only is Mr K, the founder and owner of the company, he is also Ava's father, and she is under immense pressure to ensure that this performance will be the best that audiences will ever see.
There's a glamour and intrigue about the arts, not just ballet, but theatre, cinema, music and writing, all have a glossy exterior and seem to be filled with beautiful people creating wonderful imagery with graceful ease. In Watch Her Fall, Erin Kelly uncovers the reality of life for a dancer. The cult-like standing of Mr K, his controlling behaviour, the bitterness, the jealousy. The anguish of being passed over for a part, the bleeding feet, the constant rehearsal, and in the case of the London Russian Ballet members, the total control over their lives. No phones, no bank accounts, no take out food, no friends from outside .... no life, other than ballet.
As preparations for the new show get more and more frantic, a new 'second swan' is needed and young Juliet is thrilled to be offered the part.
Suddenly, it all comes crashing down. Injuries, and death cast a huge shadow over the ballet and both Juliet and Ava find themselves on the outside. Floundering, no longer able to do what they love and struggling to discover who they are, and who they may go on to be.
This story is not just set on stage. The author intricately weaves another thread into this tale. That of the dangers faced by those people who are forced to live undercover. Those who have left everything that they love to find a new life, but have only discovered more pain and heartache.
To say much more would be straying in the field of spoilers, and I can't do that. I can say, however, that this is an outstandingly acute look at human nature, with propulsive writing that is moody, and chilling, and at times terrifying.
I was immersed in this book. I was amazed by the clever way that the author turns things around, in plain sight, yet hidden from view at the same time. It is so intricate, so tightly plotted and in my opinion, the author's best book to date.
I have little previous knowledge of ballet, or of the story of Swan Lake, and I have found this element of this story quite fascinating. My YouTube history is now made up of video clips from various performances of Swan Lake, and knowing the story has given me an appreciation of the beauty of this form of dance.
Ava Kirilova is the principal dancer at the London Russian Ballet, and is about to achieve her life time dream; she will be Odile and Odette in the production of Swan Lake currently being devised by Nicky Kirilova, or Mr K, as he is affectionately known as. Not only is Mr K, the founder and owner of the company, he is also Ava's father, and she is under immense pressure to ensure that this performance will be the best that audiences will ever see.
There's a glamour and intrigue about the arts, not just ballet, but theatre, cinema, music and writing, all have a glossy exterior and seem to be filled with beautiful people creating wonderful imagery with graceful ease. In Watch Her Fall, Erin Kelly uncovers the reality of life for a dancer. The cult-like standing of Mr K, his controlling behaviour, the bitterness, the jealousy. The anguish of being passed over for a part, the bleeding feet, the constant rehearsal, and in the case of the London Russian Ballet members, the total control over their lives. No phones, no bank accounts, no take out food, no friends from outside .... no life, other than ballet.
As preparations for the new show get more and more frantic, a new 'second swan' is needed and young Juliet is thrilled to be offered the part.
Suddenly, it all comes crashing down. Injuries, and death cast a huge shadow over the ballet and both Juliet and Ava find themselves on the outside. Floundering, no longer able to do what they love and struggling to discover who they are, and who they may go on to be.
This story is not just set on stage. The author intricately weaves another thread into this tale. That of the dangers faced by those people who are forced to live undercover. Those who have left everything that they love to find a new life, but have only discovered more pain and heartache.
To say much more would be straying in the field of spoilers, and I can't do that. I can say, however, that this is an outstandingly acute look at human nature, with propulsive writing that is moody, and chilling, and at times terrifying.
I was immersed in this book. I was amazed by the clever way that the author turns things around, in plain sight, yet hidden from view at the same time. It is so intricate, so tightly plotted and in my opinion, the author's best book to date.
September 25, 2022
A highly enjoyable thriller centred around a ballet company. I wasn’t so keen on the changes in perspective and preferred it when it stuck to Juliet and Ava but it kept me guessing right till the end.
January 10, 2024
Erin Kelly's eighth thriller, Watch Her Fall, another of the releases I was most looking forward to in 2021, is just as gripping, twisty and clever as you might expect. The novel opens with Ava Kirilova, prima ballerina of the London Russian Ballet Company and repository for all the dreams of the company's director, who also happens to be her father. Ava is preparing to dance the role of her life - Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, incarnating both the virginal, innocent Odette in the ballet's 'white acts', and the scheming Odile in the ballet's 'black acts'. At thirty, Ava is aware that her time at the top may be running out, and that there are countless talented girls in the company snapping at her heels, not least the member of the corps who is cast as the 'second swan', briefly playing Odette when Odile is also on stage. However, although the novel starts with Ava, it darts off in some unexpected directions thereafter, telling a story that is both genuinely surprising and totally compelling.
I devoured ballet books as a child, despite being totally uncoordinated myself, and so I loved everything in this novel that deals with the ballet world. Readers might like to be aware beforehand, however, that there are large sections of this novel that have nothing to do with ballet; for me, this enriched the story Kelly was telling, but it may not be what you're expecting at the start. Having said that, this is a difficult book to review because I don't want to give away what happens; suffice it to say that there's a midway twist that I at first found pretty unbelievable, but the more I read on, the more it made sense. Kelly plays very cleverly with themes of doubling and of adopted and mistaken identities, not just as this concerns Ava, but in relation to the secondary cast as well. Watch Her Fall returns more to the high tension of He Said/She Said than the quieter drama of We Know You Know (previously titledStone Mothers), but although I slightly preferred the latter, this is still another excellent thriller from Kelly.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
I devoured ballet books as a child, despite being totally uncoordinated myself, and so I loved everything in this novel that deals with the ballet world. Readers might like to be aware beforehand, however, that there are large sections of this novel that have nothing to do with ballet; for me, this enriched the story Kelly was telling, but it may not be what you're expecting at the start. Having said that, this is a difficult book to review because I don't want to give away what happens; suffice it to say that there's a midway twist that I at first found pretty unbelievable, but the more I read on, the more it made sense. Kelly plays very cleverly with themes of doubling and of adopted and mistaken identities, not just as this concerns Ava, but in relation to the secondary cast as well. Watch Her Fall returns more to the high tension of He Said/She Said than the quieter drama of We Know You Know (previously titledStone Mothers), but although I slightly preferred the latter, this is still another excellent thriller from Kelly.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
April 29, 2021
If you are thinking of picking up this book, you should know that this is not really a mystery thriller and the description might be a little bit misleading into thinking it is.
Unfortunately I lost my interest around 40-50% into the book but decided to still finish it to see if it would still pick up for me and catch me again but sadly it just didn't.
Even though a small fragment of the book does talk about the competitive and hard world of ballet, contrary to what the synopsis implies, there's a large portion of the story that has almost nothing to do with it and, honestly, I found that a bit disappointing.
The book does play with the double identity of Swan Lake and our main characters. However the story was more based on a really slow paced exploration of characters than anything else. I did not find this book thrilling, intense or engaging. For a book advertised as a thriller it had no tension and no real mystery that you would expect of such a book.
In the end, I did appreciate the comparison between the ballet and the main characters and it is a well written story so I did not give it a lower rating for these reasons. However I was really sad this one did not meet my expectations.
Unfortunately I lost my interest around 40-50% into the book but decided to still finish it to see if it would still pick up for me and catch me again but sadly it just didn't.
Even though a small fragment of the book does talk about the competitive and hard world of ballet, contrary to what the synopsis implies, there's a large portion of the story that has almost nothing to do with it and, honestly, I found that a bit disappointing.
The book does play with the double identity of Swan Lake and our main characters. However the story was more based on a really slow paced exploration of characters than anything else. I did not find this book thrilling, intense or engaging. For a book advertised as a thriller it had no tension and no real mystery that you would expect of such a book.
In the end, I did appreciate the comparison between the ballet and the main characters and it is a well written story so I did not give it a lower rating for these reasons. However I was really sad this one did not meet my expectations.
July 12, 2022
Ava Kirilova has trained every waking day since she was a child preparing for the role of a lifetime; the lead in the London Russian Ballet Company production of Swan Lake, overseen by her father, Mr. K, the strict and often heartless directory of the company. Ballerina Juliette suffers a career ending injury. During her recovery, she is put up in Ava’s posh apartment; left and forgotten, revealing how tossed aside Mr. K and his company has treated her. Rudderless and alone, Juliette concocts a revenge scheme. A very refreshing plot. For fans of Megan Miranda.
November 3, 2024
Kakva neizvesnost i kakvi preokreti. Simbolika, zaplet, psihološki profili likova. Ostadoh bez teksta.
May 21, 2021
This story follows to young women. Ava is a ballerina who has the whole world at her feet and Juliet who would like the life Ava has.
I have read all the books by Erin Kelly and have enjoyed them all so there was no reason for me not to read her new book.
I didn't think I was going to get on with the book at first as I felt it was all ballet. I know absolutely nothing about ballet so the first section was a good insight into ballet. The author has certainly but her time into the research.
After that first section I really got into the story as it became the thriller I was expecting. Half way through there is one massive twist and I had reread the section as I couldn't believe what had just happened.
I really enjoyed this book, another great read by Erin Kelly. The story has everything I expected from a thriller. Both women's stories are interesting and all comes together and everything becomes clear.
I have read all the books by Erin Kelly and have enjoyed them all so there was no reason for me not to read her new book.
I didn't think I was going to get on with the book at first as I felt it was all ballet. I know absolutely nothing about ballet so the first section was a good insight into ballet. The author has certainly but her time into the research.
After that first section I really got into the story as it became the thriller I was expecting. Half way through there is one massive twist and I had reread the section as I couldn't believe what had just happened.
I really enjoyed this book, another great read by Erin Kelly. The story has everything I expected from a thriller. Both women's stories are interesting and all comes together and everything becomes clear.
July 27, 2021
Talk about an immersive reading experience! Watch Her Fall is not a thriller with some ballet nuances sprinkled in. It is a ballet novel with thriller elements sprinkled in, but so expertly done! There is so much information about ballet and the strict lives those dancers must live in this book. The reader is getting a behind the scenes look at how a ballet company puts on a massive production.
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But like I said, Watch Her Fall its not just a ballet novel, it is a very suspenseful thriller. I was impressed with how realistic the thriller elements felt and how well they fit in with the ballet theme. The ending felt ever so slightly anti-climactic, which is my only complaint, but overall I really loved this one! So outside of the box and unique!
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But like I said, Watch Her Fall its not just a ballet novel, it is a very suspenseful thriller. I was impressed with how realistic the thriller elements felt and how well they fit in with the ballet theme. The ending felt ever so slightly anti-climactic, which is my only complaint, but overall I really loved this one! So outside of the box and unique!
April 10, 2022
A wonderfully captivating psychological thriller with great characters and lots of secrets and twists and turns that keeps misleading the reader . Highly recommend !
I would like to thank Mobius Books, Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
I would like to thank Mobius Books, Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
September 2, 2022
I love ballet, I just think it is something I can watch for hours on ends and I won't get bored. I love The Red Shoes and The Nutcracker iconic ballet shows but have never actually watched Swan Lake (one for the bucket list). I actually picked up this book because of Tiny Pretty Things (not the book the show on Netflix) I think ballet on its own is pretty amazing, but add in murder, and a thrilling plot and you have me hooked. I loved Tiny Pretty Things but when I finished it and then found out it was a book I was like great timing which led me to this book.
Watch Her Fall is a psychological thriller told from multiple p.o.v's broke down in acts and interludes so the whole plot mirrors the story of the ballet (which is so cleverly done). Ballet is a cut-throat world so what better way to write a thriller with the backdrop of ballet.
For me as a whole the book was slow, but that's not always a bad thing. Like a slow burner romance, this was a slow burner thriller it took some time to get there but once it did it was fast paced. Swan Lake is the show that is going to be performed by the London Russian Ballet Theatre run by the formidable Nikolai Kirilov (Mr K to his students, Nicky to his close friends and family). He portrays the stereotypical ballet master who is strict and insists on teaching the Russian technique. He is controlling, not letting the dancers have mobiles, banks-deals with cash in the hand- and if they put one foot wrong i.e become pregnant or get injured he dismisses them without any heistance. The role of Swan Lake of Odette and Odile is non other than Nikolai's daughter Ava Kirilova who has become the face of Swan Lake. But what happens when a rival who wants what she has and is prepared to kill to get it.
For me it was not what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be centered around Ava and she dies and who is her killer the kind of plot that has been done over and over but this is completely original, it has twists and turns where your asking how do one another relate to each other, there is deceit, duplicity, a lot of rivalry, jealousy, and a multi-layered plot. I thought it was really cleverly done there are some shocks in there that you don't see coming but also the question of when you are desperate how far do you go? It has it all secrets, lies and mistaken identities this is not one to be missed. I loved the prelude and the explanation of the Swan Lake itself such a clever plot mirror to have it was like a Grimm fairy tale told in novel form. My only issue is it was a tad bit slow for my liking.
4.5 stars.
Quotes/
'What they didn't understand - what nobody understood - was that the higher you flew, the farther you had to fall.'
'Pain I part of the process. We're all dancing through something.'
'To understand that sooner or later the money will always run out'.
'When life is unliveable, the mind comes to the rescue. It whispers stories so convincing that they become not just a refuge from reality but a new reality.'
'Hope is the enemy of action'
Watch Her Fall is a psychological thriller told from multiple p.o.v's broke down in acts and interludes so the whole plot mirrors the story of the ballet (which is so cleverly done). Ballet is a cut-throat world so what better way to write a thriller with the backdrop of ballet.
For me as a whole the book was slow, but that's not always a bad thing. Like a slow burner romance, this was a slow burner thriller it took some time to get there but once it did it was fast paced. Swan Lake is the show that is going to be performed by the London Russian Ballet Theatre run by the formidable Nikolai Kirilov (Mr K to his students, Nicky to his close friends and family). He portrays the stereotypical ballet master who is strict and insists on teaching the Russian technique. He is controlling, not letting the dancers have mobiles, banks-deals with cash in the hand- and if they put one foot wrong i.e become pregnant or get injured he dismisses them without any heistance. The role of Swan Lake of Odette and Odile is non other than Nikolai's daughter Ava Kirilova who has become the face of Swan Lake. But what happens when a rival who wants what she has and is prepared to kill to get it.
For me it was not what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be centered around Ava and she dies and who is her killer the kind of plot that has been done over and over but this is completely original, it has twists and turns where your asking how do one another relate to each other, there is deceit, duplicity, a lot of rivalry, jealousy, and a multi-layered plot. I thought it was really cleverly done there are some shocks in there that you don't see coming but also the question of when you are desperate how far do you go? It has it all secrets, lies and mistaken identities this is not one to be missed. I loved the prelude and the explanation of the Swan Lake itself such a clever plot mirror to have it was like a Grimm fairy tale told in novel form. My only issue is it was a tad bit slow for my liking.
4.5 stars.
Quotes/
'What they didn't understand - what nobody understood - was that the higher you flew, the farther you had to fall.'
'Pain I part of the process. We're all dancing through something.'
'To understand that sooner or later the money will always run out'.
'When life is unliveable, the mind comes to the rescue. It whispers stories so convincing that they become not just a refuge from reality but a new reality.'
'Hope is the enemy of action'
March 4, 2025
Zali Boze vremena..
February 26, 2021
Erin Kelly is another author whose work I wait impatiently for. Her style of writing always grips me, and I have to keep reading to know what happens next.
Watch Her Fall takes the reader deep into the world of classical ballet, a mostly alien territory, for me. I’ve always admired the strength and talent of ballet dancers, alas I was moved to the Morris Dancing class as considered to tall and clumsy for the finer discipline that is associated with this genre!
The story is told from several viewpoints and pulls no punches when describing the rigours and sacrifices needed to reach the required perfection of first ballerina. Ava’s character is easily sympathetic, she is trapped under the Svengali hold of her father. He calls all the shots including her access to money. Whilst Ava is sympathetic, she has no problem treating company dancers in a rather dismissive way and that behaviour is at odds with the readers� instinct to care.
It’s Ava’s desire to be the best that sees company dancer, Juliet, take a career ending fall. Ava’s guilt, over the incident, is assuaged by allowing the youngster to recuperate in her minimalist yet palatial home as she embarks on the world tour of Swan Lake.
I found this book to be intriguing and that intrigue soon turned to gripping suspense. The careful introduction of the additional characters lends depth and texture to the story. There are the usual twists that are expected of a good thriller but as the truth of what’s happening dawns on the reader, all of the prior scenes flood back like watching a movie. Erin Kelly is a gifted storyteller and manipulates the reader perfectly.
I hope that you will enjoy this book as much as I did, you won’t be disappointed.
Watch Her Fall takes the reader deep into the world of classical ballet, a mostly alien territory, for me. I’ve always admired the strength and talent of ballet dancers, alas I was moved to the Morris Dancing class as considered to tall and clumsy for the finer discipline that is associated with this genre!
The story is told from several viewpoints and pulls no punches when describing the rigours and sacrifices needed to reach the required perfection of first ballerina. Ava’s character is easily sympathetic, she is trapped under the Svengali hold of her father. He calls all the shots including her access to money. Whilst Ava is sympathetic, she has no problem treating company dancers in a rather dismissive way and that behaviour is at odds with the readers� instinct to care.
It’s Ava’s desire to be the best that sees company dancer, Juliet, take a career ending fall. Ava’s guilt, over the incident, is assuaged by allowing the youngster to recuperate in her minimalist yet palatial home as she embarks on the world tour of Swan Lake.
I found this book to be intriguing and that intrigue soon turned to gripping suspense. The careful introduction of the additional characters lends depth and texture to the story. There are the usual twists that are expected of a good thriller but as the truth of what’s happening dawns on the reader, all of the prior scenes flood back like watching a movie. Erin Kelly is a gifted storyteller and manipulates the reader perfectly.
I hope that you will enjoy this book as much as I did, you won’t be disappointed.
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