Author: Alli Sinclair
ISBN: 9781489236128
RRP: $29.99
Alli Sinclair is an Australian author with a passion for dance, and it shows. Beneath the Parisian Skies is part of the Wandering Skies series, which I was not aware of until after reading the book. Don’t be put off though because there doesn’t actually seem to be anything linking the books except a theme.
Beneath the Parisian Skies has a FREE prequel, only available digitally, which I only looked into after reading the novel – but that didn’t stop me from ordering Parisian Dreams and devouring it. The prequel is three chapters that sets the scene for the novel, it is hard for me to say what it adds to the experience because I read it after I finished the book. It is not imperative but certainly worth the read. It gives a short background and allows us to see how Lily found herself in Paris.
There is a strong historical element to Beneath the Parisian Skies. The entire story is set in Paris but we have two timelines, Paris in 1917 and Present Day Paris. The historical element had me intrigued and on finishing the book I headed to Google to do a little research, the Ballets Russes did exist and some of the major players in the book were actual people but I think our leading lady was a product of Alli Sinclair.
Viktoria Budian is a ballerina with the Ballets Russes in 1917, she has escaped Russia with her life but had to leave her family behind. She is determined to make a new life for herself and earn enough to bring her family to safety in Paris.
Ballet is in her blood, her heart and soul. She has turned to dance to get her through the trying times in her life and she has channeled that passion to help unfortunate girls find a new purpose. Hers is a life of passion, dedicated to her art and helping people where she can.
The times are tough and the world is in turmoil and ballet may seem a little frivolous with so many lives in danger. But some think that’s an even better reason to ensure that the arts flourish, to offer hope in a tumultuous world.
Her aspirations are all tied up with the ballet and moving up to leading lady from understudy but she is faced with the tough decision of putting love or her dreams first.
In the present Lily Johansson has returned to Paris to make peace with her past, and her estranged sister. Paris is the city of love, of romance, but for Lily it’s the city that broke her heart and her career.
The two stories are linked by the ballet and there is also a character connection that isn’t made clear until later in the book. The Bohème Ballet is looking to produce a ballet that honours the life of Viktoriya so we see snippets of her life through the lens of history as well as in chapters set in the past.
Sinclair has penned a poetic tale of history echoing its way into the present, it’s not a case of history repeating but there are certainly similarities between the events of the past and what’s going on in the present.
Lily is closed off from her life as she tries to get through the days since losing her fiancé, I would like to say moving on but she seems to quite actively resist moving on for a lot of the story.
Sinclair has written a story that celebrates the ballet while not romanticising it. She doesn’t gloss over the gruelling workload, the blisters and the bruises; and the hard work to actually make it. There are so many positions in a ballet and you may never make it to the top and dance as a leading lady, sometimes the years of hardwork can get you into a prestigious ballet company but still leave you dancing as an understudy.
The beauty of the book is in the way Sinclair has woven the ballet into the lives of the characters, the ballet is part of their heart and soul and even when it’s taken away it can’t be escaped. Not being able to dance doesn’t lessen the hold.
I enjoyed the way that the two stories weave around one another but I’m left wanting more of Viktoriya’s story.
Lily returns to Paris to try to mend her relationship with her sister Natalie, who is trying for the role of Viktoriya in the new ballet. Her fixation on the role leads to an unhealthy obsession that very nearly ends her career before her star has had it’s chance to shine. After having the door slammed in her face Lily is out walking in a park when she comes across Yves Rousseau and inspires him; only to discover that he is composing said ballet.
The storytelling is intricate as Sinclair weaves the magic of the ballet with love, loss, grief, dreams and the heart-wrenching journey to acceptance and moving on.
Paris is a place of such history and Sinclair paints it beautifully. I am not one who has ever really caught the travel bug, I don’t feel the need to see other places but I do love to see places in my reading and I think if there was ever a place that I did decide I wanted to see… Paris would probably be it.
Beneath the Parisian Skies is an engaging tale of love, loss, grief and passion that has left me with images of the ballet playing behind my eyes.
Beneath the Parisian Skies is Book #29 for the Australian Women Writer’s Challenge 2017.
Alli Sinclair can be contacted on Alli Sinclair.com and Facebook.
Beneath the Parisian Skies is published by Harlequin and available now from Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.
Thanks to Harlequin 10 of our Beauty and Lace Club Members will be reading Beneath the Parisian Skies so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
Having read the prequel, I was desperate to read this book and the wait was absolutely worth it.
This novel is set in Paris and has two timelines running throughout and I spent the majority of the book wondering how they could possibly be linked up. I was sure they must be!
One timeline is set in 1917 and the other is present day. I really enjoyed the insight into the world of ballet. A world which I know nothing about. The historical references were really fascinating and I plan to investigate these further.
As for the setting, Alli did a wonderful job depicting it. Paris is such a place of beauty and I found myself transported back and reminiscing about my own time there.
The story is powerful and addictive and I cannot wait to read more of Alli Sinclairs books.
Thank you so much to Harlequin and Beauty and Lace book club for the opportunity to read this new book from Alli Sinclair.
I was so glad that I read the little prequel novella before I read this book as I believed it set up the story beautifully, in fact it should have been included as the beginning of this book as without reading it you really do miss the point in why Lily and Natalie’s relationship as sisters is fractured.
The story is told in two timeframes one being set in the early 1900’s and then present day Paris. I really enjoyed the story of Viktoriya and her quest to be recognised and given the chance to be the Prima ballerina in the Ballet Russes, the pressure to keep the ballet going with very little money put her in such a difficult position.
The relationship between the two sisters Lily and Natalie did get a little tiresome and drawn out at times, but overall the book provided a great description of Paris at the time with the architecture and feel of the city.
Beneath The Parisian Skies is my first encounter with Alli Sinclair and it certainly won’t be my last! From the brilliance of the prequel, to the beautiful cover depicting Lily with her Australian roots and the Paris Skies I was entranced and not let down at any point. I love historical novels and the way Alli Sinclair wove Paris. 1917 with Paris, present day, was magical. Paris is one of my favourite cities and as the backdrop to the two distinct timelines connecting the characters it was almost as though I was actually there.
I loved the way the story developed and particularly the way real people were integrated with fictional characters. The actual Ballets Russes with the founder, Sergei Diaghilev, which I found included Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky in the company was brilliantly woven into the story line. The mix of real and fictional characters was incredibly well done. I was fascinated to research the truth behind the characters who actually lived when I had finished the book.
I was puzzled for some time as to how the relationship between Lily and her sister, Natalie could have become so fractured after reading the prequel but it fitted eventually. The way the story is bound by ballet and the ballet dancers with composers and artists is masterful.
This is a book that will appeal to a wide range of readers I believe – anyone who loves ballet, anyone who appreciates Australian authors and anyone who loves historical fact woven with fiction, especially when two timelines are intermingled. There was a wonderful mix of love, loss, beauty and terror.
I am definitely planning on reading the other ‘Wandering Skies” novels and I am pleased it wasn’t necessary to have any knowledge of the other books in this series before reading Beneath The Parisian Skies. I am always delighted when I “discover” another Australian author whose work I love. That definitely happened with Alli Sinclair. Thank you so much, Beauty and Lace and Harlequin Mira for the opportunity to read this excellent novel. Thank you to Alli Sinclair for taking me back to Paris to be enveloped by the wonderful characters from the past and the present. It was an experience I will long remember.
I had high expectations with Paris, ballet and time parallel stories being my three favourite topics. And it is a lovely story set in Paris about ballet; however, I didn’t feel there was much depth to the characters, I really didn’t get attached. And I would have loved more description about Paris, the struggles of ballet, and what it was like in 1917, It all felt very “surface” to me. Easy read though if you want something for an airplane or travel.
Thankyou for Beneath Parisian Skies. I really enjoyed the story and the parallel one running throughout. It was very interesting learning a bit about ballet. I was a bit disappointed not to hear more about Viktoriya’s story. Overall a very good read. Perhaps a film of the same? Sue
My goodness, this is a magnificent book. I do not use those words lightly, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Beneath The Parisian Skies and Alli Sinclair is a very talented author.
The blending of two stories almost a century apart, setting the scene for each plot, the individual lives of each character and then intertwining all of the characters and moulding a very descriptive and emotive story has created a stunning piece of literature worthy of many literary awards and praises.
The depiction of the ballet dancers encapsulates all that it means to be in this profession. From the rigorous training, the physical demands, the friendships, romances, egos and dramas were all played beautifully ensuring the reader is encapsulated in this story. We experience the tragedies of the Russian Revolution, the struggles of these families to the beauty of Paris, the romance and history of this city and the growth and development of some of the worlds greatest performers. Not only from the perspective of the ballet dancers but also the choreographers, music composers, costume designers and seamstresses, I could clearly imagine the life and soul that is put into each ballet performance by these gifted people.
Of particular note, my most enjoyable moment in this book was the performance of the ballet Parade at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. The authors descriptions were splendidly written, particularly with lines such as ‘Massine jumped onto the stage as the Chinese Conjurer, dressed in a spectacular red and gold jacket, his face painted white to the point he was unrecognisable. His torso was stiff, his arms and legs bent to rectangles as he leaped. As the dance proceeded he mimed fire coming out of his mouth and sparking in the air, causing a few in the audience to whisper………………’ My goodness, I can imagine the spectacle before me, how exciting to see.
Alli Sinclair has clearly worked very hard in writing this lovely story and has certainly put a lot of work into the research of the characters. The commitment to research and describing the events as accurately as possible has produced a truly wonderful piece of literature.
Beneath Parisian Skies I enjoy the two stories that was years apart with different out comes one happy the other sad.
Lilly and Natalie are sisters who have not had contact with each other for years after the accident that killed Lilly’s fiancé. The story starts from there and goes on to meeting a Frenchmen in Paris.
The second story is in Paris, 1917 about a ballerina named Viktoriya Budian from Russia.
I good read when you have two stories in one book.
I actually found this book a bit slow to begin with but after a few chapters I settled in and did get involved.
I enjoyed the read but found myself wanting more information – what happened to Jake, Lily’s brother? And more from Viktoryia’s side of the story would have been good. In saying this though, I am guilty of not having read the prequel.
In all though I did enjoy the book and would read more from this author.
Thank you BeautyandLace for this book reading opportunity. This book was fairly easy to read and understand, although there were places where I had to ensure I understood what was happening before I moved on to the next page. The storyline was captivating and took me away from my daily life and into the beauty and romance of the ballet.
The descriptions of the ballet artists and their movements were specially enchanting and enlightening to read.
I found this book very appealing with a storyline which kept me interested and wanting to know more. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a fairly easy and interesting read.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Beneath The Parisian Skies..
It was a pleasure to read a beautiful book about Ballet . I loved the adult story lines and themes because i have read many children’s/young adult books about ballet.
Of course there are always two sisters fighting to make a mark in the industry which is tough and brutal.
I love the character of Viktoriya , her quest and desperation to be the ultimate Ballerina.
A very well written and thought out book which i would recommend to other.
Congratulations Alli Sinclair on your book.