Review: Dance With Me by Livia J Elliot

Blurb:

In a world of beauty, a ceramic-made ballerina awakens atop her music box. She must dance for her elven owners, and so her ballet goes on and on. They praise her elegance, her poise and balance, until one day she falls and her ceramic fractures–but the ballerina stands and dances again, ignoring her ever-increasing cracks. The music plays, captivating and demanding … but should she dance? Even when what she once loved becomes a trap? This is a dark fantasy exploring the confines of depression.

Review:

“You cannot survive life intact. That belief is the worst deception anyone can suffer.”

Surrounded by the only world she’s ever known, a delicate ceramic ballerina figurine named Lyra exists for one purpose: to dance for the pleasure and entertainment of others. Living safely inside the walls of her music box on a bookshelf, Lyra believes that her life is flawless. That is until unknown emotions start to arise, and the cracks that life leaves behind start to surface. 

Coming in at around 36,000 words, this standalone novella offers readers a beautifully crafted story with a smooth and engaging flow. The setting takes place inside bookshelves which belong to an elvish woman and her young son. The shelves appear dormant during the day, but at night magic unfolds as Lyra ventures out from her music box to cautiously explore her environment. While life inside a shelf may seem small and insignificant, the author masterfully creates a sense of vastness as if the reader were also a fragile figurine trying to navigate through an unknown world.

As Lyra embarks on her own journey through harrowing feelings of depression, denial, and self-worth, she encounters a variety of other figurines hidden throughout the bookshelf. Each character has their own wisdom to impart on Lyra to help her through the struggles she is facing as they themselves have also experienced hardships, most of which are physically represented on their bodies and in their appearance. Additionally, the elvish mother’s son, who readers will only come to know as “the elvish boy” plays a pivotal role in Lyra’s fall from her perfectly constructed life. As darkness closes in, Lyra must battle her inner demons to find a way to overcome the turmoil that threatens to consume her.

“It’s natural, Lyra. It is life, and the best thing you can do is admit that we are as fluctuating as the wind itself.”

My enjoyment of this book is tied to the emotions it evokes. Lyra as a character might be a figurine, but the experiences she goes through are drawn back to human nature. While reading, one will come across strong themes that may stir up memories of previous life experiences. There were times when I needed to pause and take a step back. However, this is not something I would consider negative. The author has a gentle and natural way of guiding the reader through these emotions to then arrive at a well-deserved conclusion. 

In summary, I highly enjoyed this novella and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories that explore darker themes and heavier feelings through a lyrical writing style. I cannot wait to see what other future works the author has in store for us!