I enjoyed the book, as much for the story of life behind both Degas' work and Zola's novel L,Assommoir about laundresses as for the flavour of the times. The decision to tell the tale from two perspectives, Antoinette's and Marie's, gave us a fuller picture life in Paris at the Opera at that time than we might have had from only one character. At times I had to shake my head as Antoinette seemed to make impausible decisions but they did make for a good story.

Truly enjoyed this book. Great description of life during that time period. Interesting premise for the story. Would definitely recommend. Good for book clubs.

Beautiful portrayal of sister support and love through the most difficult of circumstances.

WONDERFUL....the story, the writing, so realistic and heart breaking...loved every page

I did ballet till I was 16, and was intrigued by a Degas print that someone gave me when I was a kid. It took a while to completely get into this novel, but it was worth it. For people who enjoy historical fiction, this book captured part of Paris in the late 1800's and showed how hard life could be for the average person. I would recommend this book for people who want a different "take" on society in the late 1800's - in Paris for a change...

I was not impressed with this book - yes times were tough during that period of time - but nothing exciting happened that hasn't already happened before.

Sorry to admit it was the glorious cover that first caught my eye, and then the remarkable critical reviews of this novel. So glad to say the book deserves both its lovely wrapper and the external praise. Set in Paris, in the 1880's, Buchanan unsparingly recreates the hand to mouth existence of the real Marie van Goethem, a 14 year old Opera Ballet dancer (or "rat") during her time as Degas' model for the (now-) famous sculpture, " Little Dancer of 14 years." The lives of both Marie, and her older sister, the lovelorn Antoinette together create the plot, with many unexpected twists & turns. It was certainly worth the time & effort, but probably not recommended for someone interested in a light, quick read.

What a wonderful premise for a book! I love the idea of exploring the life behind a painting or sculpture- the hours of modelling and the torture the artist and the model go through to create something with such a lasting impact. Though the story dragged a little in the middle, the ending was good. I also feel a little more knowledgeable for reading it.

A bit of a depressing book about the life of three poor sisters. The story detailed their lives as dancers and the things they had to do to earn a meager living. I enjoyed the book and especially the unexpected ending. I recommend this book.

not worth the time...very disappointing