Rating: 
Summary: Another home run for Calhoun
Review: I can only imagine what illegal substances the Newbery judges must have had in their systems, if they passed this by! This book is, in YA fiction, a true masterpiece.Suspended somewhere between Gail Levine and Patricia McKillip, Calhoun crafts the tale of Cerinthe, a young dancer in Windward who moves from her seaside home to a dancing school. Her mother, also a dancer, wished for her to attend the school, and despite doubts Cerinthe is doing it. Her talents are ill-used, when she is utilized to motivate the star pupil. After a performance for the royal family, in which Cerinthe shines, Elliana goads Cerinthe into a competition -- and Cerinthe suffers a serious injury. She must consider her path and goals, and what is truly important to her. Cerinthe will appeal to fans of McKillip's Sybil and Levine's strong princesses, an intelligent young woman with fears and insecurities that ring true to the reader. Her reasons for attending the dance school are sound and realistic in their conception, and her doubts are wonderfully drawn. I reaaaaalllyy hated Elliana, also known as She-Who-Manipulates. The writing style is poetic and evocative. As in "Firegold," the author manages to convey everything in the book 3-dimensionally, with all five senses. Calhoun creates another magical fantasy, of a type that deserves classic status. A must read!
Rating: 
Summary: i'm totally confused and I only have highlights!
Review: I didn't understand the story. Its not that there were big words or anything beacause I am a ballerina and i know the lingo. I still found it confusing. I read in one day and then a week ago read it again but i'm still puzzled. I reccomend it for the dance portion, that makes sense but the story line is a little confusing.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book EVER!!!
Review: This book is the best book ever! I have read it about 100 times. It's so good, that I have been holding it "hostage" for a while in my room from my school library. Cerinthe is a 13 year old girl living on the island of Normost in the Northern Reach. She is a healer. But one day, her mother gets ill and is unable to save her. Her mothers final request is for her to go to Faranor and become a little daina at the royal school for dancers. Cerinthe gets in, and performs well, but she feels that there is something missing. She meets a lady named Mederi Grace who says that Cerinte should come and train on healers hill. But others want her to stay because she is a wonderfull dancer. And a mean girl named Elliana only makes the choice difficult, because she hurtrs her. Cerinthe ultimately has to decide if she should stay at the school or go to healers hill.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book EVER!!!
Review: This book is the best book ever! I have read it about 100 times. It's so good, that I have been holding it "hostage" for a while in my room from my school library. Cerinthe is a 13 year old girl living on the island of Normost in the Northern Reach. She is a healer. But one day, her mother gets ill and is unable to save her. Her mothers final request is for her to go to Faranor and become a little daina at the royal school for dancers. Cerinthe gets in, and performs well, but she feels that there is something missing. She meets a lady named Mederi Grace who says that Cerinte should come and train on healers hill. But others want her to stay because she is a wonderfull dancer. And a mean girl named Elliana only makes the choice difficult, because she hurtrs her. Cerinthe ultimately has to decide if she should stay at the school or go to healers hill.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Special
Review: While I thought this book was okay, it was a definite let-down. Other then the big dancing school, every thing seemed so stero-typical. The bully, the girl, the way her mother died. I felt as if it was some thing a 10 y.o. could have made up and written down. Nothing more. Not a winner. ~Atalanta
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