Synopsis: A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I’m no longer Alicia Ruffino. I’m dancergirl. And suddenly it’s like me against the world—everyone’s got opinions.
My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he’s acting weird. And some stalker isn’t content to just watch anymore.
Ali. dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you’ve seen me online, I’ve trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life. (Goodreads.com)
The first thing I need to mention about this book is that there is a very definite and perceptible creep factor in this book. Ali is being watched and she is becoming paranoid but so was I. Very innocent acts, like receiving flowers after a great performance, took on a very sinister tone. Carol M. Tanzman definitely captured (what I can really only imagine) the feeling of being observed, of being stalked and played by someone who has evil intentions. That feeling is quite pervasive in this story.
This book also has a very strong contemporary feel. While there is no mention of YouTube, there is a made-up version used for the premise of the book, in which the videos that Ali stars in are made available to viewers all around the world. Comments range from really nice to very mean, as is real life. There is also push-back from her real life as her classmates either celebrate or scorn her "success." This felt incredibly real to me and something many teens would be feeling as they become internet "celebrities." Again, a great contemporary feel to this book. It's set in a world teens are going to so easily relate to because the actions of the characters, of their classmates, and of Ali herself are clearly how teens today are thinking and feeling.
I will say I did figure out who the stalker is very, very easily but that didn't really lessen any enjoyment. This is a fast-paced story that reads easily and I think will work great for reluctant readers. It's a good length, the plot isn't drawn out abnormally long and while it's not necessarily the most compelling mystery ever, the characters and their emotions stand out in a way that I think mimics real life teens very adeptly.
This is not Printz quality writing or plotting or world building or anything but from a librarian stand-point, I think this is a book you will want to have in your collection. The cover does draw you in and I can see it being a title, particularly in a school setting, that will get passed around from teen to teen. I know I plan to add it to my collection. (That being said, there are instances of pot smoking in the book, in case you are in an extremely conservative community.)
dancergirl is available on November 15 from Harlequin Teen.
Other reviews:
WhatchYAreading reviews dancergirl
What's Your Thoughts on That Book reviews dancergirl
Come back tomorrow for a special guest post from author Carol M. Tanzman herself AND a chance to win a copy of dancergirl and an iPod Nano!!
ARC reviewed from publisher e-copy.
