Book Review: Ribbons

This is a book that I have recently read, I did enjoy it somewhat, but not that much.

I rate it ** (2) out of ***** (5)

Synopsis:

Robin Lee would easily say that ballet is her life. She's only 11 but she wants to be a ballet dancer and dance forever. When her grandmother comes over from China, her parents can no longer pay for ballet lessons and they pull her out. Robin is really mad about this, but continues to practice in her garage. Consequently, she doesn't like her grandmother very much, because she seems grumpy and she spoils her brother. During this time, Robin in damaging her feet because she's dancing on the cement. Then it seems like she can go back to dance, even though her mom doesn't want her to. But she has a foot condition now and she can either have a surgery and maybe not dance again, or dance with the pain. She learns that her grandmother had her feet bound and thought that Robin was doing all of the ballet to be beautiful. In the end she goes back into ballet and everything is better.


GOOD:
Robin is nice to her brother for the most part. Her brother is very understanding about the money problem, even though he's only 5. Her grandmother is nice to Robin once Robin is nicer to her. Robin adores her ballet teacher.

BAD:
Robin's character is very bratty. She is completely and knowingly rude to her parents when it comes to ballet, she almost never stops pestering them about ballet. She hates her grandmother at first and won't talk to her much. Her mother is in complete control of the house, the dad doesn't really have a say in anything. The grandmother follows the same pattern, with her grown sons doing whatever she says. Robin fights with her brother, and when she gets her one Christmas present (tickets to a ballet) she gives them to a friend.

Conclusion:
The characters aren't very strong. The protagonist is a brat and the end was not at all satisfying to me. But this was written my a male, so it doesn't have a great portrayal of female characters. I didn't like it that much, and wouldn't really recommended it to anyone, unless it's someone who isn't a dancer. I apologize if this sounded snobby, but it's just my opinion.