One new release for 2025 that readers have been excited about is City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim. Following a young Russian ballerina from childhood to incredible fame, the book promises a look at complex relationships as the dancer attempts a return to the stage following an accident.
The Situation: Since she was a little girl living with her single mother in St. Petersburg, Russia, Natalia Leonova has dreamed of not only becoming a wonderful ballet dancer, but the best one around. Her desire to outdance and outperform everyone around her propels who forward through school, auditions, and every performance of her life. From the beginning, it is clear that success will not come easy, and for Natalia, neither will the friendships. Being the first to arrive and the last to leave often results in Natalia being alone, and she simply does not attract people to her the way others do. But she is able to enjoy a celebrated career, until a terrible accident brings everything to an end.
The Problem: Two years later, Natalia returns to St. Petersburg, and is almost immediately confronted with an offer to return to the stage. But even with intense practice and physical therapy, Natalia is not sure she is able to return to dance, which would also mean facing what happened in her past, and the people who were part of it. She may have left Alexander behind in Paris, but Dmitri is once again part of her world, and is the man offering her a place on the stage in a leading role. And as Natalia continues to make preparations, and her fans become more excited for her return, Natalia remembers her past relationships, conversations with her distant mother, and begins to uncover the truth about the father she never met.
Genre, Themes, History: Readers of this book have placed this in the general fiction and the historical fiction categories, as the story begins in the mid-1980s in Russia, during Natalia's early years in St. Petersburg. The story continues through to modern day and beyond, as Natalia will settle in Moscow and Paris as a dancer, while also enjoying many opportunities to travel all over the world performing. As Natalia's career grows and she becomes more renown, she finds it difficult to navigate the complicated and competitive world of ballet, as well as the difficult relationships of life in general. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is also mentioned, along with the many resulting opinions and fallout.
My Verdict: Having an unlikeable narrator/protagonist is a risky move, though not a new one. And while I would not liken Natalia to someone like Scarlett O'Hara, her competitiveness is grating, while also making her somewhat boring. I was far more interested in her relationships with family and friends (and enemies) than her fight to be the best and outshine everyone. And the long-awaited reveal of the accident that threatened to end her ballet career is underwhelming, and ends up being much less interesting that some of the other revelations that come before and after it. Learning the inner workings of a ballet company and the industry as a whole was a fun experience, especially as Natalia travels between different companies and theaters throughout her career.
Favorite Moment: The reappearance of someone from Natalia's mother's past offers up a valuable opportunity for the dancer to learn more about her own history.
Favorite Character: Natalia and Nina may lose touch with each other at various points over the years, but the latter always remains a loyal and reliable friend.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Kim's first novel, 2021's Beasts of a Little Land, as well as 2024's The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan.
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