Chenee Marrapodi, Breaking Pointe, Fremantle Press, July 2024, 288 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760994334
Breaking Pointe, a sequel to One Wrong Turn, is a contemporary story of the changes and challenges faced by a group of young people as they seek to achieve their goals while negotiating family expectations, cultural differences, and the physical demands that must be conquered for a successful career in ballet.
Amelia and her friends love ballet. They all strive to be the very best that they can and practice for hours in anticipation of being selected for a lead role, a solo dance sequence or the highest prize of all, a scholarship to pay the Dance Academy fees. Amelia is a top performer however, when there is a change of teacher at the Academy whose focus is on contemporary dance, Amelia feels out of her depth. In addition to this unexpected insecurity, Amelia is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and her entire world shifts. Ballet has always been Amelia’ s focus but she must now give her energy to her health and she is resentful of it interfering with her passion.
Valentina is as focussed as Amelia when it comes to ballet, but Valentina welcomes the new contemporary style of dance; she is thriving on the work that the new instructor has introduced. However, Valentina has other concerns too. Her family is struggling to afford the Academy fees, so she is desperate to win a scholarship. While she works hard to perfect her ballet technique, Valentina knows that her ballet career is reliant on her ability to win the scholarship.
Chenee Marrapodi has cleverly presented a range of issues in the lives of the young people in Breaking Pointe as they pursue their career goals, interests and personal wellbeing. Amelia’s story is especially touching. Marrapodi skilfully outlines the impact of Type 1 Diabetes on a person’s life through the character of Amelia and the immense change diabetes imposes—and continues to demand. I greatly appreciated this insight and the personalisation of the illness as it affects those who have been diagnosed, their families and friends.
Marrapodi’s Breaking Pointe is rich and varied in subject matter. She introduces boy/girl relationships with a gentle approach and highlights the complexities within families as these young people seek more independence and control of their own lives, and families struggle to keep a protective ‘cocoon’ around them.
Breaking Pointe is a book to be read by all genders from ten years of age. There are many stories within this book that will be recognised by young people as they seek to find the balance between achieving their goals and living the best life they can.
Reviewed by Jennifer Mors
