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Description edit
In the City of Lights, at the dawn of a new age, begins an unforgettable story of great love, great art—and the most painful choices of the heart. With this fresh and vibrantly imagined portrait of the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas, readers are transported through the eyes of a young... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Alexandrie: The novel's protagonist, an ambitious and enterprising farm girl who dreams of dancing ballet and finding love in Paris.
- Edgar Degas: An aspiring impressionistic artist who is frequently found sketching ballet dancers during performances for his paintings.
- Denis: Alexandrie's brother who is believed to be selfish by his parents because he did not marry the girl that would have aided the family financially but married for love.
- Luce: Denis' wife. Both Denis and Luce live with Alexandrie's parents.
- Madame Channing: Alexandre's overweight but graceful ballet instructor who encourages her dancing as she prepares for audition at the Paris Opera House.
- Monsieur Aston: Alexandre's instructor in basic education, which is thought to make her more attractive to the Paris gentlemen. As a young man, he was in love with a Parisian ballet dancer but lost her to an older, but wealthier, gentleman.
- Noella: Alexandre's roommate when she first becomes a student at the Paris Opera Ballet.
- Cornelie: Paris Opera Ballet's prima ballerina who is jealous of Alexandre in an All About Eve fashion.
- Ballet Master: The manager of the Paris Opera Ballet who is obsessed with bring money into the Opera Ballet.
- Pierre: A young married man who has expressed an interest in Noella who she is infatuated with.
- Claude Monet: Artist, acquaintance of Degas, who seeks to show his paintings along side Degas in his museum.
- Monsieur Durand-Ruel: Degas' dealer
Quotes edit
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“Even dreams become burdens.”
Edgar Degas
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
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“I think at some point in everyone’s life, they begin to believe in themselves when others do not and that is the moment their lives begin,”
Highlighted by 12 Kindle customers -
“If we felt no pain we would have no motive to better our lives,”
Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers -
‘Women always think that men despise them. On the contrary, we’re obsessed by them. They’re our only danger, women.
Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers
Setting & Locations edit
The latter half of the 19th century France, especially Paris
- Espelete, France: Alexandrie's childhood home, a village in southwest France known for its peppers.
- Paris Opera Ballet: Where Alexandrie was a student and now dances professionally.
- Green Room: The room backstage where Paris gentlemen and the professional ballerinas socialize.
First Sentence edit
I imagine the lines he is drawing are making me dance.
Table of Contents edit
Introduction
Act I
No. 1 Scène: The Fiery Side of France
No. 2 Scène: The Market
No. 3 Scène: Madame Channing's Studio
No. 4 Scène: Destined for Greatness
No. 5 Scène: The Audition
No. 6 Scène: Petits Rats
No. 7 Scène: Debut
Act II
No. 8 Scène: The Unveiling
No. 9 Scène: A Cruel and Subtle Analyst
No. 10 Scène: A Model Dancer
No. 11 Scène: The Green Room
No. 12 Scène: Art in Science
No. 13 Scène: The Guest of Honor
No. 14 Scène: The Intruder
No. 15 Scène: Privileged Company
No. 16 Scène: The Annual Salon
No. 17 Scène: A Matter of Convenience
No. 18 Scène: A Salon of Realists
No. 19 Scène: The Highest Honor
Intermission
-Wartime Correspondence
-Reopening the Doors
-The Second Coming
-A Civil Affair
Act III
No. 20 Scène: Even Dreams Become Burdens
No. 21 Scène: A Secure Future
No. 22 Scène: A Work of Art
No. 23 Scène: The Bather
No. 24 Scène: A Parisian Lorette
No. 25 Scène: Shaky Ground
No. 26 Scène: Nothing Must Be Left to Chance
Act IV
No. 27 Scène: Clarity in Absence
No. 28 Scène: In the Public Eye
No. 29 Scène: Presenting the New Étoile
No. 30 Scène: Joyeux Anniversaire
Authors & Contributors edit
- Kathryn Wagner (Author)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813.6
Subjects edit
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