Marie, Dancing

From the Publisher

"Mesmerizing . . . Heart-wrenching and enlightening, this gritty story celebrates artistic accomplishment even as it reveals the human suffering often required to achieve it."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Publishers Weekly

As with her Young Royals series, Meyer's ability to sweep readers to another time and place while bringing historic figures to life once again results in a mesmerizing novel. Here she offers an imaginative rendering of Marie van Goethem, the impoverished young dancer who inspired Degas's famous sculpture, Petite danseuse de quatorze ans. Marie's widowed mother earns a meager salary as a laundress and drowns her sorrows in alcohol. Her one dream is that her three daughters will become accomplished enough as dancers to attract the attention of wealthy men. Already, Marie's older sister, Antoinette, has received several gifts from gentlemen. Disgusted by Antoinette's flirtatious ways, Marie chooses to take a different path by agreeing to model for the famous artist Degas. Inside the artist's studio, Marie glimpses a new world filled with beauty and mystery (and makes the acquaintance of American artist Mary Cassatt). Degas promises to make Marie famous by immortalizing her in a statuette, but meanwhile, Marie's family life becomes increasingly desperate, threatening to interfere with her career as a dancer. Using words in place of brush strokes, the author paints a harsh and honest portrayal of a dancer's life in Paris during the 1800s. Marie's brief encounter with fame is overshadowed by the many hardships she endures and the sacrifices she must make in order to keep her family together. Heart-wrenching and enlightening, this gritty story celebrates artistic accomplishment even as it reveals the human suffering often required to achieve it. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

More than a hundred years ago, Edgar Degas sculpted one of his most famous works, Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen. While millions of people have viewed the statue since its first exhibition, very little is known about Marie Van Goetham, the model. Drawing on the few recorded facts of Marie's life, Carolyn Meyer skillfully fills in the blanks in this touching and realistic story. Even though Marie's family is struggling after the death of her father, she loves the method that her mother chose for making money: having all three of her daughters dance in the Paris Opera. While Marie's sister sees dancing as a way to become a rich man's mistress, Marie adores dancing. Modeling for Monsieur Degas is an interesting job as well, but soon Marie is caught up in the thrills of her first love, the problems with her mother's absinthe addiction, and the downward spiral of her sister's life and morals. Once the statue is revealed, all Paris is abuzz, but Marie's life only goes from bad to worse. One by one, she is forced to sacrifice her dreams in order to survive. While at times the story seems to suffer from the weight of too many problems in Marie's life, the problems are, nonetheless, realistic for the time. More importantly, they call attention to the irony that while the statue brought fame and fortune to Degas, it brought very little to the model. 2005, Gulliver Books/Harcourt, Ages 12 up.
—Amie Rose Rotruck

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-This is a fictionalized account of the inspiration for Degas's famous statue, "The Little Dancer." Young Marie van Goethem and her two sisters are students at the Paris Opera Ballet. Their mother envisions this as their only hope to get out of their destitute life. The oldest sister, Antoinette, is soon being wined and dined by wealthy men who often pursue the young dancers. Marie, the responsible one, is trying to deal with her mother's alcoholism and care for her younger sister, Charlotte. When Degas chooses Marie to pose for his sculpture both in the nude and costumed, the extra money is only a temporary solution. Eventually Antoinette and Marie are dismissed from the Paris Opera for failing to adhere to the strict rules. Charlotte continues and, with Marie's support, succeeds. Marie finds contentment as she marries and finds joy in her younger sister's success. This is a fairly realistic look at the difficult lives of poor French girls who had few ways to escape their poverty and often discovered that the pursuit of their dreams was fraught with dangerous choices and obstacles. The introduction of Degas and Mary Cassatt enriches the historical interest of this well-written story. Marie's determination and resilience make her an appealing character, and her willingness to try to keep her family intact and support them through their difficulties is believable and admirable.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

The Paris of Degas and the Impressionists was a vibrant and exciting time of artistic accomplishment. One of the most beloved works of art from this time is Degas' sculpture of "Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen." From what little is known about the model, a student at the Paris Opera Ballet named Marie Van Goethem, Meyer has fashioned a story of a young dancer who models for Degas to offset the extreme poverty of her home life. Her older sister, also a dancer, is more intent on finding a man who will provide her with an apartment and jewels. Their mother works in a laundry when not falling down drunk from partaking of too much absinthe to drown her own sorrows. Readers with an interest in ballet will find fascinating insights into the strict world of the late 19th-century Parisian ballet. As striking is the juxtaposition of a ballet dancer holding a still pose for the sculpture. Her modeling leads to a fascination with Degas' art and that of Mary Cassatt, a friend of Degas, while her love interests and her unwillingness to become a mistress of a rich man add flavor to the tale. (Fiction 12+)