Drina Ballerina (Drina Books) [Paperback]

Jean Estoril (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 1995 | Series: Drina Books

This is the eleventh, and final title in the Drina ballet book series about Drina Adams' progress to stardom.

Product Details

• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Wayland (November 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750012706
• ISBN-13: 978-0750012706
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,012,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The final book, October 8, 2006

By 

M. McShane "Vermicious Knid" (Virginia, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drina Ballerina (Simon & Schuster young books) (Paperback)

The last book in the Drina series is okay if something of a disappointment. The characters seem more distant in this book than they did in the others--you aren't as connected to them and are more of a "viewer" watching the action happen to them. Despite this, it is worth the read (or several reads).

***Summary (with spoilers!)***
For those who can't afford the lordly price this book commands but want to find out what happens to Drina, look no further. The story begins with Drina visiting Jenny at her farm. Jenny was married in the previous book (Drina Goes on Tour) and has just given birth to a daughter, Mary Andrina. Jenny and Drina talk about their lives and some of the distance that had crept between them is erased. Drina dances for Jenny in the apple orchard, and Jenny remembers her predictions about Drina's future when they were children. Drina returns to London and meets up with Grant. While the two are cooking dinner in Drina's grandparents' flat, Drina finally tells Grant that she will marry him. She had been putting him off for months, hoping to "get" somewhere in the Dominick company before they married. The set the wedding date for a few months in the future, in April.

Drina's announcement of her engagement baffles Igor Jr. who fancies himself in love with her. He then turns to Rose which angers her because she knows he is only with her because Drina won't have him. Rose takes some of this hurt out on Drina. The problems between the two are further exacerbated when the Dominick company decides to put on the ballet Drina made in Switzerland (Drina Dances in Switzerland) with Drina in the lead role. The secret of Drina's mother was revealed to the world in the previous book and so the information that Ivory's daughter is dancing in a ballet she created causes a sensation. Drina's ballet is successful and she has found her dancing partner, Igor. Despite the fact there is nothing but friendship between them off-stage, on-stage they have powerful chemistry. Mr. Dominick and Madame Volonaise express some regret that the two didn't mesh off stage, but both like Grant anyway.

Drina's dancing career is off to a good start and will soon receive a boost. The film of her mother's last ballet "The Breton Wedding" is shown on TV. This showing and Drina's dancing ability (very like her mother's) encourages Mr. Dominick to revive the ballet. Drina is to dance the lead role of Josette while Igor will be the doomed lover. The ballet is met with critical and commercial success. After the initial run of the ballet, Drina marries Grant in a small ceremony. They will move into a flat that is a few houses down from her grandparents after their honeymoon in New York. The book ends with Drina and Grant flying to New York as newlyweds. Drina has realized her dream to be a ballerina and has married the man she fell in love with when she was fourteen (Drina Dances in New York).

***The Characters***
Drina is basically the same. She is modest and ambitious and definitely the heroine of the story. She might be a little too perfect which makes many of the other characters look worse than they are. Grant is the same easy-going nice guy he was in the previous books too. He is somewhat quiet but is always supportive of Drina. Jenny is a better character in this book than in some of the other ones but she doesn't get much screen time. There is very little of the friendly interaction with Rose and Ilonka that made the other books such a pleasure. Ilonka is practically a footnote in this book, and Terza comes off as another jealous dancer. Bettina Moore isn't even mentioned. In this book, Rose almost seems to take Queenie's place as the jealous rival which was disappointing. An additional book that explains the change in Rose's character more deeply would be a good thing. Drina spends most of her time with Grant who she is now engaged to. We meet Grant's parents again, and his social climbing, snobbish mother didn't really ring true but his father is an interesting enough character. Mr. and Mrs. Chester don't make much of an impact on this book which is sad because they were two of the more interesting characters.

The other characters are much as we left them. Igor Jr. is still self-centered and self-absorbed. Mr. Dominick and Madame Volonaise get a few scenes of their own and are developed more fully. Signora Adamo gets a brief mention but many of the other characters from the previous books aren't in evidence. Queenie has become a nicer person and gets a boyfriend and a few good roles.

***Conclusion***
The book ties together the past and the future, but seems to end too soon. It feels like there could be an additional book after this one, but perhaps that is just wishful thinking. I did like the book and am glad I got it to complete my collection, but I feel that there is more to the story and what was told was given somewhat a short shift. The book felt rushed, like too much was packed into too little time. It was also lacking some of the charm of the earlier books. So, I liked it, but it could have been better.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ending for everyone in the book, June 26, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Drina Ballerina (Simon & Schuster young books) (Paperback)

This book actually tell us how all the characters end up,doesn't really have a story.Jenny had a baby girl, Drina and Grant's engagement, Drina's ballet'New York Rhapsody' was put on the Dominick, Drina dancing her passed-away mother's role, Josette, in the 'Breton Wedding', and going on honeymoon with Grant.On another review about the book,'Drina Ballerina', the person mention that there is "Some major changes in Rose Conway here, almost confusing, and entirely unexplained. Doesn't entirely line up, timewise", which is untrue, and if that person had read the previous books carefully, we will see the changes matched perfectly. I assure you that this book is just as great as the others.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying ending to a series that needs to be brought back into print!!, August 18, 2011

By 

Mandy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drina Ballerina (Drina Books) (Paperback)

The consistently high price of this used book should have signaled to the publisher years ago that they could still be making a fair amount of money from the lovely and enthralling DRINA series. Why they haven't brought the books back into print is beyond me.

This story ties together every thread from the previous ten novels most satisfyingly, as far as I'm concerned. We really get to see a satisfying conclusion to the stories of her career as a rising star, her romantic relationship with Grant, and her very moving eternal connection to her late mother. I absolutely love these books, and owning the full set has been a worthwhile investment as far as I'm concerned.