Girls of Dark Divine

Gr 7 Up–A dark fable about a ballet troupe bound by a magical curse to Malcom, the show manager. Audiences cannot see the magical strings that bind the dancers and allow Malcolm to move their bodies and limbs as though they are marionettes. ­Emberlyn, now star of the show, dreams of escape and a life of independence despite the very real consequences such an attempt would unleash. Perhaps the invitation to perform in a new show will provide her with a chance to claim freedom and even find love. Edsell expertly narrates multiple voices and accents in this story of sisterhood, dark impulses, the cost of power, and the power of sacrifice. Her controlled, measured pace and her tone are carefully modulated to create emphasis, dramatic tension, emotional resonance, and more as the fable unfolds. The contrast between the dark story and the narrator’s baseline voice and plummy accent enhances the growing unease as the story builds a crescendo. ­