Beginning in 1988, Centering unfolds the story of Alexandria “Alixe” Blair, a young, gifted ballerina whose promising career is sabotaged as she dances her first solo with The Imperial Ballet School in London and forces Alixe to end her intense romance with principal dancer, Marc Dumont.
Alixe returns to California to heal. She dances for The Manhattan Ballet Company before joining the world-renowned teacher Madame Irina Karlova at her Grand Theater school, but when a wealthy financier takes an unscrupulous interest in Alixe, her dreams are jeopardized again…
Centering was posthumously published by Chater’s grandson, which was a sound decision; the book provides a fitting testament to Elizabeth’s writing and storytelling skills. It’s a solidly entertaining, rewarding read whose occasionally frothy veneer belies a thoughtfully constructed and sweeping narrative that touches on some dark themes, albeit with a light hand.
Chater brings the ballet world succinctly to life, writing with seeming familiarity yet complete accessibility for readers with scant interest or experience in the discipline. Although it is integral to Alixe’s story, it never overshadows it.
Alixe is a likable, investable main protagonist. The ballet ingénue is a well-trodden role, and Chater does not seek to reinvent it. She subtly works Alixe’s unworldliness to drive the first fifth of the novel and it’s reassuringly good.
As events progress, Chater ensures Alixe’s strength, individuality, and integrity, although primarily forged from her experiences in the toxic crucible of professional ballet, also develop intrinsically, and partly in response to the ebb and flow of her relationship with Marc Dumont.
Chater’s prodigious output in the Regency Romance genre has a definite bearing on her depiction of Marc Dumont. He’s a bold, dashing figure, swooping in and sweeping Alixe off her feet. However, like Alixe, depth and damage are behind his handsome, debonair façade.
Consequently, he exhibits controlling, Svengali-like tendencies toward Alixe. These eventually soften, but the reader is unsure during the early chapters whether Dumont will be a villain or a hero.
Alixe’s interlude with her grandfather in Los Angeles is nicely done and provides a rounded view of the girl’s backstory. However, the trip to visit her estranged mother, whilst completely absorbing, is underdeveloped and lacking in accountability.
Nonetheless, as she moves to New York, Alixe begins to assert herself. As her time with the Manhattan Ballet Company proves, she can be unpredictable, mischievous, and tenacious. Although Chater is adept at portraying the vicious, lascivious choreographers, ballet masters, and directors; Jan Savich is particularly well-realized.
However, it’s Alixe’s financial backer at The Grand, Trevor Buckingham, whose charming moneyed exterior disguises a violent predator. As the situation between him and Alixe intensifies nastily, Centering blurs into a gripping psychological drama for several chapters. However, it does become a touch far-fetched and Buckingham is reduced to a pantomimic figure.
Notwithstanding, Chater’s trajectory for Alixe is ambitious and breezily paced. With less than a quarter of the novel left, she takes the girl into a new but related direction that is convincing, neatly showcasing and converging Alixe’s evolution in both her professional and personal spheres.
Chater’s prose is straightforward yet elegant, and her plotting is driven and precise. Her multi-layered use of the novel’s title is clever, and the word beats a motivating, meaningful tattoo throughout the story.
Further, the constant specter of “Discovery”, Alixe’s fateful solo, is a beguiling touch. The dance often takes on an otherworldly, figurative aspect as Alixe is forced to revisit it several times during her self-discovery journey.
The conclusion is not necessarily foregone. Chater teases the reader with misunderstandings and obstacles between Alixe and Marc which never become overly-frustrating. Overall, the ending is satisfying, if a little rushed.
Centering is a surprising and enjoyable novel, driven by a main character who charms, intrigues, and inspires. Highly recommended.
