Clara & Olivia: 'A wonderful, eye-opening debut'. The Times

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The novel comes from a unique perspective, as Clara and Olivia are identical twins and we hear from both of them the difficulties of being regarded as a unit, and being mistaken for each other, but when someone begins to take an unhealthy interest in one of them, both sisters are at risk.

Olivia wishes she could dance like her sister, no matter how much she tries, she cannot move like Clara. As rehearsals intensify, the sisters increasingly feel as if they are being watched. Everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve is within their grasp but the life of a dancer is a precarious thing, fraught with injuries, fixations, superstitions and insecurities. There are people who prefer the idea of a ballerina – a perfect, graceful, lithe creature – to the actual person. And when they realise that the reality doesn’t fit the ideal, obsession spills over into tragedy. The worldbuilding of early 1930’s London is done impeccably, from the fashions of the time to the political upheaval happening all over. It was a dark time and it was about to get darker, and the British people invested their time and money in the arts just as Americans did, needing pretty diversions from their daily toils and troubles. CLARA & OLIVIA - a dark, suspenseful and unsettling story of obsession, perfection and sisterly love." - Natalie Xenos, CultureFlyOverall, I found ‘Clara and Olivia’ a beautifully written, atmospheric historical thriller rich in the history of ballet. I was completely immersed in the story and feel that it was an impressive debut. Similarly, both Nathan and Samuel obsess over the image that their twin of choice projects at particular moments - physical perfection and falling into line with the rest of the corps, as is required of them - and are discomfited when the sisters reveal themselves to be standard messy humans with minds of their own. One comes away from the experience disillusioned, but wiser; the other doubles down on trying to force “his” twin to be what he wants her to be.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, ideas, and views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you. As a twin, I really loved how Ashe portrayed Clara and Olivia’s sibling dynamic in a way that felt real and given evil twin stories I’ve read over the years, refreshingly un-toxic. While Clara longs to ‘try everything and be everywhere,’ Olivia wants ‘a mysterious, aloof kind of fame. She wants to be a prima ballerina.’ However, being both twins and ballerinas means that they both struggle to be seen as individuals and I loved seeing how they grappled with this, particularly when Clara’s changing ambitions threaten to change their world as they know it. Ashe also makes a point I’d never considered before: we say horrible things to ourselves we’d never say to, or even think about, other people - but if you’re an identical twin, how can you criticise your own appearance without hurting your sibling? What makes this even more captivating is having twin narrators - another phenomenon which so many people are intrigued by. I loved how different Clara and Olivia were and that they each had their own male character obsessing over them so we had no idea which way things might go. I really enjoyed the character arc for one of the men but can’t give too much away by saying who or why 🤣

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Lest this make the book seem more a social history than a novel, then I should assure readers that it does indeed also work well as a fluent and continuous engrossing narrative knitted together with many moments of psychological insight. The portrayal of the relationship between the twins is expertly done, demonstrating the depth of their bond and intuitive understanding, but also underlining their core differences in personality from which it seems then inevitable that ultimate divergence and separation must flow.

Nathan or Samuel will end up taking their obsession too far - but you’ll have to read the book to find out which, and what happens. Set in the Sadler’s Wells theatre during the 1930’s it blends fact with fiction so you may spot a name or production you recognise. I would also encourage you to read the author’s note at the end. I wasn’t surprised to find out the author was a trained ballerina herself, as the novel is so rich in detail about the dancers’ routines (in terms of both the moves they perform and what they do all day!), what is expected of a ballerina, and the big names of the day, at a time when British ballet was coming into its own. I couldn’t help but smile when ballet critic Arnold Haskell popped up, having drawn on his autobiography for my PhD on only children in history. This book was a joy to read from start to finish. Ashe's writing is razor-sharp with a lyrical edge to it, and there were times when I wished I could write just as well. Rich, mesmerising and compelling, Clara & Olivia heralds the arrival of a bright new voice in literary fiction. This one will have the cash registers ringing.' -- Awais Khan, author of No HonourI loved this novel and even before reading the Historical Notes provided by Lucy Ashe felt that she was writing from firsthand knowledge of the ballet and of Coppélia. I appreciated that the novel stressed the physicality of ballet. Again, something that is very clear to anyone with knowledge of the dance. The novel opens with a useful glossary that includes ballet movements. Clara’s boyfriend, Nathan, wants to take their relationship to the next level, however, she wants other things… A novel about obsessive love featuring two ballet dancers—identical twin sisters Olivia and Clara Marionetta—with a terrifying climax set in the world of ballet in pre-war London.

Set in 1933 London, the novel focuses on identical twins, Clara and Olivia. While born Smith they had changed their surnames to Marionetta after leaving Ballet School to join the newly formed Vic-Wells Ballet. Dancing in the corps de ballet, they each seek perfection and hope one day to become prima ballerinas. During the novel they are involved in rehearsals for the ballet Coppélia.This book is creepy as ****! But in the best way. In Clara & Olivia, Lucy Ashe has created a world where the height of creativity and art meet mental illness and obsession, set in the early days of what would become the Royal Ballet at Sadler’s Wells. identical twins Olivia and Clara “Marionetta” (née Smith) are both ballerinas dancing for the Vic-Wells Ballet in 1933 London. The ballet world is a cut-throat world it would seem, but the stories which thread through this novel are what really took me on a journey to remember. Giuseppina Bozzacchi as Swanhilda in the Saint-Léon/Delibes Coppélia. Paris, 1870 (c) Wikipedia BookTrail Locations in Clara and Olivia The worldbuilding of early 1930’s London is done impeccably, from the fa