Review: Just wasn't for me
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 08 17, 2013
Many thanks to DailyLit for allowing me to read and review this story.Almost Tall isn't a very long story and was a fairly fast read. I was interested in reading this because I love stories about ballet dancers, particularly when the main character isn't quite an adult yet. I admit I was expecting to read more about ballet, but it was really only mentioned a few times. That disappointed me. I was hoping for a better glimpse at this ballet camp, even though it was a disappointment for Dinah.As far as characters go, I really didn't connect with any of them though I did feel a bit bad for Dinah and her state of loneliness. Luis was a nice addition, but aside from these two, I didn't care for the other characters at all.I did like the setting and the emotions involved with Dinah while she lives with her uncle and his partner. I'm honestly a little surprised that even though the reader is told that her parents are very religious, that they seem to have no problem sending their daughter to live with her uncle and his partner in New York--unless they do not know, of course, but I never saw anything about this. Just something that struck me a little odd and would have been nice to tie into the story with.The writing was okay, but seemed a bit formal for the teenaged character. I found some of the dialogue to be a bit forced and unrealistic, but I've also never been to New York so I could very well be wrong--it just felt that way to me.I think I would have liked this better if there had been a little more focus on the ballet aspect, better likable characters (at least for her uncle and his partner at least), and less formal writing. It was just an "okay" read for me, but I do see potential.Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.