Set in the elegant and capricious world of professional ballet, this is the story of a brilliantly talented male ballet star and the young actress who falls in love with him. It chronicles the life of Jean-Baptiste St. Michel, whose dream is to become a world-class dancer. He's also consumed with proving himself to his father, a famous dancer-choreographer who abandoned his family for fame. Not only is Michel extremely ambitious, he's also handsome and talented. However, that talent has not been developed to its full potential, until he's taken in and tutored by the head of the Islington Ballet, a world-renowned company.

While a member of this company, Michel meets the pretty, aspiring actress Jonni Kendal. They're immediately attracted to each other and are soon married. However, Michel is unable to devote himself to Jonni and the emotions of their relationship, since dance is his all- consuming passion. Having attained the rank of featured solo dancer, and with a beautiful loving wife, Michel is still unfulfilled. In order to become happier, he must come to terms with his past and confront his unfeeling parents.

With lyrical and elaborate prose, Horsfall has written a stunning debut novel that pulls readers into the tumultuous world of talented young artists on the edge. At 786 pages, it's a big read, but once immersed in this well-written, character-driven volume of work, you won't want to put it down.