Critics' Opinion:
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Published Jun 2023
336 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
A Black teen dancer with dreams of landing a spot in a prestigious ballet company must learn to dance on her own terms in this explosive debut about the healing power of art and friendship, perfect for fans of Euphoria and Tiny Pretty Things.
Ballet is Aisha's life. So when she's denied yet another lead at her elite academy because she doesn't "look" the part, she knows something has to change–the constant discrimination is harming her mental health. Switching to her best friend Neil's art school seems like the perfect plan at first. But she soon discovers racism and bullying are entrenched in the ballet program here, too, and there's a new, troubling distance between her and Neil. And as past traumas surface, pressure from friends and family, a new romance, and questions about her dance career threaten to overwhelm her. There's no choreography to follow–for high school or for healing. Aisha will have to find the strength within herself–and place her trust in others–to make her next move.
"A hopeful, realistic exploration of mental health among teens invested in the world of the arts." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[A] thoughtful and absorbing debut...a tightly plotted and smoothly written novel that tackles issues of racism in classical ballet alongside mental health and body image conflicts." —Publishers Weekly
"Ameyaw's debut is raw and real. It contextualizes Black girlhood through the lens of mental health and what it looks like to heal within community. Aisha is strong and soft, a perfect balance in a relatable heroine." —Louisa Onomé, author of Like Home and Twice As Perfect
This information about When It All Syncs Up was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Maya Ameyaw worked as a bookseller in college and currently works as a community arts writing instructor. Her contemporary debut When It All Syncs Up has been awarded grants by the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. A deleted excerpt of her upcoming novel is included in the anthology Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear, which was featured in Quill and Quire literary magazine. In her free time, Maya enjoys hanging out with her adorable dwarf rabbit and devouring as many books as possible. She also loves exploring all the bookstores that Toronto has to offer.
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