Wilson’s debut novel is a lush look at the rarefied world of professional ballet in 1970s New York City as seen through the eyes of Mira Able, a formidable talent with her eyes firmly set on gaining a spot in George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet—and the effect of that world on Kate Randell, a dance historian whose future in the cutthroat world of academia is by no means secure. The story is told in two interwoven narratives, with reader Gilbert moving effortlessly between the young, angry, driven Mira and present-day Kate, brittle and hardened by life’s experiences, experiences that unfold over the course of the novel. Gilbert’s handling of secondary characters is equally strong. Mira’s parents and dance-school associates, Kate’s students and colleagues, and ballet-aficionado Maurice are all distinct and lively, adding a cliff-hanger quality to details and a plot twist that might otherwise have dragged. Fans of Maggie Shipstead’s Astonish Me (2014) will be delighted by Wilson’s backstage look at world-class ballet. Booklist