In this beautifully-told coming-of-age story, Cerinthe Gale stands at a crossroads in her life. She’s traveled from her far-off home of the isle of Normost to the royal island of Faranor, where she will audition to join the royal school of dancing. She knows she’s good, and it’s a dream of hers to one day be an accomplished dancer. But is she good enough to win a place at the school? Cerinthe lets nothing stand in her way, not even discouragement and disappointment. But when she actually gets into the school, her life is turned upside-down. Now she has to choose between a life of dancing, and her calling as a healer. Haunted by memories of her lost mother, tormented by a bitter rival, and deserted by the Goddess she worships, Cerinthe must find her true path, before it’s too late to choose.
At first I was willing to dismiss this book as melodramatic, but the unevenness of the first few pages rapidly gave way to a satisfying and relatively unpredictable storyline. For every plot twist I was able to predict, there was at least one that surprised me. Cerinthe is a character worth sympathizing with, who’s willing to work for her dreams, and overcome initial obstacles. The dancing scenes sparkle with authenticity, and the atmosphere of the setting positively comes alive under Calhoun’s evocative touch. My only complaint is that the story was over too soon; there were several storylines that deserved more time and attention, and a sequel certainly wouldn’t be out of order. Chalk Aria of the Sea up as a pleasant surprise, and a book to look for.