Sant Anselmus is one of the best dance schools available. By a surprising stroke of luck, or so she thinks, Rosamund Hammond is accepted half-way through the school year to replace a student that has left for personal reasons. It seems almost too good to be true. Afterall, Rosamund has only been in local ballet productions and has hardly had the money or investment of time her other fellow students have had. Her new roommate begins to leave Rosamund clues that not everything is perfect at the academy. For starters, the girl Rosamund replaced disappeared without telling any of her friends. The Headmistress of the school treats it as a perfectly normal leave of absence, but Rosamund and her roommate are unsure. They break into the office of the Headmistress, and Rosmund is left stranded when her roommate darts away. Soon, Rosamund is being invited to secret meetings, and she seems to be primed to play the lead in a showcase performance of Coppélia. It becomes clear that her roommate knows more than she’s letting on. Will Rosamund lose herself, her life, or both?
Megan Kearney’s solo graphic novel debut is dark and engaging. It grabs two hands around the dark academia genre and adds in a knowledge of ballet. Even the showcase piece all the dancers are vying for is not normal fair for a dance school. The artwork is beautiful and precise, leaning into the more dreamlike qualities of the work when called for.
Corpse de Ballet is available July 7th from First Second Books.
