Grydscaen: Sheer by Natsuya Uesugi sets the stage for a world of drama, art, and sacrifice. The students of the IHS School of the Arts are passionate and have big goals. They are driven and talented, yet things are complicated in their lives. They have to deal with troubled relationships and the weight of being part of the school’s elite. Despite the beauty it produces, the art world is filled with cruel and gruesome events underneath, and these students see no other option but to turn to drugs, alcohol, and sex to deal with it all. Art galleries, shows, auditions, recitals, and performances: a series of these are shown alongside the troubles to get to them and the mental health problems these artists have to deal with while carrying on their careers.

The story mainly focuses on Arthenice Zidane, a talented ballerina who dreams of becoming prima. Arthenice has skill and passion, but her lack of confidence and innocence might get in the way and not allow her to succeed in the complex art world. She has a group of loyal friends, though, and they are willing to do everything in their power to make Arthenice’s life easier. But unfortunately, dance is a cutthroat business, and Arthenice might not have the strength to make it to the end.

There are many characters in the book, and they are all dealing with similar problems. It was interesting to see the different art-related careers that each of them had and how they brought their uniqueness into things. There’s a lot of competitiveness and uncertainty about who gets ahead. There are also heavy themes that are dealt with that involve alcohol, drugs, and sexual abuse. This helps showcase the crazy sacrifices that people in the art world are willing to make and sparks a discussion about the damaged mental health of these students. Even though the story is set in a fictional world, these themes were presented realistically and were based on serious problems that artists have to deal with in the modern day.

This book is filled with intense emotions. The students are very passionate and willing to do everything to be at the top of their class and help their friends achieve the same goal. However, they need to find sponsors, and they might have to sacrifice their integrity to get what they want. The relationships between them are complicated and full of ups and downs.

Grydscaen: Sheer is an intense, dramatic story that will keep the reader wondering how everything will turn out in the end. This fantasy novel focuses on the art world and the many sacrifices that have to be made to make it big. Readers of dance fiction, drama, and thrillers will find this a fantastic novel.

Pages: 224 | ISBN : 1643763415