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edamamebean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Miscarriage, Outing, Grief, Infidelity, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Violence, Drug use, Mental illness, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcoholism
hue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Miscarriage, Child death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jesselynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
We follow Lisbet, a heavily pregnant young woman who keeps bees alongside her husband and mother-in-law. Lisbet is desperate for her unborn child's survival, due to multiple previous miscarriages, which wounds her and familial relationships deeply. When her husband's sister Agnethe returns from seven years in the mountains atoning for a mysterious sin, the path of her life is forever changed.
The content is very emotionally stimulating, with really moving and detailed language and a narrative that is very centred around Lisbet's feelings and emotional state. The cast of characters are interesting, with Lisbet's sister-in-law Nethe being a favourite of mine. The story explores a very harrowing sapphic relationship, as well as themes of religious fervour, immigration and xenophobia. The story is not an account of the Dancing Plague as such, but the events of the summer and strange event are an atmospheric setting, the rhythm of the dance weaved throughout Lisbet's story in interludes. The novel is much more character focused than a simple retelling, which I liked. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially women's historical fiction. Tread carefully if pregnancy, infertility and miscarriage is a trigger point for you.
Thanks to Picador for the reading copy in exchange for an honest review. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my customers and am looking forward to future works from Kiran Millwood Hargrave!
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Animal death, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Confinement, Death of parent, Infertility, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Classism, and Miscarriage
mxrumphius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Graphic: Drug use, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicide, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use and Infidelity
lucyhcurtis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Homophobia, Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death
darcyjanea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol and Animal death
carlybellesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Minor: Animal death
lou_o_donnell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Hate crime, Grief, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Animal death, Murder, Outing, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Drug use, Miscarriage, Child death, Body horror, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Domestic abuse
catesm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
carolinb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, Child death, Lesbophobia, Violence, Physical abuse, and Racism
Minor: Animal death and Murder