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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is historical fiction, though it can seem like historical fantasy. It’s based on real events, and does have sprinklings of other historical events of the time within it. I feel like the dancing plague was used more as a metaphor for the people of Strasbourg, especially the women. It’s a time where women were undervalued, and placed at risk with every babe. Lisbet is a wife, and a mother of twelve. Though she has no living children. This is emphasised throughout the book, and I hurt for her every single time. The tensest moments for me were ones where her belly was in danger because it gets to the point where, for me, I was praying so badly she got her child. She did
The men in this, bar the musicians and Ida’s father, all suck. Various levels of it, and some more redeemable. Plater sucks so bad. He’s power hungry and uses religion as his way to become almost like a mini pope, but at the same time does it in a way that’s blaspheming that no one dares to call him out on. Henne is just a wet blanket, and quite literally only cares for a child. By the end of the book Lisbet is nothing but a vessel to him and you do cheer for her when she gets her affection elsewhere.
There is a tragedy within this. For me the sin with nethe was predictable and I called it but it didn’t ruin the story at all being able to do so. The ending with Nethe hurt.When Lisbet kills Plater, you hope Ida can be free but instead she dies in her true loves arms. But maybe even after Ida was a widow, it could’ve never been because of Henne.
While I enjoyed this and its use of a niche historical event, it missed out on trying to do too many things at once. Religion and mania, motherhood and loss, queer stories, feminist narrative, racial persecution. It had all these elements but I felt they all were sprinkled in or fell flat due to the book being too short and there being too much. The dancing is just there, and never explained. Granted we never know historically the cause but I feel there could’ve been more around it to link back to these little snippets on stories that we see. It’s almost too vague at times.
The men in this, bar the musicians and Ida’s father, all suck. Various levels of it, and some more redeemable. Plater sucks so bad. He’s power hungry and uses religion as his way to become almost like a mini pope, but at the same time does it in a way that’s blaspheming that no one dares to call him out on. Henne is just a wet blanket, and quite literally only cares for a child. By the end of the book Lisbet is nothing but a vessel to him and you do cheer for her when she gets her affection elsewhere.
There is a tragedy within this. For me the sin with nethe was predictable and I called it but it didn’t ruin the story at all being able to do so. The ending with Nethe hurt.
While I enjoyed this and its use of a niche historical event, it missed out on trying to do too many things at once. Religion and mania, motherhood and loss, queer stories, feminist narrative, racial persecution. It had all these elements but I felt they all were sprinkled in or fell flat due to the book being too short and there being too much. The dancing is just there, and never explained. Granted we never know historically the cause but I feel there could’ve been more around it to link back to these little snippets on stories that we see. It’s almost too vague at times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism
Minor: Religious bigotry, Murder
Could not put this down. Beautiful, haunting. LGBTQ story, infertility/TTC story, miscarriage story, friendship and community story. Beekeeping story. This book has everything. And it all is able to happen bc the white dude leaves town, and so other stories can be the center.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
kiran millwood hargrave's prose is poetically whimsical and the narrative of the dance tree is paced well, expertly dissecting the themes of motherhood and fertility, friendship and sexuality, religion, and the underpinning theme of female morality and autonomy. the characters were distinct and i felt that, not only could i really understand their individual beliefs + motivations, but the dynamics between the characters were well balanced. what i liked the most was the way millwood hargave creates a dissociative, oppressive, feverish atmosphere, portraying the mystifying nature of the real dancing plague, and highlighting that the general religious and sexist beliefs at the time most likely lead the people to believe that the dancers were demonically possessed witches, and not innocent women, during a dangerous time in history. i do feel there could have been a little more explored regarding the dancing plague, and the plot leaned more on the domestic side, so this was a little disappointing for me personally! but i still really enjoyed it. 3.5⭐ rounded down, because i just wasn't massively blown away!
I was worried because reviews said this wasn't as good as The Mercies.
I loved it equally.
I loved it equally.
Hargrave has a particular ability to bring historical fiction alive, especially from the perspective of women. This is a very satisfying read
An interesting book which I enjoyed but felt like the two main stories had no meaning to each other. The dancing plague felt really separate to Lisbet's story and whilst I thought both were well written I could have just had Lisbet's story on its own.