Scan barcode
ravyncrow's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
serru's review
5.0
I wrote in my review of Sabella that Tanith Lee wrote an incredibly unusual vampire novel, and well, here she has done it again. Dark Dance is mesmerizingly strange and creepy in the best way possible.
Rachaela Day is a friendless and isolated woman living a dull life as a bookstore employee when she receives an invitation from unknown relatives to join them at their rich estate. When she finally takes them up on the offer, she finds herself thrown into a dark and mysterious world of the Scarabae clan, a family she herself is descended from... Sounds like the premise of any typical vampire novel, but it was like nothing I expected.
The story itself is slow; we follow Rachaela as she spends her days at the Scarabae house, meandering its various rooms, trying to unravel the mysterious of this ancient and eccentric family. There is very little real action overall, but Tanith Lee writes it in such a compelling way that it never feels dull. Her richly descriptive and unique prose just draws you in, and then she surprises you with story developments which most would consider unusual and even unpalatable choices, but somehow it just worked for me. I totally ate up this book. The strange secluded lives of the Scarabae elderly, the beautifully seductive Adamus, and even the house itself, dark and gothic with its mirrors painted over and corrupted Bible stories depicted on stained glass windows.. all of it fascinated me and kept me completely rapt.
Rachaela Day is a friendless and isolated woman living a dull life as a bookstore employee when she receives an invitation from unknown relatives to join them at their rich estate. When she finally takes them up on the offer, she finds herself thrown into a dark and mysterious world of the Scarabae clan, a family she herself is descended from... Sounds like the premise of any typical vampire novel, but it was like nothing I expected.
The story itself is slow; we follow Rachaela as she spends her days at the Scarabae house, meandering its various rooms, trying to unravel the mysterious of this ancient and eccentric family. There is very little real action overall, but Tanith Lee writes it in such a compelling way that it never feels dull. Her richly descriptive and unique prose just draws you in, and then she surprises you with story developments which most would consider unusual and even unpalatable choices, but somehow it just worked for me. I totally ate up this book. The strange secluded lives of the Scarabae elderly, the beautifully seductive Adamus, and even the house itself, dark and gothic with its mirrors painted over and corrupted Bible stories depicted on stained glass windows.. all of it fascinated me and kept me completely rapt.
remcovanstraten's review against another edition
2.0
Tanith Lee is a good writer, however, this book was not for me. Not a lot happens in the book, and though the prose was 'purple, but done well' and kept me going through the end, laying the book down left me dissatisfied.
An exercise in "How do I out-Rice Anne Rice, and out-Andrews V.C. Andrews?" Yes, there's immortals, and house burnings, and attics and flowers.
And god, is there incest: "I hate you, father! You're a monster, father! I'm running away, father! But please ravage me first."
And then, some 11 years later: "I hate you! You're a monster for wanting to have sex with your grandchild! I'm going to take her away! But please ravage me first!"
Most of the book is set in a house in which a family of ancients (vampires, of sorts) live. It resembled a care home, where residents' minds are allowed to wander in peace and eccentricities are indulged. But old men, even 300 years old, sitting in a corner playing chess, is not what I come for.
In the end, the child burns the house down, including most oldies that wanted to see her 'wed' to her grandfather. She's demonic, so we're told, and set up as the antagonist of the next books. There's a case to be made that the child's behaviour is the result of her mother's neglect, and whether the self-appointed role of 'vampire hunter' is not justified. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be picking up the sequel to find out.
An exercise in "How do I out-Rice Anne Rice, and out-Andrews V.C. Andrews?" Yes, there's immortals, and house burnings, and attics and flowers.
And god, is there incest: "I hate you, father! You're a monster, father! I'm running away, father! But please ravage me first."
And then, some 11 years later: "I hate you! You're a monster for wanting to have sex with your grandchild! I'm going to take her away! But please ravage me first!"
Most of the book is set in a house in which a family of ancients (vampires, of sorts) live. It resembled a care home, where residents' minds are allowed to wander in peace and eccentricities are indulged. But old men, even 300 years old, sitting in a corner playing chess, is not what I come for.
In the end, the child burns the house down, including most oldies that wanted to see her 'wed' to her grandfather. She's demonic, so we're told, and set up as the antagonist of the next books. There's a case to be made that the child's behaviour is the result of her mother's neglect, and whether the self-appointed role of 'vampire hunter' is not justified. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be picking up the sequel to find out.
kelseeey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
robberbaroness's review against another edition
3.0
I was prepared for this book to be disturbing. I wasn't prepared for it to be soul-crushingly sad.
verkisto's review against another edition
3.0
I love the way Tanith Lee writes. There's something about her style that's clear and emotional, atmospheric, and engaging. She's not the kind of writer who I could read back-to-back-to-back, but every time I read one of her books, I find myself drawn in almost without realizing it.
Dark Dance is overflowing with Lee's style, but the story here feels very lackluster. This was touted as Lee's first foray into horror, but with the recent trend of paranormal romance, I can see this getting tagged with that genre if it were released today. Like her other books, there's an erotic undertone to the entire story, and the whole point of Dark Dance seems to be that erotic undertone.
What makes this horror, though, is worthy of a trigger warning: incest. Specifically, known and willing incest, on both parties. Lee doesn't shy away from the specifics, either. There's more to the horror than just that (this is a creepy story of family and commitment), but man, that definitely stands out.
This is a two-star story, elevated to three thanks to Lee's style. I'd be hard pressed to recommend it, but fans of Lee should definitely give it a chance.
Dark Dance is overflowing with Lee's style, but the story here feels very lackluster. This was touted as Lee's first foray into horror, but with the recent trend of paranormal romance, I can see this getting tagged with that genre if it were released today. Like her other books, there's an erotic undertone to the entire story, and the whole point of Dark Dance seems to be that erotic undertone.
What makes this horror, though, is worthy of a trigger warning: incest. Specifically, known and willing incest, on both parties. Lee doesn't shy away from the specifics, either. There's more to the horror than just that (this is a creepy story of family and commitment), but man, that definitely stands out.
This is a two-star story, elevated to three thanks to Lee's style. I'd be hard pressed to recommend it, but fans of Lee should definitely give it a chance.
grace_mae's review against another edition
An incredibly weird book but I enjoyed it.
I haven't read anything else by this author, but there are a lot of choices and details in the story construction that feel like holdovers from her writing high fantasy and, while weird or off putting or freaky, aren't exactly scary. I was expecting something really grim in the manor house, but its more like a sideways fairytale castle. I want to say it's like if Tamora Pierce wrote horror for adults, but take that comparison with a grain of salt, since I haven't read Tamora Pierce since I was about 10. Weird and offbeat, but that isn't a bad thing at all.
The writing style is also bizarre. There are a lot of simple, almost minimalist sentences, out-of-order syntax, and comparisons that don't make a lot of sense. Again, not a bad thing, and I did eventually acclimate to the style, but just weird as hell. It's a series, and if I can find the others I'll probably read them.
I haven't read anything else by this author, but there are a lot of choices and details in the story construction that feel like holdovers from her writing high fantasy and, while weird or off putting or freaky, aren't exactly scary. I was expecting something really grim in the manor house, but its more like a sideways fairytale castle. I want to say it's like if Tamora Pierce wrote horror for adults, but take that comparison with a grain of salt, since I haven't read Tamora Pierce since I was about 10. Weird and offbeat, but that isn't a bad thing at all.
The writing style is also bizarre. There are a lot of simple, almost minimalist sentences, out-of-order syntax, and comparisons that don't make a lot of sense. Again, not a bad thing, and I did eventually acclimate to the style, but just weird as hell. It's a series, and if I can find the others I'll probably read them.
More...