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stagemanaginger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Sexual violence
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: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism
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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
barnfieldkatherine033's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Miscarriage
mxrumphius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Infidelity
rozereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
josiee's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
asherjean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
thesapphiccelticbookworm'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
4.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Xenophobia, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and War
gurofl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
So I at first thought this was an ok read, but I find that I've been thinking about this book and especially the main character a lot after finishing it, and that I like it better now than I did immediately after finishing it. In the middle I thought this would be a 3🌟 read, but I now thinks it's a solid 4🌟.
(Loads of content warnings for this book! It's not an easy read.)
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism