A review by mc235
The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • 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? Yes

3.75

I enjoyed this book a lot--the writing was good, the story was interesting, the setting was well drawn. I did feel like it was sometimes a bit on the nose in terms of its social commentary, but at other times it felt more nuanced and was truly heart-wrenching.
 I guess it's not necessarily fair to compare books, but it was definitely not as atmospheric as The Mercies, despite similar thematic elements, and the plot at times felt far fetched. Although I think the interwoven chapters about different dancers did some work to create the appropriate mood of despair, I found them a bit distracting and at times contrived. Overall a good read and really looking forward to her next book, I do love a story about women living under the yoke of early modern Christianity and patriarchy!
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