In Kiran Milwood Hargrave's The Dance Tree, Florence and the Machine meets Jessie Burton in a masterpiece of totally immersive historical fiction that yet feels very contemporary. This novel, about a dancing plague in Strasbourg in 1518, is grounded in a very specific moment, but almost as strongly speaks to or informs contemporary concerns. It very much speaks to women's lives now especially fertility, children dying, life constantly taking more and more away and leaving nothing left.

Lisbet narrates the book as if from the outside of her own life. She lives with her husband and mother-in-law, dutifully tending to the house, her bees, and almost constantly suffering false hope and tragic miscarriages in silence. On the surface, her life is orderly and proper, but her grief feels wild and untamable. She believes she is alone in the extremes of her feeling - not understanding the forbidden love between women close to her who know all the well the dangers and passions that lurk beneath a religiously conservative appearance. Sh believes herself too to be fated towards madness by the coincidence of her birth on the same night as the 1500 comet that people believed cursed the century - a long legacy that is feared by everyone around her too and the Strasbourg of the novel is described more than once as hellish- people freezing to death in the streets, dying in endless wars, starving and grieving and obsessed by suspicion of outsiders and religious mania.

And who can blame the women then, who fall into something more violent and terrifying than a trance, joining a dance in the town square until they fall down dead? These women, lost to history, are in these pages fallen angels, otherworldly even in their everyday hardship and grief, sympathetic in the heights of their mania. The Dance Tree is a powerful, urgent novel full of gorgeous startling prose and is an invitation or even a demand to look at ourselves and our society through this dark mirror.

This is my third book I have read by this author. The Mercies is my all-time favourite book, so was looking forward to this one.

It was slow going and took me a while to get into it (same as The Mercies). But I fell in love with the characters. I really felt for Lisbet. She lived a hard life and suffered many miscarriages. I know that this is close to the author's heart and really felt it in the writing.

This is supposed to b set around a dancing plague that really happened, and I did think it would be more about that. But that was just on the sidelines. This was more character-driven than plot-based but the characters were so real.

I did find that when I put the book down, I wasn't rushing to pick it back up again. so all though I enjoyed this book, I didn't enjoy it as much as The mercies. so 4 stars from me. But will read anything else Kiran writes.

🌳🌞 The Dance Tree 🌞🌳

Just beyond the city’s limits, pregnant Lisbet lives with her mother-in-law and husband, tending the bees that are their livelihood. And then, as the dancing plague gathers momentum, Lisbet’s sister-in-law Nethe returns from seven years’ penance in the mountains for a crime no one will name.
It is a secret that Lisbet is determined to uncover. As the city buckles under the beat of a thousand feet, she finds herself thrust into a dangerous web of deceit and clandestine passion, but she is dancing to a dangerous tune . . .

Set during the heatwave in 1518 and inspired by the misunderstood and mysterious ‘dancing disease’ one woman starts to dance uncontrollably. She is soon joined by more and, at first, this is seen as a madness in a few individuals. Gradually though, as more and more join them, hundreds in fact, there is fear and suspicions of witchcraft.
Men are brought to torture the women, the rid them of the devil.
Not far away we meet Lisbet, heavy with a child she’s determined not to lose, at her marital home and family. Surrounded by secrets and lies, she is frightened for what is happening so close by.
I loved Lisbet’s character, quiet, strong, empathetic but confined, we follow her story and what a story!
Kirin Millwood Hargrave writes such complex, intense characters, some you love and some you truly hate. Her portrayals of ordinary, overlooked women in history are just compelling.
Reading this you could feel the suffocating heat, the stickiness, the intense emotions and the claustrophobia of this unusual time. I was reading during our own heatwave so that definitely added to the heat haze atmosphere.
Just as The Mercies, The Dance Tree is an intimate peek into the lives of challenging times. Once you start reading you can’t stop!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to Netgalley for my ecopy.

Summary: In Strasbourg in the 16th century a woman begins to dance. She dances until her feet bleed and still won’t stop. The dance mania spreads through the city. Lisbet lives nearby with her mother-in-law at their farm where she tends bees, she is heavily pregnant in the sweltering summer of 1518 and is nervously awaiting the arrival of her child after numerous miscarriages. When her estranged sister in law returns from 7 years penance Lisbet is faced with a steely woman rather than a friend. She has so many questions; Why does her friend Ida hate her sister-in-law? Why was she sent away? Will they keep the farm from the clutches of The Twenty One? Will her child survive? And…why are they dancing?

Thoughts: I’m not sure I’ve done the story justice with my synopsis but I didn’t want to give too much away. There are so many wonderful layers to this story and so many important themes - love, loss, belonging and grief as well as tacking stigmas about LGBTQ relationships and immigrants. Before I delve into the deeper parts first, I want to say that I loved this story and the writing. Lisbet is in my heart completely. Her strength and true knowing of right and wrong when faced with such hardship and loss was heartbreaking and made her such a wonderful character. Her suffering wasn’t shoved in your face or overplayed, it felt real and it made it so much more powerful. It took me about 10% to get fully into this one due to the historic setting and some of the character names but, please, stick it out as it was completely worth it. I was absolutely enthralled. There are some difficult moments and I was close to tears a few times.
TW: The losses of Lisbet’s children are not described in detail however the theme is ever present and I can imagine this will be very difficult for some readers.
I also urge you to read the authors note and acknowledgements at the end of this book for some context and some personal notes from the author that made the book mean even more to me.

I remember reading about the dancing sickness years ago and its been a fascination ever since so I was keen to read The Dance Tree. The story is a beautifully written tale full of superstition and emotion, the writing style is lush and evocative and I felt the women's emotions pouring out of the page, with mass hysteria sweeping the city.

In 16th Century Strasbourg, women are dancing without stopping, dancing until their feet bleed and still dancing...in the nearby countryside, Lisbet, a young pregnant woman, lives with her husband and mother-in-law. Lisbet's story intersects with the dancing women, and we find out more about what has happened to both Lisbet's family and also some of the dancers.

I will definitely read this again, there's so much to take in!

https://thecleevebookshop.co.uk/news-%26-reviews/f/the-dance-tree-by-kiran-millwood-hargrave


The setting for this beautifully crafted novel is early 16th century Strasburg and its immediate environs, a city deeply troubled by heatwave, religious schism, nearby war, and a strange dancing mania afflicting only women, the dance of St. Vitus.

The events of the novel are experienced through the eyes of Lisbet, and it is her inner journey, from grief and guilt to a place of greater self-knowledge and inner strength that this story tells.

There are two intertwining themes to this book. Firstly, this is a story about the emotional and cruel control of men and the societal/religious norms used, by men, to control women. Then secondly, it is an exploration of women’s power when they act together in support and friendship to break free of these controlling bonds. These themes being explicitly acknowledged by the author in her afterward, as of continuing relevance today.

The strengths of this novel are in its writing and in the sense of isolation and rootedness to place that is created.

This book will likely appeal to anyone who loved the prose style of ‘Song of Achilles’.

<i>Advanced review copy provided by Netgalley for an independent, honest review</i>

A simultaneously tender yet feral piece of work, full of emotion bursting at its seams. This historical fiction novel almost makes me want to succumb to the dance fever myself...

This was an initially slow-moving book, simmering with tension and heat like the town of Strasbourg itself in the sticky summer of 1518. Lisbet, a dutiful wife grieving the solitary loss of multiple miscarriages while carrying another child, her last hope. Nethe her sister-in-law, recently returned after repenting for a mysterious sin in the mountains. Lisbet's best friend: softhearted Ida, with her sweetness and five children. These three women are orbited by harsh men who frankly do not understand: husbands who claim children as 'theirs' in a patriarchal sense, zealous religious figures, slightly dodgy musicians.

I thought this novel absolutely stuck the landing. Without spoilers, I just think it ended in such an empathetic and beautiful way... in a time where women often didn't get their happy endings (I'm not saying they do now), it was so interesting seeing how Hargrave spelled out the fates of these deeply well-crafted characters. I really enjoyed this.

Summer 1518 is the hottest anyone can remember and the city of Strasburg wilts. A woman starts to dance in the square, possessed by religious fervour, but she is joined by hundreds more. The authorities try all in their power to drive the demons from the women. Meanwhile Lisbet tends to her bees outside the city. She is heavily pregnant with a longed for child. However her existence is threatened by events involving her sister-in-law who is newly returned from seven years penance.
Mixing religious fervour with old-fashioned revenge and the prejudice against outsiders either by race or by sexual orientation makes this a seemingly busy book. However the pace is gentle for most of the time and it matches the slow, heat-ridden atmosphere of the story. The writing ramps up when there is action and the whole is both fulfilling and exciting. A great read.

I would struggle to be able to review this book due to issues with the file/download. The issues stopped the flow of the book. The issues are:
- Missing words in the middle of sentences
- Stop/start sentences on different lines
- No clear definition of chapters.

Not sure if it was a file/download issue but there were lots of gaps, stop/starts which really ruined the flow. I would love the chance to read a better version as the description of the book appeals to me.

<i>Emotional, heartfelt and told through beautiful prose this is a story that will stick with you for a long time after reading. </i>

The Dance Tree follows the tale of Lisbet, a young woman living in Germany in the 1500s at the height of religious oppression and fervour. She is suffering from repeated miscarriages and has finally made it to 8 months of pregnancy. When her sister in law returns from a mysterious absence and a dancing fever takes hold of the town amidst a sweltering summer, Lisbet's world is thrown into turmoil and she must decide what she stands for and how far she is willing to go for those she loves.

I really enjoyed this book, Kiran Millwood Hargrave's writing is beautiful as always and Lisbet is a really interesting and loveable protagonist to follow. She feels like a real and complex person and you really feel all her struggles and heartbreak at the miscarriages and the feelings of isolation and loneliness she experiences. Miscarriage (especially repeated miscarriage) is something I think is not talked about nearly enough in books (and real life) and I think it's so important for women to discuss and share stories (both real and fictional). Even having never been pregnant myself this book felt very therapeutic and you feel so much solidarity with Lisbet.

The setting and backdrop of this novel is a masterpiece in writing and balancing historical and creative influences. The Germany in the 1500s is a fascinating historical setting and the massive influence the church had at the time and how that still has echoes even today. Religious fanaticism is a theme I always eat up and it was explored so well here. I also really enjoyed seeing challenge and reflect on her own beliefs, especially when it came to attitudes to women and queerness.

The dancing fervour that sweeps the town is also based on real historical events I believe and it was very interesting to read about. The themes of feminism and persecution of deemed witches (anyone who doesn't comply to the narrow patriarchal structures and rules) are also very well explored.

I also liked seeing queer characters in a time where most history of them has been completely erased and the challenges they faced and their inspiring bravely to be true to themselves. Lisbet's sister in law (Agnes) and best friend (Ida) were in a secret relationship many years ago, until they were discovered and Agnes was sent away. She returns at the start of the novel, with Lisbet having no idea of this history and watching Lisbet discover the truth and reckon with her own understanding of her friends and attitudes to queerness was very interesting. I also really enjoyed Agnes and Ida's relationship and the glimpses we got of it!

Overall I would highly recommend this book!

The Dance Tree is an historical novel set in Strasbourg in 1518, and we are introduced via a poor, hungry woman who begins to dance. The focus then shifts to pregnant Lisbet and her family, as she strives to grow their child while managing the bees that keep them alive and the threat the church have on those bees and her livelihood.

Similar to The Mercies, this is also a novel built on a true story, one of strong women who have no choice but to fight on in the face of a patriarchal society. Women are not allowed to have thoughts of their own, possessions of their own or do anything without their menfolk - a problem when the only man in the house has been called away to the capital to tend to an urgent matter, and everyone in town seems to be going mad in the heat.

Examining the comparisons between actions deemed to be acceptable, such as going to church to burn a giant effigy, with those that aren’t, such as dancing until your feet bleed or your heart gives out. It depends who you are, who you’re connected to and what the council has declared at that point in time.

For Lisbet and Nethe, her just returned sister in law, they find themselves walking a narrow line under the watchful and spiteful eye of the local councilman, while the head of the household is away.

This novel is full of magic too, as well as melancholy - the dance tree, the bees, the moments of kindness and joy, all go to show that you can find solace even in your darkest hour.

Hargrave writes poignantly around and on the subject of patriarchy, and while it is set in the past, it doesn't feel like it’s that distant away, especially in times such as these where autonomy is threatened in a very real sense.

Recommended for those who are already fans, I was also reminded of AK Blakemore’s The Manningtree Witches..

Thanks as always to Netgalley and to Pan MacMillan for the DRC - this can now be purchased in all good bookshops. Waterstones has a particularly nice signed edition, if you’re looking to add to the collection.

NIcely written historical fiction; the writing style reminded me a bit of Maggie O Farrell's Hamnet. I do think my obsession with the actual dance plague and the blurbs made me expect something a bit different. The dance tree is more of a mature, considered prose that pauses, moves and makes you observe humans and their relationships,and the way of life in 1500s. Great writing

Historical fiction is not normally a genre I would go for but this book was really fantastic. Whilst there is a thread running through about a dancing plague based on true events, the story is really focused on female characters and the difficulties of womanhood during this era. What was interesting is how it's an interesting read given the strong focus on women's rights in the present day. Really was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

Another stunning book from Kiran Millwood Hargrave - the way that she's able to bring the reader into a historical period with accuracy - mainly achieved through specific (and sometimes gruesome!) details always blows me away. If you loved The Mercies, you'll love this too - a fantastic read about the challenges women faced in the 1500s, which very much resonate with much of what we're facing today.

I fell in to the world of this book as it met and exceeded all my expectations. I had previously read and loved 'The Mercies', so was excited to see how this title compared. Although it's a very different story, the same themes and style of writing are apparent. If you are looking for a book to uplift and cheer, then this isn't the one. It's hard going at times as the characters and settings seem so real, I could almost smell the honey from the skeps and see the blood on the stages whilst being buffeted by the crowds. The postscript was particularly touching as the author reveals that she has written about themes close to her heart. If you are strong enough, I really can't recommend this enough.

Another absolutely superb fictional novel from Kiran Millwood Hargrave; based around the true phenomenon of the Dancing Plague of 1518 in Strasbourg. It features love, loss, beekeeping, madness and the unshakeable power of women. A wonderful book with strong LGBTQI+ themes. Read it!

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The setting is 1518 Strasbourg during a particularly hot summer when the excess of heat seems to have played with the minds of women. in particular causing them to dance excessively and in huge numbers. The narrative is built around actual events in history.

However the book opens before the events of the plague develop. The characters seem to live a particularly dismal and oppressed life with LIsbet, her husband Henne and her mother Sophey awaiting the return of Henne's sister from 7 years of penance. I understand that the author has populated her narrative with characters to make the storyline more relevant to persons and events but I struggled with the idea that those people and their actions led to or excerbated the "plague". It felt that the author was trying to create a connection between the two that really did not exist.

It took me a little while to get into the storyline there were were times when i just wanted to say enough and give up. This is a particularly depressing narrative with little improvement in lives before, during or after. Even though the characters were not particularly likeable I did really want the end to achieve some change in their circumstances. I think there were so many ways the author could have gone to raise this narrative from it's very bleak depths.

This is my second novel by this author and probably my last

1518, in and around Strasbourg, one starving, desperate woman starts to dance in the market square. It’s not long before others join her.

In the meantime, Lisbet, mistress of the bees on a farm outside the city, is waiting for her sister, a woman she has never met, to return from her punishment in the mountains. No one has told her why Agnethe was sent away, not even Lisbet’s best friend Ida.

Lisbet is pregnant, again. So far, she has lost all of her children and is not allowed to speak of them. Instead, she has found an old pagan dancing tree in the nearby forest upon which she hangs ribbons and lays out offerings to remember the children who died in her womb. The tree is well hidden and she always visits alone.
Soon, there are more women dancing in the market square. Soon, there is an epidemic of dancing and the authorities have a problem on their hands.

If you are a fan of Kiran Millwood Hargrave you will not be disappointed. Female desire, intelligence and the longing for fair treatment, recognition and independence are themes that run throughout this and others of her books. I won’t say too much more about this novel, but the dancing of the bees, the women and the ribbons of the old dancing tree all somehow come together to forge a freer life for Lisbet and the other women in her life, even her mother-in-law, even though this freedom comes with painful costs. The story will pick you up and carry you quickly through the pages as these threads join together in an emotional journey. It is a very elegantly crafted book.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave's adult novels have all been well researched, interesting, and extremely readable, and The Dance Tree is no exception. Like previous works, this novel takes a historical event involving women, and brings it to life by giving them a voice so often denied them in classic historical narrative. The setting here is Strasbourg in 1518, during a long, hot summer that makes the city stink and may have something to do with a strange phenomenon that sees women dance in a trance until they drop dead of exhaustion. Starting in ones and twos, as the summer wears on the numbers of dancing women swell to hundreds, confounding the civil and religious authorities (more or less one and the same thing) as to whether this is the devil's work or a religious mania.

Against this backdrop, Lisbet is heavily pregnant with her 13th child, having lost the previous twelve. Her sister-in-law is newly returned from seven years of penance in a convent for a crime nobody is willing to disclose. Determined to discover what Nethe has done that was so bad, she slowly uncovers a tale of illicit love and finds out dark secrets about her best friend that she had never suspected, as an illicit love of her own threatens her marriage and her peace of mind.

Lisbeth is a strong and complex character, as are the other women in this story. They are flawed, and human, and completely believable, and their story is a timeless one of a male world being threatened by women's strengths and emotions, so that they must be controlled, punished, and failing that, destroyed. Many themes are dealt with that still resonate today - homosexual and interracial love, the impact of multiple miscarriages, religious hysteria and repression, persecution simply for being in a minority. But most importantly, this is a gripping read with characters you can properly care about.

I found this book really hard to get into. It is really depressing and perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for something so melancholy. The writing is more than beautiful and I did like the characters but the plot felt lacking. I do think the book covers some important things like multiple miscarriages and how the main character Lisbet has all this grief that nobody else really understands or supports. There's also a f/f relationship where characters are persecuted.

Overall and interesting historical fiction that probably could have done with more content to develop the characters and the plot.