The Dance Tree

Some historical novels don't just describe the past, they transport you there . . . I absolutely loved this book . . . an exceptionally beautiful portrait of women from the past, told in the most spellbinding prose

Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den

Kiran Millwood Hargrave has a masterly ability to summon the past to the page. The Dance Tree vibrates with urgency; its vivid, compassionate evocation of women and their desires in a time of patriarchal control and mass hysteria is a timely reminder of how far we have come, and how far we have to go

Hannah Kent, bestselling author of Burial Rites

The Dance Tree is, simply put, a stunning piece of writing. There is so much pain and grief and loss in it, yet in the end, it all comes back to the redemptive power of love. Sensual, gripping, moving.

Louise O'Neill, bestselling author of Idol

Exploring themes of motherhood, misogyny, the patriarchy and forbidden love, the author utilises this moment in history as a great catalyst for examining issues that are still central to our contemporary concerns. This interweaving of the past with the present is deftly done with the author’s incredible capacity for empathy illuminating the sensitive topics that the story incorporates.

Irish Times

If some prose sings, Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s truly dances . . . Addresses issues of the utmost importance today—the subjection of women, class inequality, the dangers of religious fundamentalism. Ultimately, however, the book’s wisdom, compassion, and beauty transcend historical boundaries: this is a timeless novel

Hernan Diaz, author of TRUST

The Dance Tree hums with intrigue, grief and rebellion, oozes tenderness and love. Fierce as Lisbet’s bees, delicious as honey. A raw, intoxicating novel.

Joanne Burn, author of The Hemlock Cure

Hugely tender, heartbreaking and warm. Millwood Hargrave embroiders the world of the book so beautifully, it is an immersive rich experience that plays on in your head even after you put it down.

Sarvat Hasin, author of The Giant Dark

Millwood Hargrave takes an intriguing, female-focused moment of real history and weaves a heartbreaking story into it

Woman & Home

Beautifully written, full of tenderness and hope, The Dance Tree explores grief and courage and the tragic consequences of forbidden love.

Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl

[A] tenderly written story . . . Good characters, good plot and lots to think about in a solid piece of historical fiction

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Gedmintas’s performance helps listeners understand the various prejudices aimed against those who are stricken by the dancing plague, which is related to rheumatic fever. She captures the inexorable tension building around Lisbet’s pregnancy and her determination to get to the bottom of her family’s history.

AudioFile