Dark and Deepest Red

I started off this year on a bad foot when it came to reading. I set a goal of reading 120 books so far this year and then I was really not making progress. At this point, I had gotten about 13 books behind schedule and I wasn't really sure how I was ever going to make that up. Well, this week alone I have managed to read 3 books. So I guess I might have a chance of making my goal after all thanks to all this new free time I have at home. 

At the end of 2019, I posted my Most Anticipated Books of 2020. I made a list of several books that I was really looking forward to reading this year. A few of them have officially been published in the past three months and for various reasons, I haven't had a chance to read any of them yet. Luckily, this week I got to tackle one of these books and finally get my hands on what I was looking forward to so much.

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore is really about two stories, set 500 years apart but connected by the power of dance. The strange dancing fever that burns through the town of Strausburg in 1518 is blamed on Lavinia and her family. Rumors of witchcraft put them in real danger and she must do everything she can to protect the people she cares about.

Emil, 500 years later, is a descendent, though he has always tried to keep his distance from his family history. Rosella Oliva comes from a family who makes the most magical red shoes that make amazing things happen and bring great luck. Until she puts a pair on her own feet and it seems that the dangerous dancing fever is back to haunt her. Emil will have to learn about his family history and what stopped the original fever in order to help Rosella survive her own mistake. 

The thing that first got me interested in this book was that it is a re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Red Shoes combined with the re-life story of the dancing fever of 1518. What an interesting story! And getting someone to pick up the book is just the first step. 

In addition to the fascinating premise, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. The deep reds and purples and dancing silhouettes definitely attract the eye. 

This book was told from three different perspectives. Each chapter is labeled and that definitely helped to keep the story straight. But I'll be honest and at times I had to remind myself who each character was. I think I just haven't read a lot of stories recently told from multiple perspectives and need to remind my brain how that works! I think it would have been equally interesting told from just Lavinia and Emil's perspective. Or even to add the fourth perspective of Lavinia's love interest so that there is an even balance of two characters in the past and two in the present. 

The characters are definitely endearing. I felt for Lavinia's predicament as she was blamed for the dancing fever. I also enjoyed the relationship between Emil and Rosella because of their chemistry. (Ha ha! Emil is a chemist). There is also some great diversity in this book as there are Romani characters as well as LGBTQ characters. 

There was a lot of beautiful language in this book as well about the power of dance, love, friendship. I have not read other books by McLemore but I have seen plenty of reviews singing their praises. So after reading this book, I may need to tackle a few others. Overall, I was pleased with my decision to include this in my Most Anticipated Reads of 2020!

This book is for you if you enjoy YA, fantasy, story-retellings, dance, and/or LGBTQ reads. You can purchase a copy here or consider supporting your local independent bookstore during this time!