Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The two women clasped hands. “Thank you,” Claudia whispered, “For saving me.”

Before this year, I wouldn’t have touched a historical fiction book in fear that I wouldn’t enjoy it. But after reading The Betrayal of Thomas True back in May and loving it, it stirred something within me, something which made me want to give more books out of my comfort zone a try. Well, this was another historical fiction book I absolutely loved! Who’d have thought?! A completely original tale that hooked me into its pages and had me engrossed from beginning to end. I’m so happy to be sharing my review of Dancing Through A Deluge!

About the book

After surviving the horrors of the Black Death, a lapsed nun takes to the road alone, protected from rain and robbers by the skin of a bear.

In 1351, many in England begin thinking that their mighty overlords — Church and Crown – have no control over their fates and a new horizon beckons. It’s a time when labor is in high demand, and nature offers immense bounty to those who have survived death and disease.

Sister Mary Thomas stumbles into a manor house and when she is mistaken for its Baroness she discovers she now has the power to liberate peasants threatened in new ways and perhaps even build a community where all can ask, “what happens if I get what I have always wanted?”

That’s where the danger lies: their freedom is a threat to powerful people determined to keep what is theirs.

The beginning

The first thing I loved from the very beginning of this book was how beautifully descriptive it was. The author’s words instantly transport you to a specific time and place, and I was completely mesmerised. We meet Mary Thomas, or MT as she calls herself, a nun who has miraculously survived the Black Death in 1351, and is travelling alone. What was really striking to me was how she protected herself from others and the weather by sheltering herself and her cart under the skin of a bear. The picture this created in my mind, of MT braving the elements, was so incredibly powerful in that first chapter, and I just loved it. But what came next was the moment I knew I would really love this book. MT comes across a ransacked manor house, and after she hunts for food and tastes some forbidden wine, she’s interrupted, and mistaken for the Baroness. I was already thinking of all the possibilities, how this mix up could be used for good, how it could be detrimental. I was curious how long MT could keep this up, how she would use this new found power to her advantage.

“What is love in the face of putrefaction, what is compatibility and devotion when most will be dead by morning?”

MT simply couldn’t leave. There were too many peasant women who needed help, who needed their freedom. And everything we discover was truly fascinating. I loved reading from other character perspectives, especially Claudia, a woman who, before MT’s appearance at the manor house, was trapped, working for the Baroness. The child she had with her had her own incredible history. The descriptive backstories were so rich and felt thoroughly researched. These perspectives explored how they lived in the midst of the Black Death, how they narrowly escaped death themselves. The different stories were so saddening, and it was completely horrific seeing how this pandemic caused such havoc, such grief. Despite not being a likeable character, I did like meeting Simon, someone who arrived at the manor house unexpectedly as a prisoner, someone MT knew and had travelled with. Would he reveal who she really was after their rocky history? I wasn’t sure he could keep a secret so big.

The middle

After a while, we can really see and appreciate the little community MT has created at the manor. She strives to keep the manor running, to keep food on the table for herself and the others. And the beautiful moment the other women realise MT is not a threat, that she’s doing everything in their best interests and to keep them safe, really made me quite emotional! It was such a memorable part of the book for me. As more characters are introduced and explored, I really began to appreciate just how brilliant this author is at helping readers get to know a character; their histories and experiences were so wonderful to read about, even if most of them were immensely saddening. It felt so fascinating to be thrown into the lives of these characters, to explore everything they’d experienced. Each of the significant characters had so much depth which impressed me so much. Despite the lighthearted atmosphere MT has created at the manor, Claudia still wants to flee. But MT wants to stay and build on what she’s created. I wasn’t sure which the safest option would be, for everyone.

“MT could not remember ever being so happy. The manor house was enlivened, there was laughter from the kitchens. They were safe behind the walls (hopefully). Protected (to a degree).”

There’s a lot of disturbance at the manor as time goes on, but I thought all these disturbances brought out the best in a lot of these characters. The unfortunate deaths and injuries were surprisingly impactful, even when we’d not known some of the characters (or animals) very long at all. It tugged at my heart, the disruption of the community MT had worked so heard to rebuild felt so saddening and disheartening. Despite all these hardships, I felt there were a lot of life lessons sewn into the book as things progressed. Taking risks, forgiveness, kindness to those who don’t necessarily deserve it, doing what is right in times of need, bettering yourself, finding yourself, starting anew. The author cleverly weaves all this into the narrative and makes you think about the bigger picture, about life and what is to come, that tomorrow isn’t promised. MT does everything in her new found power to keep her manor in check, but what came next was something no one expected, something that tested those in the manor more than anything they’d encountered so far.

The end

The rain comes down, and it comes down fast. And for a very long time. It threatens to ruin everything; the manor, its inhabitants, the animals. Everything. The author’s descriptions of this deluge felt so immersive. I felt the fear, the anxiety, the stress of not knowing when the rain would stop, if they would have enough food and supplies to see them though, if they and their animals would be safe. All their hard work slowly gets ruined. Rooms collapse. Crops die. My heart broke for them all. I connected this part of the book with the very start where MT stumbles across the manor in dire need of restoration, and at this point, it seemed everything was coming full circle. It really tests MT’s leadership and everyone else’s faith in her to do the right thing. With more mouths the feed and less and less food each day, I really didn’t know if they’d survive the harsh weather. Even though I loved this part of the book and thought it was really powerful, there were a few chapters that felt a bit ‘samey’, scenes of getting scraps of food where they could and protecting the manor. I was desperate to know the outcome!

“He had made his own joy while she had lived stewing in the darkness of barren abbeys. He had used his imagination to build his own beautiful world while she had spent all her energy focused on how others denied her the world she wanted.”

I was curious to see whether MT had it in her to lead her people to safety, yet news of an executioner heading their way forces her to make important decisions. MT’s secret was out and they all had to flee the manor if they had any hope for survival. Claudia and MT discuss their futures, making sudden decisions that would impact the rest of their lives, if they could get away. My heart was so full reading those final few chapters. MT had changed lives, as well as helped others to get what they’d always wanted in life thanks to her guidance and leadership over their months together; to be a mother. A farmer. A baker. Free from imprisonment. In my eyes, it was such a brilliant ending. There is so much left to the imagination, but in the best way. Even after finishing the book, I’m always thinking about MT, hoping she found safety and hoping those she helped lived long and healthy lives. It’s certainly one of those books you’ll be thinking about for a long, long time! Hugely recommend!

Overall thoughts

Dancing Through A Deluge is an engrossing tale of a nun stumbling into a noble role, striving to use her new found power for good by building a thriving community and changing lives for the better. It’s a story of hope and change, of strength and resilience. Jess Wells writes with such passion and attention to detail, creating heartwrenching scenarios and bringing readers so close to her characters it feels like we’re a part of the story. It’s gripping, the beautiful descriptions and memorable characters taking us back to the 14th century, showing us what life was like, how people lived, how they survived. I loved going on such a dangerous, uncertain journey with MT, seeing how she leads her people, keeps them safe and helps them achieve the things they’d always wanted. A brilliant story, one that certainly leaves a lasting impression. A must read for fans of historical fiction!

You can grab your own copy of Dancing Through A Deluge right now on Amazon! Make sure you’re following the author on Instagram for more updates! You can read my Q & A with the author here.

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