Lady Dance

by Jackie French

Have you ever known what it is like to wait to die? To sit with the smell of death and wait for it to come to you?

I did. I'd watched my family sicken. I'd cleaned up their vomit and mopped their brows, but they had all died anyway. Most people died quickly from the plague.

Then I heard music, and a voice: "Dance!" she cried. "If you dance then death can't catch you."

Who was Lady Dance, I wondered, as we danced and sang through empty villages. Was she an angel sent to protect us, as Old Sure said?

When Lady Dance sang I saw a new and larger world; a world filled with hope and happiness, knights riding to Jerusalem and kings fighting for kingdoms - and I knew I had to find that world for myself.

Set in the Middle Ages when the bubonic plague was at its height, Lady Dance is an extraordinary story of love and the meeting of hearts and minds in the most unlikely circumstances.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Historical, Fiction

135 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Jackie is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator and the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015. She is regarded as one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, and writes across all genres - from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction. In her capacity as Australian Children’s Laureate, ‘Share a Story’ will be the primary philosophy behind Jackie’s two-year term.

Reviews

[Helen O'Toole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a topic I would expect in a junior fiction novel: the Plague is hardly a hot topic amongst young readers yet Jackie French has packed so much history into a very readable novel. I was intrigued that the ‘ child’ around whom the novel is centred chooses to enter a convent. In the medieval times this step was a way an intelligent girl could be educated and live a fulfilling life. The short articles after the novel is ended are excellent especially the recipes.

[Anika Qing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exultate Deo adjutori nostro...

I read this as a child and the memory of the enchantment stayed with me. Recently I overcame my fear of finding it less than what I remembered and decided to borrow it from the library and re-read it. I am so glad I did.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another interesting tale from Jackie French who does write history well, and this one set amongst the plague. Not something that will live on strongly in the memory, possibly die to book volume etc but still a solid read. This was surprisingly one that I had in my books to be read pile that I had forgotten about so it was a good find originally and then a good re-find!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this older Jackie French book aloud to my eldest son as part of his Medieval European and Black Plague history study. SO thankful that a bookstore in the city can get some of her older books printed to order!! It was an excellent read.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was beautiful.

[Samma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Possibly more like 1 and a half stars. I read it because it was there, but I didn't enjoy it. Firstly, it didn't connect with me because my own reaction to the situations the girl was placed in would be so different, and also because it seemed very simple. Now, I know, it wasn't written for young adults, or advanced readers, so being simple is kind of the point. But, I read simple books from time to time (Enid Blyton, anyone?) and thoroughly enjoy them. This book just had nothing for me. There was no message I enjoyed, no little quirks of the characters to grab my attention and the responses just didn't seem real to the situations.

[Sylvia Orr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic book. I didn't like the ending so much I thought it was a bit of a dull ending but all the same a great read!!! Such a story about hope and faith!

[Sarah Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this over and over in primary school and loved it. I only now read it for the first time since I was10/11 and it is just as brilliant as I remember it to be.