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Reviewed by Gaius Konstantine for Readers' Favorite
Being mistaken for a bear and being mistaken for a baroness is something rare in life, but for Sister Mary Thomas, the protagonist of the novel Dancing Through a Deluge by author Jess Wells, both apply. As the good Sister tries to survive in medieval England during the height of the pandemic known as the Black Death, she stumbles onto a looted and abandoned manor. Seeking shelter for a night, Mary Thomas (MT) awakens to find herself mistaken for the previous owner, a cruel and despotic woman of diminutive stature. As one thing leads to another, MT attempts to revive the manor and use her fraudulent position to help commoners who are being rounded up as forced labor. This charade comes with risk, as MT has to contend with thieves, hunger, despair, and a cataclysm of biblical proportions. However, the greatest peril comes from a parasitic nobility intent on preserving its rights to screw over the poor.
Dancing Through a Deluge by Jess Wells is a smile-inducing tale of danger and delight. The plot is reminiscent of Martin Guerre as MT borrows an identity that does not belong to her and finds herself enjoying the role. Themes of faith, selflessness, and a desire to do the right thing, even if it means breaking the law, create a riveting and immersive story that blurs the lines between the wretched and the righteous. Magnificent character development is showcased by a cast of individuals such as MT, Claudia, Percy, Jacob, and more. The result is that it is easy to feel empathy for these people and their struggles. A carefully measured pace that intensifies as the pages turn results in an exemplary read for fans of novels with a historical setting. I can easily recommend this novel with a wink and a smile.
