DNF Review: Dark and Deepest Red

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore
Grade: DNF
An e-galley was provided by Macmillan via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicion turns toward Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves.

Five centuries later, a pair of red shoes seal to Rosella Oliva’s feet, making her dance uncontrollably. They draw her toward a boy who knows the dancing fever’s history better than anyone: Emil, whose family was blamed for the fever five hundred years ago. But there’s more to what happened in 1518 than even Emil knows, and discovering the truth may decide whether Rosella survives the red shoes.

With McLemore's signature lush prose, Dark and Deepest Red pairs the forbidding magic of a fairy tale with a modern story of passion and betrayal.

When did I stop reading?: 8% into my e-galley
Why did I stop reading?: Although I used to really enjoy Anna-Marie's books, I think I'm no longer enamored with their prose. I'm also not a fan of dual-narrated books set across two time periods. This is definitely a case of "It's not you, it's me." I think the premise is still good for a magical realism story, and I'm sure it might've been an interesting story if I'd had the drive to give it more time.

The Verdict: If you've liked Anna-Marie's other books, you might like this one! It just wasn't for me. :)