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471st out of 599 books
—
1,403 voters
The Dead Don't Dance
by
Charles Martin (Goodreads Author)
A sleepy rural town in South Carolina. The end of summer and a baby about to be born. But in the midst of hope and celebration comes unexpected tragedy, and Dylan Styles must come to terms with how much he's lost. Will the music of his heart be stilled forever--or will he choose to dance with life once more, in spite of sorrow and heartbreak?
"The Dead Don't Dance" is a bit...more
"The Dead Don't Dance" is a bit...more
Paperback, 314 pages
Published
May 30th 2006
by WestBow Press
(first published 2004)
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No surprise- this is Charles Martin and he is awesome!! I read this book in one sitting- getting up once to get tea and a piece of fruit. While this is listed as Christian fiction, the message is for everyone. The book has a life message rather than a Christian message.
I discovered Martin when I read Chasing Fireflies. This is his first novel. I didn't find the character development quite as perfect at Fireflies, but they are a realistic and heart-touching. The story is full of joy and heartbr...more
I discovered Martin when I read Chasing Fireflies. This is his first novel. I didn't find the character development quite as perfect at Fireflies, but they are a realistic and heart-touching. The story is full of joy and heartbr...more
My sister-in-law gave me this book for my birthday two years ago and now that I am done with school, I enlisted Burke in reading it with me. Being new parents, this story hit close to home with the preparation, excitement and anticipation of a new baby. I had to pass the book to Burke to read numerous times as I found myself in tears over the death of the baby and the heartache Dillan experiences as Maggie's fate is left uncertain. Being an English teacher, I of course related with and loved Dil...more
The Dead don’t Dance is absolutely D-E-L-I-G-H-T-FU-L! Charles Martin simply has a wonderful way with words, and what “voice” he has. You’re instantly caught-up in the life of Dylan Styles and those who encompass him and help to make his life complete. Be it his wife, Maggie, his best friend, Amos, Bryce the bagpipe playing drunk, Pinky the pig, or his students in English 202: Research and Writing. They all contribute in making his life full and trust me, never dull. You’ll find yourself laughin...more
Ok, so just because I gave this book only 3 stars, does not mean that this was not a good book. I liked it, and I enjoyed it. This was not my typical book. I'm not even sure how it came to be in my possession (I have several hundred books sitting on my shelves waiting to be read). I would recommend this book to teachers, professors, animal lovers, and someone that wants to read an uplifting and inspiring book.
Teachers and professors: This book reminds us why we do what we do. It reminds us how b...more
Teachers and professors: This book reminds us why we do what we do. It reminds us how b...more
I enjoyed reading this book. It's well written (the author uses words well to draw you into the story), and the author does a good job exploring the feelings of the main character and how he deals with very painful events in his life. By following the main character through his pain, it helped me think more about how I deal with the painful events in my own life.
I also really liked the fact that while the main character is experiencing so much pain in his personal life, he still reaches out and...more
I also really liked the fact that while the main character is experiencing so much pain in his personal life, he still reaches out and...more
I've only recently been exposed to Charles Martin's work and I am loving it. This book is a spiritually heart-wrenching journey that one man makes in the span of a year and a half, from the conception to birth of his son and the turmoil that follows for his son and wife Maggie. Dylan Styles is part-time teacher, sometimes farmer and doctoral degree holder whose life has fallen apart when his wife ends up in a coma after delivering their son. With help from his high school friend Amos, who is now...more
This was the 2006 Readers Choice runners up. It is a delightful G rated book. Quick read and entertaining. So hard to find those in adult fiction. I believe Charles Martin is a christian author and this book is full of christian themes. It is a lovely book about family, friendship, unconditional love, trials and perseverance. I love the naked bag pipe playing zillionaire. THere are so many people in life we write off or assume they are a certain way-if only we would take the time to get to know...more
Charles Martin books always seem to bring me to tears. This one had a particularly good scene in a church, and also in a frozen river.
I read this book in a day (an unheard of speed for me, where books typically languish for years on the shelf). I couldn't put it down.
The author writes characters that are interesting and that I grow to love and want to know better. But the very best thing about his books is that he always ends with hope. Life should always be like that.
I read this book in a day (an unheard of speed for me, where books typically languish for years on the shelf). I couldn't put it down.
The author writes characters that are interesting and that I grow to love and want to know better. But the very best thing about his books is that he always ends with hope. Life should always be like that.
LOVED IT! I really liked the main character, Dylan Styles, and couldn't help but empathize with the tragic circumstances he faced during the course of the book. His spiritual struggles as a result of the situation were handled well, I thought. It was inspiring to see him trying to cope with such a tragedy and learn that God can handle our questions and our anger and our doubts.. I also really liked Dylan's best friend, Amos, and his student, Amanda-- especially Amanda's simple faith in the midst...more
Where do I begin, this book was so good, it's practically beyond words! However, since we all know that I can ALWAYS find somehow to voice my opinion... I loved this book, it is probably one of my all time favorites. Don't let the title fool you, it's not what you think. It is a poignant and beautiful (and clean) love story that had me laughing and crying all at the same time. This author has a way of reaching out and squeezing your heart while at the same time writing about the most wonderful p...more
This was the first book I read by Charles Martin so it has special meaning to me. I have read every book he has written since then. I think he is so excellent at describing every little detail and exploring the setting of the story to the nth degree. His character development is incredible, so much so that you come to care about these fictional people and their lives. I loved this story and would like to see it made into a movie. I loved the redemption in the main character's life.
5 starts all a...more
5 starts all a...more
Sep 07, 2012
Mj
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Mj by:
Midge
Shelves:
fiction
Charles Martin and The Dead Don’t Dance was recommended to me by a Goodreads friend some time ago. I finally got around to reading it and found it a good and pleasurable read. Thanks Midge.
It’s a complete love story – the love of two life partners, the love of a father for his son he had dreams for but never got to know, the love of a best friend, the love of neighbours and community, the love of teaching, the love of life and the love of a power higher than ourselves.
I really liked Dylan Styles...more
It’s a complete love story – the love of two life partners, the love of a father for his son he had dreams for but never got to know, the love of a best friend, the love of neighbours and community, the love of teaching, the love of life and the love of a power higher than ourselves.
I really liked Dylan Styles...more
1 like · like · see review
Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts[return]Dylan Styles was looking forward to the birth of his first child, to sharing time with him and his wife Maggie. But his son dies in childbirth and his wife loses a lot of blood and goes into a coma. The reader watches and feels with Dylan as he stumbles through the days after this horrific event, making it only with the help of his best friend Amos. Amos, the local deputy, finds Dylan passed out in his cornf...more
I really like this author's work. I have a few quibbles with some of his details about birth and preparing for a new baby, but he is a man after all. The story is a study of a man in crisis facing a life with a comatose wife. The characters are interesting, loveable and varied. I highly recommend the book and just finished the sequel, Maggie. It was good, too, though a bit heavy-handed with crises galore...still, he is a gifted writer and his characters are so well-drawn.
This is Charles Martin's first novel and sets the pace for several I've read that are tear jerkers.
During childbirth Maggie hemorrhages, they lose their son and she is in a coma. How the town and friends rally is the heart of the story along with the authors deep Christian beliefs. I could read to the end because those beliefs are not overdone in the story and only partially the core of the story for the outcome.
The sequel has to do with Maggie so we know she wakes up.
During childbirth Maggie hemorrhages, they lose their son and she is in a coma. How the town and friends rally is the heart of the story along with the authors deep Christian beliefs. I could read to the end because those beliefs are not overdone in the story and only partially the core of the story for the outcome.
The sequel has to do with Maggie so we know she wakes up.
I think this might be my new favorite book. I was brought to tears several times during this book. Loved Dylan's authenticity, he was the man we can all relate to, questioning God and all. His loved for his wife was so moving...the way he rubbed her feet, told her about his day, fed her pig, and just got into the bed with her. To me it felt like love at it's best. Will highly recommend this read, and can't wait to start "Maggie" this afternoon.
P.S. Wish we all had an Amos and a Bryce in our life...more
P.S. Wish we all had an Amos and a Bryce in our life...more
How do you deal with life when the one you love lies in a coma, your have lost a child, and expenses of living are weighing heavily in your mind? Charles Martin does another great job of portraying a situation that could happen in any family, and how faith and friends can bring you past such horrors. I have read several of Martin's novels, and they always make me cry, laugh, and reflect on the gift of life, and how each moment with those I love should be valued.
Charles Martin has his own unique style of writing, charming, fairy-tale like and warm. The image he paints with words is colourful and clear.
While it was a nice and quick read, unfortunately the book didn't do what the protagonist expected from his students' work- it didn't move me. A bit. I felt being outside of the story and couldn't completely feel it. It still was enjoyable and I won't deny I might have liked it more if I didn't admire his previous works so much. The book is good, but he w...more
While it was a nice and quick read, unfortunately the book didn't do what the protagonist expected from his students' work- it didn't move me. A bit. I felt being outside of the story and couldn't completely feel it. It still was enjoyable and I won't deny I might have liked it more if I didn't admire his previous works so much. The book is good, but he w...more
If you have read and enjoyed books by Wally Lamb, you will love The Dead Don't Dance. It reminded me very much of both I Know This Much is True and The Hour I First Believed. It follows Dylan Stiles, the main character, as his life spirals as a result of tragedy and his struggle to understand why bad things happen to good people. Most importantly, he does this through the lens of faith in God, without which we are all lost. Excellent read.
I was very excited to read this after LOVING "When Crickets Cry" by the same author. This is another beautifully written story, about Dylan whose newborn baby died in childbirth and whose wife has been in a coma ever since.
The symbolism and description is so well done. Like "Crickets" there are a couple of "HOLY COW" chapters that left me literally near-breathless. Martin is a fabulous writer. Though I didn't enjoy this as much, it's really well done and I look forward to starting the follow-up...more
The symbolism and description is so well done. Like "Crickets" there are a couple of "HOLY COW" chapters that left me literally near-breathless. Martin is a fabulous writer. Though I didn't enjoy this as much, it's really well done and I look forward to starting the follow-up...more
Dylan Styles is happy with his life: he may not be farming instead of using his doctorate to teach, but he is in love with his beautiful, vibrant wife and they are expecting the birth of their son. All of that is destroyed when his son dies at birth and Maggie slips into a coma.
This book is an enthralling tale of grief and friendship. It will make you laugh, cry, and leap for joy.
I'm anxious to read it's sequel.
This book is an enthralling tale of grief and friendship. It will make you laugh, cry, and leap for joy.
I'm anxious to read it's sequel.
I'm still not sure after reading the book what I felt about it. The overall story was good, but the layout was weird... or maybe I'm spoiled. I generally read a novel as moving smoothly from one thought to another, based on where the story is and moving too. This author moves around a lot and my thought process had a hard time following at first.
Probably not one I'll read again- not even sure I'd recommend it.
Probably not one I'll read again- not even sure I'd recommend it.
1 like · like · see review
I see all the rave reviews and I feel like I'm coming from a different planet or something, because I can't relate. While some parts were good, I feel the storyline was too jumbled. I kept trudging thru, but my thoughts kept going back to "what about Maggie and the baby"? There was alot of peripheral story telling and not at all what I expected. The ending was wierd too! I now see there is a sequel so perhaps that may be more of what I was hoping for, however, I'm not sure I will read another fr...more
I'm not sure I should be reading this right now being pregnant and all. I'm going to though....I hope I won't regret it.
**Very good book. I'm not going to into specifics or it will spoil it. It was much "Goddyer" than I remember "When Crickets Cry" being, but it wasn't distracting for me. This is a book that causes you to question what you're made of.
**Very good book. I'm not going to into specifics or it will spoil it. It was much "Goddyer" than I remember "When Crickets Cry" being, but it wasn't distracting for me. This is a book that causes you to question what you're made of.
Once again Charles Martin amazes me. There is a depth of character that he develops in the people he creates that is not common, in my opinion. This is the first of a two-part "series." If you want to read the sequel, Maggie, be sure to read The Dead Don't Dance first. You can tell the author is from the South because the setting he provides is so descriptive. Excellent book. Thanks for the recommendation Connie!
I loved this book. It was the first think I have read by Charles Martin and I will certainly read more. I read this book right before reading Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg and would also recommend it as a companion piece. They are totally different stories with many parallels in plot and characters.
I don't usually finish a novel in less than a week, but this was an exception (although the chapter describing the coon hunt tripped me up a bit). ;) The characters are all so real... it's such a great story of love and hope. I didn't know there was a sequel 'til I got to the end and now I can't wait to read "Maggie"!
I have loved all the Charles Martin books I have read, and I am anxious to start Thunder and Rain. I read The Dead Don't Dance this week and I must say, I have enjoyed his later books better. As usual there is a very sad story but there are a lot of heartwarming scenes. Overall a good read.
I've already read a few of Charles Martin's books and it was hard to believe this was his very first book as its very well written as the others are. Sad story but a happy ending of a couple trying to have a baby but tragedy strikes and you go through one person's fustrations and anger of dealing with it.
Based on the basic plot of this book you would think - wow, how depressing. But it's not depressing and it's a nice story of a man finding himself and finding that what he needed was right there all along it just took him some time to find it. This is one of two in a series.
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| IGer's Book Club: The Dead Don't Dance book reviews | 4 | 9 | Jan 23, 2013 09:26am |
I grew up in Jacksonville, FL, on the St. John’s river. Somewhat of a Huck Finn childhood. Most afternoons were spent mullet fishing, canoeing, pegging cars with overripe tangerines—it really got fun when the red tail lights lit and the reverse gears ground metal on metal, or the backyard Superbowl which we replayed most everyday. Through high school, football was my life. School was the avenue th...more
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Sep 08, 2012 06:36am