Dance Among the Flames

by Tori Eldridge

Passion. Horror. Betrayal.
From the national bestselling author of the Lily Wong thriller series comes a "stunningly original" (F. Paul Wilson) dark journey into Brazilian mysticism about a desperate mother who rises from the slums to embrace Quimbanda magic amid her quest for the ultimate revenge.

Across forty years, three continents, and a past incident in 1560 France, Serafina Olegario tests the boundaries of love, power, and corruption as she fights to escape her life of poverty and abuse. Serafina's quest begins in Brazil when she's possessed by the warrior goddess Yansa, who emboldens her to fight yet threatens to consume her spirit. Fueled by power and enticed by Exu, an immortal trickster and intermediary to the gods, Serafina turns to the seductive magic of Quimbanda. It's dangerous to dance in the fire. But when you come from nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Historical Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction

404 pages, Paperback

Published May 24, 2022

About the author

Tori Eldridge is the bestselling author of the Lily Wong mystery thrillers as well as a two-time Anthony Award nominee, Lefty and Macavity Awards finalist, and winner of the 2021 Crimson Scribe Award for Best Book of the Year. She penned the standalone Dance Among the Flames and will launch her new Ranger Makalani Pahukula mystery series with Kaua‘i Storm on May 20, 2025. In addition to novels, Tori's short stories have been featured in numerous literary, crime fiction, and horror anthologies. Born and raised in Honolulu—of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Norwegian descent—she lived in New York and Los Angeles before settling in Portland, Oregon, where her grandchildren live. Before writing, Tori performed on Broadway, television, and film; and holds a 5th degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninja martial arts.

Find her online at ToriEldridge.com
Facebook @ToriEldridgeAuthor
Instagram @writer.tori
Twitter @ToriEldridge
Bookbub @ToriEldridge

Aloha and thanks for visiting!

Reviews

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This horror fantasy novel explored so many fantastic themes surrounding inequity, abuse and female sexuality.  The subject matter definitely reminded me of one of my favourite novellas, Goddess of Filth. This book does not shy away from adult subject matter and tough content. 

The Brazilian setting and cultural elements made for a rich reading experience. I have found a particular affection for these fierce, feminist ownvoices Latinx Horror and this is another one to add to that list.

While I loved so many aspects of this one, I will admit that I found the narrative a bit disjointed and unsatisfying in places. Having read several similar stories that played with the same themes, I found that this one slightly paled in comparison. 

Yet, overall I still enjoyed this one and would certainly recommend it to fellow Horror readers looking for a diverse horror with strong female characters. 

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Lee Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Eldridge wields her darkest magic yet in this sensual and richly layered novel of poverty, privilege, and power. Vibrant and brutal, Dance Among the Flames is a cultural triumph.”

I read an advance copy of this work and I cannot wait for it to hit the shelves. It needs to be a movie. Somebody do that.

[Sandra Brannan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, gripping read! The storyline of Tori Eldridge’s Dance Among the Flames is so incredibly strong, the voice so unique and clear, the character development so rich, that I did not want to put this book down… or end. The chilling suspense of Stephen King’s Carrie meets the near-autobiographical cultural saturation of Alex Haley’s Roots. Powerful on so many levels.

[queenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.1 stars
★★★☆☆

Thank you NetGalley and Running Wild Press for presenting me with an ARC of this book in exchange of a honest review.

Frankly, this was a solid book—but I myself didn't enjoy it. The book, on its own, deserves a 3.5 stars? But due to lack of my enjoyment, I rated it lower. So let's get into what I liked and didn't.

The first good thing about Dance Among the Flames was the gorgeous cover! That was the first thing that pulled me in and made me read this book. I also think the title is very fitting—fire plays an important role in the novel (towards the end, atleast) and the same goes to "dance".

One thing I found misleading was the synopsis. It tells us that the book is going to be about Serafina and her journey into Quimbanda magic. While it does actually do what it says, I personally felt there were other elements shaping the story and plot.

Another thing I liked in this novel was that it was a page-turner. Irrespective of whether the plot's interesting, the pace is really good and it was a very fast read!

That being said, the book took a long time to develop its plot, and when it actually had, it was more than 60% in. I slowly started losing interest after the first half but it wasn't an entire disappointment. To be honest, I quite enjoyed the first part—even the timeskips. And that made me curious to where the story was going. Halfway through, the plot seemed very dry and slow and kinda made no sense, but it picks up again.

The writing style was another thing I loved and Tori Eldridge really knows to write the mystical elements. I was a little underwhelmed when I learned we wouldn't learn more of the magic or Serafina's journey through it, but the way that small disappointment quickly disappeared, I was charmed.

Overall, I didn't personally enjoy this, but I'm sure the others might like this more than I did!

[Katie Avalos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike most of the other reviewers, I've never read another book by the author. And, based on this one, I don't intend to. I found it to be deeply problematic in the way it fetishizes Brazilian culture. I also found fault with the way the characters seem to speak a combination of English and Portuguese (likely just a way for the author to show she knows some Portuguese phrases) but then the poor characters speak BROKEN English. I have read other novels where sexuality as a character trait and plot point is managed properly and creates a deep, satisfying story. In this novel, in the hands of this author, it's clunky, distracting, and seems forced. The characters are very surface and driven by plot rather than any sort of internal motivation. There are gaping plot holes nearly from the first chapter. The only reason I gave this 2 stars rather than 1 is it still remains somehow a very easy, quick read. Much progress can be made in a single hour even for a slower reader like myself. So I guess if you want a fast read with a pretty cover, snatch it up!

[Abigail]

I love my local library, and I have found some of my favorite books residing within its shelves. But sometimes they purchase books that are hot garbage, and I’m left wondering what vengeful librarian is putting this putrid trash on the shelves. This came across as so totally ignorant of the culture it was exploring, and was so poorly written, I put it down after 80 pages. I guess I’ll never know the ending, but I’m okay with that.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. If I wasn't reading it for a challenge, I would've DNF'd it within the first 50 pages. The writing is awful. None of the characters are fleshed out, the dialogue is cringe-worthy, and the narration is completely disjointed. In one sentence the character says, "I can absolutely never do this." Two sentences later the character says, "I am doing this." No explanation, no discussion, no anything. The chapters read almost more like little vignettes than parts of a story. The world building is terrible. The religious beliefs are never really explained in any depth, and we don't get more than the faintest glimpse of what seems to be a very vibrant and interesting belief system. It was just a horrible experience.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read an advance copy: Another page-turner from Tori! This is NOT a Lily Wong tale! (but just as good) I dove in with no advance knowledge or preconceived ideas and did not resurface until I was done! A fantastic intermingling of time periods and mysticism results in an intense ride that makes me want to visit Brazil, and not for the tourist spots! the characters and scenes were so vivid I felt the heat on my face as I was reading! (yes, for anyone who is shy about such things, there are a few steamy ones).
Overall, I cannot recommend this enough! Grab a copy and enjoy the ride.

[Tracy Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES is an evocative, erotic, mystical deep-dive into the roiling cauldron that is race, culture and family. ... What a tour de force. What fun! Tori Eldridge brings the fire!

[Linda Addison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cost of justice is high in Dance Among the Flames, born in the fire of Tori Eldridge’s radiant imagination. The journey begins in a Brazilian favela where characters are transformed by the need for hope. They discover power can flood through a body, allowing them to become more than human. I thoroughly enjoyed this glorious adventure!

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tori Eldridge weaves an expansive, mystical tale that evokes the best of James Clavell and Alex Haley. The same tenacity and resilience we love in her Lily Wong series is here. But Dance Among the Flames is so much more. Tori has conjured a Homeric epic that explores every dimension of the human experience with beautifully crafted prose that often approaches poetry. A grand achievement to be savored.

[Thrillers R Us · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowing the cleansing purity of THE TOWERING INFERNO and the equalizing yet shocking pyrokinetic skills of FIRESTARTER, 1991's BACKDRAFT gifted its main star, the fire, identity in addition to ideological leavening properties. Tasked with investigating a slew of vandalous and arsenous fires in the Brighton Park area of Chicago, a scorched and seasoned arson investigator mentors a young, failed, and mentally blemished probie, finding a Gehenna of corruption, abuse of power, and injustice at the core of the explosive firestorm in the Windy City. Although Chicago is about 5,298 miles from Rio de Janeiro as the crow flies, the question posed by pyromaniac Ronald that tormented Brian McCaffrey so savagely is the same one that underwrites the grand events in DANCE AMONG THE FLAME; "did the fire look at you?"

Sprinkled with the descriptive tendencies of Anne Rice novels, DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES starts its steamy journey by stepping into the duality that is life in Brazil; glitzy, exotic, and mysterious, but also destitute, rundown, and poverty stricken. In this purgatory of penury is Serafina, still living at home to make ends meet, and hiding deep inside, like the Hulk, apparently, is Yansa, the Queen of Wind and Rain. Yansa, a powerful and mercurial goddess, prone to fury, and battling injustice, the bringer of change. When not tempting the beast, the darkness in her soul, she does what she's got to do to survive and provide a better life for her young son; servicing the devilish desires of the philandering Governor. The routine trip to the candy shop is, however, in danger when someone younger and daring moves in on her Sugar Daddy. Faced with the bleak outlook of the unnoticed and not-respected, Serafina discovers that she has the gift, the calling, like THE SHINING. Yet while she's still trying to learn who she is, can she fathom how she's meant to walk in this world?

DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES is a brazen and unique novel that crosses over into different realms with ease, still managing to address heavy issues like poverty, privilege, and power. Inequity, abuse and female sexuality. Once unleashed, Serafina's path is a journey from good to evil, structured as a wildly imaginative ride along the vein of FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. It's a struggle for freedom, redemption, and revenge--ultimately a story as old as mankind. Along for the ride are historical biographies of Yoruba religion, Catholicism, Portuguese colonization, and Brazilian deities. For complete immersion and keeping the regional flavor of Terra de Santa Cruz going are Moqueca, Capoeira, Cachaca, despacho, and Reveillon. The observant reader may even be able to pick up rudimentary Portuguese that'll come in handy while breezing through the airport in Rio de Janeiro. Well paced and an engrossing read, no matter if the subject is exactly your cup of tea, DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES flows and it's a breeze going through the more than one hundred chapters, for the heroine is a woman of action, not complaint. She's a powerful Quimbandeira, maybe the most powerful in all of Brazil. If that doesn't mean anything, just remember that DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES suggests that anything is possible (in Brazil) with enough money and blood. Just be careful when making deals with the Devil. Sooner or later these debts come due. For an epic experience of dark magic, excitement and the mysticism of Brazil, try your faith and conviction and DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES.

[Teena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. I had high hopes for it, thinking that it would probably earn a 4 or 5 star rating from me, based on the flow of the writing and the obvious intelligence behind the word choices, etc. Grammatically speaking, it is a pleasing read. However, it just didn't come together for me, as far as the plot and character development are concerned. While I understand the different characters' personalities and traits, I could not really connect with any of them. It feels more like it was written in a purposely descriptive and visual way, in order to possibly be turned into a movie or a show, rather than let the reader feel involved with the story. Part of the reason that it feels like this might be due to the way the chapters are set up. This book is less than 400 pages, but has over 100 chapters, with a new chapter starting every 3 or 4 pages. I'm not sure if that was to pad the length and page count or to keep the "scenes" short and organized for film potential. As a novel, though, all of those chapter breaks were definitely not needed and they became distracting, taking away from the momentum of the plot. That said, I gave this book 3 stars because it was interesting enough for me to finish, even though the ending was too short and clipped off, in my opinion. There wasn't much in the way of resolution. I struggled with my decision to rate this book between 2 and 3 stars. I decided to go with 3, which I usually reserve for books that I would at least recommend to other people, only because of the technical writing skill, not because of the story. It's honestly probably more of a 2.5 or 2.75, unfortunately. I can't think of anyone I would tell to read this book and I won't be recommending it, unless someone specifically asks me if I know of any novels that take place in Brazil.

[Bookish Burnished Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I loved this book? I certainly felt sooo satisfied when I finished it. It's not a horror book in the scary sense -- more a dark supernatural thriller

The way Eldridge writes is gritty but rich. You can feel the blood and the dirt, smell the cigar smoke, and somehow still feel like her words are gilt-edged. This is a story about gods and folk magic, sacrifice and manipulation; it’s about how desire for power corrupts indiscriminately -- and that family really are the people you choose.

Serafina is undoubtedly the star of the show: a sensual woman who wields her sexuality like a weapon. I was beguiled from the beginning even as I questioned her choices.

Supernatural x Thriller

QUOTES:
- “I know everything there is to know about you: even the secrets you hide from yourself.”
- It happened like this, sometimes. A message would spurt from him without any warning or foreknowledge; like a rooster at dawn’s break, he simply felt compelled to crow.

(I received a free copy of this through NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review)

[Kevin Dumcum · Rating 2 out of 5]

The evil old witch or sorcerer of stories didn't start out being evil, or old. Something happened in their lives to turn them. That is how this book started, which was pretty interesting.

Spoilers abound.

The main character, Serafina, dreams of leaving the poor section of her town in Brazil, and finding a sugar daddy is her way out, until he gaslights her. Then, her father beats her. That is when Serafina finds that she is a conduit, a priestess, for African gods. So far, so good.

Serafina takes revenge on her sugar daddy and her father, off-page. She would have been a more sympathetic character if we had seen her confront them.

There is a framing sequence of a witch burning in the late 1600s, but after the opening chapter, this is not brought up again until at least a third of the book is over, then it comes up repeatedly.

The plot really kicks in after the halfway point, with Serafina's granddaughter, whom Serafina illogically blames for the suicide of her son (granddaughter's father), the son that she, herself, treated with some amount of loathing.

Then there is the American painter who maybe (?) does his best work under possession? This happened once, then was dropped.

The final 50 pages were a flurry of activity between demons and gods, all brought about when Serafina, years after her son's suicide, decides to finally take her revenge on her granddaughter. This seemed like a flimsy excuse, and the consequences of this flurry of activity seem totally unnecessary, if Serafina had decided to simply live out her life in the forest as she planned.

Promising start, disappointing ending.

[Ƶ§œš¹ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a practitioner of any syncretic religions, but the care and dedication the author gave to portraying a world where the candomblé religion was true seemed respectful and well-researched. The story itself fell short, though. We start with Serafina, a wronged woman who takes up witchcraft to empower herself and ultimately becomes the villain. Once we get to the love story between her granddaughter and an American artist, I felt like the story was truly starting and that meant that the story became rushed at the point that it needed to slow down. This also meant that there was too much of what felt like unnecessary filler background on Serafina and her son Carlinhos. It was also hard to come to terms with the severe transition between the young idealistic girl and the jaded, spiteful, and vindictive grandmother.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although many parts of it felt off-putting with the in-depth descriptions of sexual magic, blood, etc., I was surprised at how I couldn't put the book down. I will say, from the general description of the book being only about Serafina and her journey from the slums of Brazil, the book takes a turn and a focus into much more than just her story. If you enjoy stories of witchcraft, curses, learning folklore of Latin cultures, I think this would be a good read for you (funny enough, I just finished The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia). There were parts of the story where my jaw dropped in absolute disgust but also parts that felt very wholesome, and warm as some characters find hope and comfort.

Maybe not something I would reread, but I think it fits well coming into this spooky October season.

[Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dance Among the Flames is slick, seductive, suspenseful tale that sinks its roots deep into Brazilian mysticism. Eldridge’s breezy prose is descriptive and accessible while giving weight to issues like race, sexuality, and abuse. The plot’s parallel nature was intriguing further drove home the generational nature of trauma.

[CR · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW JUST WOW! This was so good! I have loved Eldrige's books since I was sent the first one. And this one wow! Her stories just keep getting better and better. This story will take you on a new ride through new places and times. You will not be able to put it down once you start and you wont be able to forget this adventure after you finish the last page. ~UR

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, another fantastic book by Tori Eldridge! I loved how I went into this book expecting one thing and it completely evolved into something else. The story is unlike anything I've read and I really enjoyed it. Tori is a master at building suspense and I can't wait to see what she does next.

[Jael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and written with compelling characters and an engaging premise. Fans of dark, suspenseful stories with strong femme characters would appreciate Dance Among the Flames.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fictional Crash Course into Brazilian Lore

Dance Among the Flames is an immersive experience with strong character development and includes the spirits and gods of Brazil.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out good but as Serafina ages it’s all about revenge. Michael is dreadful. Adrianna has no fight ne spirit her husband an ass. Idk it just deteriorated as it went on which was too long.