The Dead Don't Dance

The Dead Don't Dance by Charles Martin; (5*)

Not the best book I have read this year but very possibly my favorite read thus far. Not only did I care about our protagonist and his wife but all of the secondary characters were wonderfully written. From the deputy to the students to the hound dogs to the river......... All were wonderful reading.
Martin has created a beautiful story. The characters are so believable and honest. Dylan Stiles is married to a wonderful woman named Maggie. When she shares the news of her pregnancy with Dylan, they are thrilled. But tragedy strikes. The baby dies at birth and the tremendous loss of blood causes Maggie to fall into a coma. While her life is hanging by a thread, Dylan takes a job teaching English show more to community college students whose futures are also hanging in the balance. The relativeness between students and teacher is really interesting to read.
Dylan's passion for teaching is awakened during this time. But his passion for living is stymied for a time. Somehow he comes to balance his professional life with his personal life. show less

I read this book for the first time back in 2010 or 2011 on a trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. And I could NOT put it down! I re-read it this weekend (September 2015) for the first time in several years and my feelings for this book have only grown stronger! In fact, I managed to get my mother to read it this week and she's now hooked!

Dylan Styles loves his wife. Loves her from head to toe. When his wife, Maggie, slips into a coma after a nightmarish experience in the labor and delivery ward, his world has been turned over, shaken, and left hanging upside down. He feels lost without her. Doctors are anything but encouraging. How's a guy to keep living when his other half is lying helpless in a hospital bed?

This is story that will make show more you laugh, cry, nod your head, and so much more. It's not your average story--it's better! If you love Nicolas Sparks, you will love Charles Martin. If you love to connect with characters, you will love this book.

Clear your evening when you pick up this novel. You will not want to be disturbed. It's just that good! show less

I thought this book was good but a little predictable, and a little odd in spots. A dog in a hospital, and spelling trees and flowers in the hospital from outside? Just a few off things that created pet peeves for me, but overall the story was engrossing and Maggie a character I rooted for.

From the descriptions of the country, the farm, Dylan Styles friends and his love for his wife. His journey from Hope and Expectation through Tradgedy and introspection, the spiritual and human reactions everything was well weaved into a tapestry that envelopes and entertains the reader in a real way. Charles Martin is truly a talented author.

This was a pretty good book. It didn't draw me in as much as others. It basically starts with a man sitting next to his wife's bedside while she lies in a coma. Their son has just died during birth. He sits with his memories and tries to move on, supported by his best friend, the sheriff. He is also supported by one of his students (he teaches at the local community college). The story tells of his interaction with his students, and his coping with his wife's condition and his attempt to move on. I did like the book, but would not rank it as one of the 'must read' books I have. The biggest motivator for me to continue was to learn whether or not his wife ever regained consciousness. You'll have to read the book if you want to know.

Reason read; I struggled with this one as some of the medical stuff did not seem realistic to me. It is also a romance which is not my favorite genre. Debut novel about a man who is faced with a difficult situations but he manages to deal with and live in spite of these difficulties. I wait to hear what my bookclub will say.

Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts
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 cornfield and tells him to wake up, get cleaned up, and down to the local Junior college for an interview. Dylan takes on a part-time job teaching at the college, where the students both challenge him and give him hope.






Style Characteristics: Pacing, show more clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.
The story is slow paced and introspective, the main drama being whether or not the wife will survive, and whether or not Dylan will make it. We delve deep into his character, though not all at once, the author gives us glimpses and flashbacks into what is going on behind the scenes. In these we meet unforgettable characters, like Bryce MacGregor, an eccentric multi-millionaire who spends his time playing the bagpipes in the buff and watching old drive-in movies (Hey, it is South Carolina, after all). The spiritual struggles of the characters also make this story stand out, we see a lot more pain as Dylan learns from a teenager who is pregnant with the child of one of the men who kidnapped and raped her. There is also hope and joy as Dylan ultimately learns to dance in the midst of despair.






How Good is it?
An excellent read for those who want to slow down and taste the joys and sorrows of life through the characters. show less