Lord of the Dance

Lord of the Dance follows Noele Farrell, a teenage girl in an Irish-American family who possesses subtle psychic abilities. Her father Roger pursues a political career while her mother Irene grapples with a troubled marriage and unfulfilled potential. The story centers on Noele's investigation into her uncle Danny's mysterious disappearance during a CIA mission in China. Her quest leads her to examine other unexplained deaths in her family's history and confront the powerful influence of her grandmother Brigid. The narrative tracks Noele's growth from an impulsive teenager who disrupts church services with folk music into a young woman facing difficult truths about her heritage. Her journey unfolds against the backdrop of an Irish Catholic family that has risen from immigrant roots to affluent social status. The book explores themes of spiritual awakening, family secrets, and the tension between religious tradition and personal expression in Irish-American Catholic culture.

Readers describe this as a fast-paced romance with supernatural elements, blending Irish mythology with contemporary Chicago. The book maintains a 3.7/5 rating on Goodreads from 700+ ratings. Liked: - Strong portrayal of Irish-American culture and traditions - Engaging mystery elements - Balance of romance and supernatural themes - Character development of Nuala Anne McGrail Disliked: - Multiple readers note the writing style can be repetitive - Some found the relationship dynamics dated - Several mention the supernatural elements feel forced - Plot becomes predictable in later chapters Reviews: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (712 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (81 reviews) One Amazon reviewer writes: "The Irish folklore adds depth but the romance feels formulaic." A Goodreads user notes: "Greeley captures Chicago's Irish community perfectly, but the psychic abilities subplot detracts from an otherwise solid mystery."

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🌟 Father Andrew Greeley authored over 50 bestselling novels while serving as an active Catholic priest and sociologist. 🍀 The book draws heavily from Irish folklore traditions, particularly the concept of "second sight" - a supernatural ability to see future events. 📚 Published in 1984, "Lord of the Dance" was one of Greeley's earlier works that helped establish his signature style of blending Catholic themes with supernatural elements. 🎭 The title references the traditional Irish hymn "Lord of the Dance," written by Sydney Carter, which uses dance as a metaphor for spiritual and personal transformation. 👥 Greeley's portrayal of Irish-American Catholic family life was informed by his academic work as a sociologist studying ethnic and religious communities in Chicago.