Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Title:  Entwined
Author:  Heather Dixon
Series:  n/a
Publisher:  Greenwillow Books
Publication Date:  March 29, 2011
Links:  Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: 

From Goodreads:

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Review:


Sometimes, I'm glad I missed out on a lot of the fairy tales when I was younger. (Don't get me wrong, what I missed in fairy tales, my dad made up with sci-fi.) But this book was a complete surprise for me because of it. I mean, yes, it's pretty obvious who the bad guy is, and that he's definitely up to no good even though his appearance seems genial, but not knowing the story already really helped suck me in.

Of course, the writing helped, too. The author's prose just flowed so smoothly throughout the novel, endearing the twelve dancing sisters to my heart as if they were my own. The way they spoke to each other and teased each other reminded me so much of my own sisters. It was so genuine, which led me to believe that the author had grown up in a large family. (According to the inside flap in the back, she did.)

The beautiful cover is enchanting in itself, but the story takes on a life of its own. It takes place in the time of kings and queens and marvelous balls with fancy dancing, when it was acceptable to believe in magic but not for a young lady to remain in a gentleman's company unescorted. It's set in a magical palace with beautiful, overgrown gardens and secret passageways.

Entwined is a story of magic and secrets and breathtaking romance, and above all, dancing. Oh, how I sometimes wish I'd lived in a time of such magnificent dancing! If you enjoy the allure of a well-told fairy tale, this is one book that is not to be missed.
 

 
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