Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Dix
Collection
Publication
Greenwillow Books (2012), Edition: Reprint, 480 pages
Description
Confined to their dreary castle while mourning their mother's death, Princess Azalea and her eleven sisters join The Keeper, who is trapped in a magic passageway, in a nightly dance that soon becomes nightmarish.
Media reviews
(VOYA, April 2011 (Vol. 34, No. 1))
Princess Azalea Wentworth of Eathesbury, a consummate dancer and the eldest of twelve lively girls, is left to lead her sisters through the year-long mourning ritual following Mother’s death. The death leaves the girls bereft; the King’s grief makes him distant and Royal Business (RB) sends him
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away to war. Mourning forbids color, laughter, dancing, courting, even stepping outside the once-devilishly-magicked castle’s walls--unless on RB--and the girls are trapped in a world dyed black. Feeling abandoned, the desolate girls escape to a magical space within the castle walls with the help of a silver-threaded handkerchief bestowed upon Azalea by her dying Mother. Although mourning forbids courting, the father advertises a puzzle to attract suitors (RB allowing this) and Azalea fears a loveless marriage arranged by Parliament. Thrilled by the attentions of the Keeper, the fearsome-yet-exciting master of their magical dancing space, Azalea flirts with ever-increasing danger while trying to protect her sisters. Dixon’s masterfully-woven tale of loss, intrigue, danger, magic, romance and relationships will appeal beyond science fiction circles. Show Less
Original publication date
2011-03-29
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User reviews
LibraryThing member storiesandsweeties
This one was a charmer. I love fairy tale retellings, whether they are modernized or told in the old style. This one was true to its fairy tale beginnings so we got all the lush ballrooms and beautiful flowing gowns, gentlemen and ladies with impeccable manners (some of them, at least!) and most of
While Entwined was a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, I also saw alot of parallels to Little Women when it came to the four eldest girls: the responsible and caring Azalea (like Meg), the fiery, temperamental Bramble (Jo), the very timid Clover (Beth), and the outspoken and always-thinking-of-the-future Delphinium (Amy). I loved how each of the twelve sisters had their own defined personalities, even though Azalea, Bramble, and Clover were the three we got to know best.
I loved the development of the relationship between the king and the girls. It starts out very rocky and both the girls and the king are dealing with grief in different ways. That puts them at complete odds in a way that is almost cruel to eachother. But soon the kings sets out to try to mend things with his daughters and there were parts of that that very nearly had me in tears because his efforts were so touching.
In all the magic and wonder and dancing in this, parts were genuinely creepy! Some of the scenes down in the hidden pavilion where the girls sneaked off to dance were frightening, with the eerie Keeper and his ghostly dancers.
The writing was very good, kept me wrapped up in the plot and only dipped a few times. One of my quirks with reading is when a description is used repetitively and I found that here: whenever the king was upset he would "suck in his cheeks" and he was upset quite a lot so this phase was on every few pages when the king was involved in the story. But again, that is just my own pet peeve.
All in all, this was a really enjoyable book! Definitely worth a read!
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all in this story, the dancing. Dancing is everything to Azalea and her sisters. They dance when they are happy, they dance to lift their spirits, they dance to connect with their mother. It was interesting to try to picture all the dances, sometimes it comes through as enchanting, and sometimes it slowed the story a little.While Entwined was a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, I also saw alot of parallels to Little Women when it came to the four eldest girls: the responsible and caring Azalea (like Meg), the fiery, temperamental Bramble (Jo), the very timid Clover (Beth), and the outspoken and always-thinking-of-the-future Delphinium (Amy). I loved how each of the twelve sisters had their own defined personalities, even though Azalea, Bramble, and Clover were the three we got to know best.
I loved the development of the relationship between the king and the girls. It starts out very rocky and both the girls and the king are dealing with grief in different ways. That puts them at complete odds in a way that is almost cruel to eachother. But soon the kings sets out to try to mend things with his daughters and there were parts of that that very nearly had me in tears because his efforts were so touching.
In all the magic and wonder and dancing in this, parts were genuinely creepy! Some of the scenes down in the hidden pavilion where the girls sneaked off to dance were frightening, with the eerie Keeper and his ghostly dancers.
The writing was very good, kept me wrapped up in the plot and only dipped a few times. One of my quirks with reading is when a description is used repetitively and I found that here: whenever the king was upset he would "suck in his cheeks" and he was upset quite a lot so this phase was on every few pages when the king was involved in the story. But again, that is just my own pet peeve.
All in all, this was a really enjoyable book! Definitely worth a read!
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LibraryThing member bookcrookliza
A beautiful and captivating remake of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I loved this so much! I didn't even go to bed until four in the morning yesterday because I didn't want to put it down. I ended up having to put it down, because I realized I was being a little ridiculous, but the moment I woke
I loved the world created and the characters. Azalea and Clover especially. I especially enjoyed the love story of Clover. So surprising and sweet. And I really loved Teddy, he was a wonderful addition and brought bits of humour to the story, my favourite scene with him was when they're all discussing the lack of birthday presents from the King and Teddy whines that the King didn't get him a present either. That made me giggle.
The book did have faults here and there, but I found I was able to overlook them because the story was interesting enough to keep me tied in and the ending was satisfying. I swooned, I cried and I laughed. All signs to me that this was a fantastic read.
I'd definitely recommend this book though, I really enjoyed it.
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up, I started again.I loved the world created and the characters. Azalea and Clover especially. I especially enjoyed the love story of Clover. So surprising and sweet. And I really loved Teddy, he was a wonderful addition and brought bits of humour to the story, my favourite scene with him was when they're all discussing the lack of birthday presents from the King and Teddy whines that the King didn't get him a present either. That made me giggle.
The book did have faults here and there, but I found I was able to overlook them because the story was interesting enough to keep me tied in and the ending was satisfying. I swooned, I cried and I laughed. All signs to me that this was a fantastic read.
I'd definitely recommend this book though, I really enjoyed it.
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LibraryThing member BookAddictDiary
With such a gorgeous cover, it's not surprising that Entwined is a retelling of the classic fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It was this amazing, romantic cover that first drew me to this novel -not to mention the intriguing title. I had high hopes for Entwined. Especially after reading
Azalea and her sisters love dancing. That is, until the night of the annual royal ball at Yuletide, when her mother dies after giving birth to Azalea's twelfth and final sister. Struck by grief, the King demands that all the girls go into mourning for a full year and, most importantly, no dancing is allowed while in mourning. But, living in a castle with a dark, magical history can have its benefits...well, most of the time. Azalea finds a new place for the girls to dance, in a magnificent palace overseen by the Keeper. Of course, the Keeper is connected to the darkness, and when Azalea and her sisters try to leave, he won't let them...
Entwined had its positives and negatives for me. Overall, it's a well-paced, enjoyable read rooted in classic fairy tales with a darker edge. The mythology Dixon creates is engaging and unique, and, by far, is the best aspect of the novel. Dixon also does an amazing job of spacing out information about world mechanics and mythology throughout the novel rather than just dumping it on readers at once.
Dixon's writing is strong, but could use a little work. The biggest problem was the lack of details when describing virtually anything, especially when it came to the fantastic world underneath the palace where the princesses dance their shoes to ribbons every night. There were so many things in this book that I could never see, so I sometimes found myself getting confused about what everything looked like. This issue also hurt the novel's overall tone, making it feel a little thin and unencompassing. I really think that if Dixon had worked a little more on setting and detail, it also would have enhanced her characters, who are just okay.
I wouldn't say that Entwined was a complete let down for me. It was well worth reading, enchanting and filled with some great things, but also some not-so-great things. Entwined really has some great potential, but it's not all realized by the end. However, it does prove that author Heather Dixon has talent and potential as a writer, and could improve with future novels.
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Princess of the Midnight Ball, I was already in full-on fairy tale retelling mode. I truly wanted Entwined to blow Princess of the Midnight Ball out of the water and be one of my favorite reads of the year. Perhaps, going in, my expectations were too high, because, while Entwined is still a good book, it's just not a great one.Azalea and her sisters love dancing. That is, until the night of the annual royal ball at Yuletide, when her mother dies after giving birth to Azalea's twelfth and final sister. Struck by grief, the King demands that all the girls go into mourning for a full year and, most importantly, no dancing is allowed while in mourning. But, living in a castle with a dark, magical history can have its benefits...well, most of the time. Azalea finds a new place for the girls to dance, in a magnificent palace overseen by the Keeper. Of course, the Keeper is connected to the darkness, and when Azalea and her sisters try to leave, he won't let them...
Entwined had its positives and negatives for me. Overall, it's a well-paced, enjoyable read rooted in classic fairy tales with a darker edge. The mythology Dixon creates is engaging and unique, and, by far, is the best aspect of the novel. Dixon also does an amazing job of spacing out information about world mechanics and mythology throughout the novel rather than just dumping it on readers at once.
Dixon's writing is strong, but could use a little work. The biggest problem was the lack of details when describing virtually anything, especially when it came to the fantastic world underneath the palace where the princesses dance their shoes to ribbons every night. There were so many things in this book that I could never see, so I sometimes found myself getting confused about what everything looked like. This issue also hurt the novel's overall tone, making it feel a little thin and unencompassing. I really think that if Dixon had worked a little more on setting and detail, it also would have enhanced her characters, who are just okay.
I wouldn't say that Entwined was a complete let down for me. It was well worth reading, enchanting and filled with some great things, but also some not-so-great things. Entwined really has some great potential, but it's not all realized by the end. However, it does prove that author Heather Dixon has talent and potential as a writer, and could improve with future novels.
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LibraryThing member librarianm
Azalea and her 11 sisters are supposed to be in mourning for their mother - complete with darkened windows, black clothing, no visits or fun of any sort especially dancing. With their father, the King, away at war, the girls slip out of their room every night to dance in a magic realm. There they
So, I may have mentioned that my favorite fairy tale ever is The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The first time I heard it was during a Pre-K story time at the library and I instantly fell in love with it. I checked it out of the library a lot. Then someone gave me a paperback picture book copy as a birthday present. Once I was able to read well enough on my own, that was my go to book. It was literally falling apart when I finally put it away to expand my reading horizons.
Despite my love for The Twelve Dancing Princesses (or The Worn Out Dancing Shoes/The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces) I'd never read a retelling until recently (for YA Lit class last semester). So when I heard that Entwined was another retelling, I knew that it would go on my wishlist for this year. Maybe my love of the original tale made me biased as I was reading, maybe it made me more critical, but overall I loved Entwined. Were there things that I wasn't fond of? Yes, (all the flower names for the sisters, for example) but the great parts outweighed them in my opinion.
Since Entwined revolves around 12 sisters, I thought it would be fun to give 12 reasons why I enjoyed reading it.
1. The sisters - with so many of them, it was sometimes hard to keep them all straight, but the portrayal of their relationships, squabbles, and interactions felt very genuine.
2. Lord Bradford - he's pretty swoon-worthy. At one point while reading I decided he was unassumingly dashing, because even though everyone else knows how awesome he is, he seems to be oblivious.
3. The dancing - the way Ms. Dixon describes each dance makes them seem like additional characters in the story.
4. Azalea, the Princess Royale and oldest sister, she's strong and compassionate and looks after and stands up for her sisters. She's also courageous in that she stands up to the King and doesn't let him off the hook for anything.
5. There is magic, but only in small quantities. Only certain parts of the castle are magic and even that is considered a myth until Azalea finds the secret passageway. But also, there is the realization that love is its own type of magic.
6. There is character named Mr. Pudding. For some reason, I just love that name!
7. A certain pocket watch and the theme of time: the passage of time, waiting for something/someone you love.
8. Prime Minister Fairweller - despite his sober demeanor and rule abiding ways, he has a bit of a romantic streak.
9. A mention of treacle tart - in addition to reminding me of Harry Potter, it just shows how it's all the small details that make the house and the magic realm come to life.
10. A certain scene between Azalea and Lord Bradford involving a closet and some spying.
11. Lord Teddy - my favorite of the suitors - he unintentionally delivers comic relief exactly when it's needed, plus he never gives up!
12. Keeper is super creepy as a villain, right from the first sight of him it's very clear that he is evil. I love villains that are unapologetically evil.
If you enjoy reading fairy tale retellings, Entwined should be on your radar. I definitely will be picking up a finished copy at the end of March.
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meet Keeper, who seems intriguing but has intentions that aren't exactly honorable. Azalea finds that she must work out Keeper's mystery in order to save her family and their kingdom.So, I may have mentioned that my favorite fairy tale ever is The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The first time I heard it was during a Pre-K story time at the library and I instantly fell in love with it. I checked it out of the library a lot. Then someone gave me a paperback picture book copy as a birthday present. Once I was able to read well enough on my own, that was my go to book. It was literally falling apart when I finally put it away to expand my reading horizons.
Despite my love for The Twelve Dancing Princesses (or The Worn Out Dancing Shoes/The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces) I'd never read a retelling until recently (for YA Lit class last semester). So when I heard that Entwined was another retelling, I knew that it would go on my wishlist for this year. Maybe my love of the original tale made me biased as I was reading, maybe it made me more critical, but overall I loved Entwined. Were there things that I wasn't fond of? Yes, (all the flower names for the sisters, for example) but the great parts outweighed them in my opinion.
Since Entwined revolves around 12 sisters, I thought it would be fun to give 12 reasons why I enjoyed reading it.
1. The sisters - with so many of them, it was sometimes hard to keep them all straight, but the portrayal of their relationships, squabbles, and interactions felt very genuine.
2. Lord Bradford - he's pretty swoon-worthy. At one point while reading I decided he was unassumingly dashing, because even though everyone else knows how awesome he is, he seems to be oblivious.
3. The dancing - the way Ms. Dixon describes each dance makes them seem like additional characters in the story.
4. Azalea, the Princess Royale and oldest sister, she's strong and compassionate and looks after and stands up for her sisters. She's also courageous in that she stands up to the King and doesn't let him off the hook for anything.
5. There is magic, but only in small quantities. Only certain parts of the castle are magic and even that is considered a myth until Azalea finds the secret passageway. But also, there is the realization that love is its own type of magic.
6. There is character named Mr. Pudding. For some reason, I just love that name!
7. A certain pocket watch and the theme of time: the passage of time, waiting for something/someone you love.
8. Prime Minister Fairweller - despite his sober demeanor and rule abiding ways, he has a bit of a romantic streak.
9. A mention of treacle tart - in addition to reminding me of Harry Potter, it just shows how it's all the small details that make the house and the magic realm come to life.
10. A certain scene between Azalea and Lord Bradford involving a closet and some spying.
11. Lord Teddy - my favorite of the suitors - he unintentionally delivers comic relief exactly when it's needed, plus he never gives up!
12. Keeper is super creepy as a villain, right from the first sight of him it's very clear that he is evil. I love villains that are unapologetically evil.
If you enjoy reading fairy tale retellings, Entwined should be on your radar. I definitely will be picking up a finished copy at the end of March.
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LibraryThing member renkellym
Summary: Azalea and her eleven sisters live to dance—they have mastered almost every ballroom dance you can think of! But when their mother dies, their father, the King, insists that they stop dancing to properly mourn their loss. The Princesses are heartbroken until they stumble upon a hidden
My thoughts: Take a look at Entwined’s cover. See it? It reflects the book perfectly. It’s flouncy, it’s flowery, and it makes me want to put on a pretty dress, grab a handsome gentleman, and start dancing. Guys, I want to live in the world of Entwined. First off, there’s magic, which is an automatic plus. Then there’s the whole bit about dressing pretty and attending balls, which just makes me all dreamy. Add in some sweet suitors and I am so there! Entwined is pretty much my kind of fairy tale, and though I felt the story was just okay, the setting and writing really stole my heart.
I’ve heard that Entwined is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I’ve never read this fairy tale (shame on me!), but some quick Googling provided me all the information I needed to say this: Entwined really does a good job of retelling the story. Almost everything included in the fairy tale is somehow woven into Entwined. I absolutely adore retellings—picking out the similarities between the two stories was really fun!
One thing I found interesting about the twelve sisters was how well they all got along! I’ve never had a sister, so I wouldn’t really know, but if I were Azalea, I think I’d get tired of having eleven younger princess following me wherever I went! I was seriously impressed with her mild temperament toward her siblings. It really shows how close their lack of decent parenting brought them (yeah, there’s a dead mom and an inattentive dad in this story). On that subject, though, the King was a very interesting character. I’d say that out of all the characters, he was the most dynamic—he went from being uptight and uncaring to a genuinely cool dad.
The villain of the book, Keeper, was sufficiently creepy. Every time he appeared (and especially when Azalea discovers him crawling on the ceiling like a spider), I shuddered. Towards the beginning of the book, I wanted to shake some sense into the princesses for thinking him gentlemanly! It was neat to see Keeper regress into something more and more like a monster.
Heather Dixon’s writing style really suits Entwined. It’s light and gives the book a magical, fairytale-like feel. The descriptions of each reel and waltz were wonderful as well—I wanted to get up and start dancing with Azalea and her sisters! The story was a bit slow for me, though. I suppose I just wanted a bit more suspense out of the book, which does come, but only in the last few pages.
Overall, I’d give Entwined 4 out of 5 stars. Its story, though fun, didn’t completely enrapture me, but the setting and writing style certainly did. I feel Entwined will be enjoyed most by those who love fantasy or fairytale retellings.
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doorway that leads to a magical place where they meet Mr. Keeper, a gentleman who throws them grand parties and lets them dance to their hearts’ content without the King’s knowledge. But Keeper’s generosity will come with a price…My thoughts: Take a look at Entwined’s cover. See it? It reflects the book perfectly. It’s flouncy, it’s flowery, and it makes me want to put on a pretty dress, grab a handsome gentleman, and start dancing. Guys, I want to live in the world of Entwined. First off, there’s magic, which is an automatic plus. Then there’s the whole bit about dressing pretty and attending balls, which just makes me all dreamy. Add in some sweet suitors and I am so there! Entwined is pretty much my kind of fairy tale, and though I felt the story was just okay, the setting and writing really stole my heart.
I’ve heard that Entwined is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I’ve never read this fairy tale (shame on me!), but some quick Googling provided me all the information I needed to say this: Entwined really does a good job of retelling the story. Almost everything included in the fairy tale is somehow woven into Entwined. I absolutely adore retellings—picking out the similarities between the two stories was really fun!
One thing I found interesting about the twelve sisters was how well they all got along! I’ve never had a sister, so I wouldn’t really know, but if I were Azalea, I think I’d get tired of having eleven younger princess following me wherever I went! I was seriously impressed with her mild temperament toward her siblings. It really shows how close their lack of decent parenting brought them (yeah, there’s a dead mom and an inattentive dad in this story). On that subject, though, the King was a very interesting character. I’d say that out of all the characters, he was the most dynamic—he went from being uptight and uncaring to a genuinely cool dad.
The villain of the book, Keeper, was sufficiently creepy. Every time he appeared (and especially when Azalea discovers him crawling on the ceiling like a spider), I shuddered. Towards the beginning of the book, I wanted to shake some sense into the princesses for thinking him gentlemanly! It was neat to see Keeper regress into something more and more like a monster.
Heather Dixon’s writing style really suits Entwined. It’s light and gives the book a magical, fairytale-like feel. The descriptions of each reel and waltz were wonderful as well—I wanted to get up and start dancing with Azalea and her sisters! The story was a bit slow for me, though. I suppose I just wanted a bit more suspense out of the book, which does come, but only in the last few pages.
Overall, I’d give Entwined 4 out of 5 stars. Its story, though fun, didn’t completely enrapture me, but the setting and writing style certainly did. I feel Entwined will be enjoyed most by those who love fantasy or fairytale retellings.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. I love the fairy tale of the twelve dancing princesses and was excited to read a retelling of it. It is a good retelling, although it starts off a bit slow.
Azalea (aka Lea) is the eldest of twelve daughters. When her
Dixon does an excellent job juggling the twelve sisters without the readers becoming confused. They are named in alphabetical order, a clever trick that lets the reader remember who is the youngest and the oldest. The story mainly focuses on the three oldest sisters who are of age: Azalea, Bramble, and Clover. All of them have distinct personalities, are likable, and are interesting to read about.
Much of the story focuses around dance; many types of dances are discussed and the dances themselves have some magic to them. There is more magic in general incorporated into this story than in previous retellings I have read. I loved that the magic and the mysterious Keeper are well woven into the history and politics in the realm.
I did have some problems with this story. It starts out very slowly. It takes about a quarter of the book for the sisters to even discover the secret passage; the events that come before are meant to set up the story and convey the princesses' boredom, and they do. They also bore the reader. The story picks up later as the suitors start arriving at the castle, but even this is slow at parts. If some of this had been cut out and the story tightened up it would have been an absolutely terrific story.
The story ends well and should please readers. There is also a sense of sisterly-love and family throughout that is heartwarming and makes the reader really pull for these girls and hope that everything will end up okay.
You can't help but compare this book to Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. I think I like this version a bit better than that one, but it moves at a slower pace. I think Dixon does a better job of painting a picture of the underground Ballroom and really pulling the reader into it. I also think Dixon created a much creepier villain in Keeper than George did in her version of the story. The biggest difference between the two is that in George's version the girls dance as a punishment, in this version they start dancing because they desperately want to.
Overall a solid fairy tale retelling, I enjoyed reading it. If you love fairy tale retelllings this is one to check out, it is very well done. If you enjoy the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses in general you may also want to check out Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George; it is similar in quality and a slightly different take on the story.
Azalea (aka Lea) is the eldest of twelve daughters. When her
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mother passes away she is the lady of their house. With her father gone at war (and avoiding any contact with them prior to his departure) and her sisters banned from any kind of revelry for the period of mourning she is desperate for a way to amuse her depressed sisters. Then she stumbles upon a secret passage in their room that leads to a secret ballroom where a mysterious man named Keeper lets the princesses dance their hearts away. Of course there is a cost for this revelry that is darker than they could have imagined.Dixon does an excellent job juggling the twelve sisters without the readers becoming confused. They are named in alphabetical order, a clever trick that lets the reader remember who is the youngest and the oldest. The story mainly focuses on the three oldest sisters who are of age: Azalea, Bramble, and Clover. All of them have distinct personalities, are likable, and are interesting to read about.
Much of the story focuses around dance; many types of dances are discussed and the dances themselves have some magic to them. There is more magic in general incorporated into this story than in previous retellings I have read. I loved that the magic and the mysterious Keeper are well woven into the history and politics in the realm.
I did have some problems with this story. It starts out very slowly. It takes about a quarter of the book for the sisters to even discover the secret passage; the events that come before are meant to set up the story and convey the princesses' boredom, and they do. They also bore the reader. The story picks up later as the suitors start arriving at the castle, but even this is slow at parts. If some of this had been cut out and the story tightened up it would have been an absolutely terrific story.
The story ends well and should please readers. There is also a sense of sisterly-love and family throughout that is heartwarming and makes the reader really pull for these girls and hope that everything will end up okay.
You can't help but compare this book to Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. I think I like this version a bit better than that one, but it moves at a slower pace. I think Dixon does a better job of painting a picture of the underground Ballroom and really pulling the reader into it. I also think Dixon created a much creepier villain in Keeper than George did in her version of the story. The biggest difference between the two is that in George's version the girls dance as a punishment, in this version they start dancing because they desperately want to.
Overall a solid fairy tale retelling, I enjoyed reading it. If you love fairy tale retelllings this is one to check out, it is very well done. If you enjoy the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses in general you may also want to check out Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George; it is similar in quality and a slightly different take on the story.
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LibraryThing member mountie9
Mini Book Review: It took me a while to get into the book, but I am really glad I kept with it. It turned out to be a lovely fairy tale with magic and intrigue and sweet romance. Halfway through the book, I just didn't want to put it down and ended up finishing it at 1:00 in the morning( Miss Dixon
4 Dewey's
I picked this up from the HarperCollins booth at the OLA conference and did not have to review it or nothin -- Don't you just love that
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you owe me some coffee - it has been a tough day today). It reminded me of those wonderful Grimm fairy tales that I used to read as a child, not the disneyfied ones (Not that those are bad, I loved them too) I won't lie some of the constant mentions of dancing and relating things to how you feel when you dance, sort of irritated me, but not too bad. I loved the relationship between the sisters and their father and felt it really gave the story some realism. I think those who enjoy something a little different will enjoy this. It is a lovely enchanting and truly imaginative tale for the more sophisticated YA reader. Honestly, I would not be surprised if this was made into a movie4 Dewey's
I picked this up from the HarperCollins booth at the OLA conference and did not have to review it or nothin -- Don't you just love that
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LibraryThing member bookwormygirl
I love the tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses by the Grimm brothers - so needless to say, reading Entwined was a "must" for me. Ms. Dixon not only uses the tale as the backbone of her story, but she cleverly gives the story a twist to make it unique, engrossing and just downright fun.
Azalea and
Told through the eyes of Azalea, you learn of their kingdom, of her sisters whom are all named after flowers starting with Azalea (the oldest) to Lily (the new addition). Oh but, I loved Azalea and her sisters. I liked how they each had their story - although not all got the same attention, you still knew who each sister was and how their stories entwined. I loved their sisterly bond and the love they had for one another was really joyful to read about.
Ms. Dixon has a sense of humor - with laugh out loud moments, you could really see her wittiness shine through. I loved those silly moments where I found myself giggling or with a big goofy grin on my face. It really gave this story - which from previous re-tellings I've found dark and gothic, to be something fun and carefree.
All in all, Entwined is a beautiful fairytale, riddled with music and dancing, romance and sisters and love ... in many forms. I found myself swept away by its beauty and magic.
Azalea and
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her eleven sisters, along with their kingdom, are all mourning the loss of their mother, the queen. Donning black dresses, staying in doors, allowing no dancing, or the prospect of suitors... nor anything remotely fun, the girls are depressed. The king is heartbroken over the loss of his wife and marches off to war leaving the girls, including their newborn sister, on their own. It is while he is away that the girls discover an enchanted staircase leading far beneath the castle to a world where they dance and dance... and dance. They literally dance their shoes to shreds every night. But beneath its lovely facade, there is danger lurking in this world.... and if the girls don't get out before it's too late, they might have to give up more than just their dancing shoes.Told through the eyes of Azalea, you learn of their kingdom, of her sisters whom are all named after flowers starting with Azalea (the oldest) to Lily (the new addition). Oh but, I loved Azalea and her sisters. I liked how they each had their story - although not all got the same attention, you still knew who each sister was and how their stories entwined. I loved their sisterly bond and the love they had for one another was really joyful to read about.
Ms. Dixon has a sense of humor - with laugh out loud moments, you could really see her wittiness shine through. I loved those silly moments where I found myself giggling or with a big goofy grin on my face. It really gave this story - which from previous re-tellings I've found dark and gothic, to be something fun and carefree.
All in all, Entwined is a beautiful fairytale, riddled with music and dancing, romance and sisters and love ... in many forms. I found myself swept away by its beauty and magic.
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LibraryThing member abackwardsstory
The Twelve Dancing Princesses has always been my favorite fairy tale. While the gorgeous cover is what initially made me see what Heather Dixon's debut novel, Entwined, was all about, the fact that it retold this tale made it a Day One Buy for me. Lush and descriptive, Entwined brings the tale to
Despite the fact that there are twelve princesses involved in this tale, Dixon uses a creative way of allowing readers to remember who's who by naming them alphabetically. Our main character, Azalea, is the crown princess, followed by her sisters, Bramble, Clover, Delphinium, Evening Primrose (Eve), Flora, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Ivy, Jessamine, Kale, and Lily. Not only are they all named after plants and flowers, the very fact that they're named such reveals the way their father the king leads a very structured lifestyle. This trick is also good for readers. The girls are all about a year apart; Azalea is fifteen at the novel's start and baby Lily is a newborn. If readers are confused about why Ivy is acting like a child, for example, it's easy to figure out that she's one of the youngest princesses.
The book starts off with Azalea getting ready for her first yuletide ball now that she's finally of age. We immediately see how important dancing is to her. I love the way Dixon fleshes out this interest and turns it into an entity of its own. Even the novel's title, Entwined, is based on a dance called the Entwine, which is a clever twist (that taught me something new, no less!). In the original fairy tale, we never know why the princesses go dancing each night or how they found the enchanted forest in the first place. In Entwined, however, we're with the girls every step of the way. We see how they're no longer allowed to dance after their mother passes away during childbirth. They feel stifled during their year of mourning. They find the enchanted forest within the walls of the castle quite by mistake, but through it, can cherish their mother's memory through dance, a need no one but the princesses can comprehend. Love interests are introduced early on, allowing time for love to blossom. The man in charge of the enchanted dance, Keeper, is mysterious and written in such a way, my arms got goosebumps as I read. The forest itself is gorgeous and I could see it in my mind's eye. Because Dixon focused on making the fairy tale's nemesis so dark, she maintained a light balance in the "real world." Unlike in the original, men aren't put to death if they're unable to discover how the girls manage to dance the night away. I appreciated this aspect and loved meeting all of the potential suitors. Lord Teddy and Mr. Bradford were my favorite characters. Lord Teddy stole the show every time he appeared on a page, creating many laugh-out-loud moments.
Overall, I love the way Dixon kept to the traditional tale while still giving us something new and unique. Entwined is almost five hundred pages, and when I first picked it up, I wondered how it could take so long to tell the story. The pacing remained even and never dragged. Once the story sucked me in, it was impossible to put down. The Twelve Dancing Princesses is still a favorite of mine, especially this version of the classic tale.
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life like never before. I loved the way Dixon extracted the best parts of the story and tweaked other aspects, making the story fresh and vibrant. It manages to remain true to the original tale while still becoming its own entity, which can be hard to pull off when creating a new version. Despite the fact that there are twelve princesses involved in this tale, Dixon uses a creative way of allowing readers to remember who's who by naming them alphabetically. Our main character, Azalea, is the crown princess, followed by her sisters, Bramble, Clover, Delphinium, Evening Primrose (Eve), Flora, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Ivy, Jessamine, Kale, and Lily. Not only are they all named after plants and flowers, the very fact that they're named such reveals the way their father the king leads a very structured lifestyle. This trick is also good for readers. The girls are all about a year apart; Azalea is fifteen at the novel's start and baby Lily is a newborn. If readers are confused about why Ivy is acting like a child, for example, it's easy to figure out that she's one of the youngest princesses.
The book starts off with Azalea getting ready for her first yuletide ball now that she's finally of age. We immediately see how important dancing is to her. I love the way Dixon fleshes out this interest and turns it into an entity of its own. Even the novel's title, Entwined, is based on a dance called the Entwine, which is a clever twist (that taught me something new, no less!). In the original fairy tale, we never know why the princesses go dancing each night or how they found the enchanted forest in the first place. In Entwined, however, we're with the girls every step of the way. We see how they're no longer allowed to dance after their mother passes away during childbirth. They feel stifled during their year of mourning. They find the enchanted forest within the walls of the castle quite by mistake, but through it, can cherish their mother's memory through dance, a need no one but the princesses can comprehend. Love interests are introduced early on, allowing time for love to blossom. The man in charge of the enchanted dance, Keeper, is mysterious and written in such a way, my arms got goosebumps as I read. The forest itself is gorgeous and I could see it in my mind's eye. Because Dixon focused on making the fairy tale's nemesis so dark, she maintained a light balance in the "real world." Unlike in the original, men aren't put to death if they're unable to discover how the girls manage to dance the night away. I appreciated this aspect and loved meeting all of the potential suitors. Lord Teddy and Mr. Bradford were my favorite characters. Lord Teddy stole the show every time he appeared on a page, creating many laugh-out-loud moments.
Overall, I love the way Dixon kept to the traditional tale while still giving us something new and unique. Entwined is almost five hundred pages, and when I first picked it up, I wondered how it could take so long to tell the story. The pacing remained even and never dragged. Once the story sucked me in, it was impossible to put down. The Twelve Dancing Princesses is still a favorite of mine, especially this version of the classic tale.
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LibraryThing member MrsBoswellBooks
The only other encounter I've had with the fairytale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, was the retelling by Jessica Day George in Princess of the Midnight Ball. While I liked that version, I highly enjoyed the darkness of Entwined.
With this book being nearly 500 pages long, Dixon did a wonderful job
The story is told from the eldest daughter's (Azalea) perspective. We are introduced to the eleven other girls (all named after flowers and in alphabetical order according to birth) throughout the book. While the vast amount of names still confuses me, (Azalea, Bramble, Clover, Delphinium, Evening Primrose, Flora, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Ivy, Jessamine, Kale and Lily) each girl emerges with a more distinct personality which makes it easier to sort them out.
I'm always saddened by a less than ideal family situation. The girls relationship with their father wasn't perfect. He was King first and foremost and a father second. Royal Business and things of the sort took precedence over his daughters. This changed throughout the course of the book causing me to grow more connected to the King, as the girls did.
Keeper was a bit of a creeper (ha ha) and absolutely strange. I could see how he could be appealing to girls in some ways, but he's that guy in horror movies that you are physically screaming for the girl not to be left alone with!
The only thing that had me a bit down about was the dancing. It plays a big role in this story, being a major part of the girls lives, but I just couldn't see it. It must be hard to describe a dance sequence to an outsider, but I just couldn't visualize the dances that the girls participated in each night.
Entwined is a dark and dazzling debut. Like the purpose of the Entwine dance, this book will tie you up and hold you captive until the end.
With this book being nearly 500 pages long, Dixon did a wonderful job
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of pacing the story. I did not feel rushed or overwhelmed. The details and plot were intriguing and engaging.The story is told from the eldest daughter's (Azalea) perspective. We are introduced to the eleven other girls (all named after flowers and in alphabetical order according to birth) throughout the book. While the vast amount of names still confuses me, (Azalea, Bramble, Clover, Delphinium, Evening Primrose, Flora, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Ivy, Jessamine, Kale and Lily) each girl emerges with a more distinct personality which makes it easier to sort them out.
I'm always saddened by a less than ideal family situation. The girls relationship with their father wasn't perfect. He was King first and foremost and a father second. Royal Business and things of the sort took precedence over his daughters. This changed throughout the course of the book causing me to grow more connected to the King, as the girls did.
Keeper was a bit of a creeper (ha ha) and absolutely strange. I could see how he could be appealing to girls in some ways, but he's that guy in horror movies that you are physically screaming for the girl not to be left alone with!
The only thing that had me a bit down about was the dancing. It plays a big role in this story, being a major part of the girls lives, but I just couldn't see it. It must be hard to describe a dance sequence to an outsider, but I just couldn't visualize the dances that the girls participated in each night.
Entwined is a dark and dazzling debut. Like the purpose of the Entwine dance, this book will tie you up and hold you captive until the end.
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LibraryThing member C.Ibarra
When Azalea’s mother dies the castle goes into mourning. Everyone has to wear black, the windows are covered and dancing is strictly prohibited. Desperate to dance, the girls discover a secret passage that leads them to an enchanted forest. It is here they meet The Keeper. The girls are so
Entwined is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I adore fairy tales and never hesitate to snatch up a new retelling when it hits the shelves. I thought Entwined was perfectly executed. It had all the elements I desire in a fairy tale. Azalea was a wonderful narrator and main character. Her sisters were well developed even though they were more like secondary characters to the plot. The Keeper was a despicably perfect villain. There were also a few romantic interests for the girls that added a nice romantic element to the plot. I also like that the boys didn’t have to be the heroes in this one. Azalea and her sisters are strong and smart girls who could kick butt when necessary.
Entwined summoned a continuous sense of nostalgia for this long time lover of fairy tales and princesses. It was a book that just made me feel good. It isn’t a book I devoured in one sitting, but one I looked forward to cuddling up with while drinking a cup of tea each evening before bed. This is a very big book, but it doesn’t seem that way when you’re reading. I was completely and totally enchanted by the author’s writing and the story she told. I couldn’t believe how quickly the pages flew by. I can see myself reading this with my daughters when they are a little older. I will most definitely add a finished copy of Entwined to my shelf of favorites very soon.
Cover Thoughts: Gorgeous and a perfect fit for the story on the pages!
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desperate to escape the depressing castle they are blinded to The Keeper’s motives, and the dangers closing in on them. Entwined is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I adore fairy tales and never hesitate to snatch up a new retelling when it hits the shelves. I thought Entwined was perfectly executed. It had all the elements I desire in a fairy tale. Azalea was a wonderful narrator and main character. Her sisters were well developed even though they were more like secondary characters to the plot. The Keeper was a despicably perfect villain. There were also a few romantic interests for the girls that added a nice romantic element to the plot. I also like that the boys didn’t have to be the heroes in this one. Azalea and her sisters are strong and smart girls who could kick butt when necessary.
Entwined summoned a continuous sense of nostalgia for this long time lover of fairy tales and princesses. It was a book that just made me feel good. It isn’t a book I devoured in one sitting, but one I looked forward to cuddling up with while drinking a cup of tea each evening before bed. This is a very big book, but it doesn’t seem that way when you’re reading. I was completely and totally enchanted by the author’s writing and the story she told. I couldn’t believe how quickly the pages flew by. I can see myself reading this with my daughters when they are a little older. I will most definitely add a finished copy of Entwined to my shelf of favorites very soon.
Cover Thoughts: Gorgeous and a perfect fit for the story on the pages!
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LibraryThing member MrsMich02
Beautiful re-telling of the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Delicately approaches how death affects an entire family. High value is placed on family bonds. A little fluffy in places especially where dancing is described but it's to be expected in a YA novel, but overall a much richer and
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more enjoyable read than I expected. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag
This is a wonderful book. It is a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses and has everything a fairy tale should have, romance, evil pretending to be good, damsels in distress and surprisingly, humor. I found it very hard to put down but it took me about 50 pages to really get into it. Azalea, the
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oldest princess, is devoted to her family but does not always make the best decisions. Although she had sworn to her dying mother to protect her sisters, she unknowingly endangers all of them, her father and the kingdom. But she fights to make it right and finally calls on the most powerful magic of all, love. Beneath all the magic is a story of a family torn by loss and misunderstanding. This would be an outstanding mother/daugther book club choice. Show Less
LibraryThing member adventures
Entwined: Entwined is a retelling of the story the 12 dancing princesses. Azalea is the eldest of 12 princesses. On Christmas day their mother dies and the whole castle goes into mourning. For a whole year the clocks are stopped, windows darkened, and they all have to wear black. But the worst of
Seriously when I started this book I didn't know what to expect. It looked very long and thick. I thought it'd be slow to read. But I was wrong. This is a very good book full of adventure, fantasy, mystery, romance. Each of the character are funny and unique. Sure some parts of the story you can kind of guess what will happen if you'd read the 12 dancing princesses, but it doesn't ruin the story. This story had a good lesson in it about family. When rating this book I didn't know if I should give it 4 and half stars or 5. I decided five, b/c of the great story line it had.
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all is NO dancing. One day a secret passage is found by the girls and there they go to dance each night. But is that really best .FantasySeriously when I started this book I didn't know what to expect. It looked very long and thick. I thought it'd be slow to read. But I was wrong. This is a very good book full of adventure, fantasy, mystery, romance. Each of the character are funny and unique. Sure some parts of the story you can kind of guess what will happen if you'd read the 12 dancing princesses, but it doesn't ruin the story. This story had a good lesson in it about family. When rating this book I didn't know if I should give it 4 and half stars or 5. I decided five, b/c of the great story line it had.
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LibraryThing member sderby
A fractured retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, set in a late 18th/early 19th century principality.
LibraryThing member quirkylibrarian
An adaptation of the 12 Dancing Princesses, this starts off with a lively step and is a moderately engaging tale that has choppy pacing. I think it could have been better edited... We have it catalogued in teen but it is squeaky clean and would be good for a tween reader if they aren't put off by
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it's length. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
I really enjoyed this book. There were many great elements in this book that drove you to read it faster and faster. The message behind the whole book is breathtaking. Once I began reading it, I was entwined to read the book, never to stop.
The story line of the book had me hooked. After losing a
The characters of the book have some major growth that I enjoyed reading! It is a growth not in one character but in all of them. Ms. Dixon's writing flows you along with the story, as if you are in it. The magical realm Ms. Dixon created along with Keeper, is a place I would want to dance forever. This is a re-make of the original Twelve Dancing Princess. I have not read that book but after reading this one, I will definitely go pick it up.
The love behind the family, especially how it ended left me in tears. Such a pure love, between everyone gave hope for the family to be whole once again. I adored the King and the change that happen in him. His love for his children, and the way the girls handled everything with great maturity is fantastic. These girls also had some fire in them that made me laugh in some parts.
This book is absolutely beautiful and amazing. Simply wonderful for anyone who wants an out of this world, magical read.
The story line of the book had me hooked. After losing a
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precious family member Azalea and her other sisters are confined to mourning. They are not allowed to do the one thing that reminds them of the lost loved one. The sisters find solace in a magical world hidden in a secret passageway. I can't begin to tell you what a gorgeous book this is. Simply magical and very entertaining, Entwined is a book you must read.The characters of the book have some major growth that I enjoyed reading! It is a growth not in one character but in all of them. Ms. Dixon's writing flows you along with the story, as if you are in it. The magical realm Ms. Dixon created along with Keeper, is a place I would want to dance forever. This is a re-make of the original Twelve Dancing Princess. I have not read that book but after reading this one, I will definitely go pick it up.
The love behind the family, especially how it ended left me in tears. Such a pure love, between everyone gave hope for the family to be whole once again. I adored the King and the change that happen in him. His love for his children, and the way the girls handled everything with great maturity is fantastic. These girls also had some fire in them that made me laugh in some parts.
This book is absolutely beautiful and amazing. Simply wonderful for anyone who wants an out of this world, magical read.
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LibraryThing member dgmlrhodes
There is a saying not to judge a book by it's cover. However, the cover is beautiful and the book is enchanting. The story is based on the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. While it doesnt necessarily stray far from the basic fairy tale, the story is a fun read. The characters were engaging
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and the story moved well. This is a light and fun read for those who enjoy YA fiction. Show Less
LibraryThing member poetrytoprose
Though I’m not all that familiar with the twelve dancing princesses fairytale (I see you judging me!), I was sure that Entwined would be a book I could immerse myself into. I started it during my most recent reading funk this past week and, unfortunately, we got off to a shaky start. After taking
I won’t even lie, it would be impossible to try to recall all of the sisters; all of them didn’t have unique, distinguishable characteristics to tell them apart. However, I can say that their dynamic was so much fun to read about. They were stubborn, loyal, and very loveable. Bramble was definitely the standout with her behavior and fierceness.
Following their mother’s death, the girls are ordered into mourning by their father. The biggest change for them was not being allowed to dance. Their defiance led them into a secret, magical passage every night where they met the villain of the story, Keeper. I have to admit, I found Keeper to be quite alluring at first, but he of course turned into a creepy creepster.
Romance wise, I would have loved more depth to the relationships. They were all very cute and sweet, but there wasn’t enough swoon for my liking. Azalea was obviously the focus of the story, and I loved her suitor, but the story would have benefited from more attention to Bramble and Clover’s romances. I adored both of the girls and I would have liked to feel the same way about their guys.
By far, my favorite part of the book was the relationship of the girls with their father, the king. It was easy to sympathize with both sides and understand how they felt following the death of the mother. The distance was aching, but it was so wonderful to see the gradual growth back together. The king? Was amazing and I loved peeling back his layers to uncover what a big softie he was. He was probably my favorite character of the entire book.
Overall, this was a cute and very likable story. I will definitely give this a re-read in the future when I’m in the mood for a heartwarmer.
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a reading break, though, I found myself very much charmed by this retelling.I won’t even lie, it would be impossible to try to recall all of the sisters; all of them didn’t have unique, distinguishable characteristics to tell them apart. However, I can say that their dynamic was so much fun to read about. They were stubborn, loyal, and very loveable. Bramble was definitely the standout with her behavior and fierceness.
Following their mother’s death, the girls are ordered into mourning by their father. The biggest change for them was not being allowed to dance. Their defiance led them into a secret, magical passage every night where they met the villain of the story, Keeper. I have to admit, I found Keeper to be quite alluring at first, but he of course turned into a creepy creepster.
Romance wise, I would have loved more depth to the relationships. They were all very cute and sweet, but there wasn’t enough swoon for my liking. Azalea was obviously the focus of the story, and I loved her suitor, but the story would have benefited from more attention to Bramble and Clover’s romances. I adored both of the girls and I would have liked to feel the same way about their guys.
By far, my favorite part of the book was the relationship of the girls with their father, the king. It was easy to sympathize with both sides and understand how they felt following the death of the mother. The distance was aching, but it was so wonderful to see the gradual growth back together. The king? Was amazing and I loved peeling back his layers to uncover what a big softie he was. He was probably my favorite character of the entire book.
Overall, this was a cute and very likable story. I will definitely give this a re-read in the future when I’m in the mood for a heartwarmer.
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LibraryThing member QueenAlyss
Entwined is a fun novel following some of the classic fairytales with a darker twist. It is a strong novel that tugs at the heart strings of your youth
LibraryThing member NikkiatBooksMW
The beauty of the cover snagged me on this book. After I started reading it I realized that it involved A LOT of dancing. This is normally ok, but this book takes it to another level. While that is a slight annoyance, the characters make up for any and all shortcomings.
Azalea and her sisters are
The plot was very odd to me. It was not bad, but it wasn't great either. It is continually slow from the beginning all the way through until the ending scenes. However, unlike others this book had the wonderful characters to carry me through and keep me interested until the end. That being said, there were several times I stopped reading and would ask myself why in the world they would feel the need to dance at a time like that. I love music and dance, but I think I just do understand that "need" for it in every aspect of life. The final scenes do a really great job of wrapping up the book. It's one of the better endings I've seen in a while.
Dixon's writing is very beautiful to me. She does an amazing job with descriptions and vivid details. It made it easy for me to imagine that I could be standing right in the middle of the story, just watching from afar. Everything right down to the dialogue between the characters felt like it welcomed my subconscious into a whole other world and experience. It is a very solid good read and I do recommend it for everyone.
Azalea and her sisters are
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charming. All of the girls are the product of the King's desperate attempts to have a son to take the throne. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses, but Azalea has the most weight on her shoulders. She has the burden of looking after her sisters and preparing to rule as queen. She carries her role well and stands up for herself really well for someone her age. Once it is apparent things are not going to go his way, the King comes to several realizations about his daughters. I enjoyed watching their relationships grow and change throughout the book. There are several, several suitors in this book for the girls, but they just do not seem realistic. Quite a few incidents and relationships actually seem just "tacked" on or an after thought. The "Keeper" seems vague to me. I learned some information about him, but I guess I simply didn't understand him.The plot was very odd to me. It was not bad, but it wasn't great either. It is continually slow from the beginning all the way through until the ending scenes. However, unlike others this book had the wonderful characters to carry me through and keep me interested until the end. That being said, there were several times I stopped reading and would ask myself why in the world they would feel the need to dance at a time like that. I love music and dance, but I think I just do understand that "need" for it in every aspect of life. The final scenes do a really great job of wrapping up the book. It's one of the better endings I've seen in a while.
Dixon's writing is very beautiful to me. She does an amazing job with descriptions and vivid details. It made it easy for me to imagine that I could be standing right in the middle of the story, just watching from afar. Everything right down to the dialogue between the characters felt like it welcomed my subconscious into a whole other world and experience. It is a very solid good read and I do recommend it for everyone.
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LibraryThing member theepicrat
First of all, the cover for Entwined is absolutely GORGEOUS that it takes my breath away every time. Isn’t it dreamy and wondrous and exciting? A stunning how-do-you-do that will make you want to grab this book and fall in love with it!
*inhales the frothy cover and sighs*
Entwined takes a while to
The princesses are quite the handful – and I cannot imagine how difficult it was for Heather Dixon to keep track of who has a big stomach, who is most beautiful, who is in charge, and who might send very strongly-worded napkin notes to a dinner guest. I would say that the 3 older princess definitely stood out most, but there were endearing moments of the younger ones as they got underfoot of the eligible bachelors. The eldest princess Azalea bears a huge weight on her shoulders as she tries to keep her family together as promised to her dying mother, to prepare herself for marriage prospects, and to unravel the magic hidden within the castle walls.
Entwined weaves a delicate spell around the reader, one that feels like an old friend but holds enough dash of unknown. This fairy tale is one of my favorites – Faerie Tale Theatre, anyone? Entwined was not exactly what I had hoped for, but I think it still gave a decent retelling that will appeal to fairy tale lovers.
*inhales the frothy cover and sighs*
Entwined takes a while to
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reach that familiar point where the fairy tale starts to take off, but even then it takes a bit of a stroll before both the characters and story explode into something heart-stopping. I can see how the slow pacing helps to examine the uncomfortable relationship between the King and his 12 daughters. No one seemed to be able to relay their love quite right – and they never had a moment where everything went in their favor. As an outsider looking in, I could see that the King meant well despite his stern words, many absences, and overwhelming grief. I could see that the princesses simply wanted proof of their father’s love. I wanted to shake everyone as the hard feelings kept piling up and show them the bigger picture!The princesses are quite the handful – and I cannot imagine how difficult it was for Heather Dixon to keep track of who has a big stomach, who is most beautiful, who is in charge, and who might send very strongly-worded napkin notes to a dinner guest. I would say that the 3 older princess definitely stood out most, but there were endearing moments of the younger ones as they got underfoot of the eligible bachelors. The eldest princess Azalea bears a huge weight on her shoulders as she tries to keep her family together as promised to her dying mother, to prepare herself for marriage prospects, and to unravel the magic hidden within the castle walls.
Entwined weaves a delicate spell around the reader, one that feels like an old friend but holds enough dash of unknown. This fairy tale is one of my favorites – Faerie Tale Theatre, anyone? Entwined was not exactly what I had hoped for, but I think it still gave a decent retelling that will appeal to fairy tale lovers.
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LibraryThing member graceschumann
I tried reading this book because it sounded so interesting and it got pretty good reviews. I was actually really disappointed. I got quite a few chapters in and was bored to tears. I did not find this book interesting at all. Maybe I'll try reading it again later and see if I can get into it but
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it just didn't hold my attention when I tried. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kristin-Rochelle
This book was flat out enchanted, dazzling, and stunning. Before school started in September, I had saw it at a bookstore, and I wanted it. The cover was elegant, I love fairytales, and the brief summary drew me in. I ordered it two weeks later, when I had the money, and waited four weeks for it to
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be shipped! Despite the delay,I started reading this book and was instantly captivated. I love how Heather Dixon involves the main story line of the classic tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but adds Keeper for a twist! The book is marvelous and I highly suggest it to anyone who is looking for a good fantasy book, but CAUTION! Be prepared to not get anything done while you're reading it!!! :) Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
I must admit, I was first drawn in by this book's beautiful cover and the promise of a retold fairy tale. Entwined is a retelling of the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, who travel down to an enchanted forest to a magical place where they dance every evening. Azalea, the eldest princess, and
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her eleven sisters are tormented by their mother's recent death and their father's distance, and they find comfort in their nightly escapades of magical dancing. However, these trips do not come without danger, as Azalea discovers in her encounters with the mysterious Keeper. Entwined is an interesting retelling, definitely for fans of fairy tales. Show Less
Pages
480