Heather Dixon grew up in a large family with four brothers and six sisters. She is a storyboard artist as well as a writer, and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Viennese waltz is her dance of choice. She is the author of the novel Entwined.
ENTWINED will be in stores March 29, 2011!
Wow! I feel pretty honored to be a guest on Fantastic Book Review. Tina had the suggestion to write about the setting of Entwined, to explain why the silver forest and the pavilion feel so magical and alluring to the sisters.
Awesome! This is story meat stuff. I think it can be summed up in one universal design principle: contrast.
At the beginning of Entwined, the girls’ mother dies. According to Victorian tradition, the royal family must all wear black, drape the windows, stop the clocks, and keep inside the palace for a year. The palace changes from a place dappled with sunlight and bright windows to “muffled with drapery, turning day into pitch-black.” Bramble refers to it as their “boot-blackened palace”. Worse, the girls are kept from dancing as well, made to wear heavy boots instead of light dancing slippers.
Light doesn’t just shine there, it glimmers. When it rains (as an echo of the leaky palace), the drops are pearls. The princesses, used to their dark and run-down household, are fascinated. It even smells different. Sparkles are for rich people!
Or does it?
As beautiful and exciting as the silver forest is, something is not quite right. It feels muffled, like a snowfall, even more muffled than the palace. There’s no sunlight. There’s something haunting and unnatural about the Pavilion and its Keeper. Although they contrast starkly, physically and spiritually, neither the palace or the silver forest is ideal. In fact, emotionally/spiritually, the silver forest is worse. And because of that, it isn’t long before Azalea finds herself entwined in nightmare.

Thanks for stopping by Heather!
For more information about Heather Dixon and her books, please visit her website here.
Check out my review of Entwined here!
Oh, what a lovely post! I think setting is hugely important, and the way Heather described it was just so pretty :)
ReplyDeleteI so want to visit the Silver forest!!!
ReplyDeleteFantastic post!
I can't wait to get this book! I keep checking Amazon and have been forgetting that this book still isn't out yet! It will be mine when it does!
ReplyDeleteThanks for explaining the symbolism of the different settings. I can't wait to read this.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea all of that was done during the mourning period in the Victorian era!
ReplyDeleteThanks for such an interesting guest post. I can't wait to read Entwined!
ReplyDelete5 more days to wait!
ReplyDeleteWow. I did not know that about the Victorian era. this sounds really good. great post!
ReplyDeleteSome interesting facts here about Victorian customs. I can see how Azalea would feel trapped and want to break free.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post. It gave some interesting historical information and insight into the novel. This will definitely give me a deeper understanding while reading the novel...once I can get my hands on it! :)
ReplyDeleteSo looking forward to reading this...love the victorian setting and the imagery of her writing!
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to read this and take and visit The Silver Forest, sounds awesome, setting is super important.
ReplyDeletekorra_950(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks Heather. I can't wait to read Entwined. It sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThis was very insightful! Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteRachel Leigh
TheOneRing111 at gmail dot com
I also want to visit the forest!! Looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to have read about the enchanting forest's effect before I read the book. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI am yearning for that book now.
ReplyDeleteSimply amazing. I'll definately be thinking about it when I read the book.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the review and I'm really looking forward to reading Entwined.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for this book! I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteTalk about depressing....one year of mourning!!! Can't wait to read this book!!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, this review is killing! I'm even more excited about this book.
ReplyDeleteI like the wway this post flows, and I like the idea of contrasts - especially finding glimmers through tragedy, or in spite of tragedy. This looks like it's a good book, and I need to read it! Also, LOVE the pictures you put up! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis book is now in my wish list at Amazon...I will buy if I don’t win.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, Heather! Your book sounds lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your kind words! ^_^ (Sorry late response...internet was out.) I feel very lucky to have been a guest post here :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Makes me want to read the book even more.
ReplyDeleteThose descriptions are amazing--and those are some great examples of the importance of setting.
ReplyDeleteThe Silver Forest does sound beautiful though. Can I go?!
ReplyDeleteWow, didn'r know that about the Victorian era,great post!
ReplyDeleteA great lesson about setting here, CONTRAST! as a writer, I'm taking notes!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm so happy to have read this before I read the book!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. The background on Victorian tradition was something I have not heard before.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that the setting was explained! Makes me wonder about that time period.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you so much for the FABULOUS guest post! It really gives you a lot to think about and I'll definitely keep the intriguing information in mind when I'm reading the book - thanks again!
ReplyDeleteWow. I LOVE the way you describe the book. I already wanted to read it, but now I MUST read it SOON! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a fanciful, but more familial version of the 12 dancing princesses. Although the heroine is a bit dense at times, she is lovable and heroic. I enjoyed the dancing!
ReplyDelete