If you're like the rest of us here at The Parliament House, you've been cozied up all week with your copy of Jadie Jones' Wildwood. Below is the official soundtrack from the author to accompany the adventures of Tanzy, Lucas, Asher, the other dynamic characters of The Hightower Trilogy...
"In truth, I can’t write while listening to music because I love to dance, and if a beat moves me I am lost to the rhythm. However, there are songs that remind me of my characters and things they experience during the course of Tanzy’s journey through tragedy, betrayal, and back in time."
- Jadie Jones
Character songs:
Lucas: “Name” by Goo Goo Dolls. To me, this song encompasses how Lucas feels about Tanzy, and also how he feels about himself. They each have scars and secrets that they’re keeping from each other, but Tanzy recognizes an inexplicable familiarity whenever they’re around each other.
Tanzy Hightower: “Dare you to Move” by Switchfoot. Tanzy’s journey is one of swimming while learning to swim, and as a reader, you hold more pieces to the puzzle than she does. This song reminds me of her tenacity, and how she manages to pick herself back up and make small moves, even if they aren’t what she wants to do.
Vanessa Andrews: “Dancing ‘til the World Ends” by Britney Spears and “Criminal” by Fiona Apple. Vanessa is a complex, layered character with deeper motives than she’s willing to let on. She has a reckless, impulsive streak a mile wide, but she’s always thinking a step ahead, for better and for worse. Her unorthodox methods have also killed more patients than she’s saved, but each patient is facing such a deadly risk without her help that they are willing to let her try.
Setting songs:
Tanzy’s home before her father’s death: “Tripping Billies” Dave Matthews Band. When the story opens, you get a picture of the normal routine in Tanzy’s life; a hard-working, man of few words type father, and a warm, worried mother. They each have their flaws, but they are a team. There’s a simplicity to them, but a thread of family secrets and things unsaid.
Tanzy’s home after her father’s death: “Wonderwall” by Oasis. With her mother sinking deeper into depression and agoraphobia, Tanzy has to balance her love and concern for her mom with the help she doesn’t realize she needs and doesn’t know how to ask for.
Capturing moments - songs that remind me of moments in the plot:
“Let him Fly” by the Dixie Chicks: without a body to bury, Tanzy and her mother struggle with the different ways that they need to mourn Travis Hightower’s death.
“Dog Days are Over” – Florence and the Machine: Dr. Vanessa Andrews offers Tanzy a ray of hope we she tells her she can help her recapture who she was and what she wanted to do with her life before her father’s death.
“Blown Away” by Carrie Underwood – When the rift between Tanzy and her om comes to a devastating conclusion, Tanzy is forced to leave what little is left of her old life behind.
“In the Rough” by Anna Nalick – Through the course of her journey, Tanzy faces three major betrayals. These betrayals nearly destroy her, and make her question whether she should just continue trying to find and face her father’s killer on her own.
“I wish you were here” by Incubus – Tanzy’s interest in Lucas grows, even as their worlds feel father apart than ever.
“This is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris, featuring Rhianna – lightning plays a very important role in Tanzy’s life and in her previous incarnation, but do the strikes she survives and the attention she receives as a result set her up for an even worse fate?
“Memory” by Sugarcult – Tanzy learns of past-life connections with several people in her current world, and wonders if they are doomed to repeat history.
“My Songs Know what you did in the Dark” – Fall Out Boy: Tanzy learns she’s been a pawn of an alternate dimension (called The Unseen World) since the day she was born.
“Going Under” by Evanescence – Tanzy learns of the sacrifices Lucas made for her during her previous life, and that their forbidden love nearly destroyed all hopes of a beloved prophecy materializing.
“Say Something (I’m giving up on you)” by A Great Big World – Tanzy returns from witnessing from her past life with more questions than answers.
“Ring of Fire” (The Social Distortion Remake) by Johnny Cash – The very worst betrayals come from those you let close… the knives you never saw coming.
“The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars – Lucas’s final secret is revealed, and Tanzy vows revenge.
“My Songs Know what you did in the Dark” – Fall Out Boy: Tanzy learns she’s been a pawn of an alternate dimension (called The Unseen World) since the day she was born.
“Soldier” by Ingrid Michaelson – A new source of help is offered from a most unexpected place, but will Tanzy accept it?
Have you read Wildwood? What songs would you add?