Title: Bitter Greens
Author: Kate Forsyth
Publisher: Thomas Dunne (Macmillan)
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Acquired Via: Historical Fiction Blog Tours
The amazing power and truth of the Rapunzel fairy tale comes alive for the first time in this breathtaking tale of desire, black magic and the redemptive power of love
French novelist Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. At the convent, she is comforted by an old nun, Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens...
After Margherita’s father steals parsley from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off, unless he and his wife relinquish their precious little girl. Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death. She is at the center of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition.
Locked away in a tower, Margherita sings in the hope that someone will hear her. One day, a young man does.
Award-winning author Kate Forsyth braids together the stories of Margherita, Selena, and Charlotte-Rose, the woman who penned Rapunzel as we now know it, to create what is a sumptuous historical novel, an enchanting fairy tale retelling, and a loving tribute to the imagination of one remarkable woman.
My Review
Rapunzel was always one of my favorite fairy tales growing up, so it was only natural that I leap at the opportunity to review Kate Forsyth's retelling, Bitter Greens. It weaves the stories of three very different women in such a way that every page turned is like peeling back another layer of depth. In all honesty, I'm at a loss for words because this is one of the best books that I've read in 2014.
I want to talk about something that really struck home. King Louis XIV decided that he had his fill of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, and instead of banishing her from court, he had her essentially imprisoned in a nunnery. She was unable to keep her belongings, leave, write her friends or family - nothing. Yes, it mirrored the imprisonment of Margherita in her tower, but the part that bothered me so much was the powerlessness of these women and the hopelessness of their isolation. Maybe it wasn't the point of the story, but it made me grateful to live in a time and place where I couldn't be locked away because someone was tired of me or my lifestyle and ideas.
I think "masterful" is only word that I can use that is strong enough to describe the power of Forsyth's writing. The execution of her juxtaposition of Charlotte, Margherita, and Selena's stories was so perfect that it made me feel as if this was the way it all happened in reality. When fantasy transcends reality and makes you feel as if it is the truth, you know you've found something special. Bitter Greens is a rare book in this regard. I think Charlotte would be proud of what Forsyth did with her story.
I think fans of fantasy, fairy tales, and/or historical fiction alike will find something for them in Bitter Greens. If you only read one book on my recommendation this year, I sincerely hope that it is this one.
Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
About the Author
Kate lives in Sydney, Australia.
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Blog Tour Schedule
Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, September 16
Review at Kinx’s Book Nook
Review & Giveaway at Bookish
Wednesday, September 17
Review & Giveaway at Literary, etc
Review & Giveaway at Book Drunkard
Thursday, September 18
Review & Giveaway at Build a Bookshelf
Review & Giveaway at The Eclectic Reader
Friday, September 19
Review at The Maiden’s Court
Review & Giveaway at Icey Books
Monday, September 22
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, September 23
Review at Book Dilettante
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at SurLaLune
Wednesday, September 24
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Review, Interview, and Giveaway at Ink Gypsy
Review, Interview, and Giveaway at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, September 25
Review & Giveaway at No BS Book Reviews
Interview & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Friday, September 26
Review at The Gilmore Guide to Books
Review at Must Read Faster
Monday, September 29
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at Bookworm Blues
Tuesday, September 30
Review at The Life & Times of a Book Addict
Review & Excerpt at Books-n-Kisses
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, October 1
Review at One Book at a Time
Review at Book-alicious Mama
Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf
Review & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, October 2
Interview at Layered Pages
Review & Giveaway at Oh Magic Hour
Friday, October 3
Review at Bibliophilia, Please
Review & Giveaway at Gone Pecan
Sunday, October 5
Review at Carole’s Ramblings
Monday, October 6
Review at Book Babe
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Harlequin Junkie
Tuesday, October 7
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review & Giveaway at The Pretty Good Gatsby
Wednesday, October 8
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Review & Giveaway at My Friends Are Fiction
Thursday, October 9
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Friday, October 10
Review at Mel’s Shelves
Review & Giveaway at No More Grumpy Bookseller
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Monday, October 13
Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews
Review & Giveaway at Layers of Thought
Tuesday, October 14
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Review & Giveaway at Beth’s Book Reviews
Wednesday, October 15
Review at Crossroad Review
Review at My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews
Thursday, October 16
Review at Cheryl’s Book Nook
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Friday, October 17
Review at Mary Gramlich
Review at She Reads Novels
Monday, October 20
Interview & Giveaway at The Reading Frenzy
Wow! okay. I wanted to read this before but now I am moving it to the top of the list. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's so worth reading. I knew that I would like it, but it amazed me how much I did.
DeleteI love retellings and this one sounds great. I'll definitely have to read it at some point.
ReplyDeleteThe audiobook is wonderful, if you're into those!
DeleteGreat review! I love retellings! Also, I really LOVE this cover! It's simply beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you! And I agree - the cover is gorgeous! It's perfect for the novel, too.
DeleteI love fairy tale retellings, and this one sounds excellent. Thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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