Rich, Dark and Fascinating

Partly based on the true life story of Charlotte-Rose de la Force—a cousin of the Sun King, Louis XIV—who was banished from the court of Versailles by the King for a series of scandalous affairs to live in a nunnery, this book interweaves her own life story with the fairy tale we've come to know as Rapunzel. According to Wikipedia, Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force, or Mademoiselle de La Force, was a French novelist and poet, and her best-known work was her 1698 fairy tale Persinette which was adapted by the Brothers Grimm as the story Rapunzel, though it seems this story originally came from an Italian folk tale which Mademoiselle de La Force would have had no way of becoming acquainted with, and Kate Forsyth uses her ample skill as a novelist to suggest how this now famous fairy tale might have been transmitted to her.

When Charlotte-Rose arrives at the convent where she is to spend the rest of her life locked up and isolated from the rest of the world, she meets with a harsh and brutal reception. Stripped of her luxurious court garments and shorn of her cascading locks of hair, then systematically bullied by her overseer, she is eventually taken under the wing of an old nun, Soeur Seraphina, who comforts her with an old Italian folk tale about a young girl who was taken from her parents because her father has stolen a handful of bitter greens; before little Margherita was born, her mother nearly died during the pregnancy because she was unable to eat. At her request, her husband stole a handful of herbs from the garden of the renowned courtesan next door. According to the story, Selena Leonelli was a famous courtesan in the Venice in the 16th century, the favourite model of a great painter, and by that point also a powerful witch with dark powers. When she catches Margherita's father stealing the herbs, she threatens him with declaring him to the authorities, the punishment for theft being the cutting off of both hands. A bargain is made, and so the parents must agree to eventually give their daughter away. On her seventh birthday, Margherita is taken away, first to a convent to receive a proper education and then into a tower where she is shut off for years, her only visitor being Selena Leonelli on monthly calls and blood rites. There are monstrous secrets hidden in the tower, which has no doors nor stairs, and Margherita must drag around yards of hair which the witch uses to climb up to the only window every month, and the only company the girl has the rest of the time is her own beautiful voice to distract herself, with the hope that someday somebody might hear her and come to her rescue.

Kate Forsyth has a gift for storytelling and we get a narrative from three points of view: there is Charlotte-Rose, locked away in the convent and looking back on her youthful follies and excesses; Margherita in her tower, becoming a woman and looking back on her childhood while learning to outsmart a powerful witch; and Selena Leonelli, telling her own fascinating life story starting in the plague-ridden Venice of the early 16th century and explaining how and why she became Margherita's jailer. The long narrative of her life is perhaps the most fascinating of all.

I haven't yet read Angela Carter, and looking forward to redressing that omission, but from the descriptions I've read about the way she retells fairy tales, it seems Kate Forsyth has also adopted a very modern, adult and feminist point of view which is rich, dark and fascinating. Certainly miles away from the Disney folks and their ilk. A thrilling book with which to start the year, and heartily recommended.

14 people found this helpful

Overdone

This book switches between different characters to explore their backstories, interspersed with the tale of a middle-aged woman who has been banished to a convent by the king of France.

It was recommended to me as a good version of the old Rapunzel story. I whole heartedly agree with the Rapunzel element but the rest is terribly uninteresting. I found the inconsistencies of modern English concepts grated harshly against the period setting.

If you look at it purely from a romance novel perspective, she (the author) spends hours playing the coquette with a couple of lovers yet the true love is almost a footnote.

I’m disappointed and will be asking for my credit back.

4 people found this helpful

A bodice ripper

The performance was the best part - good cadence and delivery. The story was not exactly my thing. I can only abide so many medieval bodice rippings !

3 people found this helpful

As always a great read

I love Kate Forsyth's works and this like her others is a beautifully written tribute to the amazing, unconventional and courageous women in history. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

2 people found this helpful

You have to listen to this book!

Would you listen to Bitter Greens again? Why?

Yes. And again and again. It was that good.

What other book might you compare Bitter Greens to and why?

This book is so unusual but I would describe it between a historical fiction book, a historical romance and fairy tale as there are 3 main characters.

What does Kate Reading bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love her voice. Very easy to listen to. Makes me realize when I read in my head I am monotone. She gives life to the book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end when the nun reveals who she is. Never saw that coming.

Any additional comments?

I hope that Kate Forsyth writes more books based on this theme.

2 people found this helpful

AMAZING.

I LOVED Bitter Greens, and it was easily a favorite this year. Kate Forsyth re-tells the story of Rapunzel in a richly historical way that both follows the fairy tale and elaborates on it. This book is filled with mystery, ties to the past, and lore so rich it both feeds your nostalgia for the tales of youth and sucks in your inner adult. Such a fantastic read!

1 person found this helpful

Beautiful Story-Telling and Narration

If you could sum up Bitter Greens in three words, what would they be?

Enchanting, Seductive, Unforgettable

What did you like best about this story?

I loved that it surprised me even though I thought it could not (having heard the story of Rapunzel many times over and having some knowledge of Charlotte Rose). It was so enganging and vibrant and a complete page turner.

What about Kate Reading’s performance did you like?

The narration was one of the best I have ever heard. I will look for other books with this narrator as I believe her delivery of the story added greatly to its haunting, enchanting quality.

1 person found this helpful

loved it

I loved it although I found it difficult to keep up with who was who...from on story to the next

Absolutely beautiful

I've loved Kate Forsyth's books for a long time, and I really enjoyed listening to this one. Beautiful performance by Kate Reading as well!

Give it time….

I ended up really enjoying this book. I loved how the stories intertwined. The performance is excellent! It took me a little while to get invested in the story, but I am happy I gave it a chance. Worth the listen.