Kate Forsyth – Beauty in Thorns (Literature Review)

If you’ve read one fairy tale, you’ve read them all, right? A beautiful princess, held captive by evil spirits, is set free by a handsome prince who whisks her back to his castle, where they live happily ever after. This, however, is not the case with Kate Forsyth’s newest historical fiction saga, Beauty in Thorns.

As one of Australia’s most loved authors, Forsyth is best known for her historical and fairy tale retellings, and this book is no exception. Although based on the Grimm brothers’ ‘Sleeping Beauty’, this story is not restricted to the predictable princesses and princes that most commonly feature in the stories of our childhood. This is a new tale, formed by the stories of the Pre-Raphaelites and their desire to breathe new life and meaning into the art world as they follow in the footsteps of those who came before them.

We’re introduced to Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1852, whose relationship with artists’ model Lizzie Siddal reaches breaking point as she becomes increasingly reliant on laudanum. While struggling to come to grips with his lover’s ailing health, Rossetti sets about making history with his good friends Ned Burne-Jones and William ‘Topsy’ Morris, who themselves have issues with the women in their lives – Georgie Macdonald and Jane Burden respectively.

But these women aren’t destined to be wallflowers. Though they may have been slightly underrated in their time, Forsyth’s heroines are just as lively and passionate as their male counterparts, adding an element of intrigue that is not always found in . The blending of such strong characters, combined with Forsyth’s captivating interweaving plotlines, is admirable. I’ll definitely be reading more of her work.

Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction, or just looking for something different, give Beauty in Thorns a go. You won’t be disappointed.

[Editor/Author Note: This review was originally published in Good Reading Magazine.]