"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, Soeur 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.
Industry Reviews
"Forsyth, a PhD candidate in fairy tale retellings, reflects her depth of knowledge in this captivating novel that enchants with its gorgeous narrative and memorable characters who discover how the choices we make define and bind us. Full of palace intrigue, dark magic, romance, and lush, evocative descriptions, this is historical fiction at its finest."--"Library Journal" (starred review) "These two richly imagined stories intertwine like Rapunzel's hair with that of Charlotte-Rose's life and loves, all of which, alas, ended unhappily... fans of this type of fiction will doubtless be enchanted by the operatic nature of the stories and the fascinating historical details of life at Louis' court."--"Booklist ""Forsyth undertakes an ambitious plot and, with a creative presentation, makes it work. She convincingly conveys a fairy tale-like quality in her writing and peppers the narrative with historical detail and some interesting twists that neatly tie together the strands of the story. This unconventional spin on a children's classic is a captivating read and unquestionably aimed toward adults."--"Kirkus Reveiws ""Kate Forsyth's "Bitter Greens" is an enthralling concoction of history and magic, an absorbing, richly detailed, and heart-wrenching reimagining of a timeless fairytale." --Jennifer Chiaverini, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Mrs. Lincoln's Rival ""See how three vividly drawn women cope with injustice, loneliness, fear, longing. See how they survive--or perpetrate--treachery. Surrender yourself to a master storyteller, to delicious detail and spunky heroines. "Bitter Greens" is a complex, dazzling achievement." --Susan Vreeland, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" and" Girl in Hyacinth Blue ""A magical blend of myth and history, truth and legend, "Bitter Greens" is one of those rare books that keeps you reading long after the lights have gone out, that carries you effortlessly to anothe
