What do readers think of Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth? Write your own review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the three intertwined stories of the girl in the tower, the witch, and the author of Rapunzel. Growing up fairy tales fascinated me and this entire book reads just like a fairy tale, but with accurate historical details blended in.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. I was challenged by the three concurrent stories within the book, but did not have any trouble following the story lines which consisted of a retelling of a fairy tale, the life of the chronicler of the fairy tale and the antagonist (if you will) of the three characters. I was impressed by the writing style of Kate Forsyth, especially her descriptive powers in bringing to life the cities, scenery, clothing and surroundings in each city. I was transported while reading, which is what I look for in a book. The reason this is not "very good" in my estimation, are the passages which descend to "romance novel" sex. Not that I am prudish, but this denigrates the really fine stories and writing into a genre which does not interest me at all, and takes it out of consideration for young adult reading. That said, this is an excellent read and very very impressive and skilled writing.

Bitter Greens is a beautifully written retelling of the Rapunzel story, as well as the story of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, the 17th-century French writer who wrote the version of Rapunzel that the Brothers Grimm popularized. The novel is told from the points of view of 3 strong female characters--Charlotte-Rose, Margherita (the Rapunzel character), and the witch--and one of the strengths of the book is the complex portrayal of each of these characters. The writing is lush and evocative and manages to convincingly intertwine historical detail and elements of fantasy. This book would appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction and/or fairy tales/folklore, particularly those looking for complex retellings for an adult audience.

I love fantasy - not romance - and this was great - a retelling of Rapunzel on an adult level. Three women: Charlotte-Rose, Margherita, and La Strega Bella - tell their stories. Through Charlotte-Rose, the reader learns of the excesses of Versailles, the debauchery and treachery under Louis XIV. Margherita is the the innocent, the Rapunzel locked in the tower by the evil La Strega Bella. The descriptions are detailed - the casual violence, poverty, religious purges, the plague. More than a fairy tale, it is a realistic look at Venice and Paris in the late 1500's to early 1600 's. The only criticism (and why it's not a 5), is that the story jumped from character to character and back and forth in time, which was confusing. It would be a difficult read on Kindle.

I'm not sure I like the title of this novel but I certainly enjoyed reading it. The back cover alludes to Philippa Gregory and I wholeheartedly agree. The author nicely weaves together historical fiction in the style of Gregory along with the fairy tale, Rapunzel. Sadly, my advance copy was incomplete and I did not get the last few pages but I highly recommend this novel if you enjoy historical fiction.

Ms. Forsyth is a genuinely talented author. This book weaves the stories of three women together without confusing the reader. You jump from past to present but never lose the story. One is based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, which you will recognize if you have read it. A second story is based on the life of the author of Rapunzel, and a third story on one of the characters in the fairy tale, a sort of back story. It amazed me how the three are separate yet blend so perfectly. The end was a really unexpected surprise for me. This would be enjoyable alone or shared with a reading group.

This book was very interesting in the telling of the Rapunzel fairy tale and where it came from. I was lost in the story telling and felt like I was in the tower with Margherita as she became more and more despondant while locked away. The only problem I had with this book is the constant changing of timelines and stories along the way; I sometimes was lost as to who was narrating the story at that time. I think if the author put the name of the main character doing the narrating at the top of her chapters, it would be a little easier to follow rather than putting the place and year. All around, an enjoyable read.

BookBrowse Note: There are very subtle illustrations at each chapter heading and within chapters where the narrator/protagonist changes (e.g. a rose for Charlotte-Rose).

First and foremost, I despise giving a book a less than stellar review, but...

I really wanted to be over the moon about this book. I loved the 3 stories, but the way in which they were interwoven made finishing it a bit of a chore. The writing was beautiful, but the ending seemed a little "I-saw-that-coming-all-along," and the novel might have been more intriguing if everything "didn't" work out in the end.

All in all, the stories were interesting and the history was fascinating, but the internecine quality of plot made this book more of a imposition and less of a pleasure.

Great for readers of Phillipa Gregory.