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A review by tien
Beauty in Thorns by Kate Forsyth
3.0
This must be the lowest ever I've given a Kate Forsyth's book and I still think I'm being very generous with it. Let me start with a disclaimer: usually if there is a the smallest whiff of infidelities (especially in marriage), I'd not even touch the book much less read it (I do believe this to be a childhood trauma that I just have not been able to live down). BUT it's a Kate Forsyth's (one of faves ever) and it's a 'retelling' of Sleeping Beauty so I just had to give it a go.
I note that there have been a 1 or 2 star/s reviews and I agree with all their points which were mainly my grievances with this book:
1. Hard-to-like characters -I don't hate them but I don't like them; I find their choices frustrating and would like to shake them up
2. Too many POV's -I do believe this is not usual of Kate Forsyth and I flicking back and forth between 3 main characters with interlinking lives and then have a fourth one added for the last part of the book was just too much
3. Sad main plot - I can't really blame the author for the plot this time because it's mostly based on historical well-known scandals! I suggest you look these characters up on Google / Wikipedia.
I have had to rant a few times to friends and after giving the book a break for 2 weeks, I managed to pick it back up to finish. I definitely found the plot really hard to bear but I cannot fault Kate Forsyth's writing as she still managed to captivate me (30 mins on the train flew by without me noticing). I believe in Kate's inspiration & researches and I am looking forward to her next work though I do hope it will be something a little bit less despairing.
I note that there have been a 1 or 2 star/s reviews and I agree with all their points which were mainly my grievances with this book:
1. Hard-to-like characters -I don't hate them but I don't like them; I find their choices frustrating and would like to shake them up
2. Too many POV's -I do believe this is not usual of Kate Forsyth and I flicking back and forth between 3 main characters with interlinking lives and then have a fourth one added for the last part of the book was just too much
3. Sad main plot - I can't really blame the author for the plot this time because it's mostly based on historical well-known scandals! I suggest you look these characters up on Google / Wikipedia.
I have had to rant a few times to friends and after giving the book a break for 2 weeks, I managed to pick it back up to finish. I definitely found the plot really hard to bear but I cannot fault Kate Forsyth's writing as she still managed to captivate me (30 mins on the train flew by without me noticing). I believe in Kate's inspiration & researches and I am looking forward to her next work though I do hope it will be something a little bit less despairing.