Bitter Greens

“Full of palace intrigue, dark magic, romance, and lush, evocative descriptions, this is historical fiction at its finest.” —Library Journal, starred review

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, Sœur 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, the famous muse of the artist Tiziano, he is threatened with having both hands cut off, unless he and his wife relinquish their precious little girl. 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 a sumptuous historical novel and a loving tribute to the imagination of one remarkable woman.

“Captivating.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An absorbing, richly detailed, and heart-wrenching reimagining of a timeless fairytale.” —Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times–bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival

“A complex, dazzling achievement.” —Susan Vreeland, New York Times–bestselling author of Clara and Mr. Tiffany and Girl in Hyacinth Blue