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kay10's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.0
cactuswildflower's review against another edition
3.0
It’s not my favourite Kate Forsyth. Some interesting insights into the French Revolution, although at times I felt like this was merely a historical account of the French Royal family rather than a fiction. I may need to reread at another time when my reading brain is more on point. I feel like I’ve missed something with this first reading.
nicisfictionaddiction's review against another edition
5.0
Once again, Kate Forsyth has mixed great historical research, amazing folklore and fairytale knowledge, and a magical cast and narrative from her own imagination, to give us a beautiful, heartbreaking, breathtaking book.
bookish_brooklyn's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely adored this! Right from the very start I was absolutely enchanted by Viviane’s character, she’s so precious! I felt so bad for her, although she’s the daughter of a Marquis and therefore highborn, she had very little to keep her happy, for she was always cooped up inside, not even allowed to be seen below in the kitchens for fear of hanging around with the wrong people, even though her milk brother (he and Viviane shared the same wet nurse, but are few more closely connected than either might envision!), but even so, he clearly cared more for her than her own father, the beastly Marquis, who essentially cared so little for her that he gambles away the family fortune, only to be comforted by the beastly Duke that he won’t need to repay him, he’ll just marry Vivian instead!
This made me feel even more horrible for her, such a strong willed, fiery girl having to relent to such rotten behaviour from her father and new husband, who was just beyond beastly and sickening! I felt even worse for Viviane when she dared tried to stand up to these men, only to be threatened to be sent to the streets and abandoned if she didn’t listen! I mean, what choice had she been given? She thought her beloved dead, and had been isolated from her few friends at the Chateau!
Viviane and her husband (the wretched Duke), are to become close with Marie Antoinette and the Royal Family- and Viviane is an absolutely wonderful confidante and comforts the royal little children when they’re distressed! Her bond with them and her friendship with the Queen felt so earnestly portrayed, even though, as the story developed, that each step they took was closely watched, waiting, waiting…
See, this glorious, luscious, sweeping saga of a story was set against the backdrop of The French Revolution! I’ve always been fascinated with this area of history, it’s just so horribly fascinating (horribly given what fate befalls the royals, the penniless and the wretched having had well enough of their frivolous, excessively indulgent lifestyles, when the poor are suffering and struggling for a mere crumb!).
Honestly, I don’t even necessarily blame them! But I love how comfortable Viviane felt among those that were considered lower born, or filth even! She didn’t judge anyone by their class standing, she just felt so awful seeing those poor people suffer, and even before all the horrible things happened to her, back when she was confined to the Chateau’s walls and area, she was loved and noted as a fast healer, able to whip up balms and salves, curing babies of theirgummy problems and even healing birds’ wings! She’s just so amazing and has so much care in her heart!
I love how natural she was written! Her bond with her dog, Luna, her dearest companion, was just so precious! My heart! And then David enters her life, just wow! So charming and handsome and passionate! They definitely get fanciful notions in their mind, her being a highborn Lady and he just a mere Welsh gardener, they couldn’t be together evidently, hence the angst! I just wanted them to be happy, they deserve it! I love how they share similar ideals though, how everyone should be considered equal, and I love how he indulges her curious nature, telling her about his lifestyle in Wales, telling her about the history of various flora, it was magnificent! and she in turn tells him stories of her history, how she was supposedly descended from The Lady of the Lake (he snickered at this and chided her for believing such frivolity!), but I was all for it and very much think the notion fitted well! I loved all of their scenes together, and was just longing for a reunion! Neither of their thoughts were lost from one another, it was so poignant and beautiful! Even though their later scenes were continents apart, I felt like I could picture every little thing, and I couldn’t get enough!
I definitely cannot recommend this enough! It has something for everyone! It has also made me oh so excited to check out Kate Forsyth’s other books too! I can so see her becoming a favourite, a go to historical fiction author, and I feel like this was the perfect starting point to get into her books!
This made me feel even more horrible for her, such a strong willed, fiery girl having to relent to such rotten behaviour from her father and new husband, who was just beyond beastly and sickening! I felt even worse for Viviane when she dared tried to stand up to these men, only to be threatened to be sent to the streets and abandoned if she didn’t listen! I mean, what choice had she been given? She thought her beloved dead, and had been isolated from her few friends at the Chateau!
Viviane and her husband (the wretched Duke), are to become close with Marie Antoinette and the Royal Family- and Viviane is an absolutely wonderful confidante and comforts the royal little children when they’re distressed! Her bond with them and her friendship with the Queen felt so earnestly portrayed, even though, as the story developed, that each step they took was closely watched, waiting, waiting…
See, this glorious, luscious, sweeping saga of a story was set against the backdrop of The French Revolution! I’ve always been fascinated with this area of history, it’s just so horribly fascinating (horribly given what fate befalls the royals, the penniless and the wretched having had well enough of their frivolous, excessively indulgent lifestyles, when the poor are suffering and struggling for a mere crumb!).
Honestly, I don’t even necessarily blame them! But I love how comfortable Viviane felt among those that were considered lower born, or filth even! She didn’t judge anyone by their class standing, she just felt so awful seeing those poor people suffer, and even before all the horrible things happened to her, back when she was confined to the Chateau’s walls and area, she was loved and noted as a fast healer, able to whip up balms and salves, curing babies of theirgummy problems and even healing birds’ wings! She’s just so amazing and has so much care in her heart!
I love how natural she was written! Her bond with her dog, Luna, her dearest companion, was just so precious! My heart! And then David enters her life, just wow! So charming and handsome and passionate! They definitely get fanciful notions in their mind, her being a highborn Lady and he just a mere Welsh gardener, they couldn’t be together evidently, hence the angst! I just wanted them to be happy, they deserve it! I love how they share similar ideals though, how everyone should be considered equal, and I love how he indulges her curious nature, telling her about his lifestyle in Wales, telling her about the history of various flora, it was magnificent! and she in turn tells him stories of her history, how she was supposedly descended from The Lady of the Lake (he snickered at this and chided her for believing such frivolity!), but I was all for it and very much think the notion fitted well! I loved all of their scenes together, and was just longing for a reunion! Neither of their thoughts were lost from one another, it was so poignant and beautiful! Even though their later scenes were continents apart, I felt like I could picture every little thing, and I couldn’t get enough!
I definitely cannot recommend this enough! It has something for everyone! It has also made me oh so excited to check out Kate Forsyth’s other books too! I can so see her becoming a favourite, a go to historical fiction author, and I feel like this was the perfect starting point to get into her books!
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
‘Mais non. C’est impossible.’
Viviane de Faitaud lives at the Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac in Brittany, her late mother’s estate. Her father, the Marquise de Ravoisier, who lives at Versailles in the court of Louis XVI, has banished her there after she refused to marry. Viviane is happy there, frequently able to escape from her chaperone. The estate has been neglected: the Marquise rarely spends time there. But when the Marquise marries again, he commissions a young Welsh gardener, David Stronach, to rebuild the chateau’s gardens.
David and Viviane fall in love. But the Marquise is never going to accept this: David is hunted from the estate ((without being paid for his work) while Viviane is forced to marry a rich duke.
‘It is good that you can live in a world where fairy-tales can come true,’ she whispered, so low he barely heard her. ‘I, unfortunately, do not.’
In many stories, this would be the end of an impossible romance, or the beginning of an illicit one. But Ms Forsyth builds a story which encompasses the French Revolution of the 18th century and Imperial China. Viviane ends up at the court of Marie-Antoinette, and David travels with Lord Macartney on the first British diplomatic mission to China.
The story moves between Imperial China and France, between a quest for trade and a blood-red rose, and the terror of the French Revolution and a fight for survival. In Canton, David learns of the French Revolution. He also hears, from a Chinese gardener, a story of impossible love: the story of ‘The Blue Rose’ and discovers the blood-red rose.
Viviane escapes the guillotine and returns to Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac. David finds her there. He has brought with him some rosehips from China, and together they decide to grow China’s red rose in France.
This is such a beautiful novel. Ms Forsyth combines history and fiction in a way that brings the past to life. The excesses and the cruelty of France before and during the Revolution are not downplayed, nor are the difficulties Britain experienced in trying to establish diplomatic relations with China. Some of this history I knew, but not about the origin of blood-red roses.
I finished the novel well satisfied.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Viviane de Faitaud lives at the Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac in Brittany, her late mother’s estate. Her father, the Marquise de Ravoisier, who lives at Versailles in the court of Louis XVI, has banished her there after she refused to marry. Viviane is happy there, frequently able to escape from her chaperone. The estate has been neglected: the Marquise rarely spends time there. But when the Marquise marries again, he commissions a young Welsh gardener, David Stronach, to rebuild the chateau’s gardens.
David and Viviane fall in love. But the Marquise is never going to accept this: David is hunted from the estate ((without being paid for his work) while Viviane is forced to marry a rich duke.
‘It is good that you can live in a world where fairy-tales can come true,’ she whispered, so low he barely heard her. ‘I, unfortunately, do not.’
In many stories, this would be the end of an impossible romance, or the beginning of an illicit one. But Ms Forsyth builds a story which encompasses the French Revolution of the 18th century and Imperial China. Viviane ends up at the court of Marie-Antoinette, and David travels with Lord Macartney on the first British diplomatic mission to China.
The story moves between Imperial China and France, between a quest for trade and a blood-red rose, and the terror of the French Revolution and a fight for survival. In Canton, David learns of the French Revolution. He also hears, from a Chinese gardener, a story of impossible love: the story of ‘The Blue Rose’ and discovers the blood-red rose.
Viviane escapes the guillotine and returns to Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac. David finds her there. He has brought with him some rosehips from China, and together they decide to grow China’s red rose in France.
This is such a beautiful novel. Ms Forsyth combines history and fiction in a way that brings the past to life. The excesses and the cruelty of France before and during the Revolution are not downplayed, nor are the difficulties Britain experienced in trying to establish diplomatic relations with China. Some of this history I knew, but not about the origin of blood-red roses.
I finished the novel well satisfied.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
shelleyrae's review against another edition
5.0
The Blue Rose is an enthralling tale of love, betrayal, peril, and adventure, set against the turmoil of the French Revolution, and the inscrutable Empire of China.
After disgracing her father, Marquis de Ravoisier, at the court of Versailles, Viviane de Faitaud is exiled to her late mother’s estate, the Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac in Brittany, where she spent her childhood. Though meant as a punishment, Viviane is happy in Belisama, far from her father’s cruel attentions, and able to regularly escape the notice of her chaperone.
While the estate is barely viable after years of the Marquis’s mismanagement and neglect, when Viviane’s father remarries, he decrees that an extravagant garden shall be created to honour his new bride and hires an ambitious young Welshman to design and oversee it’s construction. David Stronach hopes that the commission will launch his career among the French nobility, allowing him to support his family, and throws himself into the project, but he soon finds himself distracted by the beauty and grace of Viviane.
Despite the impossibility of the match, Viviane and David fall in love, but when the Marquis discovers their romance, David barely escapes the chateau with his life, and Viviane is given no choice but to marry a rich Duke more than twice her age. Believing her lover dead, Vivienne returns to the palace of Louis XVI, just as the revolution begins to gather momentum, while David, believing himself betrayed, joins a British diplomatic mission to Imperial China at the behest of Sir Joseph Banks.
Forsyth deftly illustrates the decadence of life at the court of Versailles under the reign of Louis XVI, and the extraordinary evolution of the French Revolution. After the death of her hated husband during riots in Paris, Vivane serves as a lady in waiting to Marie-Antoinette and stays with the beleaguered royal family as their rule falters. Seen through Viviane’s eyes, the French royal family, especially the much maligned Marie-Antoinette, become humanised as they face the situation with bewilderment, grief, and growing horror. The author’s recounting of the astonishing historical events that defined the Revolution, from the demands of the Third Estate, to the storming of Bastille, and finally to the wholesale imprisonment and gruesome beheadings of the country’s aristocracy, is utterly engrossing.
David’s journey was inspired by the author’s discovery of a diplomatic mission led by Lord Macartney at the behest of King George III to request the Chinese Emperor open trade with Britain, during which a member of the party gathered botanicals and shipped them to Sir Joseph Banks. This trip fits neatly into the timeline of the story, and ties beautifully into David’s desire to obtain a blood-red rose, unavailable in Europe at the time. I found David’s expedition by sea, and his impressions of Imperial China, interesting.
As with much of Forsyth’s recent work, The Blue Rose also takes some inspiration from traditional lore, in this instance a version of The Blue Rose, a Chinese folk tale. It is a romantic story that ties beautifully into David’s quest, and his relationship with Vivane.
An enchanting, captivating novel, with a plausible, seamless narrative which melds compelling historical fact, with vividly imagined fiction, The Blue Rose is another spectacular story from Kate Forsyth.
After disgracing her father, Marquis de Ravoisier, at the court of Versailles, Viviane de Faitaud is exiled to her late mother’s estate, the Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac in Brittany, where she spent her childhood. Though meant as a punishment, Viviane is happy in Belisama, far from her father’s cruel attentions, and able to regularly escape the notice of her chaperone.
While the estate is barely viable after years of the Marquis’s mismanagement and neglect, when Viviane’s father remarries, he decrees that an extravagant garden shall be created to honour his new bride and hires an ambitious young Welshman to design and oversee it’s construction. David Stronach hopes that the commission will launch his career among the French nobility, allowing him to support his family, and throws himself into the project, but he soon finds himself distracted by the beauty and grace of Viviane.
Despite the impossibility of the match, Viviane and David fall in love, but when the Marquis discovers their romance, David barely escapes the chateau with his life, and Viviane is given no choice but to marry a rich Duke more than twice her age. Believing her lover dead, Vivienne returns to the palace of Louis XVI, just as the revolution begins to gather momentum, while David, believing himself betrayed, joins a British diplomatic mission to Imperial China at the behest of Sir Joseph Banks.
Forsyth deftly illustrates the decadence of life at the court of Versailles under the reign of Louis XVI, and the extraordinary evolution of the French Revolution. After the death of her hated husband during riots in Paris, Vivane serves as a lady in waiting to Marie-Antoinette and stays with the beleaguered royal family as their rule falters. Seen through Viviane’s eyes, the French royal family, especially the much maligned Marie-Antoinette, become humanised as they face the situation with bewilderment, grief, and growing horror. The author’s recounting of the astonishing historical events that defined the Revolution, from the demands of the Third Estate, to the storming of Bastille, and finally to the wholesale imprisonment and gruesome beheadings of the country’s aristocracy, is utterly engrossing.
David’s journey was inspired by the author’s discovery of a diplomatic mission led by Lord Macartney at the behest of King George III to request the Chinese Emperor open trade with Britain, during which a member of the party gathered botanicals and shipped them to Sir Joseph Banks. This trip fits neatly into the timeline of the story, and ties beautifully into David’s desire to obtain a blood-red rose, unavailable in Europe at the time. I found David’s expedition by sea, and his impressions of Imperial China, interesting.
As with much of Forsyth’s recent work, The Blue Rose also takes some inspiration from traditional lore, in this instance a version of The Blue Rose, a Chinese folk tale. It is a romantic story that ties beautifully into David’s quest, and his relationship with Vivane.
An enchanting, captivating novel, with a plausible, seamless narrative which melds compelling historical fact, with vividly imagined fiction, The Blue Rose is another spectacular story from Kate Forsyth.
leighbriarbooks's review against another edition
4.0
As charming and beautiful as any of Kate's books, The Blue Rose is a French Revolution tale of hope, bloodshed, and everlasting love.
I do think this novel should be read for the history, as the lovers Viviane and David don't get to see all that much of each other, although both of their stories are deep and compelling. It was certainly first and foremost an uncensored exploration of emotion in a time of such great upheaval, told in lovely prose.
I do think this novel should be read for the history, as the lovers Viviane and David don't get to see all that much of each other, although both of their stories are deep and compelling. It was certainly first and foremost an uncensored exploration of emotion in a time of such great upheaval, told in lovely prose.
thereadingmum's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This type of romance I can do.
Viviane is the daughter of a cruel, unloving Marquis who sees her as chattel. She falls in love with David, the Welsh gardener hired by her father to rebuild the hail-destroyed gardens. Like any good love story, they are torn apart by the same father. She is married off to a disinterested, much older Duke and good friend of her father's thinking that David was killed when her father ran him off the estate. He travels to China to look for an illusive pure red rose thinking that she has forgot about him. Yes, he behaves like an ass, also predictable romance fodder. Viviane then lives through and survives the horror of the French revolution. Meanwhile David realises his folly after hearing the fable of The Blue Rose and rushes back (on a boat over months) to find his love.
It sounds corny but this grumpy, cynical old lady really loved it! There absolutely zero cringey moments between the besotted couple. The backdrop of the French revolution kept me rivetted. I was also impressed with Forsyth's use and knowledge of Mandarin and Chinese customs. The level of historical detail and research was just right for me.
Viviane is the daughter of a cruel, unloving Marquis who sees her as chattel. She falls in love with David, the Welsh gardener hired by her father to rebuild the hail-destroyed gardens. Like any good love story, they are torn apart by the same father. She is married off to a disinterested, much older Duke and good friend of her father's thinking that David was killed when her father ran him off the estate. He travels to China to look for an illusive pure red rose thinking that she has forgot about him. Yes, he behaves like an ass, also predictable romance fodder. Viviane then lives through and survives the horror of the French revolution. Meanwhile David realises his folly after hearing the fable of The Blue Rose and rushes back (on a boat over months) to find his love.
It sounds corny but this grumpy, cynical old lady really loved it! There absolutely zero cringey moments between the besotted couple. The backdrop of the French revolution kept me rivetted. I was also impressed with Forsyth's use and knowledge of Mandarin and Chinese customs. The level of historical detail and research was just right for me.
catiandrah's review against another edition
4.0
Come on Goodreads, give us half stars! This book wasn't a solid 4 star read, it was closer to 3.5 stars. Still, it was closer to four than three...
jgwc54e5's review against another edition
4.0
Kate Forsyth writes wonderfully researched historical fiction with a bit of myth or fairytale thrown in which make them my perfect comfort reads.
This one is set in France during the French Revolution and an English ambassadorial expedition to imperial China. I was impressed to read that David Stronach, the love interest character was a real person and a gardener on this trip to China. The authors note at the end says that one of her main inspirations for this story was the mystery of how red roses began to be cultivated in France.
The novel itself begins in Brittany where Viviane, a marquis’ daughter is living after embarrassing her father at Versailles. It is her mother’s chateau and she is (of course) descended from and named after the lady of the lake. (There’s only a little bit of merlin etc in the story but it does please my imagination). English gardeners are all the rage , and her father hires David (he’s actually Welsh) to design a garden for the chateau. And so follows the inevitable love story and separation...
The horrors of the French Revolution is given a vivid description as Viviane’s story continues.
David’s trip to China is a wonderful counterbalance and I loved the Chinese stories and myths that are included.
This was a really enjoyable read for me and the latter parts of the book in particular made it hard to put down.
This one is set in France during the French Revolution and an English ambassadorial expedition to imperial China. I was impressed to read that David Stronach, the love interest character was a real person and a gardener on this trip to China. The authors note at the end says that one of her main inspirations for this story was the mystery of how red roses began to be cultivated in France.
The novel itself begins in Brittany where Viviane, a marquis’ daughter is living after embarrassing her father at Versailles. It is her mother’s chateau and she is (of course) descended from and named after the lady of the lake. (There’s only a little bit of merlin etc in the story but it does please my imagination). English gardeners are all the rage , and her father hires David (he’s actually Welsh) to design a garden for the chateau. And so follows the inevitable love story and separation...
The horrors of the French Revolution is given a vivid description as Viviane’s story continues.
David’s trip to China is a wonderful counterbalance and I loved the Chinese stories and myths that are included.
This was a really enjoyable read for me and the latter parts of the book in particular made it hard to put down.