The Blue Rose

by Kate Forsyth

Viviane de Faitaud has grown up alone at her family’s château, for her father, the Marquis de Valaine, lives at the court of Louis XVI in Versailles. After a hailstorm destroys the château’s orchards, gardens and fields, an ambitious young Welshman, David Stronach, accepts the commission to plan new gardens in the hope of making his name as a landscape designer. However, the love that blossoms between them is doomed: Viviane is betrothed to a duke, and David is forced to leave the property.

In the aftermath, Viviane enters an unhappy marriage and moves to Versailles, while David embarks upon a mission to China to procure the secrets of tea-growing. There, he is inspired by the story of the Blue Rose, a fable of impossible love. Can he and Viviane - a world apart - ever hope to rekindle what they had together?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, France, Romance, Adult, 18th Century

368 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2019

About the author

Kate Forsyth wrote her first novel at the age of seven, and is now the internationally bestselling author of 40 books for both adults and children.

Her books for adults include 'Beauty in Thorns', the true love story behind a famous painting of 'Sleeping Beauty'; 'The Beast's Garden', a retelling of the Grimm version of 'Beauty & the Beast', set in the German underground resistance to Hitler in WWII; 'The Wild Girl', the love story of Wilhelm Grimm and Dortchen Wild, the young woman who told him many of the world's most famous fairy tales; 'Bitter Greens', a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale; and the bestselling fantasy series 'Witches of Eileanan' Her books for children include 'The Impossible Quest', 'The Gypsy Crown', 'The Puzzle Ring', and 'The Starkin Crown'

Kate has a doctorate in fairytale studies, a Masters of Creative Writing, a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, and is an accredited master storyteller.

Reviews

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
The stunning blue tone cover, complete with a collection of stunning blue roses, provides a welcome invitation for the reader to immerse themselves in the brand new novel by Australian storyteller Kate Forsyth. With a cover quote from fellow Australian historical fiction novelist Natasha Lester declaring The Blue Rose is, ‘a mix of mystery, magic, history and romance, you will love this book’, I have to admit I fell in love with this novel instantly.

The Blue Rose offers a collision of two societies. One is the regal centre of China and the other is escalating terror of the French Revolution. Kate Forsyth ties these two worlds together very well in her latest novel. Forsyth also incorporates the tale of the quest for the illusive blood-red rose. The story begins and ends with the lead, Viviane. Residing in a Chateau in the locale of Brittany, Viviane’s life is dominated by the demands made by her father, a powerful Marquis who resides at the royal court of Versailles. Viviane’s life changes when she is introduced to David Stronach, a foreigner from Wales, who is charged with the task of restoring the damaged gardens of Viviane’s family’s chateau. When Viviane and David lock eyes, true love sparks in their souls. But their love is not to be, due to their clear differences in class and position. Viviane is to be betrothed to a Duke, and is sent away from David to wait on Marie-Antoinette. While a heartbroken David flees France and sets his sights on China, which offers plenty of opportunities by the way of trade. In China, David comes across the blood red-rose which reminds him of his lost love and he knows he is destined to be reunited with Viviane one day.

I feel I am a little unfair to Kate Forsyth, the author of The Blue Rose. As I have enjoyed her previous novels so much, they are always of a high calibre, I did have very high expectations for The Blue Rose. As to be expected, The Blue Rose was another novel from Kate Forsyth that left me star struck. I also loved that I was able to learn more about the French Revolution, the state of affairs in China during this era, and I uncovered the beautiful fable of the red rose. What more could you ask from a historical fiction novel!

Forsyth has such a command of words and I am always left in awe after I have read one of her books. Each word, passage and page is carefully cultivated, the prose is music to your ears – of the best kind. Within The Blue Rose, Kate Forsyth manages to bring to life the opulent, but also treacherous court at the time of the rumblings of the French Revolution. These times were both grand and gay, but also extremely volatile. Eventually, through the engrossing eyes of the lead protagonist Viviane, we see the collapse and demise of the royal family. The fall of the aristocracy, the terrible punishment of those who once enjoyed the freedoms of court life and the shocking beheadings that took place rocked me. The history is rich, full and compelling. It is also told in such a way that you have no idea that you have gleaned something new about the history of these times. It is never presented in a dry format, rather it is completely absorbing.

Kate Forsyth is such a romantic. I have adored each and every love story she has intertwined within her novels, and The Blue Rose is absolutely no exception. Viviane and David’s romance is almost instant, but at the same time incredibly plausible, I had no doubts about their feelings. Forsyth does include a forbidden angle to this epic love story, which really reached into my soul. Through this aspect of the story, Forsyth was able to draw our attention to the class differences, the expectations of women in society and the ruling families, particularly the patriarchs had over their daughters. David and Viviane have strong spirits and although it pained me at times to see them endure such hard times, I had hope that they would find their way back to one another.

Another aspect of The Blue Rose that was perfectly composed was David’s sequences in China. Escaping with a broken heart following Viviane’s betrothal to the Duke, David travels to the other side of the world, where he engages in a trade arrangement. This was completely fascinating, as well as educative for me, as I feel I have a gap in knowledge around China’s operations during this era. Linking to this aspect of the book is the beautiful folk tale of The Blue Rose, which shadows much of this novel in such an exquisite way. It left me a little breathless, and I thank Kate Forsyth for this magnificent novel, as I know the research aspect alone was immense.

With themes of enduring love, sacrifice, hope, revolution, adventure, exploration, change, class differences and much more encircling the new novel from Kate Forsyth, this is a story this is not be be missed. I am glad Kate Forsyth finally got the opportunity to write a book set in a period of history that has always interested her, the French Revolution. Filling in the gaps of history with Forsyth’s imaginative lens, The Blue Rose is another monumental tale from one of Australia’s most respected and talented historical fiction experts.

*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

The Blue Rose is book #110 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge

[Theresa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘There are no true red roses,’ he answered. ‘Not in Europe anyway. I have heard rumours of a ruby-red rose in China, but all attempts to bring one back have failed. Sir Joseph Banks has invested a fortune in trying! But the journey is too long, and there are too many pitfalls for such a delicate flower.’
‘But all the medieval romances talk of red roses,’ she argued.
‘That was only because they did not have a word for “pink”,’ he said with a wry grin. ‘Saying “pink” to describe a colour only began less than a hundred years ago. At first it meant flowers in the Dianthus genus, like carnations or sweet Williams or the common pink, which all have frilled or serrated petals, as if they have been cut with pinking shears. Gradually the word came to mean the colour as well as the flower.’

I had no idea that red roses originated in China! And this is not the only thing I learned while reading Kate Forsyth’s magnificent new release, The Blue Rose. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this is a tale of history: the collapse of an old world society, revolution and violence, danger and love, discovery and innovation. It’s a masterpiece, as is everything Kate writes, an amazing novel, the very best that historical fiction can be with that perfect balance of true history with imaginative flair.

‘A gardener with the tongue of a poet,’ the marquis said. ‘How disconcerting. It is like hearing a toad sing like a nightingale. Very well. I thank you for your service and dismiss you forthwith. I am sure you understand I cannot pay you or give you a recommendation, not having yet seen anything but a few dead sticks.’
~~~~
‘As Clothilde rattled on, Viviane stared at her in consternation. It seemed a dreadful thing that her stepmother thought that gambling debts owed to a rich nobleman must be repaid, while money owed to poor, hard-working tradesmen was to be left outstanding.’

When you consider the characters within this novel, those that populated the ‘ruling class’, to me it now seems as no surprise that the French Revolution eventuated. These people were awful, so entitled and rude, unappreciative of their servant’s labours, scathing of anyone lower than them, simpering to those who were higher. Kate’s characters were realistic and wholly three dimensional, recreating the era of such far flung history to perfection. And as is her way, the narrative is sprinkled with history, yet with such subtlety that you don’t even realise that you are learning so much as well as being entertained. Kate is such a skilled writer too, because even with something like this, where there were absolutely appalling injustices, she is still able to generate empathy within her readers for both sides of the story. Nothing is ever cut and dry in a Kate Forsyth novel, no character without a kernel of redemption, even if it is at the eleventh hour. This is my favourite novel by Kate since Bitter Greens. I love all of her work, but The Blue Rose is reminiscent of Bitter Greens in its emotional scope, cast of characters, and level of historical detail. It was lucky I picked this up the night before a public holiday because I could not stop reading – going to work would have been a wrench!

‘Louis could no more help being born a king than she could help being a marquis’s daughter or Pierrick the illegitimate son of a peasant. She found herself torn between her sympathy for the royal family and her affinity with the ideals of the revolutionaries.’
~~~~
‘I believe all men and women are born free and equal in rights…and that liberty consists in the freedom to do as I wish as long as my actions injure no-one else.’

As well as examining the French Revolution, Kate takes a look at the early British expedition into China, aimed at collecting tea samples, as well as other botany exclusives that Britain had yet to acquire. Botany, within an historical framework, is an area of interest to me, so I found myself particularly drawn to these sections. It’s fascinating, the things we take for granted as always being there, like red roses, and tea, yet there was a time when these plants were exclusive to other countries, unknown to the rest of the world. Elusive and almost mythical.

‘It was also hoped the British might be able to discover the secrets of growing tea, so that they could break the Chinese monopoly. David had been given strict instructions by Sir Joseph Banks, his patron at the Kew Botanical Garden, to surreptitiously gather as many tea seedlings as he could, so they could be transplanted into British-owned land in India. It was a dangerous mission, for the penalty for smuggling tea plants out of China was death by beheading.’

Viviane and David, the main characters within The Blue Rose, were just beautiful. I loved them both and I believed in their love story, became invested in their fate. As is the way with all grand love stories, there is pain, anguish, misunderstanding, and loss. This is a magnificent journey, this story, and for all of us who follow Kate’s writing on social media, it has definitely been well worth the wait. This is one to savour and linger over, to get lost wandering within its pages. With such a rich historical background and such lyrical prose, The Blue Rose is an unforgettable novel that will leave you pining for more once you’ve read the last page. Bravo Kate Forsyth, you’ve done it again!

‘He had thought her weak-willed. Why would she not run away with me? Does she not love me enough to leave behind her chateau and her fine silks? He had not thought of how a songbird, confined all its life in a tiny cage, its wings clipped, might hesitate at a latch suddenly swinging open.’


Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of The Blue Rose for review.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Brooklyn Tayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Carol Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a star-crossed lovers story, particularly when it is set in a fascinating period of history such as revolutionary France, and The Blue Rose fits the bill admirably. Viviane de Faitaud, daughter of the extravagant and controlling Marquis de Ravoisier, falls in love with David, the handsome Welsh gardener her father commissions to remake the garden at the family chateau in Brittany. When the Marquis discovers their affair he forces David to flee, marries Viviane to one of his ducal cronies and takes her to Paris. But the days of the nobility’s wild extravagance at the expense of the people are numbered. Revolution is at hand and Viviane’s life is in peril. Meanwhile, disillusioned by his lover’s swift marriage to the wealthy duke, David sets out for China and the hunt for the true red rose.

As always with Kate Forsyth’s novels, the setting is vividly described, and the period is meticulously researched. We have endearing characters we cheer for and villains we love to hate. The story moves along at a clipping pace for the most part, peppered with stomach lurching moments and heartrending interludes.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘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

[Nadia King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Forsyth’s latest novel, The Blue Rose is spellbinding and hypnotic, and nigh on impossible to put down.

Forsyth is a wonderful Australian storyteller and her stories come vividly to life with sumptuous detail.

The Blue Rose is a gorgeous lavish story set concurrently during the French Revolution and in Imperial China. It is the story of an impossible love between an aristocrat’s daughter and his gardener. Viviane has lived in a chateau in Brittany for most of her life; a virtual prisoner in her home bound by the conventions of her time. David is a young Welshman with ideals of equality and a fascination with botany, who soon falls in love with Vivianne. But this is the beginning of a new time in France and the aristocratic ruling classes are in grave danger.

Forsyth’s spellbinding story is deeply evocative with sensuous detail. The compelling story line and memorable characters is storytelling at its best.

Magical storytelling from Forsyth. The Blue Rose is not one that lovers of historical fiction will want to miss.

Many thanks to Penguin for a review copy of this book. :)

[Karen Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always look forward to a new Kate Forsyth book coming out, knowing I will be transported into the past and lose myself in a mesmerizing story. The Blue Rose is no exception, taking the reader back, in the first instance, to revolutionary France where a young woman named Viviane lives in a deteriorating chateau with a mean and controlling Great Aunt and a small staff of retainers, one of whom is like a brother to her. But when a Welshman, David, is hired by her distant, dissolute father (who spends most of his time in Paris) to prepare the gardens according to current fashions so he might bring his new, young heiress wife to the country, Viviane finds in David a sincere and kind friend. What starts as friendship swiftly transforms into something more, but Viviane knows that should her father learn of her growing feelings for the Welsh gardener, a man well below her in terms of social standing, any dreams she has will not only be shattered, but David’s life will be in danger.

When Viviane’s father returns unexpectedly, not even Viviane could predict his reaction, and what subsequently unfolds. Whisked away to Paris, married and forced to comply with her father and husband’s every wish, Viviane believes David and what life with him promised her is lost forever. But as rebellion against the French monarchy and the aristocracy foments and political forces rise to crush the oppressors and anyone who stands in their way, Viviane learns that her father, let alone David’s fate, are the least of her worries...

Without giving too much away (unlike the blurb on Goodreads which needs to come with a major spoiler alert. I only just read what is said and it gives away the entire plot of the book!), The Blue Rose is a sweeping historical tale of love, loss, class, exploration, discovery, cultural differences, political turmoil and bloodshed. Not only does the action take place against the murderous and bloody backdrop of the French Revolution, but the narrative (told from two different points of view) also shifts to China and the opening of trade routes through the mysterious interior. Botany also plays a part in the story but, it wouldn’t be a Forsyth novel if fairytales (in this instance, the story of “The Blue Rose”), in all their metaphorical and cultural significance, didn’t also play a huge role.

This was a lovely book that, with the exception of some of the barbarous activities of the revolutionaries and the wilful indifference and cruelty of the aristocracy that led to the uprising in the first place, was easy to read in the sense that the narrative flowed. At times, the characters functioned like archetypes, vessels for the larger meanings they carry and which are often symbolic - much like the roses in the tale. One example is David, whose reaction to Viviane’s choices seem at first churlish if not downright childish. But like any hero, David has to undergo a journey of transformation - the external and physical voyage to China becoming a metaphor for a grand interior metamorphosis. In the same way, the villainous roles - especially Viviane’s father, seemed too awful and selfish to be real - however, this is not the case as any reading of that period of history (and others) will demonstrate. The indifference of some members of the upper classes to the plight of the lower ones is astounding and shameful to contemporary readers - Forsyth captures this utter selfishness and wilful indifference well. The descriptions of both the chaos that was Paris and France for the relevant years are deeply disturbing and it’s testament to both Forsyth’s research and her talent as a writer that they’re also very visceral.

The parts of the novel that take place in China are fascinating for their historical veracity. The aura of mystique and, dare I say, majesty is well captured as are the grand ambitions and colonial authoritarianism of the English - something that simply didn’t work in China. The question of just what and who is “civilized” and what imperial power actually means, hovers at the edges of nearly every interaction and provides a stimulus for thought.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Blue Rose for its sense of history, grandeur and exploration of culture and humanity, which come together in what’s a magical tale.

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's in Brittany, France in 1788 that we meet our heroine of The Blue Rose by Kate Forsyth. Viviane is the daughter of the Marquis de Ravoisier and she has grown up without a mother at the Chateau de Belisima-sur-le-lac. Viviane is an aristocrat and is thankful her overbearing, gambling father is absent most of the time, living at the court of Versailles.

Viviane is a likeable character and a free spirit, always making herself useful, tending to the sick and injured tenants of her father's land and tramping around the countryside with her three legged dog Luna when she can escape the attentions of her Great Aunt. She doesn't enjoy the privilege her rank provides and would much rather horse about with her milk brother Pierrick.

After a vicious storm, Viviane's father commissions an English gardener David Stronach to construct a beautiful garden at the chateau. With a shared interest in herbs and plants, slowly but surely they begin to fall in love.

Their class divide soon becomes apparent and David is lucky to escape alive when her father returns. He has racked up a considerable gambling debt and Viviane is betrothed to his friend in order to settle the debt. The lovers are separated, Viviane believing David was killed in his escape, David believing Viviane has betrayed him and married for position, title and favour.

The Blue Rose then follows the separate lives of Viviane and David in a period of significant social and political upheaval in France. The French Revolution begins in 1789 and to be an aristo (aristocrat or high born) is a death sentence in some cases.

Meanwhile, David embarks on a British diplomatic journey to Imperial China on an errand on behalf of Sir Joseph Banks.

Throughout their struggles, their love endures and both plights are brought into startling focus in alternate chapters. Covering themes of: love, class, duty, civil war, exploration and the clashing of cultures this is an historical fiction novel you can really sink your teeth into. This is a bloody time in France's history and the author doesn't shy away from the brutality, bloodlust and cruelty of the time.

It's clear from Viviane's experiences that an incredible amount of research has been undertaken by Kate Forsyth. Despite so many bestselling novels, she hasn't written about this period in history before, but you wouldn't know it from the ease from which this tale seemingly emerges.

My only complaint was that the ending seemed a little perfectly timed, but it's a very small criticism in an otherwise evocative and enjoyable historical fiction novel.

The Blue Rose by Australian author Kate Forsyth is recommended reading for historical fiction devotees, romance readers and Francophiles.

* Copy courtesy of Penguin Random House *

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by Kate Forsyth. Though this story is set in the time of the French Revolution and can be difficult reading in parts, this book is a compelling great read. Full marks Kate for the research necessary for such a historical novel. Totally recommend it.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blue Rose by Kate Forsyth moves from The French Revolution to Imperial China which is the origin of the rose.

The story also blends fairytales and romance.

The Blue Rose is quite a complex story which deserves your time in reading this superb novel.

[Sydney Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since seeing her in all her fairytale glory at the 2017 HNScon, I’ve been a huge fan. I honestly feel that Forsyth is getting better and better. This book and Beast are her best, most fully realized integrated historical/fairytale retellings. Hurry and write another!

The Blue Rose is about a young aristocrat who longs to escape her cruel world, and how she navigates the unimaginable of the Terror. Meanwhile, her lover, in his desperate search for the unusual flower, takes us to China and back. Lots of history, greatly imagined words, wonderful characters. I couldn’t put it down.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Forsyth is such a master story teller and she's done it again with this beautiful novel.
Love the way she teases a story out of seemingly unrelated pieces of history. The French Revolution, a Welsh Gardener descended from French Huguenots, An aristocratic, legendary descended from The Lady in The Lake, from Merlin's tales and The tale of The Blue Rose from China and the journey of The Red rose from China to France.
Brilliantly done.
Looking forward to hearing her talk on this one.

[Allyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve loved Kate Forsyth’s writing ever since I first read her Witches series 10 or so years ago and Bitter Greens is one of my all time favourites. Her transition into historical fiction has been so seamless and I barely miss the fantasy elements at all! While this was not my favourite of hers it has all the beautiful writing, well researched history and romantic elements I have come to love and expect from her.

The French Revolution is not an area of history I know particularly well so it was great to read about, as well as David’s journey into China which, as I found out reading the authors note, was an actual journey and all the characters were actually there. That definitely showed all the research she’d put into it!

I really loved Viviane as a character, out of the alternating POVs hers were definitely my favourite and I just kept wanting to get back to them (sorry David). The drama of Paris in the revolution was amazing and unfortunately China just couldn’t live up to it. (spoiler)Also, Viviane was going through so much and a lot of David’s chapters were like, I’m on a boat, she never loved me, roses in China, maybe she does love me? I should go back and check. Whereas Viviane thought David was dead, forced into a loveless marriage then put in prison for being an aristocrat and nearly guillotined. Not really the same is it?

Also, it was 100% predictable, although I don’t know how much of that was from the fact that basically the whole plot was in the blurb. Hopefully that was just on the arc I had? Like the major plot points on the back accounted for three quarters of the story! Sure, the writing and story in between was lovely but it also would have been nice to keep some of the mystery. That’s the only reason I’m deducting a star, I knew everything that was going to happen! And it wasn’t hard to guess (spoiler, but not really) that David and Viviane we’re both going to be together by the end of the book.

So I would definitely recommend for any lovers of historical fiction, or just damn good writing!

[Ellen Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Forsyth is a wonderful storyteller and The Blue Rose is a magical masterpiece, sprinkled with love, danger, heartbreak and adventure. We witness the end of an era during the French Revolution and visit Imperial China on an impossible quest.

The story is lavish and devastating, enthralling and captivating. It’s the story of two lovers, born into different worlds, torn apart by convention.

Vivianne is the daughter of a French Marquis, David is a Welsh gardener. They meet and fall in love when David is commissioned to design a new garden at Chateau de Belisama-sur-le-Lac in Brittany, Vivianne’s home. When the Marquis hears of their romance, David is hunted from the property. The Marquis has betrothed Vivianne to a rich duke who she is forced to marry. Viviane goes to court and becomes a maid-in-waiting to Marie-Antoinette and a member of the extended royal family. Devastated, David sails away from England with Lord Macartney, the British ambassador, who hopes to open up trade with Imperial China. He believes Vivianne doesn’t love him or she would have defied her father. He doesn’t understand that, like any caged bird, she’s not free to choose.

While David is in China, Vivianne is arrested and thrown into prison.

In China, word has reached David of the revolution in France. He also hears the story of 'The Blue Rose', a Chinese fable of impossible love, and discovers the blood-red rose that he seeks growing in the wintry garden. He realises that he is still in love with Viviane and must find her. Is she still alive?

If you love historical fiction, you must read this book. I highly recommend it.

5 Stars.

[Leanne Lovegrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a romantic and this book rugged at my heart strings, it’s a beautiful love story combined with the fabulous setting of France during the revolution and China, it’s a fabulous read

[Jill N]

The Blue Rose by Kate Forsyth is her latest and, in my opinion, her best book yet. The plot took me from the French Revolution and Vivienne's struggles over to China, where David was to discover a fascinating and different world for gardeners. The research behind such an epic story must've been fun for the author but many hours of work. The story was woven between the dramas around these two people, who eventually resolve things toward the final pages of the book. The descriptive sentences filled me with visions along their journey.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Forsyth is one of my all-time favourite authors - her books have it all, and The Blue Rose is no exception. In her latest historical epic, we journey from revolutionary Paris to Peking's forbidden city as love, equality and freedom are all laid on the line. With a vibrant cast of fictional and historical characters - not to mention some incredibly strong women - Forsyth has written another wonderful world to fall into. Readers should note triggers for child abuse and executions by beheading.

Daughter to a Marquis, Viviane's wild spirit is repressed by social convention, and she lives in fear of her distant father's reprisals. But when he remarries and commissions Welsh gardener David Stronach to remodel the grounds for his new bride, Viviane finds herself irresistibly drawn to the foreigner. From there, Viviane is swept up in life at Versailles as the French revolution reaches it's crescendo, while David's fate is quite different (no spoilers!).

I loved Viviane as a character - she's loving, kind and fiesty, and is exactly the sort of heroine I enjoy cheering for. Her romance is beautifully drawn and I actually couldn't put the book down once I got past the halfway point.

Likewise, Forsyth gives us an insight into Marie Antoinette the mother, rather than the usual portrayal of Marie Antoinette the queen. We watch her try to insulate her children from the horrors of the revolution, seeking to preserve their innocence even as she is demonised and vilified. It was heartbreaking to read - a testament to Forsyth's talent in crafting character.

Having said that, I would have liked to see Viviane's story stand more independently of that of the royal family; I felt we lost her a bit in the midst of part two. Part three returns the focus to Viviane, but alternates between her situation and a voyage to China, marking a clear break in the single-thread narrative structure. I enjoyed the content of both voices, but it took a while to adjust to this format so late in the book.

What Forsyth does especially well is to balance historical facts with the need for narrative drive - at no point does this story feel like a history lesson on the French revolution, or imperial China, and yet you can't walk away without learning something from the tale. This is undoubtedly the result of meticulous research, combined with Forsyth's immense talent.

Reading The Blue Rose is a pleasurable experience, and perfect escapism for anyone seeking historical realism and engaging characters.

I received a copy of The Blue Rose from Penguin Random House Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite. Poetic. Heart-breaking and beautiful. This book is a lyrical journey of impossible love and the things we will do to hold onto it. Set against a turbulent and bloodthirsty time in French history, it’s a touching story as haunting and devastating as a fairytale. I loved it.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so beautifully written and I am so humbled to have received an advance copy of this book which helped me prepare for the in conversation I hosted with Kate the other week. I would rate this 4.5 stars. Once again, Kate weaved an intricate story that blended history with a beautiful fairytale that became a unique tale about overcoming boundaries, acceptance and unconditional love. It was fascinating to learn about the cruelty of the world in 1700 and the parallel between France and China. The connection between our favourite characters David and Vivianne truly warmed my heart. With special thanks to Penguin Random House Australia for sending me an Advanced Review Copy of this book. [review on blog post will appear shortly]

[Natty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Kate Forsyth's work, so it is little wonder that I find myself another stella read with The Blue Rose. I loved reading the story of Vivienne and David, the French Revolution and the expedition to China, the details within the narrative is exceptional and fairy-tale weaving was flawless as always. So thank you Kate for another wonderful read and I look forward to the next one. :)

[Tanya Nellestein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and devoured it in a little over a day. The love stories, the histories and the characters come to life beautifully. My only criticism....it ended to soon! I loved the characters so much I couldn’t bear to have them leave me.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am 100% unqualified to determine if the Chinese representation is okay or not, so my rating may change if I hear it's not. But otherwise, I loved this.

I've loved all Kate Forsyth's historical novels (though the WWII was also a little iffy). Something about them is just incredibly soothing, even as terrible things happen in them. And I've had such a bad run lately with books, that it's nice to have something nice, you know? Something that goes down easy.

They're not quite romances, but they straddle that line between straight historical fiction and historical romance. They often have romances (that are lovely) but the romance is not really the focus, just another strand of the story.

Anyway, I can't wait for her next novel.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbinding storytelling at its best. I am a huge fan of Kate Forsyth and automatically buy everything she publishes, as well as gifting to friends. The Blue Rose vividly brings to life the story of Viviane (the beautiful but abused by her father aristocrat) and David, the handsome gardener. Set during the French Revolution Kate’s descriptions of life then have been thoroughly researched and effortlessly take you to another time and place. Loved it all.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the characters of Viviane & David but sometimes this story dragged a bit more than I would have liked. Other books by Ms. Forsyth have engrossed me from the beginning. The same happened with The Blue Rose but about 2/3 of the way through, the story just fell off for me; perhaps it's because I read another book about the French Revolution recently.

[Jo | Booklover Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars. That I ordered The Blue Rose as a gift for my Mum sight unseen (before reading a review) is a sure indication of my respect and admiration of not just Kate Forsyth’s authorial talent, but also my confidence in her consistently delivering a quality product. My Mum read The Blue Rose in a matter of days. I too have now emerged from this, the latest epic spell Forsyth has conjured around historical fact.

I do not always read Author Notes, but Forsyth’s are a must. She is known for her dedication to (some might say obsession with) research before putting pen to paper. For me, the post narrative reveal, learning of story element origins whether factual or imagined, is all part of the Forsyth reading experience. Many a gap in my formal education in history has been filled by these.

While the geographic and emotional scope of this novel is vast, its narrative and themes are more straight-forward than some of her previous historical fiction, e.g. the exquisitely complex plotting in Beauty in Thorns .

In The Blue Rose, no matter the distance between them, the spotlight shines strong on free-thinking romantic leads Viviane and David as they challenge barriers dictated solely by birth. That their inherent goodness to others and devotion to each other is reflected even in their darkest of moments, makes for compelling reading. Continue reading review>> https://bookloverbookreviews.com/2019...

[Sue Bursztynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very readable historical novel that moves between the French Revolution, suffered by the aristocratic heroine, Viviane, and a voyage to China by a trade delegation, in which her gardener sweetheart, David, is searching for a very special red rose...

Kate Forsyth has shown many times before that she doesn’t need fantastical elements in her historical fiction to make it special. There are two minor fantasy elements in this one, but otherwise it’s straight historical fiction.

In the author’s note at the the end, Kate Forsyth tells us that the voyage to China and the people involved were real, even the novel’s hero, David Stronach, whose name we know, but probably not much more, allowing her to use him as the romantic interest for fictional Viviane, who firmly believes she is descended from the Lady of the Lake, and probably is. The real David Stronach was collecting samples for Joseph Banks and that is also a part of the story.

I’ve read plenty of fiction centred around the French Revolution but that journey to China is something new and fascinating to me.

Well done, Kate, on another wonderful novel!

[Shannon Anima · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are fascinated by Paris, the French Revolution, and romance intoxicated with the perfume of roses, this book will entice and captivate you. Kate Forsyth, master storyteller, weaves a rich history of characters rooted in a chateau in the French countryside of Brittany, branching to the magnificent courts of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, and blooming in the hidden gardens of Imperial China.
This is a story you haven’t heard, of the deceits and betrayals of the royal family, alongside the valiant struggles of the poor as they storm the Bastille armed with sticks and shovels. When all is lost, the heroine, Viviane, in grave danger, the Chateau imperilled, her paramour, David, is in China in search of the blood red rose that will change their fortunes. In the Imperial courts of the mandarin Emperor of China the blue roses of impossible love are closely guarded and stealing one is a mythic task, with Kate maintaining the tension until the last pages.
Kate’s novel is brimming with fascinating botanical and historical details. Her novel is sumptuous with scents of simmering stews and sweetness of spring plum blossom, the whisper touch of silk and the powdered grey of ashes, the glory of gilded palaces and the dank sweat and fierce cold of prison, so the reader is immersed in an enchanted sense of another world, real in all detail, a parallel tale of yesterday, a brilliant and lively history.

[Cate Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exquisite. Beautifully written - the kind of writing that makes you want to slow down and savour every sentence, but also to consume it as fast as you can because the characters have wrapped themselves around your heart and you need to know how their story will resolve. If you love history or the magic of star crossed lovers or if you just have a heart then please give this a read.
Also. if you are like me and get intense anxiety through the twists and turns of every story - never fear. It all turns out okay.