Unlock some fairy tale magic with Kate Forsyth’s reimagining of Sleeping Beauty.
Kate Forsyth captures the magic of classic fairy tales in her books for children and adults. Beauty in Thorns – a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, set among the bohemian circle of Pre-Raphaelite artists and poets – continues in this tradition. Capture the imaginations of your book club buddies with the dramatic and spellbinding story of love, obsession and heartbreak that lies behind one of the Victorian era’s most famous paintings. Here are some questions to get the conversation started.
Discussion points and questions:
Â
- Why do you think we continue to turn to fairy tales and myths to have our world described and explained?              Â
- The Pre-Raphaelites at the centre of the novel were themselves inspired by poetry, fairy tales and myth – could it be true that there are no new stories? And, if so, why do we buy new books and look to discover new writers?
- Passion and creativity drive the men and women in this novel. Drugs, liquor and other addictions and disorders are ever-present. The old adage is that you cannot create unless you have suffered. Is the best work created out of pain?
- Were you surprised by the ‘freedom’ and lack of confining themselves to societal norms within the relationships featured in the novel?
- Which of the characters, male or female, could you imagine yourself as?
- Beauty in Thorns is based on substantial research. Kate Forsyth seeped herself in the art of the Pre-Raphaelites, visited the homes and locations in which they lived, worked and created and read widely on the period. One of the reasons we read historical fiction to learn about different periods in time – discuss what you discovered reading Beauty in Thorns.
Kate Forsyth reflects on the fairy tale beginnings of Beauty in Thorns.
A creepy, compelling novel to read with your book club.
Check out some of the most popular book club books of 2025.
Download a free read-along booklet, complete with reading schedule, questions and more.
A sexy, funny, surprising tale of female friendship to read with your book club.
The delightfully entertaining new novel in The Tea Ladies cosy crime series. Perfect for reading with your book club!
A heartwarming debut novel to read with your book club about mistaken identity, loneliness, and the quest for belonging.
A moving drama about family, loss and belonging to read with your book club.
A thought-provoking new novel about a mix-up that leaves two children wondering who they really are and where they belong.
Fiona McIntosh's explosive new Jack Hawksworth thriller, perfect to read with your book club.
A collection of stories from Judy Nunn about friendship, community and finding family in the unlikeliest of places.
