Inspired by the lives of real princesses, The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland presents a picture that tarnishes the image of the charmed life of a princess. It brings out the rules, the requirements, and the constraints of royal life. It paints a very sad picture. Given recent news and requests for privacy, this book takes on a whole new meaning and relevance. The aspect of the book that is perhaps even more fascinating for being unexpected is the view on South African history and politics.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2024/03/the-force-of-such-beauty.html

Reviewed for NetGalley. ( )

A beautifully written post-feminist fairytale. ( )

Olympic gold medalist Caroline is the fastest woman on earth. When her body gives out, she falls mid-run, breaking both her hip and face. She is sent to a high priced recover center where she meets Finn, a prince. When they reconnect two years later, he sweeps her off her feet and they quickly marry. However, life as a princess is not all that it seems. Caroline is meant to be a decoration, one with flawless beauty, who never complains or expresses an opinion.

While the beginning of the book was pretty slow, it picked up a bit after the wedding. Caroline was a well developed and multi-dimensional character. I found myself sympathizing with her and looking for an escape route. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland is a 2022 Dutton publication.

Oh, my goodness. What a chilling story!

By now, the fantasy of being a princess in real life has been tarnished. I think the reality of that life is not as hidden as it once was, and we’ve seen the tragedy of it play out in real time. That life, behind those castle walls, at the very least, is all about duty- it is not a life entirely your own, and I’m sure it is often very lonely and isolating. That duty may extend to the marriage as well- perhaps arranged- or sadly, as we’ve seen before- it could be a one-sided affair- and of course the pressure to provide heirs- but in this book we examine a situation that shows an even darker side of royalty…

Caroline is an Olympic athlete until her body gives out causing her to take a bad fall, where she lands hard, face first. This injury requires plastic surgery and lots of physical therapy, which is where she meets Finn. His stay in rehab is brief, but the two meet again, resulting in a complicated romance and engagement. But Caroline is clueless about Finn’s life as the heir of a small principality...

When reality sets in, Caroline decides to leave, only to be ambushed and ushered back to Finn, where he convinces her to go through with the marriage. Caroline learns soon enough that this is no fairy tale as her every move is monitored and her repeated attempts at escape are continuously thwarted…

Caroline’s voice is haunting and human. Her life is a nightmare, her choices limited, as she is held captive in a prison disguised a castle.

The story is cautionary in tone, powerfully unsettling and hard to come to terms with.

What makes it so difficult to absorb is that the novel is somewhat based on a real princess, and some of the elements in this novel are substantiated facts. More unnerving is that in real life this princess is struggling and that makes this tale even troubling...

Overall, I admit I knew nothing of the real-life drama this book is based on, and now that I’ve done a little research, I have been plagued with a sense of sadness and claustrophobic foreboding I can’t seem to shake. Maybe this book should be in the thriller category! ( )