Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jul 2015
496 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
One of six sisters, Dortchen Wild lives in the small German kingdom of Hesse-Cassel in the early 19th century. She finds herself irresistibly drawn to the boy next door, the handsome but very poor fairy tale scholar Wilhelm Grimm. It is a time of tyranny and terror. Napoleon Bonaparte wants to conquer all of Europe, and Hesse-Cassel is one of the first kingdoms to fall. Forced to live under oppressive French rule, Wilhelm and his brothers quietly rebel by preserving old half-forgotten tales that had once been told by the firesides of houses grand and small over the land.
As Dortchen tells Wilhelm some of the most powerful and compelling stories in what will one day become his and Jacob's famous fairy tale collection, their love blossoms. But Dortchen's father will not give his consent for them to marry and war, death, and poverty also conspire to keep the lovers apart. Yet Dortchen is determined to find a way.
Evocative and richly-detailed, Kate Forsyth's The Wild Girl masterfully captures one young woman's enduring faith in love and the power of storytelling.
First published in 2013. Reprinted in hardcover by Thomas Dunne in 2015
"This intriguing look at a little-known historical figure has definite appeal for fairy-tale aficionados." - Library Journal
"History and fairy tale are richly entwined in this spellbinding story. Unputdownable!" - Juliet Marillier, author of Daughter in the Forest
"Like a fairytale, The Wild Girl gives us an explosive and evocative set of truths set within a deceptively simple and delicately written story." - The Newtown Review of Books
"Against an intricately-crafted tapestry of early nineteenth-century German daily life and tumultuous, tragic historical events, the story of star-crossed lovers Dortchen Wild and Wilhelm Grimm unfolds with a kind of dreamy, haunting precision." - Sophie Masson, author of Moonshine and Ashes
"Kate Forsyth is a storyteller whose books are spun out of magic and folklore." - Readings (AU)
"Wonderful. Whether you love fairy tales or historical fiction or romance, there is something for you" - January Magazine
"This book captivated me from the very first scene. An historical novel with a lot of heart which will appeal to lovers of Austen and the Brontes as well as those in love with Kate Morton and Philippa Gregory." - John Purcell, Booktopia
"History and fairy tale are richly entwined in this spellbinding story. Unputdownable!' - Juliet Marillier, author of Daughter in the Forest
"Like a fairytale, The Wild Girl gives us an explosive and evocative set of truths set within a deceptively simple and delicately written story." - The Newtown Review of Books
"Against an intricately-crafted tapestry of early nineteenth-century German daily life and tumultuous, tragic historical events, the story of star-crossed lovers Dortchen Wild and Wilhelm Grimm unfolds with a kind of dreamy, haunting precision." - Sophie Masson, author of Moonshine and Ashes
"Ultimately, this novel inhabits the ground between Philippa Gregory and Hilary Mantel. It is both entertaining and serious-minded, but it has about it too that little touch of magic that makes Kate Forsyth's voice so distinctive, so uniquely Kate. An absolute pleasure to read." - Kim Wilkins, author of Angel of Ruin
"The Wild Girl is in turns beautiful, deeply disturbing, evocative and of course, like any good fairy story romance, features a signature happy ending." - InkAshling
"Forsyth's skill as a storyteller makes the narrative a pleasure to read through, a joy of immersive reading." - The Bookonaut
"I recommend The Wild Girl for fans of fairy tales and fantasy primarily, but also to historical fiction reader and those interested in the early 1800s and the way life was lived then. Lovers of bittersweet romance will also enjoy the book." - Storybook Perfect
This information about The Wild Girl was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kate Forsyth is the internationally bestselling and award-winning author of more than twenty books, including The Witches of Eileanan and Rhiannon's Ride series. Her books have been published in 17 countries, including Japan, Poland, Spain and Turkey. Forsyth holds a doctorate in fairytale retellings from the University of Technology. She lives in Sydney, Australia. Visit her at www.kateforsyth.com.au
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