The Wild Girl

Forsyth (Bitter Greens, 2014, etc.) unearths a beautiful love story in the making of the Grimm brothers' fairy-tale collection amid the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars. Twelve-year-old Dortchen Wild lives next door to Wilhelm Grimm and his brothers in the German kingdom of Hessen-Cassel. The "wildest" of six sisters, Dortchen would rather be outside than waiting on her bedridden mother to avoid the wrath of her ill-tempered father. Forsyth captures the sweetness of domestic life in a time of political unrest as Dortchen sneaks out to see Wilhelm, often bringing him herbal remedies from her father's shop. Sickly and desperately poor, Wilhelm and his brother Jakob are collecting stories in the hope of publishing a book-and Dortchen hopes to get closer to him as he transcribes her homespun versions of "Hansel and Gretel" and "Cinderella." Her fanciful stories contain a morsel of truth, the most unsettling of which is found in "All-Kinds-of-Fur," about a princess who's forced to marry her own father after her mother dies. Dortchen can't hide from her father's incestuous rage as she matures beyond his control. Nor can she shake the ghostly presence of Napoleon's army: "Dortchen and her sisters had seen the innumerable red eyes of the French army's campfires from the window of their sitting room." Later, Forsyth describes the aftermath of war in chilling detail as Dortchen's brother, Rudolf, returns from Russia with frostbitten fingers and toes, infecting his wife and baby with the germs from his coat. Wilhelm and Dortchen are separated for many years, enduring heartache, sacrifice, and longing as Wilhelm and Jakob work through several failed drafts of their book and Dortchen cares for her family. In the bleak pages of history, Forsyth finds a story of enduring love and artistic integrity-her retelling is a fairy tale in itself. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from May 1, 2015
Setting her tale during the violence and political upheaval of Napoleon I's central European campaign, Forsyth tells the true story of Dortchen Wild, source of many of the most beloved fairy tales compiled by the famous Grimm brothers. Spanning a nearly 20-year period, kindhearted and rebellious Dortchen is followed from adolescence to womanhood as she contends with a cruel and abusive father, a backbreaking work regimen, and constant family illness and tragedy. Through all of her own personal turmoil (in many ways, Dortchen's life resembles that of a tortured heroine in a Grimm fairy tale), she provides material and emotional support to the impoverished Grimm family, and eventually falls in love with the sweet and studious Wilhelm Grimm. As a doctoral candidate in fairy-tale studies, Forsyth provides fascinating insight into the complex politics involved in the Grimms' ambitious project, including the nationalistic sentiment amid the French takeover of Europe that prompted them to preserve their culture. But more than that, this is a beautiful and often heartbreaking love story that is sure to move and captivate readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2015

The Brothers Grimm are world renowned for their fairy tales, but what inspired those stories? Dortchen Wild (1793-1867) was one of the sources; she was also the Grimms' next-door neighbor and Wilhelm Grimm's love interest. In this novel, Forsyth (Bitter Greens) portrays Dortchen's childhood and relationship with Wilhelm, which are filled with constant roadblocks, including political strife (Napoleon conquered their German kingdom of Hesse-Cassell in 1806), family objections, poverty, and misunderstanding. Storytelling is at the heart of the narrative as Dortchen and her friends share tales ("The Frog Prince," "Rumpelstiltskin") that become intricately entwined with their experiences. VERDICT This intriguing look at a little-known historical figure has definite appeal for fairy-tale aficionados. While the book is at times a difficult and painful read owing to the ongoing challenges and abuse Dortchen faces, hope wins out ultimately. Forsyth includes an afterword and the origins of the Grimms' stories so readers can explore the choices the author made between historical fact and creative interpretation as she wrote the novel. [See Prepub Alert, 1/25/15.]--Katie Lawrence, Chicago

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015

An internationally best-selling author known especially for "The Witches of Eileanan" and "Rhiannon's Ride" series, Forsyth is also responsible for last year's Bitter Greens, an LJ Best Historical Novel. In this new work, set in the German kingdom of Hesse-Cassel in the early 19th century, Dortchen Wild finds herself irresistibly drawn to the boy next door--who happens to be Wilhelm Grimm of fairy tale fame. Great for book clubs.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.