IN CONVERSATION: Kate Forsyth & Sophie Mason talk about Fairy Tales (Part 2)
Kate Forsyth and Sophie Masson are both award-winning and internationally published Australian authors whose novels are often inspired by fairytales. Although Kate and Sophie live six hours drive away from each other, they often meet at literary festivals and conferences, or, when their paths cross, for lunch or dinner. They share a love of fairy tales, gardens, cooking, reading, writing, and living the big life.
Today they get together to talk about their fascination with fairy tales. Kate's novel Bitter Greens, is a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale, interwoven with the dramatic life story of the woman who first told the tale, the 17th century French writer, Charlotte-Rose de la Force. Sophie’s novel, Moonlight and Ashes, was inspired by Aschenputtel, the Grimm’s version of the well-known Cinderella tale.
Kate: Do you have a favourite fairy tale, Sophie? Which is it?
Sophie: My favourite fairy tale is probably Beauty and the Beast--it is so romantic and exciting but also it has such a spirited heroine! And I'm currently writing a novel, Scarlet in the Snow, based on the Russian version of the story, ‘The Scarlet Flower’. But I also love many others, including ‘The Firebird’, ‘Puss in Boots’, and ‘Sleeping Beauty’ (I’ve written books based on these ones too), ‘The Wild Swans’, ‘The Goose Girl’ (there are elements of ‘The Goose Girl’ in Moonlight and Ashes too), ‘Ashenputtel’, and many, many others. How about you?
Kate: I love Beauty & the Beast too! And Sleeping Beauty, and, of course, Rapunzel. The story of Rapunzel haunted me for many years, and of course was the inspiration for my latest novel Bitter Greens. I became so obsessed by the story I’m even studying it for my doctorate at the moment. It has so much in it that’s intriguing for a novelist – obsession, desire, madness, secrets, love ...
But I think Six Swans has always been the one for me. There’s something about that mute girl, weaving nettles into shirts for her enchanted brothers, not permitted to speak or laugh for six long years ... it just gives me the shivers. I’m actually written a novel about the girl who first told ‘The Six Swans’ to the Grimm brothers, as well as many more of their most compelling and powerful fairy tales. Her name was Dortchen Wild, and she ended up marrying Wilhelm Grimm. It’s the most beautiful, dramatic love story, with a lot of darkness in it, but also beauty ... which really sums up the power of fairy tales, in general, doesn’t it? (This novel is THE WILD GIRL)
Sophie: It does indeed! It sounds a most intriguing novel, Kate. And it seems to me as if you are just as fascinated by the tellers of fairy tales, as much by the tales themselves.
Kate: Yes, that’s true. When writing Bitter Greens, my retelling of Rapunzel, I became so intrigued by the life and character of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, who first told the tale as we best know it ... well, she ended up dominating the book. She was such an amazing woman, witty, intelligent, headstrong. Her life scandalised the court of the Sun King and she was locked up for her wild and wicked ways. Dortchen Wild is very different ... but I’m now as obsessed with her as I was with Charlotte-Rose.
Sophie: I think it’s impossible to write a novel unless you’re obsessed with the story. I know I’m the same!
Kate: Sophie, so many of your novels are inspired by fairy tales. What most fascinates you about these old tales?
Sophie: I think fairy tales are extraordinary because they are so simple, so clear: and yet so rich and complex. You can never get to the end of their meanings, and they are the most wonderful source of inspiration for writers that I know of. The enchanted world they portray is both utterly magical and yet utterly believable; they are so wise yet so funny; so brutal, yet so romantic. They are distillations of understanding and knowledge; they can be profoundly disturbing; and yet they are also enormous fun. Why do you think we can get so much from fairytales, still, Kate?
Kate: I love the fact that fairy tales operate on two levels. On the surface, they are magical adventures filled with wonder, enchantment, beauty, romance, danger, and a satisfying happy ending. On a deeper level, they are serious dramas that reflect, symbolically and metaphorically, problems and pitfalls that are can be very real in people’s inner lives. They offer a stage where the reader (or listener) can act out universal fears and desires, and so resolve deep, subconscious tensions that the reader (or listener) perhaps is not even aware of. One more question in that vein: you've written a lot of novels inspired by fairy tales. Which is your personal favourite?
Sophie: Moonlight and Ashes, probably. I feel like I've said everything I wanted to say in it. It's very powerful and disturbing (and at heart, that story of the abused, neglected child is infinitely disturbing) but it's also gripping, exciting, romantic, magical and mysterious. I feel like everything came together perfectly in it, and that is very exciting. And I can't wait till it comes out so I can see if readers share my excitement! But I do love my other fairy tale novels too, each in their own way.
Kate: Although many of my books are rich with fairy tale themes and motifs, Bitter Greens is really my first true retelling. I loved writing it so much, it is definitely my favourite. I love the way that these old, old tales still have so much mystery and beauty and power.
Today they get together to talk about their fascination with fairy tales. Kate's novel Bitter Greens, is a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale, interwoven with the dramatic life story of the woman who first told the tale, the 17th century French writer, Charlotte-Rose de la Force. Sophie’s novel, Moonlight and Ashes, was inspired by Aschenputtel, the Grimm’s version of the well-known Cinderella tale.
Kate: Do you have a favourite fairy tale, Sophie? Which is it?
Sophie: My favourite fairy tale is probably Beauty and the Beast--it is so romantic and exciting but also it has such a spirited heroine! And I'm currently writing a novel, Scarlet in the Snow, based on the Russian version of the story, ‘The Scarlet Flower’. But I also love many others, including ‘The Firebird’, ‘Puss in Boots’, and ‘Sleeping Beauty’ (I’ve written books based on these ones too), ‘The Wild Swans’, ‘The Goose Girl’ (there are elements of ‘The Goose Girl’ in Moonlight and Ashes too), ‘Ashenputtel’, and many, many others. How about you?
Kate: I love Beauty & the Beast too! And Sleeping Beauty, and, of course, Rapunzel. The story of Rapunzel haunted me for many years, and of course was the inspiration for my latest novel Bitter Greens. I became so obsessed by the story I’m even studying it for my doctorate at the moment. It has so much in it that’s intriguing for a novelist – obsession, desire, madness, secrets, love ...
But I think Six Swans has always been the one for me. There’s something about that mute girl, weaving nettles into shirts for her enchanted brothers, not permitted to speak or laugh for six long years ... it just gives me the shivers. I’m actually written a novel about the girl who first told ‘The Six Swans’ to the Grimm brothers, as well as many more of their most compelling and powerful fairy tales. Her name was Dortchen Wild, and she ended up marrying Wilhelm Grimm. It’s the most beautiful, dramatic love story, with a lot of darkness in it, but also beauty ... which really sums up the power of fairy tales, in general, doesn’t it? (This novel is THE WILD GIRL)
Sophie: It does indeed! It sounds a most intriguing novel, Kate. And it seems to me as if you are just as fascinated by the tellers of fairy tales, as much by the tales themselves.
Kate: Yes, that’s true. When writing Bitter Greens, my retelling of Rapunzel, I became so intrigued by the life and character of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, who first told the tale as we best know it ... well, she ended up dominating the book. She was such an amazing woman, witty, intelligent, headstrong. Her life scandalised the court of the Sun King and she was locked up for her wild and wicked ways. Dortchen Wild is very different ... but I’m now as obsessed with her as I was with Charlotte-Rose.
Sophie: I think it’s impossible to write a novel unless you’re obsessed with the story. I know I’m the same!
Kate: Sophie, so many of your novels are inspired by fairy tales. What most fascinates you about these old tales?
Sophie: I think fairy tales are extraordinary because they are so simple, so clear: and yet so rich and complex. You can never get to the end of their meanings, and they are the most wonderful source of inspiration for writers that I know of. The enchanted world they portray is both utterly magical and yet utterly believable; they are so wise yet so funny; so brutal, yet so romantic. They are distillations of understanding and knowledge; they can be profoundly disturbing; and yet they are also enormous fun. Why do you think we can get so much from fairytales, still, Kate?
Kate: I love the fact that fairy tales operate on two levels. On the surface, they are magical adventures filled with wonder, enchantment, beauty, romance, danger, and a satisfying happy ending. On a deeper level, they are serious dramas that reflect, symbolically and metaphorically, problems and pitfalls that are can be very real in people’s inner lives. They offer a stage where the reader (or listener) can act out universal fears and desires, and so resolve deep, subconscious tensions that the reader (or listener) perhaps is not even aware of. One more question in that vein: you've written a lot of novels inspired by fairy tales. Which is your personal favourite?
Sophie: Moonlight and Ashes, probably. I feel like I've said everything I wanted to say in it. It's very powerful and disturbing (and at heart, that story of the abused, neglected child is infinitely disturbing) but it's also gripping, exciting, romantic, magical and mysterious. I feel like everything came together perfectly in it, and that is very exciting. And I can't wait till it comes out so I can see if readers share my excitement! But I do love my other fairy tale novels too, each in their own way.
Kate: Although many of my books are rich with fairy tale themes and motifs, Bitter Greens is really my first true retelling. I loved writing it so much, it is definitely my favourite. I love the way that these old, old tales still have so much mystery and beauty and power.
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