The Force of Such Beauty

A Novel

By: Barbara Bourland

Narrated by: Tessa Jubber

“This is not your grandma’s fairy tale… Brilliant.” —The Washington Post

“The Force of Such Beauty grips with the strength of an Olympian and holds it with the endurance of a marathoner … [to] an ending that actually caught my breath, not once, but twice in quick succession.”—The Associated Press

One sunny afternoon in an idyllic kingdom by the sea, a princess named Caroline pretends to sleep. When her keepers strike up a card game, Caroline sneaks into her maid’s car, turns the key, and drives right out of the palace. Alone for the first time in years, she gets on the next flight—only to land in the waiting arms of her guards. As she’s forcibly escorted back to her marble prison, something in Caroline breaks for good. It’s not her first failed attempt, and it won’t be her last. Caroline suspects that she’ll never escape. But she might find a way to be free.

Barbara Bourland’s stunning third novel, a phantasmagorical fable of love and marriage, is her most ambitious and inventive book to date. Inspired by the alleged escape attempts of real-life princesses, The Force of Such Beauty is both the story of an idealistic young woman trapped by a corrupt promise, and a deeply moving reminder that power structures around the world ultimately rest on the subjugation of women’s bodies.

“A fascinating novel about bodies, the way we use them, and the way we break them. It’s one of several works to come out this year concerned with the appropriation of female beauty by powerful men, and examines a harsh choice in the lives of women dubbed desirable by the patriarchal state: do you participate, or do you say no?…Bourland is skilled at finding the noir in the everyday, and illustrating the mechanisms of control that keep us in our place.”—Crime Reads, Best Books of the Year (So Far)

©2022 Barbara Bourland (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“With trademark style and sophistication Bourland (I'll Eat When I'm Dead, 2017; Fake Like Me, 2019) plays with the tropes of the princess tales, true and not, that we know as well as our own names as she giftedly conjures Caroline's glittering, threatening worlds. Despite danger everywhere, Caroline is the captivating narrator of her own story: a domestic drama, sparkling fairy tale, cautionary tale, and suspenseful mystery all laced into one.” —Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

"Bourland offers a smart critique of a corrupt world’s disenchanting effects on a naive young woman. The result is satisfyingly dark and twisted." —Publishers Weekly

"An immersive depiction of the glittering surface and rotten core of royal living, painted in sumptuous and chilling detail."—Kirkus

Intricate and Haunting

Such a wonderfully written tale that stays with you long after the credits. Reminiscent of all the princesses who have to hold it together despite falling apart. If you liked the movie Spencer and looking into the dynamic of the royal family, you’ll love this book.

Slow to start, but worth it

I heard about this book on Tiktok. Someone said they couldn't put it down so I bought the audio version right away. I wasn't impressed right away. It was done well, but not "I can't put it down", at least not for me. The end is absolutely worth it and it truly is just a really good book!

amazing

I couldn't stop listening. the author brought me into a strange world described vividly.

Harrowing.

You feel like you're there, like you're trapped too. Incredibly well written and narrated.

I hope the narrator does more, her voice is perfect for audiobooks.

The downside of being a princess

For anyone who knows about the principality of Monaco, this story will bring up the similarities between Charlene, wife of Prince Albert, and, to some extent, Princess Grace. Although the story is a bit over-long, it does illustrate that life as a royal isn’t what it seems to be. Great narration !

Sad !!! Very sad

It’s a sad and very closed to truth .. the life and tragedy of being a princess .. I ended very depressed and sad even though I knew it was not going to end with happy ! I truly wanted the princess to get a fresh start

Unfulfilled Potential

The themes of this book (exploding the princess myth, female empowerment and agency) and the popular culture tie-ins (how a modern princess such as Kate Middleton or Meghan Markle can survive while adhering to the crushing norms of a monarchy) are made for me. Unfortunately they were presented in a pretty boring story. I never bought into the great love story, liked but did not love the protagonist and hence didn’t feel much as the story progressed. The first half was pretty hard to stick with, and I only really felt compelled to continue reading in the last 15%.