Read a cautionary tale of a modern princess trapped in her castle

The Force of Such Beauty — Barbara Bourland

What to Read This Week

The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland

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Content warnings are listed in the footnote of this newsletter.¹

What It’s About

While her bodyguards are distracted, Princess Caroline quietly steals keys and drives right out of her palace. They bring her right back, of course, after she makes it as far as the airport. They always do.

So how did the princess become trapped in her tower?

Set before the 2008 financial collapse, in a time of luxury and lavishness and flaunting wealth, the love story of Finn and Caroline is told. Caroline is a record-setting Olympic athlete, the fastest woman in the world, before her fall. She meets Finn in a luxury rehab facility and knows nothing of his background or who he really is. But after a whirlwind romance, he sweeps her to his palace in Lucomo, where he is crown prince. It’s seemingly everything a girl could want.

But the longer her life goes on in the palace, the more Caroline realizes it may not be what she thought it was. And Finn’s mother, along with the rest of the palace staff, make it clear that Caroline was chosen for a very specific reason: to produce heirs to the kingdom.

As Caroline loses control over her life and her body, she begins wondering if she will ever be able to escape this life of pearls and private yachts and people who say they know best for her.

“While he gave me a yellow diamond ring and sailed me into this port; when he locked a collar of pearls around my neck, led me down a balustrade like a dog on a leash, and we waved to ten thousand people; even when he shut the door on me for the first time—throughout all of it, this had looked like a gift. This life had looked so special. I would have done anything to keep it.”

Who Will Like It

To say this was a favorite of the year is an understatement. It might be one of my favorites of all time, and The Force of Such Beauty has earned a spot at the top of my list of books I will say over and over again are my favorite. Bourland’s writing itself and the absolute perfect balance between Caroline’s inner thoughts and the actions happening around her combined with a pitch-perfect commentary on public life and the subjugation of women’s bodies blew me away.

If you’ve been interested in royal life and the dangers and downsides of it, this feels very reminiscent of a Princess Diana–era tale, or, as the blurb on the front cover sums up perfect: “Like if My Year of Rest and Relaxation was about Grace Kelly.” This is also based on a real-life princess who, like Caroline, was reported to have tried to escape multiple times.

There’s really no comparison to this book; it’s one of the best I’ve read, and I encourage you to pick it up.

Next Up

I’ve officially finished round 1 of the Great Bookshelf Organization Project of 2022—everything on my shelves is now sorted, purged, or moved to a “read next” stack. Next up? Floor piles! I’ve got my library books and my “read next” stack piled precariously on a shelf, and I’m excited to watch this stack dwindle as I tackle some of these reads.

My friend Laura at Books & Bakes is hosting a fun, yearlong reading challenge called Queer Your Year! I’m excited to expand my own queer reading and work to diversify my own shelves with her fun and engaging prompts (and prizes!).

Are you planning a 2023 reading stack or challenge yet? I am reviewing my own spreadsheet (yes, I keep a reading spreadsheet!) from this year to see what areas I’d like to work on reading more of next year. What are your goals?

Happy Holidays!

I’m taking the next two weeks off for the holidays, but I’ll be back in your inbox with brand-new recommendations in January! Thank you so much for being a reader—you have made my first year writing this newsletter so much fun!

More Books

Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations: 

• Read a warm and fuzzy snowstorm mystery

• Read about a young woman on a quest of her own

• Read a novel about a reality TV family keeping secrets behind the cameras

I also love hearing from readers! Let me know what kinds of books you’re looking for that you’d like to see featured, or send in your most recent five-star read (or two) and get a recommendation just for you. You might be featured in an upcoming newsletter! Reply to this email to get in touch!

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1. Content warnings: marital affairs, gaslighting, childbirth, miscarriage, xenophobia, trichotillomania, racism and racist language, ableism and ableist language, bulimia.