Contents:
Ribbons and Bows A Nest of Vipers A Handful of Rags A Woman's Tears The Most Powerful Woman in the World One Less Thing A Better Place A New Man Give and Take A Difficult Man to Love A Woman's Touch The Winter Graves Three Card Trick A Particular Consummation The Ways of Love Something to Lose Tea and Sympathy See notes for more info. This version of A Bed of Thorns will no longer be updated, but will stay online to preserve the community and conversation that built up around it, and to preserve this version of the text for anyone who prefers it to my eventual, finished copy.
None of my fanfiction may be reposted or otherwise shared elsewhere, including translations and audio recordings, unless you have my written consent. No need to ask first. A fossilised, warts-n-all WIP that mostly still matches its Russian translation, thus somewhat helping to explain all the mistakes and mis-steps preserved in that copy of the text - and that I consider this version a working draft, a step in the process, not anything like a finished product. Works-in-progress are part of fandom's unique culture, a part that I really love.
I've decided that preserving a WIP that made a bit of a splash in its day isn't such a bad thing, when the alternative is to start messing with this text to the extent that some of the comment threads would get deleted as I changed the chapter structure. Doing this allows me to make the bigger changes I need to make to the text in order to finish A Bed of Thorns the way I want to, without taking the 'original' away from anyone who doesn't want to lose this version.
A final version of A Bed of Thorns will be posted separately as soon as it's ready. I'll update this draft one last time to provide a link when it's done. I've posted a bit more about how I came to this decision here on my Dreamwidth blog:. See the end of the work for more notes. See the end of the chapter for notes. With war on the horizon, blood red and ever-threatening, the people danced and they sang, they talked and they gossiped, they baked bread and they ate it.
Men talked of war and kept their weapons sharp. Those without weapons sharpened tools or sticks. No one spoke of surrender, for to surrender to the ogres was to die a merciless death. Elders passed from the world. They all lived their lives in defiance of the looming thunderheads of war. Belle had seen many weddings, both the sober blessings and the merry feasts. She always knew her own time would come; a suitor, a dowry, then a date for the celebration. With the war, her father spoke quietly of duty and of necessity; Belle's hand in marriage in exchange for an alliance that might shelter their people from the worst of the fighting.
Belle's dowry and inheritance in return for the loyal service of a proven knight. No one spoke of love. Not Belle, and not her father. Sir Gaston spoke of it often, but Belle found neither flattery nor affection in his stilted recitations. She would do her duty, of course, but as the red haze of the war crept ever closer to their borders, Belle wondered if any of them would even live to taste another wedding cup.
She couldn't feel sorrow at the thought of never being able to marry Gaston. She couldn't feel afraid for herself. Instead she feared for the people, fiercely admiring their spirit and courage. She feared for her father.
He'd grown sick with the responsibility of protecting them all from a war that was not and had never been theirs. It nonetheless threatened to sweep away their small fastness as it had so many others. Too often they buried the fallen sons of the town. Too often there was little enough brought home to bury, so people said their final goodbyes over keepsakes or last letters, instead, when the ogres even took the bones. People said that ogres liked to gnaw the bones. Belle wondered often about the ogres, unable to imagine them or to find anyone among the returning fighters who'd tell her more than she knew.
They were like the tide, everyone said. Like the storm that sinks the ship and like the winter that smothers the pasture. A force of nature. One boy, scarred from ear to ear and drunk on remedies, called it 'pissing in the wind', before his comrades pulled him away, scolding him for using such words in front of their princess.
In truth, Belle was no princess. A knight's daughter with a noble mother, sole heir to the modest lands bestowed on Sir Maurice by the king. But it delighted the townspeople to imagine themselves important enough to have a royal family of their own, just as it excited them that she'd soon marry into a family one step away from the throne. Princess or not, she was a gentlewoman, sheltered to a fault, and it took her some minutes of quiet reflection to work out what the scarred warrior had meant by 'pissing in the wind'.
That they might as well try to stem the incoming tide with their bare hands, she decided; that they might as well plead with the winter storms to take pity on the land as battle the ogres. Her responsibility was to marry, to live in comfort far from the battle lines, and to bear strong heirs. For the first time she was glad of it and then, lying in darkness with the shutters closed tight against the unholy red stain on the stars, she was ashamed that her rank protected her when others slept unguarded.
That man's scars, his rank and ragged despair—they could be her own but for the mere accident of birth. Gaston never spoke of the war in her presence. Other people said that he'd distinguished himself in battle; that he was a swordsman with few equals and skilled on horseback. She and Gaston spoke barely at all in fact, but Belle watched him with the other men. She listened, often unseen from some corner where she sat pretending to read a book. She'd learned enough to forewarn her of her future. Her future husband wasn't a wise man. He was proud and impatient.
Handsome enough and not vain with it, but he never smiled so his good looks were cold. Even Belle's poor father could still make a moment for merriment as the war news came and came, but Gaston stood aloof from the trials of others. He fingered his sword hilt constantly, as though he could not wait to rejoin the battle and dispense with this talking.
One evening, less than a moon before she was to marry Gaston, Belle stitched a petal in her sampler and listened to the latest news and strategy. Her father leaned heavily on the great table where a map was spread in place of their old feasts and games.
Advisors came and went, the men waited and worried, and always there was more bad news from the front. If they lost the road to the sea then the bulk of their surviving army would be trapped with their backs to the cliffs, where the ogres could pick off the survivors at their leisure. Everyone knew it, but no one said it. It froze her hands with her needle through the linen. It froze the council of war in a shocked silence that such words came from Sir Maurice of all men.
Gaston scowled at nothing in particular, or perhaps at everything, but didn't go quite so far as to direct the dark look at Belle's father. Even in the songs, miraculous victory doesn't come through force of arms! The silence had a song of its own. Belle heard it as a counterpoint to the frightened pounding of her own blood; the shuffle of a boot, a cough, a snort from Gaston and the rasp of his gauntlet over the hilt of his sword.
She flushed under the stares of the men yet resented their irritation. She might be ignorant of the arts of war, but she wasn't ignorant , and her words had been a brave, sensible answer to father's moment of naked despair. She lowered the sampler into her lap and looked for her father's face among the staring men. He hadn't noticed her presence until she spoke. He spoke to her with such scorn, and why? For speaking her mind in a room full of men? For saying what needed to be said? Because she was a woman? There are too many of them and too few of us. The serious men who'd been scowling or tutting at her intrusion fell silent.
She could feel their stares. She'd made them think. He strode over to her side, took her arm and escorted her to the door. It was a courteous eviction, swift and final. Belle found herself outside in the passage with the memory of his short, courtly bow angering her more than the slamming of the great doors right in her face.
He was right; a council of war was no place for a lady if she wasn't even allowed to speak! Only concern for her father had drawn her there, but why shouldn't she know how the battles progressed? The ogres wouldn't spare her for being a lady if they came beating down the doors. The ogres wouldn't spare anyone. Did Gaston think they'd share his misplaced chivalry? Was it because he was too tired, or too cowardly?
Jun 05, Mathilda rated it it was amazing. Amongst the very best of the Beauty and the Beast re-tellings I've read. My eyes were blood-shot red when I finally shut my 'lover', but I was extremely satisfied. Personally I loved the writing style, Absolutely magical! Personally I loved the writing style, the philosophy and the palette of human emotions the story portrayed. There was just one moment, or perhaps two in the novel where I had to blink and shut off my reasoning- but the story was so gripping, I easily overlooked these small errors.
Also, I think the Epilogue was inessential,but then I'm not really fond of those in general; I prefer to leave it up to my own imagination to guess as to how the heroes will evolve after the ending of a good story. Sondra Allan Carr's got herself a new fan- I'm going to be following her writing!
Jan 25, Amber rated it liked it Shelves: I thought I would love this but several things ruined it for me The love story between Jenny who I hated and Richard. Every minute spent reading about it was a waste of time. Get back to the main characters please. The constant, constant misunderstandings between Jonathan and Isabelle. This book was way too long which is not usually a complaint of mine but all of that long, frustrating build up only to get a "turn down the lamp" at the end?!
That's how you show the main I thought I would love this but several things ruined it for me That's how you show the main characters finally coming together? I didn't need a big scene but give me something She has him wear stage makeup in order to meet her sister! How does that show acceptance? Let the man keep some of his dignity for goodness sake.
That epilogue, come on, what a downer. Mar 25, Jennifer Milan rated it really liked it Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is definitely a major tear jerker. I need to add one spoiler This story surrounds a brutal rape of a young girl, so if that is hard for you to handle I would not recommend this story. However, it is also a story of hope and redemption and love. Jonathan and Isabelle's story is a rendition of beauty and the beast. Because of Isabelle's tragic and horrendous past she too struggles with her own feelings of beastliness.
The relationship between the two main characters was well developed This book is definitely a major tear jerker. The relationship between the two main characters was well developed and the pace was exactly right to allow you to experience the powerful emotions I felt learning more about Isabelle's past.
Heart wrenching but sweet. I enjoyed this version of my favorite fairy tale, despite the darker and more serious tone. Oct 22, Samira rated it really liked it. I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast, and this story's just a different version of the story, and liked it. Sep 01, Dinjolina rated it liked it Shelves: The ending was depressing. It made me wonder if they ever had kids.
It froze her hands with her needle through the linen. He may not accept our offer of payment. Queen of Nowhere I've posted a bit more about how I came to this decision here on my Dreamwidth blog: The story and the characters all added value to the book, I even felt affection for the house staff.
Sad kind of epilogue and totally prong for this book. Feb 01, Mia rated it liked it. Beauty and the Beast.
Dec 10, Ashley rated it liked it Shelves: It was great until than. Her characters - Isabelle and Jonathan - were very likeable, both so insecure about themselves that they found it hard to understand each other. Their misunderstandings happened frequently throughout the story, but there was nothing repetitive about them: I really enjoyed their conversations on the nature of truth and beauty. I found both Isabelle and Jonathan to be well defined characters, with depth and feeling.
I also appreciated Carr's language - a little more formal and so befitting the time. Her research was also well done. Fans of different versions of the Beauty and the Beast story will probably smile at all of that. I think in terms of plot, there isn't anything here that will come as a surprise. It's pretty well signposted early on what happened to Isabelle. I think what is interesting about the events in Isabelle's past is that they allow her to see past Jonathan's own scars.
In a way, both Isabelle and Jonathan see each other as the beauty and themselves as the beast. That makes for an interesting dynamic between them. The secondary plot pleased me less, I have to say, which is why this is a four star book for me and not higher. I think if the story had solely concentrated on Jonathan and Isabelle, I probably would have called this book a new favourite, but the secondary plot was problematic.
I can see how it could be taken as another take on Beauty and the Beast, and Carr does use it to create the reason for her Beauty's departure from her Beast, but I think this needed to be another story, really. It interferes too much with Jonathan and Isabelle, especially towards the end. Richard as a character I have reservations about. I appreciate that he's presented as flawed and having that knowledge of himself, but he says some things about Isabelle rather, thinks them that I find hard to take.
I understand that his attitude would probably be typical of the time, but, at the same time, Richard is a doctor who's worked amongst the poor and seen cases like Isabelle's. You'd think he'd be a bit more understanding. His attitude comes across as a bit selfish at times. I wasn't overly fond of Jenny, but then I don't think she was very well developed as a character. She seemed to be there to create drama more than anything else. I found the ending a bit of an anti-climax.
I would prefer it had ended about two chapters before it did to keep the narrative a bit tighter. It seemed like Carr wanted to throw one last plot point into the mix, which wasn't necessary since it had so little bearing on the story. I did enjoy the story over all, though, and even though the cover art had little to do with the plot of the story, I do think it's some of the nicest cover art I've seen on a book.
I thought the book as a whole was nicely designed. Makes me wish some of the bigger publishers would put so much attention into their design. Sep 03, Chrizette rated it really liked it. This review is also posted on my blog http: Sondra Allan Carr just overwhelms with her sensitivity in this love-against-the-odds novel. Jonathan Nashe is heir to a huge fortune but after a tragic fire leaves him terribly disfigured, he refuses to let anyone see him.
He lives, sheltered away from prying eyes, i This review is also posted on my blog http: He lives, sheltered away from prying eyes, in his country mansion where he does some research to keep his mind and time occupied. Isabella Tate was the victim of a brutal rape and the ongoing physical and mental abuse of her father. To give her sister the opportunity of a better life, she agrees to be secretary to Jonathan for one year. Will these two people be able to put the past behind them and build a new life together or will their heartache keep them apart forever?
Isabelle was an easy character to love. She always seemed to put her sister's happiness above her own, trying to give her a better life than she had. This endeared me to her. She is hired as a secretary for the elusive Jonathan Nashe and from the beginning, it is a difficult relationship both professionally and personally. I will admit that I have a soft spot for a tortured hero and Jonathan made me just want to put my arms around him and never let go.
He is the perfect "beast" character — scarred both physically and mentally. He just could not fathom the idea that anyone could tolerate his presence, never mind love him! I was so happy the first time he came out of his room! Together, Isabelle and Jonathan start to help each other out of their comfort zones and they start living for the first time. At first it is just little Sunday morning strolls which then develops into evenings in the library. They have led such utter miserable lives and have experienced only hardship and pain, that as their love story slowly develops, we cannot help but wish them only happiness.
Unfortunately the path to happiness is never easy and there are lots of misunderstandings. This was the only negative point for me. I felt that some of the misunderstandings could have been resolved immediately and that they got drawn out a bit too much. The subplot between Isabella's young sister and the doctor-friend of Jonathan was a fun addition to the book. I loved their relationship so much that I would have loved them to have had a book of their own. This is the ultimate "Beauty and the Beast" story. True love comes in all forms and is strong enough to wipe away even the worst of our pasts.
That is the message of this book and I could not agree more. Jul 12, norcalgal rated it really liked it Shelves: I was just in tears in a good way when I finished reading this novel.
Meaning: Full of difficulties. Usage: Life of an ill person always remains a bed of thorns. Idioms by alphabet. Click on the alphabet to view idioms starts with. An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works.
It was such a beautiful re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast tale that I wept and wept and wept. For me, there was only one major flaw, and two minor flaws to this story.
The major flaw was the boring, over-long, and completely unnecessary inclusion of Isabelle's sister and her "romance" into what was otherwise a hauntingly moving novel. Perhaps the biggest problem I had with Jenny's romance with the doctor was the HUGE age I was just in tears in a good way when I finished reading this novel. A man old enough to be her father is not a candidate for a love plot with a teenage girl! I could see Jenny having daddy issues and that's perhaps what drove her to an infatuation I refuse to believe it's "true love" with Dr.
Sondra Carr needed to deep-six this secondary plot and concentrate on the primary story between Isabelle and Jonathan. As to the two minor flaws, they were, first, the "off the page" consummation of Isabelle's and Jonathan's love. These two went through so much individually and together, that the author did her readers a real disservice not to expand on the physical denouement of their romance.
I was not looking for explicit erotica, but the author faded to black, as it were, much too soon. Maybe she just can't write love scenes? The second flaw was the time jump at the end of the story. Again, Sondra Carr cheated her readers by not showing a little more about the life between the two lovers when they finally got together. Mere exposition was not enough. I liked the manner in which Carr reworked this, but thought the reason for it was just so stupid. And once again, it's Jenny that's at the center of it.
To reinforce my feeling that this teen nitwit is too young to be involved in true romance let along marriage! Yes of course Isabelle arrives in the nick of time, but without Jenny's interference, it needed have happened at all. Dec 11, Meliana rated it it was ok Shelves: Jonathan Nashe begitu buruk rupa akibat kebakaran yang dialaminya 13 tahun yang lalu sehingga membuatnya hidup menyendiri dan tidak mau siapapun melihatnya, kecuali dr Richard Garrick yang merawatnya dari dulu. Sampai pada akhirnya tangan Jonathan tidak bisa lagi dipaksakan untuk menulis, dan mau tak mau dia menyetujui usul dr Garrick untuk memperkerjakan seorang sekretaris.
Isabelle Tate mempunyai masa lalu begitu kelam yang diakibatkan oleh ayahnya yang seorang penjudi dan pemabuk. Isabelle tid Jonathan Nashe begitu buruk rupa akibat kebakaran yang dialaminya 13 tahun yang lalu sehingga membuatnya hidup menyendiri dan tidak mau siapapun melihatnya, kecuali dr Richard Garrick yang merawatnya dari dulu. Isabelle tidak ingin adiknya Jennifer mengalami hal yang sama seperti dirinya, maka dari itu Isabelle menerima tawaran dr Garrick untuk menjadi sekretaris, walaupun dia tidak mengetahui untuk siapa dia bekerja.
Jonathan marah mengetahui dr Garrick memperkerjakan seorang wanita, dan sangat cantik, untuk menjadi sekretarisnya. Tapi dr Garrick mengatakan bahwa Isabelle tidak akan takut melihat luka Jonathan yang begitu buruk, karena Isabelle sendiri mempunyai luka yang tidak bisa dilihat siapapun dan luka itu lebih menyakitkan dari yang Jonathan miliki. Covernya bener-bener nggak sesuai ama ceritanya. Ceritanya berjalan lambat di awal, tapi mendekati akhir cerita terlalu cepat skip nya. Karena tidak hanya menceritakan kisah Jonathan dan Isabelle tapi juga menceritakan tentang kisah dr.
Richard Garrick, yang juga merupakan menjadi penghubung cerita Jonathan dan Isabelle, cerita ini jadi terlalu bertele-tele. Satu lagi yang bikin tambah kecewa, epilognya.. Yah, kali ini aku memang agak pelit memberi bintang, sorry to say, tapi menurutku yang membuat aku bertahan untuk terus membaca cerita ini adalah ingin tahu bagaimana Jonathan dan Isabelle mendapatkan happy ending mereka. I was looking for the "Beauty and the beast" theme and I found it!
I don't know how to start this review, I really really liked the book, it was beautiful written even though sometimes it was a bit repetitive but it didn't bother me at all, but something that I can't seem to accept is the relation between Richard and Jenny, I'm sorry but it is kind of disturbing and I'm one of those girls who have no problem with age gaps but this It was close to pedophilia for me, I tried to think that things I was looking for the "Beauty and the beast" theme and I found it!
It was close to pedophilia for me, I tried to think that things were different back then but still, I skip almost every scene of them. The story and the characters all added value to the book, I even felt affection for the house staff. Everything was going good but the end disappointed me, like the story was good so I expected the outcome of everything that was happening would be more exciting Overall I recommend this book for a rainy weekend! Jun 16, Laura rated it it was amazing. It definitely is a book worth reading. It starts slow but then when you get to know Isabell and Jonathan you can't put it down, you just want to know when it's going to flourish.
It's a beautiful retelling of the Beauty and the Beast. It shows you that fairy tales can be real even in the worst possible situations. It had me smiling and crying all the time. I recommend it to everybody. The end is a bit upsetting but nevertheless I encourage everybody to read it. I'm a Disney girl, and I have to s It definitely is a book worth reading.
I'm a Disney girl, and I have to say I thought I was going to miss the touch of magic, but the realism that the writer added to this story made it so stunning that it keeps you wanting more. This book reaches the top ten of books I have read in my life; which is a staggering number because I'm a bookaholic. The story was so addicting I couldn't wait to get home from work to read more. The souls of the hero and heroine have joined with my very own. I am head-over-heels in love with Jonathan Nashe. Even though there were a few grammatical errors and typos, I gave them no weight in this review; that's how much I enjoyed loved this story.
I commend the author on writing a tale that go This book reaches the top ten of books I have read in my life; which is a staggering number because I'm a bookaholic. I commend the author on writing a tale that goes to the very heart of the reader. As for the secondary plot, I thought it was great because it was such an unusual relationship.
Without giving a spoiler, I would love to read the nephew's story. I will definitely read more books by this author. Nov 04, Juhi rated it it was amazing Shelves: Isabelle and Johnathan are such complex, flawed characters, but they are so perfect for each other. Both of them have lived the greater parts of their lives hiding behind this curtain of shame, but once Isabelle comes to work as Johnathan's secretary against his wishes, originally , their carefully constructed barriers to the world begin to unravel.
This is such a heartwarming story, and definitely one of my favorite renditions of the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. I could not put the book d Isabelle and Johnathan are such complex, flawed characters, but they are so perfect for each other. I could not put the book down once I started it and now that I've finished, the story and its characters still linger in my mind. I wasn't overly fond of the secondary characters, but Isabelle and Johnathan's beautiful, spell-binding relationship more than compensate.
I wholeheartedly recommend it! Jan 13, Nora Barta rated it it was ok Shelves: This book is the perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it cover. The heroine was an idiot who could have solved the whole problem by telling the hero her story. But on, what did she do? She wined throughout the whole book and did things that are the opposite of what she thought.
The hero is the only reason i even rate this book. He was the tortured kind and was pretty cool, but trust issues much?? At least trust the guy who saved your life and loved you like a son an This book is the perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it cover. The ending was the worse by the way. It was not the happy ever after I waited for the "Beaty and The Beast". It was a disappointment.
Oct 12, Lara rated it it was amazing Shelves: I fell in love with the characters, felt all their feelings, cried when they shared their past or their "shames" as they called it, although there was never any reason to be ashamed. Jonathan and Isabelle are not our perfect heros, they are scarred, they are undervalued and finally find acceptance and love in each other, coming to overpass their fears in order to be together. This story is a lot like the classic Beauty and the Beast and at the same time not alike at all.