Below are some songs that the author was inspired by or feel capture her book THE BOOK OF THORNS.
Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush
This Kate Bush song from the 80s had a huge resurgence last year thanks to the show Stranger Things and then on TikTok. But it also was on the soundtrack of the 2018 miniseries adaptation of Vanity Fair. It’s no secret that my book was heavily influenced by Thackeray’s novel, and I have watched every movie and television adaptation of it. This song plays during the pivotal scene of the British army departing from Brussels to meet Napoleon on the battlefield at Waterloo. It imprinted on me while I was watching the miniseries, and subsequently became a staple of my writing playlist. It definitely fits with how Cornelia feels when Henri goes into battle, wishing that she could take his place to save him.
Cam Ye O’er Frae France – Steeleye Span
I love Steeleye Span. I love their folk-rock takes on medieval and traditional songs, and Maddy Prior’s beautiful voice. So I’m always looking for an excuse to play their music, and one of theirs in particular kept running through my head as I was writing The Book of Thorns. “Cam Ye O’er France” is very much a marching song, and it mentions both England and France, two countries where much of the book is set. While the song is about the Jacobite rebellions, I think the feel of it fits in nicely with my story.
The Suite from the Victoria series (2017)
I don’t remember when I first heard this song, or how. It’s from the soundtrack of the British series Victoria which came out a few years ago. All I know is that as soon as I heard it, it spoke to me. The music feels like a flower growing, unfurling, blooming. It instantly became the soundtrack for my writing sessions, and I imagined Cornelia’s and Lijsbeth’s flower magic evolving in time with the soaring melody.
Wicked Game- Ursine Vulpine
Ursine Vulpine’s version of “Wicked Game” is hands down my favorite cover of Chris Isaak’s famous song. It’s dreamy and moody and just hits the right vibe for this book. I can definitely see Cornelia feeling the same way as the person in the song—scared and angry to be having such intense feelings after being hurt before.
In This Shirt – The Irrepressibles
Sometimes there is just a song, that while not really related to a story in any way, just kind of fits. For this book, it was “In This Shirt” by the Irrepressibles. I love the building tension for the first three minutes of the song, until the moment the melody hits its peak and then shatters into a flurry of notes. It feels like petals scattering on the wind.
Hester Fox delivers an enchanting tale of secrets, betrayal, and magic!
Penniless and stranded in France after a bid to escape her cruel uncle goes awry, Cornelia Shaw is far from the Parisian life of leisure she imagined. Desperate and lacking options, she allows herself to be recruited to Napoleon’s Grande Armée. As a naturalist, her near-magical ability to heal any wound with herbal mixtures invites awe amongst the soldiers…and suspicion. For behind Cornelia’s vast knowledge of the natural world is a secret she keeps hidden—the flowers speak to her through a mysterious connection she has felt since childhood. One that her mother taught her to heed, before she disappeared.
Then, as Napoleon’s army descends on Waterloo, the flowers sing to her of a startling revelation: a girl who bears a striking resemblance to Cornelia. A girl she almost remembers—her sister, lost long ago, who seems to share the same gifts. Determined to reunite with Lijsbeth despite being on opposite sides of the war, Cornelia is drawn into a whirlwind of betrayal, secrets, and lies. Brought together by fate and magic at the peak of the war, the sisters try to uncover the key to the source of the power that connects them as accusations of witchcraft swirl and threaten to destroy the very lives they’ve fought for.
Fantasy Historical | Suspense Gothic [Graydon House, On Sale: April 2, 2024, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781525812019 / eISBN: 9780369747938]
When not writing, Hester works in the museum field as a collections maintenance technician. This job has taken her from historic houses to fine art museums, where she has the privilege of cleaning and caring for collections that range from paintings by old masters, to ancient artifacts, to early American furniture. She has a master’s degree in historical archaeology, as well as a background in Medieval studies and art history. Hester lives outside of Boston with her husband.
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