Briar Rose (novel)

Briar Rose is a 1992 novel by American author Jane Yolen. It is a Holocaust-themed retelling of the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty." The story follows Becca Berlin, a young woman obsessed with fairy tales, particularly Sleeping Beauty, and her grandmother Gemma, a Holocaust survivor who only speaks about the Holocaust through fragmented, fantastical stories resembling fairy tales.

Upon Gemma's death, Becca's sister, Gittel, reveals that Gemma entrusted Becca with finding the truth behind a secret, hinting that Gemma's "Sleeping Beauty" stories were not mere fantasy but a coded account of her real experiences during World War II. Becca embarks on a journey to Chelmno, Poland, the location Gemma often referred to in her tales, seeking to uncover the historical reality behind her grandmother's stories.

The novel interweaves the traditional fairy tale elements of Sleeping Beauty – the enchanted sleep, the thorny briar, the rescuing prince – with the horrific realities of the Holocaust. Becca's investigation leads her to a network of survivors and witnesses who help her piece together Gemma's past and reveal the truth of how she survived the Chelmno extermination camp.

Briar Rose explores themes of memory, trauma, the power of storytelling, the responsibility of remembrance, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable atrocities. It highlights the importance of acknowledging and confronting the past, particularly the horrors of the Holocaust, to prevent such events from happening again. The novel is noted for its innovative use of fairy tale tropes to address serious historical issues and its sensitive portrayal of the lasting impact of trauma on survivors and their families.