Author: Marissa Meyer
Publication Date: 2 November 2021
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Page Count: 512
Reading Method: Digital ARC [thank you Fierce Reads!]
Dates Read: October 29 – 30
Did we all fall in love with Rumpelstiltskin from Once Upon a Time or was that just me? When I saw Marissa Meyer – ya know, the author who gave us a plethora of beautiful fairytale retellings – was releasing a Rumpelstiltskin retelling, I was ready to trade *my* firstborn child for a copy!
This is another instance of using stories within stories, which made me oh so happy. Serilda is an amazing story telling, weaving beautiful and haunting tales to entertain the village children. When she encounters the Erlking and his hunt, the subject of most of her stories, no one believes her. The Erlking returns for her every full moon to take her to his castle to spin straw into gold. The only problem? She was definitely lying about her ability to do so.
There was so so much to love about this story. I absolutely adored the characters… like, all of them (rare). Serilda is full of heart and creativity. She is fierce in her efforts to protect her loved ones and I wish there was even more of her story telling because that’s when she becomes truly captivating. Gild, the mysterious apparition who comes to Serilda’s aid added a bit of humor, though I am hoping we will see more of an exploration of his character in the next book. They did have a bit of instant love, which I am not a huge fan of, but their circumstances are unique and it works well for the story.
There are a handful of side characters and Meyer did a fantastic job of bringing them all to life. The group of children were adorable. The moss maidens, Shrub Grandmother, the innkeeper and her daughter… the world and characters were so beautifully built. I wish we had gotten more content from the Erlking. I love a good villain! Hopefully we will get much more of him in the next book.
The pacing was great. The story pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. I was a bit intimidated by its over 500 pages, but managed to finish it in a couple of days. I truly was looking for any spare moment to get back into the story. The story evokes a wide array of emotions – there were moments that made me laugh, and swoon, and some that broke my heart.
I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to this lovely story.
About the Book
Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller’s daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue.
Or so everyone believes.
When one of Serilda’s outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn’t meant to be part of the bargain.
Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.
About the Author
Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. In addition to writing, Marissa hosts The Happy Writer podcast. She lives near Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and twin daughters.
