Rumplestiltskin

by Jenni James

A young prince crippled by a witch—

When Fredrico watches his cruel family mourn his false death and announce to the kingdom their cursed prince has died, is the day he truly embraces his new life and new name Rumplestiltskin. How could he be known by anything else? —His skin is completely rumpled and stilted now. He hides away from the king and queen and grows up as a crippled servant in the castle.

Years later, his younger brother, Marcus, becomes king and humors Aubrynn’s father when he boasts that his daughter can turn straw into gold. Intrigued Marcus locks the distraught maiden in a tower and declares to the kingdom that if she can transform the straw, he will marry her, but if she cannot he will kill her father.

Rumplestiltskin is determined to help Aubrynn save her father and marry the king. Now, if only he can remember to keep his real identity a secret and not fall in love with her himself…

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tales, Young Adult, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fiction

120 pages, ebook

First published January 31, 2013

About the author

CLEAN ROMANCE FOR TEENS:

*The Jane Austen Diaries*
Pride & Popularity (Aug 2011)
Persuaded (Aug. 2012)
Emmalee (Jan 2013)
Mansfield Ranch (Dec 2013)
Northanger Alibi (Feb. 2012)
Sensible & Sensational (July 2015)
Sand & Sun (2016)
The Wilsons
Queen Sydney

*Jenni James Faerie Tale Collection*
Beauty and the Beast
Sleeping Beauty
Rumplestiltskin
Cinderella
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
Snow White
The Frog Prince
Twelve Dancing Princesses
Rapunzel
The Little Mermaid
Peter Pan
Return to Neverland
The Forgotten Princess
The Princess With the Golden Touch
Little Red Riding Hood
(and more...)

MIDDLE GRADE READERS:
Prince Tennyson (May 2012)

EARLY READERS:

*Andy & Annie Collection*
A Ghost Story
Greeny Meany

WOMEN'S FICTION:

*Revitalizing Jane Series*
Drowning
Swimming
Crawling
Walking
Running
Soaring


CLEAN ROMANCE FOR ADULTS:

*Eternal Realm Series*
Eternity
Destiny
Divinity

Reviews

[Zyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
cute short fairytale :)

[Norah Una Sumner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real rating: 2.5

Don't get me wrong,it wasn't awful but it's not a masterpiece either.The story is interesting and the main character,our Rumple,is really great here but the whole romance thing wasn't really convincible.I know that it's supposed to be a fairy-tale retelling but they were kissing a lot and talked about marriage after spending just one day together.I mean,come on,that's not how it works!The father honestly deserved to be at least punched in the face for what he did,and Marcus...I'm disappointed when it comes to his whole character-building and the ending he got.I'm giving this book 2.5 stars because I really liked Rumplestiltskin and there was a looot of sarcasm in this book.

Favourite quotes:

''He sincerely was beautiful.His smile,his wit,his friendliness and ease,his laughter-they all exuded such beauty.How could one look at him and not think him wonderful?''

''I think I most definitely need a kiss.''
''Rumple!''She came up enough to see his mischievous eyes.
''What?''He blinked.''A man can dream,can he not?''

''She would gladly wed a king tomorrow-gladly wed him!But it would not be the one they were expecting.''

[Kira Simion · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read this story for free and it's cute. It's very much like the original fairytale but a few aspects are changed creating a cute offspring. Took me less than an hour to read but it was a nice light read.

3/5 stars

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The romance got overly kissy at times, and I didn't care for the witchcraft references, but a sweet story over all. Ch.14 was... ❤️❤️

[Kathy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't think that you would ever love Rumplestiltskin?! Well then... I guess you haven't read Jenni's version of our dear Rumple! Want to love him?! Then you definitely need to read this one!! He quickly became one of my fave characters in the first chapter! *sigh*

At the age of 5, Prince Frederico found himself cursed by a witch. She told him that his grandfather used to rule the land with kindness and was a perfect example to all. But things changed when his father took over as king. She told him that his family was pure evil and they needed to be taught a lesson. That lesson would be taught to them through him. She cursed him with rumpled and stilted skin... crippled him... made him "ugly". When the king and queen saw him they were disgusted and disowned him, telling all the kingdom that he had died. From that day on he was known as Rumplestiltskin.

Aubrynn was a sweet, beautiful young woman who went out of her way to help anyone and everyone that she could. Always putting others needs before her own. She had lost her mother and sister and now it was just her and her father. Aubrynn was always having to get him out of whatever mess he would land himself in. But when he tells king Marcus, Rumple's brother, that his daughter can turn straw into gold, she has no clue how she is going to get him or herself out of that mess.

She is taken to the castle where she ends up meeting our amazing Rumple! She is scared of him for about a minute but after looking into his eyes, feeling a connection with him, she no longer sees him how everyone else sees him. She sees the REAL man... the man he is on the inside. Rumple has a hard time believing that someone as beautiful as Aubrynn would look at him the way she does, touch him without freaking out and admit that she likes kissing him! There has only been one other person who loved him for who he was and that was Tilly, the young maid who took him under her wing and loved him in the way a mother should love their child.

Even though Rumple loves her and she loves him, he has to make the ultimate sacrifice to save her and her father's lives... he commands that his brother, King Marcus, marry her like he said he would if she could spin straw into gold.

Oh how I love Rumple and Aubrynn!! They are loving, selfless, amazing people that would do anything and everything that they can to protect and help the ones they love. I absolutely LOVED when Aubrynn fell asleep on Rumple and he confessed his love for her and just sat there telling her everything that she has done for him! *sigh* It was the sweetest thing ever!! And then when Aubrynn announced to the entire village that she loved Rumple... *sigh* *sigh* LOVE! That is all I can say!!

I have to admit, at times I feel like Jenni is writing her Faerie Tale Collections just for me. And yes... this is one of those times. She has a way of giving me that little boost I need, just when I need it! After reading Rumplestiltskin I just have one word to say... AMEN!! It does not matter what a person looks like on the outside for that is just our shell. It is what's on the inside that truly matters! We are all beautiful... we are all amazing... and we are all enough! Look past what is on the outside and really see what is on the inside.... for that is where the REAL us will be found! Thank you Jenni for another amazing treasure that I will definitely keep for a long, long time! :o)

[Sierra Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review up soon!

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll start off by saying that I think this book is intended for very young audiences, pre-teen for sure. And I just naturally don't enjoy books that are too juvenile. I like well developed, complex characters, as well as well developed, complex plot lines. This book had neither of these things.

My main complaint: the love story. Even if this love story were between two completely normal people, I would have felt that it happened way way way way too quickly. But that fact that it's between Rumplestiltskin (who has been disfigured so terribly that his own parents faked his death and banished him from sight) and the most beautiful maiden in all the land makes it just plain ridiculous. I mean, she's making out with him and declaring her love after knowing him for A DAY. I realize that the lesson being taught here is that real beauty is on the inside and it doesn't matter what one looks like on the outside. But I'm sorry, no matter how pure and nice and well intentioned a girl is, she's not going to fall in love with this hideously deformed man in ONE DAY. She's not. That's not to say that she CAN'T fall in love with him, but there has to be a 'getting-to-know-you' phase and a 'development-of-friendship-and-trust' phase that happens over a period of time for this relationship (or any relationship) to be plausible.

This was a very short book (probably because of it's intended audience) and maybe that's why she moved things along so quickly.

I'm giving it two stars instead of one because if I had a child that enjoyed reading fairytales, I would hand this over to them without hesitation and I'm sure they would love it. But for me personally this book just didn't do it.

[Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one!

Having read all the books in this series before this one, I have to say this is my favorite so far. The theme of unconditional love won me over. Five stars!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo good. Cute, and clean, and magically fun. Jenni James knows what she is doing!!!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot and characters were cleverly written, but I wish there was a bit more detail. It felt incomplete, somehow. There were many editorial errors, which made it frustrating to read. I loved Aubrynn and Rumple's back-and-forth banter, and I really liked both their characters. However, the way they expressed their love or sadness was a bit overdramatic and corny at times.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Jenni delves into a fable, turns it on its ear, and makes it entrancing!!

[Mahsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood fairy tales. Specially because of its tongue twisting name!! 😄

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, quick read! I've never really enjoyed this particular fairy tale but I love the refreshing direction this story takes.

Prince Frederico is 5 years old when he runs away from Nurse Crabtree and heads off to the pond by himself to collect some strange rocks. While there, an old woman steps out of the bushes and, when she finds out who he is, she puts a curse on him. She tells him his family is evil and must be taught a lesson through the young boy. He's confused and as he heads back to his nurse, he realizes his body is hurting and crippled. His looks freak everyone out and he is taken back to the castle where a young maid named Tilly takes care of him once she's over her initial shock at his appearance.

Fast forward 18 years and we find out that his family was so ashamed of him all those years ago that they told everyone he was dead and buried a box of his old clothes and dirt. Every year, the villagers were required to mourn his death (and pay their taxes) on the anniversary of his "death." Meanwhile, Rumple lives in the cellar under the kitchen and tries to stay out of his family's way. His father has died and his brother, Marcus, is now the king and is not a kind man. Tilly died last year so he's feeling lonely this year.

Aubrynn Sloat is a villager preparing to attend the commencement of Prince Frederico's death. Her father, a drunk, is missing and she hurries to the castle by herself. When King Marcus stands up to deliver his speech, she notices a disturbance and a man is called up to the podium. It turns out to be her father and he tells the King that his daughter can turn straw into gold. She's called to the front and told that if she can truly turn straw into gold, she will become the next queen.

It's fun to read how Aubrynn's and Rumple's paths cross and how they handle the predicament she's been placed in and how the royal family does indeed learn a lesson through Rumple/Prince Frederico. I highly recommend this book to everyone and especially those who love fairy tales!

Mel's Shelves

[Bonnie (A Backwards Story)]

My favorite in the collection so far. Rumplestiltskin has never been my favorite fairy tale. Until the amazingness of his character was made present in ABC's hit TV series Once Upon a Time, I never expected to like him at all, but I began feeling for him and his backstory. I admire Rumplestiltskin even more after reading Jenni James' take on the story. Our Rumple, whose given name is Fredrico, comes from a family of cruel rulers. To prevent the family from continuing on this path, Fredrico is cursed into a twisted form. He's banished from the family and hides in the castle, lurking and stealing food with the help of a sympathetic maid as his younger brother, Marcus, rises to power as a ruler as cruel as their father. When Marcus hears it declared that a maiden named Aubrynn can turn straw into gold, he locks her away and puts her to the test. Fredrico finds himself drawn to Aubrynn and assists her in every way he can. Together, they learn magic, discover the meaning of true love, and bring down the wrath of a psychotic king.

There is so much new stuff going on in RUMPLESTILTSKIN! I love that Rumple is related to the royal family, that's he cursed, that the magic behind the spinning is part of the enchantment. There's a sort of Beauty and the Beast twist going on, which adds another layer to the story for me. Because of the mix of elements both new and strange, old and familar introduced to the story, I was completely intrigued and blew right through this one. My favorite by far!

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never been one of those girls to fall in love with a character...
I have LOVED many characters...
But to fall IN LOVE with one was just something I never did...

That is until NOW!

I am TOTALLY IN LOVE with Rumple!

Cursed beyond recognition and figuratively buried by his family...Rumple lives in the cellar under the kitchen...and works as a servant.

Yet he remains witty and charming and fearless and compassionate and full of surprises.

Aubrynn has been ordered to turn straw into gold...
Rumplestiltskin comes to her aid...and as Aubrynn goes about learning his real name...she will learn so much more about him.

There are SO MANY good scenes I want to tell you about that are in this book...but I don't want to spoil it...

Just know that this faerie tale is unlike any other telling before!

Okay...Okay...I just HAVE to tell you about one scene...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how Aubrynn falls asleep from sheer exhaustion in Rumples' arms after they have spent the night spinning the straw into gold..SO TENDER...SO GOOD!

Hurry and read the book so we can talk about it :)

[☆~Nels~ Death by reading~★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was crippled by a witch, no one really truly loved him as he wished to be loved.
He was meant to be king, but because of the curse his family rejected him, and falsely announced his death.

When a foolish father boast falsely, about his daughter being able to spin straw into gold, Fredrico's younger brother, the king, would take her to be his wife, if she is able to spin the straw into gold, if not her father will hang.

Now Rumplestiltskin is determined to help her, and save her father.

[Priuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to give a book two stars. Especially one I feel has so much potential. Also, being a writer myself I know how hard it can be to put together a story.

But I can't ignore what appears to me to be a lack of editing. There were so many misspellings and sentences that just didn't make sense. It really took away from the story.

On a positive note, I did think the story itself was really sweet and a very interesting concept.

[Mel (Daily Prophecy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! Review will follow. I think 3.5 stars.

[Sophie Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, I couldn't put it down :)

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this rebelling of the story! Rumple was just so easily loved and the ending was just awesome!

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation]

Cover love.

[Xena Elektra · Rating 1 out of 5]

The intro to this review is the same as what I came away with when I read the 2nd book in this collection. So sorry for the repeat if you've read my review there.

I kind of feel bad about this because after seeing the general rating/reviews I think I knew this was a bad choice BUT I have a dilemma of trying to hit my reading goal that I've *cough* been slacking on.

So I was like what's the shortest thing on my list. And it was this series. Now I'd previously read two and had mixed reactions. One I hated one I liked. Maybe some are better than others? That's what I told myself and plunged in with no real preconceived notions. By the time I got to this one I'd also just come away from Sleeping Beauty which was enough to make me want to not pick up any book for awhile

This was almost as bad as Sleeping Beauty. I don't want to spend a lot of time picking it apart and really I don't think it needs a ton of that partially due to it wasn't that long and partially due to there was really just a few key issues.

First off the pace of this is super boring. We don't really get to know the characters before getting to the point of the story where what's her noodle gets yeeted into the tower to spin straw.

I don't know WHY her father went to speak to the king. If they didn't have their taxes and he was drunk and desperate I maybe get it. Also why did the king even believe that a drunk poor guy was telling the truth? If he was why weren't they rich?

But basically our story mostly revolves around the tower. We spend a majority of the time in the tower with the two main characters spinning straw into gold and in general having more of the instalove mushy nonsense that I disliked in the last book.

She's beautiful and rumple keeps saying so. He's ugly but she's immediately past that in a way no human is. I'm sorry but we're not. We have to get past that. Like a good beauty and the beast retelling. She's all up in his face kissing him day one and madly in love.

Again the romance was too much too fast.

The characters were poorly developed.

The witch thought cursing a child who'd done nothing evil was fine. Watched him live out his days in misery.

But never thought to do anything about his actual evil brother?

Like... what if things hadn't ended the way they did? she was just going to keep watching the brother rule? and then she didn't curse him in the end but told rumple it was his problem. And rumple just gave him a job handing out gold to people b/c "that'd make him the most unhappy." For reals.

Also the problem was too easily wrapped up and I the FMC actions at the end to wrap it all up neatly made no sense for her to even guess that would've done anything.

I really don't think this series is right for me. I like stories that take more time to give the plot a good arc. More character development. And gosh I hate insta love. Especially at this level.

[Elentarien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this retelling. I really did. I liked the fact that the king - who often struck me as wrong in the original, was not the hero but more the villian. I even liked the fact that Rumplestiltskin was the hero. Not the tack I would have taken, but ok. We can go with that. It was an interesting take. I also like the fact that the book was pretty good for dialogue. The hero was not a push over, the heroine not a helpless twit, but nor were either of them overpowered or out of 'time', so to speak. (No girl warriors ready to take on the world and I don't need men!) She needed help. He helped her. But he also needed help and she helped him, and together they were better for it. yes!

However, there were some issues.

It was never fully 'explained' how the witch cursing a small, innocent boy was supposed to punish the father. From what I could tell, the father didn't suffer at all. One could argue that the 'loss' of a child would be punishment, but, from the sounds of it, the family just created a big facade and went on their way, not really checked in their behaviours or beliefs at all. So - basically it was Rumple - at the age of 5 was cursed and punished for. . .what? Something he was not responsible for? To teach him something? To keep him from being raised by maniacs? Seems it would have just been easier to kidnap him and raise him away from them, rather than torture him. This made no sense and certainly did not seem like the act of a 'good' witch or someone who was just out to teach a lesson to the wicked. It was truly a wicked thing to do.

Aubrynn was a nice character. I liked her. She was fairly down to earth, sensible. No super-powers or abilities strange or unusual for her 'time' frame. However, again, underdeveloped. Not a whole lot to her.

The Love story. Yet again. . .insta-love. Characters meet, fall in love and move on to kissing and being ready to 'die' for each other after less than 24 hours. Even if one is monumentally ugly. Yeah. Ok. I realize these are 'fairy tales', but aren't the retellings supposed to FIX that sort of thing?

All in all, a decent light read. No real meat to it, no real depth. But good for disappearing for a few hours.

[Kenea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this fresh take on a classic tale. Jenni James provides a much needed back story for the character that many of us already know, Rumplestiltskin. As young prince Fredrico is cursed by an evil witch and has to watch helplessly as his family mourns his supposed death. He makes up his mind to be called Rumplestiltskin and grows up as a lonely, wrinkled, servant in the castle. This cruel life separated from his family and cursed hardens him but years later, when his younger brother Marcus becomes king he decides to come to the aid of Aubrynn. Aubrynn is a young maiden whose father has convinced King Marcus that Aubrynn can spin gold out of straw. Rumplestiltskin struggles to remember to keep his real identity a secret and not fall in love with Aubrynn in his quest to set her free. This tale shows a softer, kinder side to Rumplestiltskin.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating twist on a well known tale. Rumplestiltskin is a prince in this story, cursed by a witch simply for being a part of his greedy family. However this curse reveals to him how his family truly is when they disown him for his looks and he embraces a new name to distance himself. When his younger brother takes in a woman whose father insists she can spin straw to gold and threatens to kill her father if she doesn't, Rumplestiltskin knows he has to help. His journey of growing up with the palace staff and seeing his family from afar has given him a unique perspective and helped him have better values than he would have otherwise, so his drive to help this young woman may just lead him back to the throne. It was a sweet story with a bit of action and an intriguing Rumplestilskin willing to help even as he follows the original storyline.

[Diksha Patel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jenni James' retelling of "Rumplestilskin" offers an interesting twist on the classic fairytale. James' writing style is engaging and easy to follow, and the plot moves along at a decent pace.

However, the story falls short in a few areas. The romance between Aubrynn and Frederico feels forced and lacks chemistry, and some of the plot points feel rushed or underdeveloped. Additionally, the resolution of the story feels too neat and tidy, lacking the complexity and depth of the original tale.

Overall, "Rumplestilskin" is an enjoyable read, but it lacks the depth and nuance that could have made it truly memorable. Fans of fairytale retellings may still find it worth checking out, but it may not be the best choice for those looking for a more complex and thought-provoking read. 2.5 stars

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like baby bear's bed, this book is just right.

This is an intriguing retelling of the classic fairy tale.  While it is written in such a way as to be quite close to the original story, there is a bit of a twist in the fact that Rumplestiltskin is actually quite a good guy.  I was captivated by the sweet story and the way Aubrynn was able to see past Rumple's deformities in a way no one else ever had.

Though this is a retelling, it didn't feel like I knew exactly what was coming next.  The story was well written and interesting.  It is appropriate for a wide range of audiences from pre-teen to adults who are young at heart.

This review was originally posted on Among the Reads

[Alysa Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a fairy tale retelling and Jenni James always does a good job. Her Rumpelstiltskin is unique retelling of the classic. In this one of the themes is teamwork. Aubrynn has to work with Rumple to complete the impossible task. It is also the theme of their relationship. I would recommend this to grade 6 and above.

I am an advocate of group work, it’s a valuable skill for the classroom and life as well. I would have the students work in pairs to complete an ‘impossible task’ of their own. They would have to create a project about disability awareness. So they would research that and create a way to raise awareness within the school.

Warnings:
Drugs: 0/5
Sex: 0/5
Rock & Roll: 0/5
Language: 0/5
Violence: 0/5

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute romance. Rumplestiltskin is actually a crippled man who was once the future king. When his family discovers his deformity, they declare him dead and let his cruel brother be the future ruler. Rumplestiltskin learns loneliness, empathy, kindness, compassion, and love because of his experiences. Many years later, Aubrynn comes to the king's attention because her father claims she can spin straw into gold. Rumplestiltskin and Aubrynn work together to do the impossible. Not only does straw become gold, but love conquers all. There are a few typos throughout the book, which are a little jarring, but overall the book is a fun read.

[Lenni Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm back with another Jenni James review, but this time I read the paper version! Because I requested the library order them, they did and I've been having so much fun. This one is definitely one of the better books by this author. It was sweet and funny at some points. The way that Rumple and Aubrynn fell in love so quickly reminded me of West Side Story. Also, the way that Aubrynn fell in love with Rumple even though he was crippled reminded me of Beauty and the Beast. This was a cute book that satisfied me, even if it was a little cheesy.