What do you think?
Rate this book
The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of Rumpelstiltskin
"ONCE UPON A TIME" IS TIMELESS
The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold."
Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns--with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious...
The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold."
Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns--with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious...
207 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 17, 2008
41 people are currently reading
6458 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Weyn
207 books646 followersSuzanne Weyn grew up in Williston Park, Long Island, New York. She has three sisters and a brother. As a girl, she was very interested in theatre and in reading. Louisa May Alcott was her favorite author, but she also read every Sherlock Holmes story. Suzanne lived pretty close to the ocean and going to Jones Beach was one of her favorite activities. Even today, if she goes too long without seeing the ocean, she starts feeling restless.
Suzanne now lives in upper New York State with her husband, two teen daughters and Abby the cat. Her house is at the edge of the woods and is nearly 200 years old. She graduated from State University of New York at Binghamton and received her master's degree from Pace University. She teaches part-time at City College in New York.
Suzanne's other books for Simon Pulse include South Beach Sizzle, a romantic comedy written with Diana Gonzalez. Her novels for the Simon Pulse line "Once Upon a Time" are The Night Dance: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Water Song: A Retelling of the Frog Prince, and The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of Rumplestiltskin. She very much enjoys rethinking these classic tales from an original point of view, always looking for the real psychological underpinning of the story. Suzanne is currently doing revisions on her fourth book in the line, which will be coming in 2009.
Suzanne's other recent novels are include The Bar Code Tattoo (2004) and its sequel, The Bar Code Rebellion (2006). The Bar Code Tattoo was selected by the American Library Assoc. (ALA) as a 2005 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and was a 2007 Nevada Library nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction. It is currently translated into German and was nominated for the 2007 Jugenliteraturpreis for Young People's Literature.
Suzanne now lives in upper New York State with her husband, two teen daughters and Abby the cat. Her house is at the edge of the woods and is nearly 200 years old. She graduated from State University of New York at Binghamton and received her master's degree from Pace University. She teaches part-time at City College in New York.
Suzanne's other books for Simon Pulse include South Beach Sizzle, a romantic comedy written with Diana Gonzalez. Her novels for the Simon Pulse line "Once Upon a Time" are The Night Dance: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Water Song: A Retelling of the Frog Prince, and The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of Rumplestiltskin. She very much enjoys rethinking these classic tales from an original point of view, always looking for the real psychological underpinning of the story. Suzanne is currently doing revisions on her fourth book in the line, which will be coming in 2009.
Suzanne's other recent novels are include The Bar Code Tattoo (2004) and its sequel, The Bar Code Rebellion (2006). The Bar Code Tattoo was selected by the American Library Assoc. (ALA) as a 2005 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and was a 2007 Nevada Library nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction. It is currently translated into German and was nominated for the 2007 Jugenliteraturpreis for Young People's Literature.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews
October 20, 2010
This author was completely out of her depth in her attempt to write from a historical perspective. I don't care if the book is for young adults, you still do your research. The inconsistencies were so glaring and numerous that I lost track. A single yard of thread did not cost $1 in 1880, I checked; wholesale price for 3 yards of embroidery silk in 1896 was 5 cents. Oops. Hard candy did not come individually wrapped in 1880. Oops. A child about to turn 4 years of age is not a 'toddler' and they do not typically speak in the broken sentences the author portrays. Oops. One yard of thread cannot possibly embroider a design down the entire length of a dress and a cape--mind you this is NOT magical thread. Oops. And on, and on, and on...
The writing is mediocre (You've heard of "show don't tell," right?) and don't even get me started on the unlikely resolutions throughout. And when, oh, when will writers and publishers stop dishing out books for this age-group that overlay modern sentiments and behaviors in period tales? It's sloppy and condescending. Young adults deserve writing that is not only accurate but intelligent as well.
If all this weren't enough we're treated to a very weird prologue and epilogue from Queen Avriel of the Fairie Folk that doesn't figure in anywhere in the book. I'm betting someone's editor thought there wasn't enough 'fairy' in the fairy tale so voila, instant fix. Hey, who said there was no magic in this book?
Recommendation: give this one a skip.
The writing is mediocre (You've heard of "show don't tell," right?) and don't even get me started on the unlikely resolutions throughout. And when, oh, when will writers and publishers stop dishing out books for this age-group that overlay modern sentiments and behaviors in period tales? It's sloppy and condescending. Young adults deserve writing that is not only accurate but intelligent as well.
If all this weren't enough we're treated to a very weird prologue and epilogue from Queen Avriel of the Fairie Folk that doesn't figure in anywhere in the book. I'm betting someone's editor thought there wasn't enough 'fairy' in the fairy tale so voila, instant fix. Hey, who said there was no magic in this book?
Recommendation: give this one a skip.
August 9, 2009
This tale is magically spun. Forgive me for the pun. I just wanted to have some fun. Oh gosh I really need to quit that! But more seriously I really did think this was done beautifully.
I have to admit I was kind of surprised about how much I liked this story. Don't get me wrong I love fairy tale retellings, but most of the time I enjoy them I just don't think they are very original. This was different though.
Suzanne Weyn chose the perfect setting. Early America during our Industrial Revolution when many immigrants were coming upon the country's shores. Bridget (later called Bertie) O'Malley and her family is one of the many Irish families coming to find a better life. Isn't it a perfect beginning? I liked Bertie right away. A faerie gives the prologue and epilogue of the story. That's the only bit of fantasy of the book. The rest is realistic and I appreciated the change. I love the Rumpelstiltskin of the story. He's probably my favorite character. I was a little wary of the book because of it's length, but I didn't feel I was robbed of any essential details of the story. I did feel that the romances weren't fully developed, but then again in most fairy tales they aren't. Oh I have to mention that I thought how everything weaved togther at the end to the original tale was perfect. I felt myself smile real big at the end.
Hands down this is the best retelling of Rumpelstiltskin I have read.
I have to admit I was kind of surprised about how much I liked this story. Don't get me wrong I love fairy tale retellings, but most of the time I enjoy them I just don't think they are very original. This was different though.
Suzanne Weyn chose the perfect setting. Early America during our Industrial Revolution when many immigrants were coming upon the country's shores. Bridget (later called Bertie) O'Malley and her family is one of the many Irish families coming to find a better life. Isn't it a perfect beginning? I liked Bertie right away. A faerie gives the prologue and epilogue of the story. That's the only bit of fantasy of the book. The rest is realistic and I appreciated the change. I love the Rumpelstiltskin of the story. He's probably my favorite character. I was a little wary of the book because of it's length, but I didn't feel I was robbed of any essential details of the story. I did feel that the romances weren't fully developed, but then again in most fairy tales they aren't. Oh I have to mention that I thought how everything weaved togther at the end to the original tale was perfect. I felt myself smile real big at the end.
Hands down this is the best retelling of Rumpelstiltskin I have read.
June 2, 2024
Bridget dejo su pueblo natal en Irlanda junto con su padre y hermanos, rumbo a America, el país de las oportunidades. Allí llegaron a New York, donde el trabajo era escaso y mal pagado para inmigrantes como ellos. Pero eso no evito que Bridget siguiera soñando, hasta que consiguió el trabajo de sus sueños, al hombre de sus sueños y la vida que siempre quiso tener. Sin embargo, pronto su sueño se fue desbaratando hasta el punto de quedar peor que antes. Y ahora, ¿podrá Bridget volver a surgir y retomar su vida? ¿Podrá recuperar la esperanza?
Es un bonito cuento de hadas, una adaptación al cuento de Rumpelstilskin y su rueca que creaba hilos de oro, además de sus famosos tratos con las personas que le daban a él lo que mas quería. Sin embargo, esperaba mas magia, ya que al comienzo te hacen sentir como si hubiera un hada madrina escribiendo la historia, y que el joven "Ray" fuera un fae que cumplía deseos. Pero el cuento terminó siendo un romance muy simple, sencillo, sin moraleja (Esa era otra cosa que esperaba), que solo se parece a los cuentos de hadas al comienzo y al final.
No se si la forma de escribir del autor me llevo a esperar otra cosa, o fue el título. Pero lo cierto, es que el libro me decepciono un poco.
Es un bonito cuento de hadas, una adaptación al cuento de Rumpelstilskin y su rueca que creaba hilos de oro, además de sus famosos tratos con las personas que le daban a él lo que mas quería. Sin embargo, esperaba mas magia, ya que al comienzo te hacen sentir como si hubiera un hada madrina escribiendo la historia, y que el joven "Ray" fuera un fae que cumplía deseos. Pero el cuento terminó siendo un romance muy simple, sencillo, sin moraleja (Esa era otra cosa que esperaba), que solo se parece a los cuentos de hadas al comienzo y al final.
No se si la forma de escribir del autor me llevo a esperar otra cosa, o fue el título. Pero lo cierto, es que el libro me decepciono un poco.
August 21, 2009
This book is the definition of short and sweet. There is no magic but that didn't disappoint me at all. Instead the author has the story set in America during the time when all the immigrants from Ireland (the protagonist and her family are Irish), Germany, Italy and all these others countries come in. You get a sense of what it might've been like. There are hardships at first but you don't lose hope.
I like the characters. There could’ve been more character development but for such a sort book it was enough. My favorite character is the “Rumpelstiltskin” of the story. He is courageous, a bit mysterious, and a lot nicer than I expected him to be. The Protagonist is likeable. She is kind but practical and she makes mistakes but I can understand why she does them.
The story didn’t have any dry areas, you know where the plot doesn’t seem to be moving along and it’s kind of boring, there was always something going on. It’s not a heart pounding, fast pace book but it kept me interested the whole time. The end was great and made me feel all hopeful and happy. I think this book would be perfect for preteens but that doesn’t mean older readers can't enjoy it too.
I like the characters. There could’ve been more character development but for such a sort book it was enough. My favorite character is the “Rumpelstiltskin” of the story. He is courageous, a bit mysterious, and a lot nicer than I expected him to be. The Protagonist is likeable. She is kind but practical and she makes mistakes but I can understand why she does them.
The story didn’t have any dry areas, you know where the plot doesn’t seem to be moving along and it’s kind of boring, there was always something going on. It’s not a heart pounding, fast pace book but it kept me interested the whole time. The end was great and made me feel all hopeful and happy. I think this book would be perfect for preteens but that doesn’t mean older readers can't enjoy it too.
October 1, 2023
I usually am drawn to fairy tale re-tellings, but I had no use for this. Perhaps I simply not in the mood. But it is now off my TBR, which makes way for better things.
September 9, 2012
2.5 stars.
Bertie immigrates with her family from Ireland to New York City in the 1880's. Trials and hardships abound as the family struggles to find and\or keep employment, they deal with sickness, financial problems, and Finn is angry at Paddy, their father, for casting aside their Irish heritage and trying to be all American. Her father finds work at J.P. Wellington's mansion for himself and one of the boys. He also manages to sweet talk his way into getting Bertie a job as a seamstress there. Bertie does the best she can while enjoying the work. She meets the handsome son of the textile tycoon, Mr. Wellington, and there is a mutual attraction.
I liked James okayish up until he proposed and then I was all; "Wait a second. You like her cause she's pretty (It's the ginger hair. Gets the guys every time without fail.)and because she can design and make pretty dresses? Wow, shallow much? Not much. Much too much."
I like Bertie and her brothers; Finn, Seamus, and Liam. Paddy, not so much. He causes his family so much trouble without a care in the world. He is more than willing to separate the family. He lies his way into getting whatever he deems necessary, regardless of how it will affect his family. And poor dear Eileen. I like her though she doesn't have much of a character.
When Paddy makes a promise that Bertie knows she is unlikely to be able to keep, she takes the offered help of Ray Stall, the equivalent of a stalker, to help her with the dresses. His obsession with her is a little odd but, I mean, Rumpelstiltskin? That whole story is queer.
Bertie is astounded by the beauty of the dress that Ray has created as are her employers. They demand more of these radically beautiful designs. She agrees. But when her and Ray fight and she refuses to pay him for his help with a kiss; he demands her first born child. Bertie, being rather an idiot in this instance, agrees but finishes the dresses by herself, realizing that they in no way compare to Ray's creations. She awakes to find her efforts replaced with gorgeous designs that could only have come from Ray.
Time passes and Bertie accepts James' offer of marriage and moves down to Georgia, taking darling Eileen as well. More time passes and nothing too much happens. Then Bertie realizes that she can't marry a man who is a drunk, a cheating cheater, and doesn't actually love nor does James respect her. Finally, Bertie. I would have ran the other way when he proposed.
There is a strike at the Wellington's factory and Bertie gets knocked out. She awakes to find that Eileen is gone. She hears tell of Ray being seen taking Eileen and heading for New York so she goes home.
The ending felt forced and rushed, like the author was trying to think of something that would work before a deadline and was just,
Ray: "I took Eileen because I "didn't see you and didn't bother looking around. Oh, also, the whole "take your firstborn" thing? That was just a joke. Sorry about almost giving you a heart attack, Bertie. I was stalking you because I love you."
Bertie: "Oh, that's all right, Ray. And I love you too."
Excuse me? Oh, well.
The epilogue was probably my favorite part of the book, to be honest. It was cute and tied in "Rumpelstiltskin." George and Maria = a thousand times yes.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and recommended it but I still think the ending felt like a first draft. It needed a wee bit of work.
Bertie immigrates with her family from Ireland to New York City in the 1880's. Trials and hardships abound as the family struggles to find and\or keep employment, they deal with sickness, financial problems, and Finn is angry at Paddy, their father, for casting aside their Irish heritage and trying to be all American. Her father finds work at J.P. Wellington's mansion for himself and one of the boys. He also manages to sweet talk his way into getting Bertie a job as a seamstress there. Bertie does the best she can while enjoying the work. She meets the handsome son of the textile tycoon, Mr. Wellington, and there is a mutual attraction.
I liked James okayish up until he proposed and then I was all; "Wait a second. You like her cause she's pretty (It's the ginger hair. Gets the guys every time without fail.)and because she can design and make pretty dresses? Wow, shallow much? Not much. Much too much."
I like Bertie and her brothers; Finn, Seamus, and Liam. Paddy, not so much. He causes his family so much trouble without a care in the world. He is more than willing to separate the family. He lies his way into getting whatever he deems necessary, regardless of how it will affect his family. And poor dear Eileen. I like her though she doesn't have much of a character.
When Paddy makes a promise that Bertie knows she is unlikely to be able to keep, she takes the offered help of Ray Stall, the equivalent of a stalker, to help her with the dresses. His obsession with her is a little odd but, I mean, Rumpelstiltskin? That whole story is queer.
Bertie is astounded by the beauty of the dress that Ray has created as are her employers. They demand more of these radically beautiful designs. She agrees. But when her and Ray fight and she refuses to pay him for his help with a kiss; he demands her first born child. Bertie, being rather an idiot in this instance, agrees but finishes the dresses by herself, realizing that they in no way compare to Ray's creations. She awakes to find her efforts replaced with gorgeous designs that could only have come from Ray.
Time passes and Bertie accepts James' offer of marriage and moves down to Georgia, taking darling Eileen as well. More time passes and nothing too much happens. Then Bertie realizes that she can't marry a man who is a drunk, a cheating cheater, and doesn't actually love nor does James respect her. Finally, Bertie. I would have ran the other way when he proposed.
There is a strike at the Wellington's factory and Bertie gets knocked out. She awakes to find that Eileen is gone. She hears tell of Ray being seen taking Eileen and heading for New York so she goes home.
The ending felt forced and rushed, like the author was trying to think of something that would work before a deadline and was just,
Ray: "I took Eileen because I "didn't see you and didn't bother looking around. Oh, also, the whole "take your firstborn" thing? That was just a joke. Sorry about almost giving you a heart attack, Bertie. I was stalking you because I love you."
Bertie: "Oh, that's all right, Ray. And I love you too."
Excuse me? Oh, well.
The epilogue was probably my favorite part of the book, to be honest. It was cute and tied in "Rumpelstiltskin." George and Maria = a thousand times yes.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and recommended it but I still think the ending felt like a first draft. It needed a wee bit of work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2012
In this non magical retelling of the classic Rumpelstiltskin, author Suzanne Weyn has instead given the reader a story set around an immigrant Irish family, freshly arrived to the slums of 1880 New York.
While a clever idea, it is sadly mediocre in its execution.
The characters are all rather shallow and underdeveloped, making it difficult to follow the story that is mostly a narrative telling, rather than a descriptive showing.
The men in the family are all selfish and self serving, and basically abandon Bridget to work and support the two smaller O’Malley children. Bridget or Bertie as she is come to be known is extremely naïve in her behavior, making her an unbelievable and unlikeable character.
Ray Stalls, though supposedly a critical character for the story, only makes brief appearances and is for the most part forgotten, again distorting the original role of the character until he is a mere shadow of his dastardly namesake.
Full of historical inaccuracies, (the inaccurate and exorbitant price charged for yarn - to name but one) the story is very slow to start, made all the more frustrating by the juvenile phrasing, dragging the reader along, until its abrupt and unfulfilling end.
From start to finish, The Crimson Thread is a rather flat, under whelming read that I wouldn’t recommend for anyone over the age of 13.
2 out of 5 stars
While a clever idea, it is sadly mediocre in its execution.
The characters are all rather shallow and underdeveloped, making it difficult to follow the story that is mostly a narrative telling, rather than a descriptive showing.
The men in the family are all selfish and self serving, and basically abandon Bridget to work and support the two smaller O’Malley children. Bridget or Bertie as she is come to be known is extremely naïve in her behavior, making her an unbelievable and unlikeable character.
Ray Stalls, though supposedly a critical character for the story, only makes brief appearances and is for the most part forgotten, again distorting the original role of the character until he is a mere shadow of his dastardly namesake.
Full of historical inaccuracies, (the inaccurate and exorbitant price charged for yarn - to name but one) the story is very slow to start, made all the more frustrating by the juvenile phrasing, dragging the reader along, until its abrupt and unfulfilling end.
From start to finish, The Crimson Thread is a rather flat, under whelming read that I wouldn’t recommend for anyone over the age of 13.
2 out of 5 stars
June 14, 2016
Sorry but it was boring and did not grip me at all.
August 24, 2024
SUMMARY: "Once upon a Time" Is Timeless
The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold."
Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns -- with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious....
REVIEW: I found this retelling very interesting. Rather than being in a long ago time in a land faraway, this retelling takes place during the late 1880's and early 90's, when women of wealth spent all their time thinking of nothing but the latest fashions. It gave this old fairy tale a delightful and totally unexpected twist. This original fairy tale was somewhat creepy but Weyn turns it into an excellent historical read pulling in the discrimination against the Irish and the poor as well as the jaded attitudes of the rich towards both groups. She kept enough of the elements of the original fairy tale though for it to be easily recognizable through her version. Through some clever use of names the ending definitely concludes with a humorous twist.
The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold."
Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns -- with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious....
REVIEW: I found this retelling very interesting. Rather than being in a long ago time in a land faraway, this retelling takes place during the late 1880's and early 90's, when women of wealth spent all their time thinking of nothing but the latest fashions. It gave this old fairy tale a delightful and totally unexpected twist. This original fairy tale was somewhat creepy but Weyn turns it into an excellent historical read pulling in the discrimination against the Irish and the poor as well as the jaded attitudes of the rich towards both groups. She kept enough of the elements of the original fairy tale though for it to be easily recognizable through her version. Through some clever use of names the ending definitely concludes with a humorous twist.
July 4, 2008
I've been enjoying this series. The books are a perfect length, and the retellings of some of them are truly unique. Also, I find it very easy to get into them, so I can sit down and read one in just an hour or two. Although I've found some of the books...less than stellar (Spirited comes to mind), the last two I've read, Water Song and The Crimson Thread were teriffic.
I really liked the (admittedly stereotypical) story of an Irish family immigrating to America. I felt that the fabric-oriented tale of Rumplestiltskin was a great fit in the world of mills. I loved the book's Rumplestiltskin, and how, FOR ONCE, the "monster" gets a happy ending, instead of being written off as just a villain. I felt that the "fairy" element to the story (i.e. the prologue and the epilogue) was uncalled for, but it did nothing to interfere with or otherwise affect the story.
I will say I have ONE complaint...I felt that The Crimson Thread, like most of the Once Upon A Time series, was 50-100 pages too short. Everything, from the main plot to Bridget's relationship with BOTH men seemed like it came on a bit too fast. The story would have benefitted if we had a bit of "down time" to get to know the main character and her beaus. Still, it's a minor complaint, and even without that little bit of "filler", the book was very good.
If you liked this, I highly recommend Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli. It's another, longer book that retells the fairytale of Rumpelstiltskin.
I really liked the (admittedly stereotypical) story of an Irish family immigrating to America. I felt that the fabric-oriented tale of Rumplestiltskin was a great fit in the world of mills. I loved the book's Rumplestiltskin, and how, FOR ONCE, the "monster" gets a happy ending, instead of being written off as just a villain. I felt that the "fairy" element to the story (i.e. the prologue and the epilogue) was uncalled for, but it did nothing to interfere with or otherwise affect the story.
I will say I have ONE complaint...I felt that The Crimson Thread, like most of the Once Upon A Time series, was 50-100 pages too short. Everything, from the main plot to Bridget's relationship with BOTH men seemed like it came on a bit too fast. The story would have benefitted if we had a bit of "down time" to get to know the main character and her beaus. Still, it's a minor complaint, and even without that little bit of "filler", the book was very good.
If you liked this, I highly recommend Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli. It's another, longer book that retells the fairytale of Rumpelstiltskin.
October 13, 2010
Bridget is an Irish immigrant, a seamstress, and a sister. With a little sister to look after, a set of brothers to support, and a father who has a knack for stretching the truth. A knack which rescues Bridget from the slums, lands her in a posh mansion for one of the wealthiest textile moguls in 1880 New York, and gets her into trouble. Because unless she can turn an error into a triumph within a single night, she and her entire family will be back in the slums. A challenge which means enlisting the help of the indefinable acrobat/tailor/Ray Stalls.
But it’s not like she isn’t already testing fate.
I very much enjoyed the twist in this version of Rumpelstiltskin, as well as Bertie & Ray's gifts with dress design.
But it’s not like she isn’t already testing fate.
I very much enjoyed the twist in this version of Rumpelstiltskin, as well as Bertie & Ray's gifts with dress design.
February 3, 2023
Timing really is everything when it comes to reading. I read this book when it first came out and I didn’t like it at all. Now, as I’m older and as a reread, I actually really enjoyed it. These fairytales are basic, but for me, that’s part of their charm.
October 16, 2015
Rating: 4 Mysterious Stars!
Sometimes, to give myself a bit of a breather, I take in those fondly remembered times of my childhood, when fairy tales became nearly believable, and there was always a touch of enchantment that just might happen. And happily, most of the time, I find those old, old tales to be just the thing to lift me out of a funk. This time the choice was a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, titled The Crimson Thread. The setting is almost the modern world, nineteenth century New York City, in the slums where newly arrived immigrants learn the hard way that the streets are not always paved with gold.
For Bridget O'Malley, ever since her mother has died, and famine has stalked Ireland, she has tried to mother her family, taking care of both her father and her siblings. But in spite of all of the hardships, she still has her dreams of success. But mixed in with all of the hope, there are some obstacles to overcome -- most notably the prejudice that many have towards the newly arrived Irish. A stranger, Ray Stalls, turns out to be very helpful, befriending Bridget -- now calling herself Bertie Miller to be more acceptable -- with small presents, and almost courting her in his charming way. When the opportunity comes to work as a dressmaker's assistant, Bertie finds herself making an outlandish deal with Ray for his help in crafting a sumptuous ball gown for a wealthy merchant's daughter. But as with all rashly made promises, there is a terrible price underneath the words...
The Crimson Thread is a sweet and whimsical retelling of Rumpelstilstskin that turns the old tale around completely. It reads more like a historical fiction novel than a fairy tale, and gives a fairly accurate depiction of life for Irish immigrants in New York City along the way, with a dash of the glitz and glamour of the life of the obscenely rich. The pacing of the book is slightly slow at the beginning, but then evens out quickly, making this regrettably short read fly by. The characters are engaging and varied and the magical elements are very light--so much so that it allows readers to speculate as to whether there is any magic at all--but Weyn doesn't divulge any secrets. She manages to create an air of improbability within the story, mirroring Bertie's own uncertain circumstances, which leaves the reader to always wonder what will happen next. But Weyn doesn't disappoint and, through some clever wordplay and neat plotting, brings the story together in a romantic and satisfying end.
In the end, I found The Crimson Thread to be a clever direct read, witty, and page-turning retelling with a nice, subtle magical element. And even though I tend to like my fairy-tales to have more, well, fairies... I highly recommend Suzanne Weyn's different, refreshing approach in The Crimson Thread.
"Sometimes a little sugar is all you need, don't you think princess"
Sometimes, to give myself a bit of a breather, I take in those fondly remembered times of my childhood, when fairy tales became nearly believable, and there was always a touch of enchantment that just might happen. And happily, most of the time, I find those old, old tales to be just the thing to lift me out of a funk. This time the choice was a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, titled The Crimson Thread. The setting is almost the modern world, nineteenth century New York City, in the slums where newly arrived immigrants learn the hard way that the streets are not always paved with gold.
For Bridget O'Malley, ever since her mother has died, and famine has stalked Ireland, she has tried to mother her family, taking care of both her father and her siblings. But in spite of all of the hardships, she still has her dreams of success. But mixed in with all of the hope, there are some obstacles to overcome -- most notably the prejudice that many have towards the newly arrived Irish. A stranger, Ray Stalls, turns out to be very helpful, befriending Bridget -- now calling herself Bertie Miller to be more acceptable -- with small presents, and almost courting her in his charming way. When the opportunity comes to work as a dressmaker's assistant, Bertie finds herself making an outlandish deal with Ray for his help in crafting a sumptuous ball gown for a wealthy merchant's daughter. But as with all rashly made promises, there is a terrible price underneath the words...
The Crimson Thread is a sweet and whimsical retelling of Rumpelstilstskin that turns the old tale around completely. It reads more like a historical fiction novel than a fairy tale, and gives a fairly accurate depiction of life for Irish immigrants in New York City along the way, with a dash of the glitz and glamour of the life of the obscenely rich. The pacing of the book is slightly slow at the beginning, but then evens out quickly, making this regrettably short read fly by. The characters are engaging and varied and the magical elements are very light--so much so that it allows readers to speculate as to whether there is any magic at all--but Weyn doesn't divulge any secrets. She manages to create an air of improbability within the story, mirroring Bertie's own uncertain circumstances, which leaves the reader to always wonder what will happen next. But Weyn doesn't disappoint and, through some clever wordplay and neat plotting, brings the story together in a romantic and satisfying end.
In the end, I found The Crimson Thread to be a clever direct read, witty, and page-turning retelling with a nice, subtle magical element. And even though I tend to like my fairy-tales to have more, well, fairies... I highly recommend Suzanne Weyn's different, refreshing approach in The Crimson Thread.
November 24, 2012
This one gets a 4.5, really. It wasn't one of those ones that I absolutely LOVED and felt like I wanted to read it over again the second that I finished it, but I really really like this one. It reminded me of the Eva Ibbotson novel "A Countess Below Stairs" - it gave me the same kind of happy, 'warm-fuzzy' feeling after finishing.
It's definitely a unique re-telling of the story. The main character is like-able, and you really sympathize for her in (most of) the various situations she gets involved in during the story (or rather, in several cases, the situations her father gets her involved in). Even when she made a really stupid choice, I felt more exasperated than anything - though, given the type of story this is, that could be because I knew the author would be stepping in to fix it soon enough. (Though given how different this is from the original story, that could have been a bit presumptuous...)
I would have loved to see colour illustrations in this. The descriptions of the dresses sounded beautiful, but I don't know enough about the periods' fashions to really have a picture of them. It would have been nice to see what the author was picturing. (Not to mention a picture of Ray... ;) )
The downsides to the story were that I felt it was a little rushed - most of the books in the series are even shorter than this one, but I would definitely have liked it if the author had been able to turn this into a longer novel. Also, some parts were a little confusing, like the descriptions of how the dresses were made, and of what. That could have been cleared up a little. Notes on the period could have helped, too.
I also didn't get the point of the 'Fairy godmother' at the beginning and the end. I mean okay, she's the narrator. But she only shows up the two times, gives absolutely no contribution to the story... Her whole job seems to be to emphasize the fact that the romantic leads are both of royal lineage. So? Who gives a darn? The characters are still basically nobodies, no matter who an ancestor centuries before may have been (especially since this plays no part in the story). If anything it detracts from the story, making it seem like she's attributing their success to their lineage instead of their personal merits. Virtues are not freaking genetic.
I just feel like as awesome as I thought this one was, it would have been SO MUCH better if they'd done it as a full stand-alone novel.
It's definitely a unique re-telling of the story. The main character is like-able, and you really sympathize for her in (most of) the various situations she gets involved in during the story (or rather, in several cases, the situations her father gets her involved in). Even when she made a really stupid choice, I felt more exasperated than anything - though, given the type of story this is, that could be because I knew the author would be stepping in to fix it soon enough. (Though given how different this is from the original story, that could have been a bit presumptuous...)
I would have loved to see colour illustrations in this. The descriptions of the dresses sounded beautiful, but I don't know enough about the periods' fashions to really have a picture of them. It would have been nice to see what the author was picturing. (Not to mention a picture of Ray... ;) )
The downsides to the story were that I felt it was a little rushed - most of the books in the series are even shorter than this one, but I would definitely have liked it if the author had been able to turn this into a longer novel. Also, some parts were a little confusing, like the descriptions of how the dresses were made, and of what. That could have been cleared up a little. Notes on the period could have helped, too.
I also didn't get the point of the 'Fairy godmother' at the beginning and the end. I mean okay, she's the narrator. But she only shows up the two times, gives absolutely no contribution to the story... Her whole job seems to be to emphasize the fact that the romantic leads are both of royal lineage. So? Who gives a darn? The characters are still basically nobodies, no matter who an ancestor centuries before may have been (especially since this plays no part in the story). If anything it detracts from the story, making it seem like she's attributing their success to their lineage instead of their personal merits. Virtues are not freaking genetic.
I just feel like as awesome as I thought this one was, it would have been SO MUCH better if they'd done it as a full stand-alone novel.
May 3, 2013
Dull and uninteresting, this novel bears little to no resemblance to "Rumpelstiltskin."
Suzanne Weyn manages to keep some of the traditional elements, and the upgrading of the story to a time and place nearer to the modern world, there is one severe problem with this story.
There really isn't any magic involved. Nothing.
There is a rich young man who isn't the prince that he seems as he manipulates Bertie, the characters are pretty much one notes and flit in and out of the story with little character depth or reason. Even the creation of the glamourous dresses is seated firmly in mundania, and while they are wonderful to read about, there's nothing there to give the sense of illusion either.
Even the actions, from the poverty of the Five Points and Hell's Kitchen, to the mansions of Park Avenue, to the horrible conditions in sweatshops and mills and the beginnings of the worker's movements, are very dull to read about. We know what to expect even before the author has set down the words, and for me, that ruined any expectations that I had for this novel. By the time it reached the requisite HEA (Happy Ever After) ending, I didn't care. It might as well just been another historical romance, but even those have some excitement to them, and plainly, this one didn't. Whatever danger or romance that is usually found in the realms of Faerie are just not here -- everything is watered down to a vapid, lifeless mush, and that's a real pity.
Suzanne Weyn manages to keep some of the traditional elements, and the upgrading of the story to a time and place nearer to the modern world, there is one severe problem with this story.
There really isn't any magic involved. Nothing.
There is a rich young man who isn't the prince that he seems as he manipulates Bertie, the characters are pretty much one notes and flit in and out of the story with little character depth or reason. Even the creation of the glamourous dresses is seated firmly in mundania, and while they are wonderful to read about, there's nothing there to give the sense of illusion either.
Even the actions, from the poverty of the Five Points and Hell's Kitchen, to the mansions of Park Avenue, to the horrible conditions in sweatshops and mills and the beginnings of the worker's movements, are very dull to read about. We know what to expect even before the author has set down the words, and for me, that ruined any expectations that I had for this novel. By the time it reached the requisite HEA (Happy Ever After) ending, I didn't care. It might as well just been another historical romance, but even those have some excitement to them, and plainly, this one didn't. Whatever danger or romance that is usually found in the realms of Faerie are just not here -- everything is watered down to a vapid, lifeless mush, and that's a real pity.
July 18, 2012
I liked the idea behind this book, and I liked the clever way Weyn tied the Irish immigrant story to the Rumpelstiltskin fable, but the historical inaccuracies drove me crazy. Granted, this is a retelling of a fairy tale, so a fair amount of leeway must be conferred, but since it is presented within the confines of actual historicity, certain oversights are just plain sloppy. As far as I could ascertain, the action took place in 1880/81. However, a character would not be able to reference Sherlock Holmes at that time because the first S.H. story wasn't published until 1887. A young lady would not make her society debut in a strapless evening gown. A functionally illiterate, female, immigrant seamstress would not have any role in a factory beyond a subordinate position; it greatly stretches plausibility to think she would be a supervisor or that male employees would take direction from her. Also, it doesn't seem that the author researched the prices of commodities very thoroughly. Even if the rest of the narrative had been perfect (not that it was), these and other discrepancies bumped me out of the story too consistently for it to be entirely enjoyable.
February 12, 2016
Funny story: I only realized that I actually had read this novel when I was about a third into it. Isn't that crazy? Anyway, for what it is and for the audience it's intended for, I'd say it's pretty good. It's a unique spin on a well-known fairy tale, and I like the parallels I could draw between this and the original. However, having read quite a number of fairytale retellings since I read this one YEARS ago, I have to say that it's simply okay, and nothing I'd consider remarkable.
February 22, 2009
it wasnt as good as i thought it would be.
November 30, 2018
This is the second fairy tale retelling by Suzanne Weyn that I found interesting and unique. As the title says the story is a retelling of
Rumpelstiltskin
following an Irish family that immigrates to America for a better life. Bridget is overwhelmed in this new land but when she meets the enigmatic Ray all changes in her live.
I just like Weyn's retelling, she brings this fairy tales a new touch and make them charming in the modern days regardless of lack of magic.
I just like Weyn's retelling, she brings this fairy tales a new touch and make them charming in the modern days regardless of lack of magic.
April 6, 2023
A fun retelling that's perfect for kids moving from children's literature to YA.
December 23, 2023
This was another adaptation that I was worried about in how the story would be translated to the fairy tale since it has a much more modern timing than any of the other three books that I have read. The story itself takes place upon the timing of the Great Potato Famine and the immigrant waves that started to flood New York, especially with those very loathed Irish.
The Crimson Thread although not as clear in its societal depictions showed very well the dark side of the early waves of immigration, the feelings towards those that were Irish, the crowded as well as deplorable conditions the working class dealth with. As such I have to give the book much props of that since you don't see many authors actively trying to showcase such backgrounds to their reader.
The story also explores what it means to have to take up a new identity, the magicalness of it or even the darkness as shown in the clash of father and son. And for being such a family man I have to say I hated her father and that her brother Finn was more of a person to look up towards as a paternal figure.
For the actual story there were times that it dragged since it was a bit repetitive while also being rather unrealistic. The part with her engagement was something you could almost see coming, the whole giving her firstborn to the monster was a nice twist and then the happily ever after again really unrealistic, especially when she considered the love of her life to have willfully and maliciously kidnapping the "love of her life".
Two other things that also stood out to me: the dress on the front of the cover doesn't even match what is mentioned in the book. The dress was mentioned to be of dark blue fabric while the dress clearly on the front looks more purple. And secondarily it sounds like there is some type of fairy historian that follows the family around but besides recording the events that occur does nothing to help or even provide clues to the hapless heroine so what was the point of that character?
It was a pretty good retelling and one that will be interesting to those who like to test out the various new tellings of fairy tales with a twist.
The Crimson Thread although not as clear in its societal depictions showed very well the dark side of the early waves of immigration, the feelings towards those that were Irish, the crowded as well as deplorable conditions the working class dealth with. As such I have to give the book much props of that since you don't see many authors actively trying to showcase such backgrounds to their reader.
The story also explores what it means to have to take up a new identity, the magicalness of it or even the darkness as shown in the clash of father and son. And for being such a family man I have to say I hated her father and that her brother Finn was more of a person to look up towards as a paternal figure.
For the actual story there were times that it dragged since it was a bit repetitive while also being rather unrealistic. The part with her engagement was something you could almost see coming, the whole giving her firstborn to the monster was a nice twist and then the happily ever after again really unrealistic, especially when she considered the love of her life to have willfully and maliciously kidnapping the "love of her life".
Two other things that also stood out to me: the dress on the front of the cover doesn't even match what is mentioned in the book. The dress was mentioned to be of dark blue fabric while the dress clearly on the front looks more purple. And secondarily it sounds like there is some type of fairy historian that follows the family around but besides recording the events that occur does nothing to help or even provide clues to the hapless heroine so what was the point of that character?
It was a pretty good retelling and one that will be interesting to those who like to test out the various new tellings of fairy tales with a twist.
August 9, 2011
The historical part of this book through me. It was like the author looked at a time-line of history, and randomly through in some "references" to make her novel historical. While I'm no expert in the refered-to era, I certainly know a lot, and I found it difficult to swallow that an extremely wealthy family would condone their eldest son and heir's marriage to an Irish immigrant. General references to the slums, work, strikes, carriages, it just all lost me. It was like several decades combined. Like the author read up on Wikipedia about the late eighteen and early nineteen hundreds and used that, plus common history knowledge, to craft her 'historical novel'.
Except that this is a fairy-tale and not a historical novel, so she gets away with it xD
I really did find this book clever though, especially the end. The way the story of Rumpelstiltskin is weaved in and out makes an entertaining and creative read.
The thing that annoyed me about Bertie (the main character) is her naivity. Couldn't someone, anyone have warned her about rich young men flirting with servant girls? Gosh, not the housekeeper, her friends, Ray? Overall, I liked her character, though. She's strong and hard working and creative. She takes good care of her younger sister and doesn't go all whiny.
Her Father was annoying. But I suppose he kind of has to be, I mean, think about the original fairy-tale. What kind of a guy boasts that his daughter can spin straw into gold??? So, similarily, the Dad is a dramatic dreamer who really has no business being settled with five kids.
The ages of her brothers confused me. I thought the 11 year old was working...and suddenly he isn't. It was kind of confuzzling, but that might have just been me.
So here's my conclusions: a good story. Worth reading. There aren't very many re-tellings of Rumpelstiltskin (I mean, you sneeze and you hit a Cinderella re-telling), the only one I'm familiar with is A Curse Dark As Gold and that is a good story (similar setting) but different.
Another winner from the Once Upon A Time series :)
Except that this is a fairy-tale and not a historical novel, so she gets away with it xD
I really did find this book clever though, especially the end. The way the story of Rumpelstiltskin is weaved in and out makes an entertaining and creative read.
The thing that annoyed me about Bertie (the main character) is her naivity. Couldn't someone, anyone have warned her about rich young men flirting with servant girls? Gosh, not the housekeeper, her friends, Ray? Overall, I liked her character, though. She's strong and hard working and creative. She takes good care of her younger sister and doesn't go all whiny.
Her Father was annoying. But I suppose he kind of has to be, I mean, think about the original fairy-tale. What kind of a guy boasts that his daughter can spin straw into gold??? So, similarily, the Dad is a dramatic dreamer who really has no business being settled with five kids.
The ages of her brothers confused me. I thought the 11 year old was working...and suddenly he isn't. It was kind of confuzzling, but that might have just been me.
So here's my conclusions: a good story. Worth reading. There aren't very many re-tellings of Rumpelstiltskin (I mean, you sneeze and you hit a Cinderella re-telling), the only one I'm familiar with is A Curse Dark As Gold and that is a good story (similar setting) but different.
Another winner from the Once Upon A Time series :)
July 19, 2015
2/5 stars
You can find all my reviews here
Growing up the fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin was one I didn’t know very well. But once I began watching Once Upon a Time, on ABC I fell in love with Robert Carlyle’s portrayal. No matter what “Mr. Gold/Rump” did I was bewitched by him and he remained my favorite. So when I came across this book I was hoping it had the same effect. I was, however, quite sad that Rumpel isn’t very mischievous in Suzanne Weyn’s retelling.
There is no magic in this fairy tale, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, one of the things I liked best about the story is that she made it work in an everyday way. They had to have their talents, rather than magic to help them along. And the setting of 1880 New York, in the industrial period when women had very few career options really worked well.
There were some things that didn’t work out for me though. Bertie falls for a guy she hardly knows, which I understand can happen but I get sick of books always having it one of two ways. Either they hate each other until they learn to love each other or it’s a love at first sight kind of story. I’m fairly certain there are other ways to make a romance novel work. I don’t want to go into all of the inaccuracies but there were quite a few I noticed. One especially is the strapless dress. The earliest mention I could find for strapless dresses was in the 1930s.
All in all it was alright. Enjoyable for the most part while I read it but didn’t live up to my expectations. Robert Carlyle has set my Rumpelstiltskin bar very, very high.
You can find all my reviews here
Growing up the fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin was one I didn’t know very well. But once I began watching Once Upon a Time, on ABC I fell in love with Robert Carlyle’s portrayal. No matter what “Mr. Gold/Rump” did I was bewitched by him and he remained my favorite. So when I came across this book I was hoping it had the same effect. I was, however, quite sad that Rumpel isn’t very mischievous in Suzanne Weyn’s retelling.
There is no magic in this fairy tale, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, one of the things I liked best about the story is that she made it work in an everyday way. They had to have their talents, rather than magic to help them along. And the setting of 1880 New York, in the industrial period when women had very few career options really worked well.
There were some things that didn’t work out for me though. Bertie falls for a guy she hardly knows, which I understand can happen but I get sick of books always having it one of two ways. Either they hate each other until they learn to love each other or it’s a love at first sight kind of story. I’m fairly certain there are other ways to make a romance novel work. I don’t want to go into all of the inaccuracies but there were quite a few I noticed. One especially is the strapless dress. The earliest mention I could find for strapless dresses was in the 1930s.
All in all it was alright. Enjoyable for the most part while I read it but didn’t live up to my expectations. Robert Carlyle has set my Rumpelstiltskin bar very, very high.
December 30, 2014
I remember really enjoying this series in middle school, and I still love the concept (and, let's be real, the covers are gorgeous). Having re-read several of them over the last few days, I have to say I'm very disappointed.
-The writing, particularly from Suzanne Wein, is wretched. Awkward dialogue, terrible pacing, and bland characters abound. It hurts.
-Some of the books, most notably this one and the Diamond Secret, attempt to blend history with the source fairy tales. In theory, this is a neat device. Unfortunately, it seems nobody wanted to do any actual research, so both books are filled with anachronisms. It's obnoxious.
-This is my biggest problem with this series. Every single book ends with some iteration of "The protagonist realized she had always loved the guy from the beginning of the story who she claimed to hate, and they kissed, and she finally felt like she was home." If you're going to reboot classic fairy tales, what's even the point if you stick to the lame tropes and antiquated gender roles pervasive throughout the originals? I'm all for preserving the original spirit of the story, but it's so frustrating to read about an alleged spunky, independent princess who ends up defining herself by her relationship with the "Prince," no matter how unlikely he may be.
TL;DR the concept of these books is amazing, the execution is a huge disappointment.
-The writing, particularly from Suzanne Wein, is wretched. Awkward dialogue, terrible pacing, and bland characters abound. It hurts.
-Some of the books, most notably this one and the Diamond Secret, attempt to blend history with the source fairy tales. In theory, this is a neat device. Unfortunately, it seems nobody wanted to do any actual research, so both books are filled with anachronisms. It's obnoxious.
-This is my biggest problem with this series. Every single book ends with some iteration of "The protagonist realized she had always loved the guy from the beginning of the story who she claimed to hate, and they kissed, and she finally felt like she was home." If you're going to reboot classic fairy tales, what's even the point if you stick to the lame tropes and antiquated gender roles pervasive throughout the originals? I'm all for preserving the original spirit of the story, but it's so frustrating to read about an alleged spunky, independent princess who ends up defining herself by her relationship with the "Prince," no matter how unlikely he may be.
TL;DR the concept of these books is amazing, the execution is a huge disappointment.
March 29, 2017
What a sweet story!
I am a huge fan of fairytale retellings and one of my favorite fairytales as a young girl was Rumpelstiltskin which is what first drew my attention to this book. The storyline was new and refreshing and the characters relateable. The many twists and turns of the novel had my attention from the start and the ending was endearing as well as surprising.
Bridget O'Malley and her family have left their home in Ireland for America and soon Bridget gets a job working for a rich man named J.P Wellington as a dress maker for his family. But when her father fabricates the truth about her basically being able to turn "straw into gold," Bridget (Now called Bertie) is mortified. Everything relies on her keeping her job and helping her family. But with the help of the mysterious Ray Stalls, Bridget produces lovely gowns seemingly made from gold and attracts the attention of the rich man's son. But after an argument, Ray Stalls demands her firstborn child in return for helping her to which she agrees.
Pretty straightforward as far as the plot goes but the ending surprised and surpassed all my expectations.
Definitely the best retelling of any fairytale I have ever read. 5 stars! I would give it more if I could.
I am a huge fan of fairytale retellings and one of my favorite fairytales as a young girl was Rumpelstiltskin which is what first drew my attention to this book. The storyline was new and refreshing and the characters relateable. The many twists and turns of the novel had my attention from the start and the ending was endearing as well as surprising.
Bridget O'Malley and her family have left their home in Ireland for America and soon Bridget gets a job working for a rich man named J.P Wellington as a dress maker for his family. But when her father fabricates the truth about her basically being able to turn "straw into gold," Bridget (Now called Bertie) is mortified. Everything relies on her keeping her job and helping her family. But with the help of the mysterious Ray Stalls, Bridget produces lovely gowns seemingly made from gold and attracts the attention of the rich man's son. But after an argument, Ray Stalls demands her firstborn child in return for helping her to which she agrees.
Pretty straightforward as far as the plot goes but the ending surprised and surpassed all my expectations.
Definitely the best retelling of any fairytale I have ever read. 5 stars! I would give it more if I could.
March 23, 2011
Aaawwwwww…
That was my first reaction after reading The Crimson Thread.
I can definitely say that this retelling was sweet, fun and very original. I could hardly believe that I read it in one sitting, coz I really don’t normally do that. ^^
I was satisfied with the new twist on this simple tale. We all know that Rumpelstiltskin was a conniving villain so it was interesting to see him on the good side in this book. He’s actually named Ray or Rudy or Rudolph here, but you’ll get the idea when you read it.
The whole romance though could’ve been more developed but then again, aren’t all fairy tales raw when it comes to this matter? I mean, they come with love at first sight and happily ever after and that’s it, so I can’t blame Weyn with the simplicity of Bertie and Ray’s relationship.
I’m not going to press anything more on this because I’d probably be telling the whole tale if I do, just that this is a refreshing new way of looking at this classic tale and I don’t see it to be disappointing.
For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com
That was my first reaction after reading The Crimson Thread.
I can definitely say that this retelling was sweet, fun and very original. I could hardly believe that I read it in one sitting, coz I really don’t normally do that. ^^
I was satisfied with the new twist on this simple tale. We all know that Rumpelstiltskin was a conniving villain so it was interesting to see him on the good side in this book. He’s actually named Ray or Rudy or Rudolph here, but you’ll get the idea when you read it.
The whole romance though could’ve been more developed but then again, aren’t all fairy tales raw when it comes to this matter? I mean, they come with love at first sight and happily ever after and that’s it, so I can’t blame Weyn with the simplicity of Bertie and Ray’s relationship.
I’m not going to press anything more on this because I’d probably be telling the whole tale if I do, just that this is a refreshing new way of looking at this classic tale and I don’t see it to be disappointing.
For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com
February 1, 2023
I bought The Crimson Thread because I wanted to know more about Rumpelstiltskin after watching the character on the TV show "Once Upon a Time." Both the show and this version of the story are very good - although possibly very different.
At first, this book does not seem like a fairy tale re-telling at all. It follows and Irish immigrant family as they settle in America in the late 1880's. Bridget is the main character and she gets a job as a seamstress.
The plot is all about the textile industry of the time and was a bit like a history lesson as well. The story goes from bad, to good, to very bad, to very good - it really keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The character of Rumpel is very vague at first but turns out to be much nicer than I expected. I'm not sure how true that is to the original character, but I liked it very much.
All in all this was a very good read especially if you like this genre because I have not come across any other Rumpel stories.
At first, this book does not seem like a fairy tale re-telling at all. It follows and Irish immigrant family as they settle in America in the late 1880's. Bridget is the main character and she gets a job as a seamstress.
The plot is all about the textile industry of the time and was a bit like a history lesson as well. The story goes from bad, to good, to very bad, to very good - it really keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The character of Rumpel is very vague at first but turns out to be much nicer than I expected. I'm not sure how true that is to the original character, but I liked it very much.
All in all this was a very good read especially if you like this genre because I have not come across any other Rumpel stories.
January 14, 2017
I give this book 5 stars not because it included anything I normally give five stars to (aside from the fairy tale elements). There were no hints and subtly revealed plot twists, no extensive world building, nothing that would really make me read it again and again.
And yet, somehow, it deserves five stars. It was short and sweet and exactly what I wanted/needed to read at the time. The characters were lovely and old-fashioned and I just loved the feel of the book. It felt like a little old fairy tale and I didn't want anything more.
Yes, it was lovely and old-fashioned and fairy-tale-esque, and I really loved reading it.
And yet, somehow, it deserves five stars. It was short and sweet and exactly what I wanted/needed to read at the time. The characters were lovely and old-fashioned and I just loved the feel of the book. It felt like a little old fairy tale and I didn't want anything more.
Yes, it was lovely and old-fashioned and fairy-tale-esque, and I really loved reading it.
December 11, 2024
4 and a half stars rounded up for Goodreads.
To have me give any book that is a retelling of Rumplestiltskin any high amount of stars is a feet within itself because...I absolutely HATE this particular fairy tale.
Ever since I was a child, this particular story was my least favorite. The only adaptations I ever liked were the Cannon Movie Tale film with Amy Irving and Billy Barty until they at least tried to flesh out the character more on Once Upon A Time.
Every other adaptation just showed how awful the characters were. The miller is awful for lying to the king about what his daughter can do, the king is awful for threatening to kill the miller's daughter if she can't spin the straw into gold to begin with adding in his greed.
Rumple wanting to help is nice but strange that he wants to help someone he doesn't know and asking for payment is fair...until the daughter has no piece of jewelry to give. She only becomes awful with giving a stranger her child, even if she is going to having the king's heir and he is awful, not knowing...what he might do with it.
Can you see where I am coming from?
The Crimson Thread sets this in New York City of the 1880s focusing on a family of Irish immigrants coming to America. The O'Malley family has lost their matriarch and father Paddy wants to make a new start with his two daughters and three sons: Finn, Bridget, Seamus, Liam and Eileen.
They move into a small tenement and the older men have trouble at first getting jobs because they are Irish. Bridget is able to find work as a seamstress but in a room with no windows any bigger than where she and her family live: it is stifling. She makes a friend in an Italian girl named Maria and is shown kindness by a young man who lives in her building named Ray Stalls.
It is not his real name but all that is clear is he is a German immigrant and quite an acrobat as well as very fond of Bridget.
The jobs that Paddy find for his sons become compromised when they get in a fight with the supervisor and get fired. Ray helps Bridget and her family get away but she loses her job because of the fight, mostly out of fear of her hot Irish temper. Her father decides to Americanize his name and goes by Rick Miller to get work and passes off his accent as being Welsh, thinking Americans don't know the difference.
Finn doesn't want to abandon his Irish heritage and finds work with other Irish immigrants. Her father is able to get Seamus a job helping him work the carriage house and barn when he gets a job as a coachman for J.P. Wellington, a textile tycoon. Bridget stays home with Liam and Eileen until her father decides to see if he can get her a job as a seamstress for the Wellington family.
He changes Bridget's name to Bertie Miller and boasts of her talents and she is still hired despite her father's embellishments. Bridget meets Wellington's only son, James, as she leaves to go home and take care of the children and finds him to be handsome and charming.
James' father wants him to go into the family business but it is clear that James knows nothing about women's fashion despite having three sisters. Bridget is soon thrown into a predicament when it seems that James has made a bad business decision and has earned his father's ire at the fact it may ruin the family's business and take away their fortune.
The head seamstress didn't believe all of Paddy's wild talk about Bridget being a marvel of sewing and fashion but "Rick" tells J.P. that his daughter Bertie can help fix the problem with her skill.
If not, they will be fired. The stakes for Bridget are high because her father used most of the money he earned to pay back the friend from Ireland who helped find their apartment and paying the landlord. Bridget needs the money to take care of her two youngest siblings once three-year old Eileen becomes sick and almost comes down with diptheria.
Ray helped Bridget pay for the doctor and he tells her that he can help her with the dresses she needs to make since he use to also be an apprentice to a tailor. In an abandoned room, with a spinning wheel and a loom, Ray asks Bridget to pull the bits of gold cloth packed in with the straw containing the drab fabric while he sews with the titular crimson thread.
Having done so much, Bridget asks Ray how she can repay him and he only jokingly states that she could give him her first-born child. When the dresses inspired by the craze of Chinese detail impress all of the Wellingtons, James asks for Bertie to marry him thinking it is all her doing on her own in saving their hides.
Bridget wants to give Ray his credit but it isn't really what he wants and the two of them end up having heated words. Bridget thinks back to the "payment" but thinks nothing of it because what ends up happening...is a much heavier price.
There is so much more to tell but it would spoil too much and all I can reveal is that parts of the story about brought me to tears. The ending is so much happier because the characters who deserve to be happy...are happy. The characters who are truly awful don't get off without consequences to leave me feeling livid either...
There is supposed to be a touch of "magic" but it is only present in the prologue and the epilogue so I actually appreciate the tale being more grounded than fantastical even if it is a fairy tale adaptation. The Crimson Thread starts off depressing with such real world events woven into the story but there are heartwarming moments and very clever references to the source material.
Highly recommended to those like me who have always been disappointed with the story of Rumplestiltskin.
To have me give any book that is a retelling of Rumplestiltskin any high amount of stars is a feet within itself because...I absolutely HATE this particular fairy tale.
Ever since I was a child, this particular story was my least favorite. The only adaptations I ever liked were the Cannon Movie Tale film with Amy Irving and Billy Barty until they at least tried to flesh out the character more on Once Upon A Time.
Every other adaptation just showed how awful the characters were. The miller is awful for lying to the king about what his daughter can do, the king is awful for threatening to kill the miller's daughter if she can't spin the straw into gold to begin with adding in his greed.
Rumple wanting to help is nice but strange that he wants to help someone he doesn't know and asking for payment is fair...until the daughter has no piece of jewelry to give. She only becomes awful with giving a stranger her child, even if she is going to having the king's heir and he is awful, not knowing...what he might do with it.
Can you see where I am coming from?
The Crimson Thread sets this in New York City of the 1880s focusing on a family of Irish immigrants coming to America. The O'Malley family has lost their matriarch and father Paddy wants to make a new start with his two daughters and three sons: Finn, Bridget, Seamus, Liam and Eileen.
They move into a small tenement and the older men have trouble at first getting jobs because they are Irish. Bridget is able to find work as a seamstress but in a room with no windows any bigger than where she and her family live: it is stifling. She makes a friend in an Italian girl named Maria and is shown kindness by a young man who lives in her building named Ray Stalls.
It is not his real name but all that is clear is he is a German immigrant and quite an acrobat as well as very fond of Bridget.
The jobs that Paddy find for his sons become compromised when they get in a fight with the supervisor and get fired. Ray helps Bridget and her family get away but she loses her job because of the fight, mostly out of fear of her hot Irish temper. Her father decides to Americanize his name and goes by Rick Miller to get work and passes off his accent as being Welsh, thinking Americans don't know the difference.
Finn doesn't want to abandon his Irish heritage and finds work with other Irish immigrants. Her father is able to get Seamus a job helping him work the carriage house and barn when he gets a job as a coachman for J.P. Wellington, a textile tycoon. Bridget stays home with Liam and Eileen until her father decides to see if he can get her a job as a seamstress for the Wellington family.
He changes Bridget's name to Bertie Miller and boasts of her talents and she is still hired despite her father's embellishments. Bridget meets Wellington's only son, James, as she leaves to go home and take care of the children and finds him to be handsome and charming.
James' father wants him to go into the family business but it is clear that James knows nothing about women's fashion despite having three sisters. Bridget is soon thrown into a predicament when it seems that James has made a bad business decision and has earned his father's ire at the fact it may ruin the family's business and take away their fortune.
The head seamstress didn't believe all of Paddy's wild talk about Bridget being a marvel of sewing and fashion but "Rick" tells J.P. that his daughter Bertie can help fix the problem with her skill.
If not, they will be fired. The stakes for Bridget are high because her father used most of the money he earned to pay back the friend from Ireland who helped find their apartment and paying the landlord. Bridget needs the money to take care of her two youngest siblings once three-year old Eileen becomes sick and almost comes down with diptheria.
Ray helped Bridget pay for the doctor and he tells her that he can help her with the dresses she needs to make since he use to also be an apprentice to a tailor. In an abandoned room, with a spinning wheel and a loom, Ray asks Bridget to pull the bits of gold cloth packed in with the straw containing the drab fabric while he sews with the titular crimson thread.
Having done so much, Bridget asks Ray how she can repay him and he only jokingly states that she could give him her first-born child. When the dresses inspired by the craze of Chinese detail impress all of the Wellingtons, James asks for Bertie to marry him thinking it is all her doing on her own in saving their hides.
Bridget wants to give Ray his credit but it isn't really what he wants and the two of them end up having heated words. Bridget thinks back to the "payment" but thinks nothing of it because what ends up happening...is a much heavier price.
There is so much more to tell but it would spoil too much and all I can reveal is that parts of the story about brought me to tears. The ending is so much happier because the characters who deserve to be happy...are happy. The characters who are truly awful don't get off without consequences to leave me feeling livid either...
There is supposed to be a touch of "magic" but it is only present in the prologue and the epilogue so I actually appreciate the tale being more grounded than fantastical even if it is a fairy tale adaptation. The Crimson Thread starts off depressing with such real world events woven into the story but there are heartwarming moments and very clever references to the source material.
Highly recommended to those like me who have always been disappointed with the story of Rumplestiltskin.
November 27, 2011
I really enjoy this story, but I don't really like the end, and Bridget is not my favorite female character. I suppose I'm mad that she gets swept up by the charms of the "rich kid" and doesn't see how much Ray truly loves her. Makes me wonder, though, what I would do. I hope that if I'm ever confronted with counterfit love and real love, I will be able to see through the facade, and discover the face of real love. I enjoy Suzanne Weyn's books because there is no real "magic" involved, just people trying to make magic out of ordinary, hard, life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews