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The Spinner and the Slipper
A Romantic Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" and "Cinderella," set in a world of mystery, magic, and menace.
Eliana, a humble miller’s daughter, never sought the king’s attention. Now her stepmother’s thoughtless lie has placed her in danger, for if Eliana cannot spin a roomful of straw into gold by dawn, the greedy king will order her execution.
One glimmer of hope lights this dire situation when a mysterious stranger magically appears in Eliana’s prison cell. A series of bargains might be enough to secure Eliana’s freedom.
But unfriendly powers observe the doings of faeries and mortals alike. Can Eliana and her nameless champion surmount the odds piling up against them . . . even the wrath of mighty King Oberon himself?
Eliana, a humble miller’s daughter, never sought the king’s attention. Now her stepmother’s thoughtless lie has placed her in danger, for if Eliana cannot spin a roomful of straw into gold by dawn, the greedy king will order her execution.
One glimmer of hope lights this dire situation when a mysterious stranger magically appears in Eliana’s prison cell. A series of bargains might be enough to secure Eliana’s freedom.
But unfriendly powers observe the doings of faeries and mortals alike. Can Eliana and her nameless champion surmount the odds piling up against them . . . even the wrath of mighty King Oberon himself?
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 30, 2016
So lovely!
What I love about this story is how flawlessly it combines the tales of Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, and the machinations of King Oberon and Queen Titania's royal court! The writing style is simple and sweet, effortlessly bringing the tale to life in classic fairy fashion. Perfectly clean, very delightful! This is what you call old fashioned fairy tale fare! :)
What I love about this story is how flawlessly it combines the tales of Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, and the machinations of King Oberon and Queen Titania's royal court! The writing style is simple and sweet, effortlessly bringing the tale to life in classic fairy fashion. Perfectly clean, very delightful! This is what you call old fashioned fairy tale fare! :)
June 29, 2021
clearly I’m in the minority, but no.
I’m lazy, so here’s the publisher's synopsis for the Spinner and the Slipper:
“Eliana, a humble miller’s daughter, never sought the king’s attention. Now her stepmother’s thoughtless lie has placed her in danger, for if Eliana cannot spin a roomful of straw into gold by dawn, the greedy king will order her execution.
One glimmer of hope lights this dire situation when a mysterious stranger magically appears in Eliana’s prison cell. A series of bargains might be enough to secure Eliana’s freedom.
But unfriendly powers observe the doings of faeries and mortals alike. Can Eliana and her nameless champion surmount the odds piling up against them . . . even the wrath of mighty King Oberon himself?”
so I'm really sad about how this turned out. it SOUNDED good in the synopsis, but OH MY GOSH the execution was insta-love in about four days. DAYS.
The hero (seemed like a rather sweet guy), fell in love because of her sTrEnGTh during hard times. He fell in love with her because she was quiet and sweet throughout all her trials and tribulations.
mhm.
How’d he find out, you ask?
He watched her. For years. Without her knowledge.
NOT CREEPY OR PROBLEMATIC AT ALL.
Our heroine was not much better. Eliana is vanilla and sweet and perfectly right in everything she does. Put simply, she’s not the most relatable of characters. As for her relationship with said hero, she literally met the guy like three times for one night each (the Rumplestiltskin part). And then magicky curse happens, she can't remember any of it, and she STILL falls for him after a couple of dances (the Cinderella part).
tHat’s nOt HoW lOvE wOrKsS.
You need to stick with somebody, see their pain and faults and hates and loves, be there with them no matter what, and love them anyway.
And that so was not you.
While the characters and their questionable relationship were my main gripe, I do have a few others: the world building was practically nonexistent, me getting my mail with squirrels out had higher stakes than this conflict, and (and I'm going to be petty here), NO ONE said this is a novella.
So here I am now saying it: this is a novella.
don't go in expecting action'n'stuff, alright?
UPDATE 12/24/21:
I tried going back to give this a better rating but 100% nope I still can't 😅
Ratings:
Star Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: G
Recommendations That Are Better Than This Book:
Beauty and the Beast by KM Shea
The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson
I’m lazy, so here’s the publisher's synopsis for the Spinner and the Slipper:
“Eliana, a humble miller’s daughter, never sought the king’s attention. Now her stepmother’s thoughtless lie has placed her in danger, for if Eliana cannot spin a roomful of straw into gold by dawn, the greedy king will order her execution.
One glimmer of hope lights this dire situation when a mysterious stranger magically appears in Eliana’s prison cell. A series of bargains might be enough to secure Eliana’s freedom.
But unfriendly powers observe the doings of faeries and mortals alike. Can Eliana and her nameless champion surmount the odds piling up against them . . . even the wrath of mighty King Oberon himself?”
so I'm really sad about how this turned out. it SOUNDED good in the synopsis, but OH MY GOSH the execution was insta-love in about four days. DAYS.
The hero (seemed like a rather sweet guy), fell in love because of her sTrEnGTh during hard times. He fell in love with her because she was quiet and sweet throughout all her trials and tribulations.
mhm.
How’d he find out, you ask?
He watched her. For years. Without her knowledge.
NOT CREEPY OR PROBLEMATIC AT ALL.
Our heroine was not much better. Eliana is vanilla and sweet and perfectly right in everything she does. Put simply, she’s not the most relatable of characters. As for her relationship with said hero, she literally met the guy like three times for one night each (the Rumplestiltskin part). And then magicky curse happens, she can't remember any of it, and she STILL falls for him after a couple of dances (the Cinderella part).
tHat’s nOt HoW lOvE wOrKsS.
You need to stick with somebody, see their pain and faults and hates and loves, be there with them no matter what, and love them anyway.
And that so was not you.
While the characters and their questionable relationship were my main gripe, I do have a few others: the world building was practically nonexistent, me getting my mail with squirrels out had higher stakes than this conflict, and (and I'm going to be petty here), NO ONE said this is a novella.
So here I am now saying it: this is a novella.
don't go in expecting action'n'stuff, alright?
UPDATE 12/24/21:
I tried going back to give this a better rating but 100% nope I still can't 😅
Ratings:
Star Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: G
Recommendations That Are Better Than This Book:
Beauty and the Beast by KM Shea
The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson
June 28, 2016
I really enjoyed this fairy tale retelling. It's a Rumplestilskin meets Cinderella with a little Midsummer's Nights Dream thrown in. It's a glorious mix that's woven together remarkably well. I loved all the characters, especially the "Green-eyed man" aka the Rumplestilskin character. I loved seeing how the different elements of each fairy tale were included. The story itself drew me in immediately and kept me flipping pages to see how it would all work out.
If you love any of the above fairy tales or just enjoy a good retelling, then you should definitely give this book a read!
If you love any of the above fairy tales or just enjoy a good retelling, then you should definitely give this book a read!
April 22, 2018
A sweet, clean, fairytale romance that took me a few chapters to get into, but captured my heart nonetheless. <3
June 14, 2016
A really cute, interesting mash up of the Rumplestilskin and Cinderella fairy tales. I saw once in an interview that the author was surprised by how well they fit together, and so was I when I read it! It was such an adorable book!
October 7, 2016
A sweet and clever Cinderella/Rumpelstiltskin retelling. I especially loved the presence of Oberon and Titania, which brought back pleasant memories of performing A Midsummer Night's Dream in high school. I thought both the Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin elements were woven into the story well, and it made for very good hurricane reading!
May 25, 2017
This was a wonderful adaptation of two fairy tales blended together, Rumplestiltskin and Cinderella - thus The Spinner and The Slipper. It was a loose adaptation but you could see both of the stories gently folded into her own story. I very much enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down.
October 12, 2017
This Cinderella/Rumpelstiltskin combination retelling (with a sprinkle of references to A Midsummer Night’s Dream), was so sweet, and cute, and I loved it!
I don’t feel I can go into too much detail about the story itself without spoiling things, but one thing I can specifically say I loved is that, despite very closely following the combined narratives for the original Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin stories, there were still several fun twists to be had.
As for the characters, our Cinderella character, Eliana, was an absolute sweetheart. This may not be new for Cinderella characters, but in a world where so many modern literary heroines have to be tough, edgy, butt-kickers, I honestly find it refreshing to sometimes return to reading about a gentle heroine whose strengths are honesty, kindness, and loyalty. Eliana is an excellent role model for any young lady.
Next, I’ll say that the back-cover blurb is absolutely correct that the hero in this is one to make you fall in love. I love, Love, LOVED him. Though I can’t say much about who he was due to massive spoilers, I can say that he was kind, honorable, brave, and sweet and the perfect match for Eliana and this reviewer. ;)
Then there was King Oberon and Queen Titania, who are the reason I mentioned that there were a sprinkle of references to Midsummer Night’s Dream. I ADORE what the author did with them, and the way they played off of each other and the other characters. Their presence added freshness to the two well-known fairytales being retold, and also caused several of those fun twists I mentioned. (I especially loved the big twist toward the end that I wish I could tell you all about, but I can’t, so just go read the book and find out for yourselves, m’kay? ;) )
Finally, I’ll talk about the (light) romance. I think even people who typically don’t like romance wouldn’t mind the romance in this book. For one thing, it’s not heavy at all. It happens gradually instead of being insta-love and starts out simply being one character having compassion on another because of a promise that was made a long time ago. As the love grows it just is so sweet and no kissing happens until well after we’re sure they are truly, 100% in LOVE not just lust, and as I’ll mention in my content review, the one kiss that is barely describe described is sweet and awwww-worthy, not hot and heavy like so many YA books feel the need to have nowadays.
The only “dislikes” I had was A) the characters that were intended to be disliked (I’m looking at YOU, horrible step-mother and greedy, human king and queen) and B) some minor knit-picks about the writing: Mainly some filtering and occasional repetitive words I would have edited out. Otherwise, this book was a great debut from a talented young author, well-written, easy to read, and highly lovable. It was truly pure enjoyment for me all the way through and I found myself reading double the number of pages each day than I normally do because I didn’t want to stop.
5 stars. 100% recommended for lovers of traditional fairytales with a twist.
Content Advisory for those who want to know: There is very little to be concerned about here. The things that I mention in the following sections did not bother me in the least. I am simply mentioning them for the sake of full disclosure and allowing people to make their own well-informed decisions.
Violence: Very little violence. An individual falls off a horse and there is brief mention of a pool of blood to indicate that the person hit their head and died and is not just unconscious.
The only other instance of actual violence in this book is when someone is defending someone else and kicks an attacker in the stomach.
There are also threats of violence: A character is under threat of possible execution for much of the latter half of the book.
This is not “violence” per-se, but I thought I should mention that, just like in the original Cinderella, the main character loses both parents, and the book actually opens on the death scene of her mother, which was a little sad.
Romance: As mentioned in my review, the romance is slow, sweet, and clean. Nothing sexual occurs. There’s one instance where a character briefly wishes for the courage to kiss another, but no actual kissing occurs until much later and a proposal comes soon after. One kiss is only barely described (in emotional terms, not physical) and the rest are not described at all. All but two kisses are between married individuals.
Swearing: None.
Magic: What magic there is is limited to the natural ability of the faeries.
Spirituality/Worldview: The author is a Christian and while there isn’t much spirituality in the story, what little there is agrees with Christian beliefs. The soul and spirit are mentioned occasionally. (One character can physically see a soul leave the earth after someone dies and it is described as being like a bird flying off into the sky). And the main Cinderella character hopes that her parents’ eternal souls are reunited in heaven.
I don’t feel I can go into too much detail about the story itself without spoiling things, but one thing I can specifically say I loved is that, despite very closely following the combined narratives for the original Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin stories, there were still several fun twists to be had.
As for the characters, our Cinderella character, Eliana, was an absolute sweetheart. This may not be new for Cinderella characters, but in a world where so many modern literary heroines have to be tough, edgy, butt-kickers, I honestly find it refreshing to sometimes return to reading about a gentle heroine whose strengths are honesty, kindness, and loyalty. Eliana is an excellent role model for any young lady.
Next, I’ll say that the back-cover blurb is absolutely correct that the hero in this is one to make you fall in love. I love, Love, LOVED him. Though I can’t say much about who he was due to massive spoilers, I can say that he was kind, honorable, brave, and sweet and the perfect match for Eliana and this reviewer. ;)
Then there was King Oberon and Queen Titania, who are the reason I mentioned that there were a sprinkle of references to Midsummer Night’s Dream. I ADORE what the author did with them, and the way they played off of each other and the other characters. Their presence added freshness to the two well-known fairytales being retold, and also caused several of those fun twists I mentioned. (I especially loved the big twist toward the end that I wish I could tell you all about, but I can’t, so just go read the book and find out for yourselves, m’kay? ;) )
Finally, I’ll talk about the (light) romance. I think even people who typically don’t like romance wouldn’t mind the romance in this book. For one thing, it’s not heavy at all. It happens gradually instead of being insta-love and starts out simply being one character having compassion on another because of a promise that was made a long time ago. As the love grows it just is so sweet and no kissing happens until well after we’re sure they are truly, 100% in LOVE not just lust, and as I’ll mention in my content review, the one kiss that is barely describe described is sweet and awwww-worthy, not hot and heavy like so many YA books feel the need to have nowadays.
The only “dislikes” I had was A) the characters that were intended to be disliked (I’m looking at YOU, horrible step-mother and greedy, human king and queen) and B) some minor knit-picks about the writing: Mainly some filtering and occasional repetitive words I would have edited out. Otherwise, this book was a great debut from a talented young author, well-written, easy to read, and highly lovable. It was truly pure enjoyment for me all the way through and I found myself reading double the number of pages each day than I normally do because I didn’t want to stop.
5 stars. 100% recommended for lovers of traditional fairytales with a twist.
Content Advisory for those who want to know: There is very little to be concerned about here. The things that I mention in the following sections did not bother me in the least. I am simply mentioning them for the sake of full disclosure and allowing people to make their own well-informed decisions.
Violence: Very little violence. An individual falls off a horse and there is brief mention of a pool of blood to indicate that the person hit their head and died and is not just unconscious.
The only other instance of actual violence in this book is when someone is defending someone else and kicks an attacker in the stomach.
There are also threats of violence: A character is under threat of possible execution for much of the latter half of the book.
This is not “violence” per-se, but I thought I should mention that, just like in the original Cinderella, the main character loses both parents, and the book actually opens on the death scene of her mother, which was a little sad.
Romance: As mentioned in my review, the romance is slow, sweet, and clean. Nothing sexual occurs. There’s one instance where a character briefly wishes for the courage to kiss another, but no actual kissing occurs until much later and a proposal comes soon after. One kiss is only barely described (in emotional terms, not physical) and the rest are not described at all. All but two kisses are between married individuals.
Swearing: None.
Magic: What magic there is is limited to the natural ability of the faeries.
Spirituality/Worldview: The author is a Christian and while there isn’t much spirituality in the story, what little there is agrees with Christian beliefs. The soul and spirit are mentioned occasionally. (One character can physically see a soul leave the earth after someone dies and it is described as being like a bird flying off into the sky). And the main Cinderella character hopes that her parents’ eternal souls are reunited in heaven.
October 2, 2016
A tale combining Cinderella with Rumplestiltskin where our heroine, Eliana, starts off the story by losing her mother in a way that promises there's more than meets the eye.
One of the things I liked about this story is it has that cadence of what I expect from old-time fairytales. It was a bit distant because of the omniscient pov, but it really fit with the story. Once Eliana got to the palace, I felt a lot closer to the characters and what was happening. Almost like the writer hit their stride about that point and had the characters connecting with the reader.
The stepsisters aren't so much wicked, as trapped by a foolish, lazy, vain mother. Like Eliana, I hope they found happiness afterwards. In truth I would've loved to see the step-mother get her comeuppance.
I thought the fact the step-mother "knew" the soldiers were there because the king found out about her silly lie was a bit far-fetched. Seriously, that her lie went from a small town village woman's meeting to the king himself far away in the castle was a miracle already. But there's no way she could've guessed that happened and that must be why the soldiers are there.
I also didn't understand why Eliana's father remarried. He didn't love the step-mother, she didn't bring anything to the marriage he needed, and Eliana was too old to need a new mother. I would've liked some motive for why he'd do such a thing and bring such a miserable family into his daughter's life.
The romance was sweet, and deeper than what you find in old fairy tales, though not as deep as I find in a lot of modern retellings. It was perfect for the story, and there was enough people on all fronts working against Eliana and the green-eyed man to really make you cheer them on.
I did get the ebook of this and want to make a small note that 50% of the book is the story, while the last 50% is introducing a completely different book by a different author. I definitely felt the plot winding up to a close and was confused by how much was still left, and then afterwards thought it was rather poorly done to price a book for x amount of pages when only half of those pages are for THAT book. Though that doesn't reflect on the quality of the story, I did want to mention it.
Overall, a nice, sweet read that is perfect if you're looking for something light to devour. I'd really need either a longer book or a deeper perspective to truly feel hooked on this story, but I liked it.
One of the things I liked about this story is it has that cadence of what I expect from old-time fairytales. It was a bit distant because of the omniscient pov, but it really fit with the story. Once Eliana got to the palace, I felt a lot closer to the characters and what was happening. Almost like the writer hit their stride about that point and had the characters connecting with the reader.
The stepsisters aren't so much wicked, as trapped by a foolish, lazy, vain mother. Like Eliana, I hope they found happiness afterwards. In truth I would've loved to see the step-mother get her comeuppance.
I thought the fact the step-mother "knew" the soldiers were there because the king found out about her silly lie was a bit far-fetched. Seriously, that her lie went from a small town village woman's meeting to the king himself far away in the castle was a miracle already. But there's no way she could've guessed that happened and that must be why the soldiers are there.
I also didn't understand why Eliana's father remarried. He didn't love the step-mother, she didn't bring anything to the marriage he needed, and Eliana was too old to need a new mother. I would've liked some motive for why he'd do such a thing and bring such a miserable family into his daughter's life.
The romance was sweet, and deeper than what you find in old fairy tales, though not as deep as I find in a lot of modern retellings. It was perfect for the story, and there was enough people on all fronts working against Eliana and the green-eyed man to really make you cheer them on.
I did get the ebook of this and want to make a small note that 50% of the book is the story, while the last 50% is introducing a completely different book by a different author. I definitely felt the plot winding up to a close and was confused by how much was still left, and then afterwards thought it was rather poorly done to price a book for x amount of pages when only half of those pages are for THAT book. Though that doesn't reflect on the quality of the story, I did want to mention it.
Overall, a nice, sweet read that is perfect if you're looking for something light to devour. I'd really need either a longer book or a deeper perspective to truly feel hooked on this story, but I liked it.
October 4, 2016
This book was an enjoyable read, and an excellent combination of the Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin fairy tales. It was a well-told story, hitting on all the elements from both fairy tales that might be expected (the slippers, the ball, the name-guessing, to mention a few). I especially enjoyed the switch in roles, . It was also great that the stepsisters weren't the flat clones of their mother that they typically become.
I'm not sure what to think of the inclusion of
My one regret was that it was a pretty short book (or maybe I've been reading too many tomes lately). The story didn't feel rushed or incomplete, but I finished it so quickly I was left wanting more. Which is not the worst thing in the world.
I'm not sure what to think of the inclusion of
My one regret was that it was a pretty short book (or maybe I've been reading too many tomes lately). The story didn't feel rushed or incomplete, but I finished it so quickly I was left wanting more. Which is not the worst thing in the world.
May 27, 2016
A charming little fairy-tale retelling, sweetly romantic. Love the Oberon and Titania conflict!
October 11, 2022
I forget, initially, that this was a merge of two fairy tales (Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin). That became obvious as I started the story.
I loved the way the author blended the two tales - taking elements from Rumpelstilskin (the miller's daughter, being forced to spin straw into gold and getting help from a fairie (I called him green-eyes, because he had no name) that asks for gifts each day that he works for her and who, ultimately, she needs to name) and elements from Cinderella (the stepmother, the stepsisters, a ball in order to find a husband and a glass slipper that has to fit a maiden for the prince to marry) and really twisting those elements into something entirely different.
I really enjoyed the characterization of all the major characters. I thought the little bit at the end was beautiful, with everyone (except for the step-monster and the king) living happily ever after! I laughed when I looked up the name she gave green-eyes and found out that .
I loved the way the author blended the two tales - taking elements from Rumpelstilskin (the miller's daughter, being forced to spin straw into gold and getting help from a fairie (I called him green-eyes, because he had no name) that asks for gifts each day that he works for her and who, ultimately, she needs to name) and elements from Cinderella (the stepmother, the stepsisters, a ball in order to find a husband and a glass slipper that has to fit a maiden for the prince to marry) and really twisting those elements into something entirely different.
I really enjoyed the characterization of all the major characters. I thought the little bit at the end was beautiful, with everyone (except for the step-monster and the king) living happily ever after! I laughed when I looked up the name she gave green-eyes and found out that .
November 15, 2020
This was a perfectly readable mash up of cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin but it lacked in depth
December 29, 2016
Mmm, yesh.
March 1, 2018
The Spinner and the Slipper was such a creative combination of Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin, mixed with appearances of Oberon and Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream. All of these elements were woven together remarkably well and told in a distinct and classical fairy tale style. While the writing was beautiful, I didn’t care for the omniscience perspective, but still found the story very sweet, lovely, and enjoyable, especially the adorable romance. Such a delightful fairy tale.
February 28, 2018
I loved this mishmash of Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, and Much Ado About Nothing. Eliana was a worthy heroine. She was vulnerable yet kind in the face of great opposition. I loved the twists and turns this story took, as well as the nods to classic tales. I can't wait to see what Camryn Lockhart comes up with next.
February 14, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed “Cinderella” meets “Rumplestiltskin” meets “A Midsummer Nights Dream”. The author effortlessly blended these three worlds so that you believe they were all one to begin with! Loved it and I look forward to reading other works my Ms. Lockhart in the future!
July 26, 2016
2.5
The story telling in this was a little too simple for me. I really enjoy good dialogue and interactions between characters and there seemed to be a minimal amount of that in here.
The story telling in this was a little too simple for me. I really enjoy good dialogue and interactions between characters and there seemed to be a minimal amount of that in here.
August 21, 2026
Sweet and clean little mashup of Rumplestiltskin and Cinderella.
Eliana is a miller’s daughter who has just lost her mother. As a promise to her mother she is given a slim gold ring and a necklace with the understanding that should someone ask her for them, she is to give them over without question. It’s odd, but Eliana is comforted to have these gentle reminders of her mother.
Unbeknownst to Eliana, someone else made a promise to her mother that they would watch over her precious daughter.
It’s been three years before her father journeys to the city to visit with his brother, and Eliana is surprised when she’s informed that he is coming home with a new wife and two new sisters. In preparation Eliana moves herself into a small storage room so the sisters can share her bedroom.
To anyone who is familiar with fairy tales, it comes as no surprise that the stepmother is cold and wants nothing to do with Eliana. Nor that Eliana’s dear father dies almost immediately. Surprisingly, however, the stepsisters may be a little spoiled, but are really just cowed by their mother and don’t have the gumption to stand up against her.
The mill may be a humble business and lifestyle, but that doesn’t stop Eliana’s stepmother from looking down on the neighbors. At a social gathering the stepmother hears how a boy from the neighboring kingdom is marrying a princess all because he climbed a beanstalk and stole some gold from giants and can’t help but brag that her daughter can spin straw into gold and therefore should bag the hand of the prince.
Gossip being what it is, word gets to the king who sends out his guards to whisk the girl to the palace to fill their coffers with gold or to be hanged in the courtyard. Naturally, the stepmother throws Eliana under the proverbial bus… farmer’s cart?… and you can see where this is heading.
However Eliana’s protector, the green-eyed man, isn’t a dwarf. Nope, he’s a handsome captain of the guard in the fae kingdom under King Oberon. But can our captain defy his King in order to save Eliana three times from the hangman’s noose as well as well as foil the human king’s plan to tie her to the prince so she will be forced to spin gold for the rest of her life?
The addition of fae (and of Oberon, Titania and Puck specifically) is such a brilliant move, and there is even a plot twist for the inclusion of glass slippers that is cleverly done. This is a quicker YA read, so some parts are glossed over a bit (hence three and a half stars rather than four) but this stands out as one of my favorite Rumplestiltskin retellings, and it’s a real shame that this appears to be the author’s only published title.
Eliana is a miller’s daughter who has just lost her mother. As a promise to her mother she is given a slim gold ring and a necklace with the understanding that should someone ask her for them, she is to give them over without question. It’s odd, but Eliana is comforted to have these gentle reminders of her mother.
Unbeknownst to Eliana, someone else made a promise to her mother that they would watch over her precious daughter.
It’s been three years before her father journeys to the city to visit with his brother, and Eliana is surprised when she’s informed that he is coming home with a new wife and two new sisters. In preparation Eliana moves herself into a small storage room so the sisters can share her bedroom.
To anyone who is familiar with fairy tales, it comes as no surprise that the stepmother is cold and wants nothing to do with Eliana. Nor that Eliana’s dear father dies almost immediately. Surprisingly, however, the stepsisters may be a little spoiled, but are really just cowed by their mother and don’t have the gumption to stand up against her.
The mill may be a humble business and lifestyle, but that doesn’t stop Eliana’s stepmother from looking down on the neighbors. At a social gathering the stepmother hears how a boy from the neighboring kingdom is marrying a princess all because he climbed a beanstalk and stole some gold from giants and can’t help but brag that her daughter can spin straw into gold and therefore should bag the hand of the prince.
Gossip being what it is, word gets to the king who sends out his guards to whisk the girl to the palace to fill their coffers with gold or to be hanged in the courtyard. Naturally, the stepmother throws Eliana under the proverbial bus… farmer’s cart?… and you can see where this is heading.
However Eliana’s protector, the green-eyed man, isn’t a dwarf. Nope, he’s a handsome captain of the guard in the fae kingdom under King Oberon. But can our captain defy his King in order to save Eliana three times from the hangman’s noose as well as well as foil the human king’s plan to tie her to the prince so she will be forced to spin gold for the rest of her life?
The addition of fae (and of Oberon, Titania and Puck specifically) is such a brilliant move, and there is even a plot twist for the inclusion of glass slippers that is cleverly done. This is a quicker YA read, so some parts are glossed over a bit (hence three and a half stars rather than four) but this stands out as one of my favorite Rumplestiltskin retellings, and it’s a real shame that this appears to be the author’s only published title.
June 23, 2017
This was one of the most unique and heartwarming retellings of Rumplestiltskin and Cinderella I have ever read--and being a fairy tale buff I have read a lot of them. It also incorporated the fae from A Midsummer Night's Dream seamlessly into the work and made them come alive. I was delighted with Eliana, a character who for once wasn't inspid, silly, or too trusting and too good. Unlike the original tales of both Rumplestiltskin and Cinderella, Eliana doesn't fall in love with the prince or king--she instead loves the man who saves her life multiple times--a man who isn't even mortal but fae--and the twists on both tales delighted me.
A must read for any fans of Rumplestiltskin and Cinderella who enjoy retold tales that don't employ bitterness, gore, explicit unnecessary sex, and other tiresome tropes. Can be savored like fine wine or devoured like chocolate cake in one sitting.
A must read for any fans of Rumplestiltskin and Cinderella who enjoy retold tales that don't employ bitterness, gore, explicit unnecessary sex, and other tiresome tropes. Can be savored like fine wine or devoured like chocolate cake in one sitting.
March 23, 2019
This book was okay. It didn’t always hold my attention. I enjoyed seeing the elements of the the two different stories. I wasn’t a huge fan of the fairy characters. But I did enjoy the ending! It was cute! It was clean. A couple of kisses, but no make-out scenes or anything else. No language or gore violence.
June 27, 2017
Lovely debut story, well written. Nice interweaving of Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, and a bit of flavor from Midsummer Night's Dream. Look forward to more of this author!
February 8, 2019
Aww, I love that ending so much! What a delightful twist on the old fairy tales! This quick, light read will leave you with a big smile on your face. :)
May 13, 2019
I thought this book was just adorable and the ending made me SO happy!! However the beginning of the book was very sad. I understand why it needed to be, though.
May 30, 2019
Rumpelstiltskin retellings are always great, and adding Oberon and Titianna makes this one even better.
July 28, 2019
A quick, sweet read :)
September 11, 2017
This book read like a novella to me. I enjoyed it however, I was just wanting a little bit more depth b/c the idea behind the story is fantastic.
September 29, 2019
I have to say that this book was a sweet and cute read. I was able to read it in one sitting, so I would say a fast read too.
It is written as a tale more then a novel. You can ear a storyteller narrating while reading. This is why I would put this book in the category of children book or early teenager. There is a definitely Christian wide through out of the book which I don't really like.
A young lady is oppressed by her step-family and king, find salvation through a supernatural being.
I have to say that I hated King Oberon more than the step-mother.
It is written as a tale more then a novel. You can ear a storyteller narrating while reading. This is why I would put this book in the category of children book or early teenager. There is a definitely Christian wide through out of the book which I don't really like.
A young lady is oppressed by her step-family and king, find salvation through a supernatural being.
I have to say that I hated King Oberon more than the step-mother.
January 1, 2017
I enjoyed this finely crafted, lovely story with a classic fairy tale feel to it. Camryn Lockhart has wonderfully woven many elements from various fairy tales into one cohesive narrative. The pacing is even, the writing is above average - I do believe this author has a lot of great books ahead in her future. I hope she writes more!
February 18, 2017
I really enjoyed this sweet retelling of Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin. The characters are strong and believable. There is a unique twist to how Eliana gets her glass slippers that will make you cry. Very enjoyable read!
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