Millissa: A Rumpelstiltskin Retelling

by Cordelia Castel

Magic will be her savior. Or her downfall.

Born into a world as cunning as it is magical, one brave young woman must navigate the court of a deranged usurper King and uncover the truth behind its tangled, horrible past.

To save herself from hanging, she must risk summoning illegal magic into her dungeon cell to fulfill the King’s staggering spin straw into gold—or die.

With the help of an imp and a mysterious girl, Millissa must unravel the history behind the King’s terrible curse and the bonds that tie her to Autumn’s ultimate fate.

The truth will either set them free or bind them to their doom. Secrets and lies swirl about the court as a magical storm brews, threatening to uproot the monarchy, a marriage, and the miller’s daughter.

57 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2017

Reviews

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“...I can’t tell you how hard it is to be powerless to stop someone from suffering.”

This is a short novella in the series “The Perrault Chronicles” by Cordelia Castel. It is the author’s retelling of Rumplestilskin with a character from another part of the series:Millissa, daughter of a worker in the kingdom of the Tinder King, Donovan: usurper of the Kingdom Of Autumn.

Donovan is no more than a greedy, smelly man his time on the throne had never made the kingdom safe for anyone. Millissa was simply a commodity to her father, an easy bargaining chip. The king has her brought to the Castle to spin straw into gold!? Really? However, with help, she is able to accomplish everything she needs to do to get where she needs to be.... and still alive.

What’s next for Millissa? Keep reading the Chronicles to see,

This is a great reworking of one of the stranger fairy tales in history where greed, in some ways, is not equal to power, but names hold the key. I really liked this and highly recommend it. 5/5

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this story from the author and voluntarily decided to review it.

Millissa is a novelette in the Perrault Chronicles by Cordelia Castel. The story is told in third-person and is from Millissa, an eighteen-year-old woman's point-of-view. The story takes place before The Academy (the second book in the Perrault Chronicles) but because of certain aspects of the story I would wait to read it until after reading book two. This is Millissa's story, and in it we learn the circumstances behind how she came to be at the Academy.

I really liked reading about Millissa. I found her interesting in The Academy but didn't know enough about her to make a decision on whether or not I liked her, but after reading her story I think she may now be one of my favorite characters of the series. I'm invested in her story now, and can't wait to find out what Cordelia Castel has in store for her throughout the rest of the novels.

This story adds so much to the Perrault Universe, the more books and stories I read in the series the more complex and intriguing it becomes.

Recommended to fans of fantasy, fairy tales, strong female characters and anyone who likes the Perrault Chronicles

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millissa is a novelette in Cordelia Castel’s Perrault Chronicles and is set in Autumn, one of the lands that is part of the United Kingdom of Seven. It tells the story of Millissa, a miller’s daughter who is summoned by a tyrant king to spin straw into gold. But like with Castel’s other books in the series, this is no standard re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin.

As with the other books in the series, I still really love the way Cordelia Castel surprises me with the fairy tale archetypes she mixes together to create her unforgettable stories. But Castel outdoes herself with the vivid description of her characters in Millissa. You really feel like you can see them through Millissa’s eyes.

I do, however, think there was an instant or two where Millissa arrived at conclusions without enough details leading up to said conclusions. Perhaps more internal thought (though maybe not as much as that found in first person POVs) might have helped with this.

I really look forward to the continuing unveiling of the fairy tale saga that Castel has created. Those who love fairy tales with a little bit of mystery will love reading Millissa and the other Perrault Chronicles.

[Vanessa Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cordelia Castel continues to bring fairytales alive, with her newest novelette addition to the Perrault Chronicles (#2.5), "Millissa". Compelling from page one, with trials from the Autumn Queen based on the fairytale of Rumpelstiltskin, Millissa, this book is fun and exciting.

Millissa Barleigh, the Autumn Queen, first was introduced in the "Perrault Chronicles" 2nd installment "The Academy". At first glance she appeared as a nasty and overly spoiled royalty, but as the story developed, a softer side of her came to light. Now in the a separate novelette edition, "Millissa" really does appear misunderstood. Her story focuses on her time in the Kingdom of Autumn, when her father arouses the ruling King Donovan's greed by suggesting Millissa can spin straw into gold. She is faced with a no-win situation - for if she spins the gold she will be labelled a witch and be executed for using magic, but if she doesn't she will be executed for defying a King's order. With the help of a mysterious girl called Donkeyskins, Millissa is able to summon a magical Imp to assist with her mission. However, the Imp will only do Millissa's bidding for a fair price, and is determined to get the most out of her deal. So just how will Millissa solve her problems to avoid execution, and what price does the Imp expect her to pay for her life? And will Millissa's agreement have more far consequences beyond just spinning straw into gold? A story that no reader will want to miss!

Alike the other books in "The Perrault Chronicles" many of our beloved childhood fairytales are weaved together to create this magical series. Cordelia Castel's attention to detail from gorgeous front covers with gold embossing, to rich and alluring characters, to exhilarating and fun plots, makes this series easily stand out among other fairytale fantasies. The novelette of "Millissa" is no exception, with her character depicted on the front cover in her virginal white dress and halo of light above her head (no spoilers!), and a story that portrays Millissa's backstory, her heritage, and how she came to be at The Academy. Above all, the originality and the creativeness of the "Perrault Chronicles" including this latest addition, will resonate with readers far past the end page.

"Millissa" stands out, like the series, as a 5-star, must read. I thoroughly recommend this novelette to all lovers of fairytales. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series, which I hear is not too far away. Very exciting. I am truly addicted and just want more!

Full review to be posted shortly. This is a voluntary review based on receiving the book in advance.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Perault Chronicles novelette tells the story of Millissa, the Autumn Queen, who also befriends Cendrilla while she's at the Academy. The main fairytale this book is based on is Rumplestiltskin, although elements from the tales of both Donkeyskin and The Tinderbox also appear. It's an exciting and engaging novelette full of really interesting characters, and keeps you hooked from beginning to end. You also end up with a much more rounded knowledge of Milissa, her husband, and all the other characters involved who appear in later stories, which is another reason to read this book - if just reading a great story isn't reason enough for you!

[Jassa Myne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, how I do love the tale of Rumplestiltskin. Or at least, the retellings I have read of this story. I don't get tired of it and I guess as long as it isn't widely used I will always feel as if I have struck gold when someone does write a version or a continuation of this tale.

So this is the background story of how Millissa ended up at the Academy, but you have to remember that being a background story, it's not very long. I had to keep reminding myself this. It hurts because I want to know more about this Imp. More about Millissa. Most imortantly, I want to know what happened to Donkeyskin.

[Rebecca Stigers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa was just a poor girl who had to put up with a drunk father and bullies in her little town...until the King summons her. That's not good, she's heard what has happened to other young girls that he has summoned and that's enough to make her want to kill herself! Her father has told the King that she can spin straw into gold!! She can't and even if she could she would be killed for being a witch! What happens next is very interesting. Now this all happens before she meets Rilla at the Academy.
Good short story!

[Leopardwolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the twist and turns Cordelia puts into her fairytale fantasy books! It's like an old friend but with a new hairdo!
She writes brilliantly and this one is no exception!
I absolutely blooming loved this book and the way you find out why Millissa is at the Academy and why she's married to the king but not as we know it!
Anyway join Millissa as we find out how the people people she loves have treated her and what lead her to be at the Academy.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Greta Riordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting take on Rumplestiltskin, I really enjoyed it.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. I look forward to the rest of the story in the next book