Gilded
Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue. Or so everyone believes. When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her— for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain. Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.
Meyer’s retellings contain some of my favourite fairy tale twists, and Gilded was no different. There aren’t many Rumpelstiltskin retellings, at least that I’ve come across, so to find Meyer’s latest book taking the key elements from the classic fairy tale and turning it into this fantastically twisted story was exactly what I needed to read. Serilda’s ability to weave spellbinding stories and turn them into truth is just as incredible as Gild’s ability to spin almost anything into gold. Their combined powers make them the perfect targets for the cruel Erlking.
I loved how Meyer changed the narrative so Gild, who is this story’s Rumpelstiltskin, wasn’t the villain but the love interest for the miller’s daughter. It’s the Erlking who readers fear, for his wickedness and greed is only outmatched by his desire for power over the gods. As the true villain of Gilded, he lives up to his reputation throughout the book. I nearly threw my hardcover copy when I read how he murdered a few of the children from Serilda’s village because she faked her own death to escape him. I can’t wait to see how Serilda and Gild outmatch him in the sequel.
Speaking of Gild and Serilda, what a love story Meyer wrote for them! But Meyer never disappoints in the romance department. By the end of Gilded they had only known each other for a few months, but you could tell these two were willing to face down any danger together, especially if it meant protecting their unborn child.
Gilded is a spellbinding story that weaves a tale fans of fairy tales won’t soon forget.
Gilded Rating: ★★★★
Meyer’s retellings contain some of my favourite fairy tale twists, and Gilded was no different. There aren’t many Rumpelstiltskin retellings, at least that I’ve come across, so to find Meyer’s latest book taking the key elements from the classic fairy tale and turning it into this fantastically twisted story was exactly what I needed to read. Serilda’s ability to weave spellbinding stories and turn them into truth is just as incredible as Gild’s ability to spin almost anything into gold. Their combined powers make them the perfect targets for the cruel Erlking.
I loved how Meyer changed the narrative so Gild, who is this story’s Rumpelstiltskin, wasn’t the villain but the love interest for the miller’s daughter. It’s the Erlking who readers fear, for his wickedness and greed is only outmatched by his desire for power over the gods. As the true villain of Gilded, he lives up to his reputation throughout the book. I nearly threw my hardcover copy when I read how he murdered a few of the children from Serilda’s village because she faked her own death to escape him. I can’t wait to see how Serilda and Gild outmatch him in the sequel.
Speaking of Gild and Serilda, what a love story Meyer wrote for them! But Meyer never disappoints in the romance department. By the end of Gilded they had only known each other for a few months, but you could tell these two were willing to face down any danger together, especially if it meant protecting their unborn child.
Gilded is a spellbinding story that weaves a tale fans of fairy tales won’t soon forget.
Gilded Rating: ★★★★