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| The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" by Suzanne Weyn |
"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...."
Rating:
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.
