Rumpelstiltskin retelling? hhhhmmm.......

I didn't know what to expect going into this, I just needed to read some fantasy. and Marissa Meyer...MA'AM....you DELIVERED.

never did I think I was going to be this invested in a retelling about Rumpelstiltskin, I always thought it was the strangest fairytale I had read growing up, definitely not one of my favorites.

We follow Serilda, an 18 year old girl who is considered a "curse" in her small town. She was marked by the god of lies when she was born, and her mother disappeared leaving her and her father behind when she was at a young age. Serilda loves to spin wild and imaginative stories. On the night of the hunt, she saves 2 moss maidens from being hunted and encounters the wicked Erlking and his undead hunters. She spins a lie as to what she was doing out that night and tells him she was collecting straw to spin into gold, that she was blessed by the goddess. The next night of the hunt, he takes her from her home and tells her to spin straw into gold for him or suffer death for her lies. Knowing she will die, she accidentally summons a mysterious boy to help her, to which he agrees for a price.

In this dark retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, Meyer pulls us into a world of curses, gods, ghosts, and magic. If you've read Meyer's other works, this is definitely less whimsical.
Serilda is cursed/blessed by the God of lies/stories. She spins stories out of nothing...like telling the Erlking, one of the powerful Dark Ones, that she can spin straw into gold. She cannot. Gild, a mysterious "ghost" with no memory of his past, works to help Serilda and save her life.
I was fascinated with Serilda's stories and how they weaved in with the plot. I simultaneously couldn't wait to get to the end and didn't want it to end.
I was under the impression that this was a standalone novel, but now I am hoping it is not. There is a lot unresolved at the end and I wasn't prepared for that.
Thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan for an early copy to review.

Gilded is a retelling of the story of Rumplestiltskin, with the protagonist (Serilda, the miller's daughter) taking much more of an active role. Instead of her father telling tales about how she can spin straw into gold, in Gilded, Serilda is rumored to be the godchild of the deity Wyrdith, able to spin fantastical tales out of nothing. When one of her stories attracts the attention of the Erlking, she must use her talents in storytelling and her wits to survive. When brought to the Erlking's keep and forced to spin straw to gold, she meets Gild, a mysterious young man who can do as she claims. Together, they will have to discover whether or not they have the strength to break free of their respective curses and the wild hunt forever.

While I very much enjoyed reading this story, I also wish that I had known that it was not a standalone novel. Gilded ends on a pretty significant cliffhanger, which was frustrating, as there was no indication when I picked up the book that this was not a self-contained story. The writing itself is strong, and I think the components of the fairy tale are well executed. There is a great commentary on how stories are lies, but how stories can also be used to show us the truth. Furthermore, I applaud Meyer for how dark she went in this tale. It very much follows the tradition of fairy tales as warnings and stories with consequences. Despite some of the predictability that comes with a retelling, I think that this is a fresh take on Rumplestiltskin and I am looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Once again, Marissa Meyer proves to be an amazing writer. She is able to seemingly effortlessly drop the reader into a world where all manner of creatures we've read about in fairytales are real. She also created an amazing protagonist: Serilda.

Serilda is easily my favorite character. She's such a strong protagonist and I loved the stories she created to entertain the schoolchildren. And yet where storytelling is her strength, it also proves to be one of her greatest weaknesses. She almost seems to have a pathological need to tell stories. This leads to issues between her and others in the story.

I also really liked Gild and wished we could have seen more of him. I will say though that while his and Serilda's romance storyline is interesting, I felt like it was all a bit rushed. Assuming there's going to be a second book, I really hope we get into Gild's backstory more.

My biggest complaint is that this book was very, very dark. I've read most of Marissa Meyer's books so I felt like I had a good feel for her writing style. I was not expecting how dark this book would be. I feel like this book should be billed as YA Horror instead of YA Fantasy. But this just goes to show how talented of a writer Meyer is.

Lastly, even though one hasn't been announced yet, I really hope there's a sequel!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because of the superb writing.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC. In German folklore, the Erlking is well known and abducts children who stay in the forest at night. In this story, he abducts Serilda because she can spin straw into gold. Another creature helps her in this, his name is Gild. Unlike Rumplestilzkin, he seems to be on of the good guys. The Erlking is the bad guy and the question is which royal house did he come from? All we have is an R surrounded by a Tatzelwurm....mmmh.

Okay.
Okay.
Okay.

I thought this was a standalone.
This was very definitely NOT a standalone, and I was NOT prepared for the absolute cliffhanger of an ending. Wow.

Also, can I say how grateful I am for a YA high fantasy with classic features like the Erlking and the Hunt in which there is no romance between said Erlking and the teenage main character? 10/10 want more books like that.

My favorite thing about Gilded was honestly the plot. Cursed by the god of lies, Serilda can spin stories from nothing. But she cannot spin gold from straw, as she tells the Erlking she can, and when he commands her to make good on her stories all she’s left with is her lies. Super fascinating premise!! Queue the rumplestiltskin addition with a mysterious ghost, who has no memory of his past or his name but can spin straw into gold.

The characters did feel a little bland, apart from Serilda. I loved her. But there wasn’t enough time spent with anyone else for me to really feel like I knew any of them, and the romance with Gild was extremely rushed. I get it, you can’t exactly have a rumplestiltskin retelling where he spins gold more than three times, but having them completely fall in love after meeting three times is a bit ridiculous. I would’ve appreciated it a lot more if there was more attention spent on the friendship, not the whirlwind romance.

Overall this was a super fun story with a cliffhanger ending that means that if there isn’t a book two I will be suing for the emotional damage.

I flipping loved this book! I really liked the Lunar Chronicles but I think this may be my favorite of hers! It was super dark, romantic, and twisty! All the things that I love!

I enjoyed this one so much. Meyer is really the master of fairytale retellings, and this one did not disappoint. I was expecting an epic twist, sort of like the one at the end of Heartless, and I was just a tiny bit disappointed to not get that. But the world building is brilliant, and it’s honestly one of the best and most intricate tales I’ve read. The Erlking is terrifying, and though Serilda is fairly unlikeable, I was still so invested in her story. I’ll post my review to Bookstagram soon and sing all of the praises.

I just started reading this author's books at the beginning of the year and, after reading two series of hers, I was so looking forward to starting a new one! I'm such a big fan of fairytale retellings and Rumpelstilskin retellings aren't all that common so I was super excited to start this one. I'm happy to say it didn't let me down! The cover is gorgeous so that was definitely a plus as well.
I was sucked in from the beginning and every magical expectation was met. Serilda and Gild had amazing chemistry and I was definitely swooning over them early on.
The German-inspired world was splendid. I enjoyed the world building, and the way Marissa put her own spin and charm on these characters. The pacing was slow at times but I definitely enjoyed this read.
I'm really excited to see where things go in the next book after the ending of Gilded!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is a hard review to write as i thought this version of the rumple story retelling is very unique, dark and twisty just like the author promised. But towards the end their were a couple situations that did not sit well with me. The obvious attempt to abort the baby and the killing of the children. I know it a dark fantasy but i just think their another way those scary parts could of been handled. I not going to post a review to my blog as i can not think of good way to put that the book is enjoyable and good but has those two parts that took me out of the story. So good story but a bit over board.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and and review.

I have loved every book Marissa Meyer has done. Her writing is usually whimsical and fun but this sadly was not that. Based on the synopsis I did not realize how dark this book was going to get. I was so excited for her venture back into fairytales but this was a lot of concepts into one story and seemed at times over written. I think this was just not for me but do think many will love it. If you are expecting something similar to the Lunar Chronicles then go in knowing this will not be that. Marissa Meyer still has such an exceptional writing voice and style.

I have been waiting for the next Marissa Meyer book to come out. Gilded was phenomenal! What's not to love about the queen of fantasy retellings writing a story about magic and Rumpelstiltskin?!?! Seriously there's nothing not to love. The characters, the plot, the hints of romance!!!!! swoon!

I LOVED this book!! It is my new favorite from Marissa Meyer. Another 10/10. Perfection in book form, the Queen has done it again!

While I love the modern spin on fairy tales that is on trend recently, I am LIVING for the classic Grimm Brother's vibe that Gilded has. I felt transported back to a German forest filled with faeries and eerie magic and dark power. While the book had its lighter moments, I very much enjoyed the dark vibes.

I adored the main character, Serilda. Her talent for spinning tales drew me in from the very beginning. Her positive but sarcastic attitude was relatable and perfect.
The romance was cute and sweet and just what I've been wanting to read lately.
The Erlking was the perfect villain. Again, those classic vibes were just perfect!
I loved the setting- the German inspired towns and castles were perfect and really helped set the tone and mood of the book.
Marissa Meyer's writing was perfect as usual. She spins stories so magically that it is fitting she wrote a story about a character spinning gold. This woman is incapable of writing a bad book. Seriously.
I CANNOT wait for the next book. I actually cried when I reached the end of this one

Everyone needs this book in their lives.

4.5

Thanks to Fierce Reads for my advanced digital copy!

"But there are two sides to every story.The hero and the villain.The dark and the light.The blessing and the curse"

Everyone knows Marissa Mayer is the Queen of Fairytale retellings but what I loved about this particular book is that she picked up Rumplestiltskin, an underrated Fairytale in the literary world to whip her magic wand and spin an amazing tale out of it. Gild starts with Serilda an 18 year old why she is considered as bad luck in her small town, one she has golden spokes around her pupils because she is blessed by God Of Lies-a trickster God two- she spins the most outrageous tales which are shunned as lies and dangerous.The only allies she has are town's children who are utterly bewitched by her stories, Serilda's stories within this story are quite interesting and the way they are interweaved into the actual plot is exemplary!

Serilda's character is a wild mix of an adventurous and eccentric spirit, who gets into trouble because she has a rather curious mind- did the curiosity get this cat killed? well it didn't, but she lands in a bizzare situation that catches the attention of the most feared Erlking,The dark king of the wild hunt- someone who is mostly a figment of fiction to a lot of people in the real world but is still scared by everyone, rightfully so. While trying to outsmart the Erlking, she spins a tale about herself saying that, she is Goddess blessed and can spin straw into real Gold. This leads her to her predicament where the Erlking summons her the next full moon only to demand her to spin mounds of straw into Gold which is when this fair damsel meets a lonely spirit in the haunted castle-Gild, her unexpected alley and the only person who can get her out of her predicament which is certainly not a one time thing.Gild is a someone who readers will develop instant liking towards and I cannot wait to learn more about him in the next book

"That can't be a surprise.A mysterious stranger who appears magically whenever a fair
damsel is in need of rescuing?who dresses like a drunker earl, but can create gold at his
fingertips.Who is flippant and aggravating, but somehow charming too.When he wants to be"

The Chemistry between Gild and Serilda is funny, full of banter and super slow burn.On the other hand the plot, execution and the world is whimsically dark and mysterious, often times straight up creepy and scary- An eerie castle that only comes alive on certain full moon days? gruesome beasts that should only exist in nightmares?Ghosts that are known as dark one's? deadly bargains that might cost you your soul? Gilded has everything an "adult" fairytale needs, utterly enchanting with a distinctive narrative style which only Marissa Mayer can flawlessly deliver, the book is going to charm so many fantasy lovers when it hits the shelves!

This book was the perfect fantasy retelling in true Marissa Meyer fashion. I was sucked in from the beginning and every magical expectation was met. Serilda and Gild had amazing chemistry and I found my self yelling and swooning over them! I enjoyed the world building, and the way Marissa put her own spin and charm on these characters. The pacing was slow at times but I definitely enjoyed this read.

I think anyone who loves the traditional fairy tales will absolutely fall in love with the story that Meyer has crafted. I was able to read this right after finishing the first sample chapters, and thank god for that.

The only thing I have to say I would have changed is not releasing the second book sooner. The absolute cliffhanger at the end almost caused a heart attack.

I think I can safely recommend this story to all children and adults who fell in love with the retellings and originals especially those that wanted to see the darker side growing up but only were gifted Disney endings.

The queen of retellings is back with an incredible spin on Rumpelstiltskin! I’ve read all of Marissa Meyer’s books except for Heartless (don’t worry, I’ll be reading that one soon) and this is by far the darkest and most atmospheric in my opinion. It was magical, whimsical (think Stephanie Garber level whimsical), at times a bit frightening and was one heck of a wild ride. There is mystery, suspense and a dash of romance that had my heart trying to jump out of my chest. I’m left sitting here staring at my shelves and other e-arcs wondering what I’m supposed to do with myself until the next book is released.

Thank you so much NetGalley and FierceReads for the e-ARC!

There was nothing inherently wrong with this book, however after the lunar chronicles I think I put too much hype into this one and it ended up disappointing me. I am also starting to discover that im not a super big fan of rumplstiltskin retellings ;/

This is a very different retelling of the tale of Rumpelstiltskin and the dark magic in the fairy world. Serilda has been touched by one of the old gods and has been gifted the skill of lying and story telling, but what if all her magnificent stories aren’t lies. When she is chosen my the Erlking because of a lie she told she is trapped, in more than one way. I loved this story but it is DARK and at times super disturbing with vivid violence against children. This is certainly not for a younger reader or anyone with a weak constitution. The stories and the descriptions are beautiful and I was instantly transported into this other world. I am anxiously awaiting the follow up!

As a big fan of The Lunar Chronicles, I was so excited that Marissa Mayer was returning to the fairy tale realm with Gilded, a reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin. The setting remains true to the original Grimms, taking place in a small village in the German countryside in the early 1800s. Serilda, the miller’s daughter, encounters the evil Erlking on the night of the full moon, as she protects two moss maidens from his capture. She talks her way out of situation by claiming she can spin straw into gold. At the next full moon, the Erlking summons her to his castle to do just that. In complete despair, Serilda’s crying brings the resident poltergeist Gild, who just happens to be a handsome young man who has been cursed by the Erlking rather than an unsightly imp, to her aid. Alas, he can spin straw into gold.

The first part of the book was a little slow paced for me as all the various storylines and characters are introduced. I wasn’t familiar with all of the beasts from German folklore or “the Hunt” at the full moon. However, once everything is in place, the story takes off as Serilda realizes that she is the one that must thwart the Erlking. I could not put the book down. Sadly, we are going to have to wait for a sequel to see how it all ends.

On a side note, this is a book for readers who can handle gore and violence. The Erlking is truly evil.