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strawberrywineandnewbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed how the tale unraveled from Rumpelstiltskin's perspective, I found it incredibly entertaining and despite being a grown adult now, I see why I connected with this character as a child. Fumbling through messy situations all over his head that he never really asked for. My only complaint was with the ending, felt a bit lackluster.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
4.0
I love retellings and it’s been so long since I read one at all, let alone a good one.
Per the title, Rump is retelling the story of Rumpelstiltskin. Rump doesn't know his full name because his mother died before she could communicate it. In a kingdom where names are considered power he's at a complete loss being named after a rear end.
Rump comes to find out that a name is what you make of it.
The worldbuilding was fun. I liked the way it incorporated common fairytale beats into its own unique universe. I enjoyed how Rump's journey took him to many different places. To me a journey story isn't a good one unless the character travels a minimum of 3 locations - Rump definitely fulfills that.
What works against it, is that in spite of taking its own path it does remain somewhat chained to the most circulated version of the story. That means that there are times when certain plot elements feel manufactured or mighty convenient to force the book down a particular path. I'm not opposed to following the general tale, but I prefer when it's a little more subtle. Think, Ella Enchanted for instance.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Per the title, Rump is retelling the story of Rumpelstiltskin. Rump doesn't know his full name because his mother died before she could communicate it. In a kingdom where names are considered power he's at a complete loss being named after a rear end.
Rump comes to find out that a name is what you make of it.
The worldbuilding was fun. I liked the way it incorporated common fairytale beats into its own unique universe. I enjoyed how Rump's journey took him to many different places. To me a journey story isn't a good one unless the character travels a minimum of 3 locations - Rump definitely fulfills that.
What works against it, is that in spite of taking its own path it does remain somewhat chained to the most circulated version of the story. That means that there are times when certain plot elements feel manufactured or mighty convenient to force the book down a particular path. I'm not opposed to following the general tale, but I prefer when it's a little more subtle. Think, Ella Enchanted for instance.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
chapita4's review against another edition
5.0
The Boo's review (8)- its probably one of the best books I've ever read. It had a lot of funny parts so it's hard to pick a favorite. If you are thinking of reading this you should. My favorite part is when he finds out his whole name...I like it because he feels more powerful. My favorite character is Rump while Red is my second because it's my favorite color.
vtsarahd's review against another edition
5.0
Lots of fun - great twist on the classic fairy tale. Tells the story of Rump, a young boy who only knows part of his name, and how he tries to find his destiny and unbind himself from a magical curse bestowed upon him by his mother. Very funny and clever!
mbenzz's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED this book! Such a great little story about who Rumpelstiltskin is, and where he came from. There's trolls, pixies, Kings, Queens, witches, evil merchants and magic! A great book for kids to read or to have read to them at bedtime. It's not scary or gory, and every chapter has something exciting going on.
So glad I read this and can't wait to read more by this author. I hope she continues with more stories like this because she's really good at telling them!
So glad I read this and can't wait to read more by this author. I hope she continues with more stories like this because she's really good at telling them!
fairytalearista's review against another edition
5.0
I have a list of things that I look for in a fairy tale retelling, and this one hit pretty much every one of them. I loved the deeper struggle than the original fairy tale, and I believe that this Rumpelstilskin has been my favorite version I've ever seen.
I also loved all of the cameos from other fairy tales: Rump's best friend is Red, clearly Little Red Riding Hood, and he later visits his aunts, who come from a lesser known tale that is similar to Rumpelstilskin.
I also loved all of the cameos from other fairy tales: Rump's best friend is Red, clearly Little Red Riding Hood, and he later visits his aunts, who come from a lesser known tale that is similar to Rumpelstilskin.
whatsthestorywishbone's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to this with Reid and it is perfect listen/read aloud for a seven year old (or even younger). It is nice to get a perspective on Rumplestilskin and I enjoyed his backstory. That being said, as an adult I found the book overall a bit slow and not very nuanced. It also had some pretty glaring gaps in logic. I kept thinking a kid is just going to wander out of the castle with the king’s heir? Mmmm…probably not likely. I think it could have been edited into a shorter novel and still kept the same plot. I would like to get Red’s backstory but not sure I have the patience for another one in this series. Might see if Reid wants to listen to the others on his own though.
mary00's review against another edition
4.0
My daughter and I read this together for our mother-daughter book club. This clever retelling of Rumplestiltskin is a great read with memorable characters and a wonderful message. I will never look at the classic fairy tale that inspired this book the same again.
caitief's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0