Book Review: A Curse Dark as Gold

Book: A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth Bunce

Published: May 2, 2012

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Pages: 391 page (paperback)

Keeping reading after the jump for the full review

My latest trip to the library gave me a great pile of books to read, it seemed that they just continued to line up. This one was the last one I grabbed before making a dash to the door before any others took a claim to my eyes.

I've mentioned this before, but I'm not a huge fan of first person novels, this is one of the first that I have read that really made me consider changing my mind. It was written beautifully, while not with such lush structures as I normally prefer, it was eloquent and to the point. The writer gets you into the thoughts of the main character without lacking insight or composer.

What it's about: The story is a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin in a way that doesn't make the story like just another tale of the same old thing. But rather still leads you to where you really question the happy ending or whether the tale will play out as you think. The main character-Charlette-is struggling after the death of her father to keep their family's mill running. She ignored her neighbor's talk of the curse on her mill, but when she can't make the mortgage and things continue to go terribly wrong she might give the curse some credence. She makes a deal with a mysterious Jack Spinner for a room full of gold thread, which just might solve her problems. She soon finds out that this deal might just unravel everything she holds most dear.

What I thought: Adored it! It took longer to get into than I like,but the writing, the characters, and the story were so refreshing. Charlotte is a fresh breath of air in the heroin spot. She isn't one of those characters that is wish washy. She is who she is, and the author does an awesome job at painting her colors for us. There is romance, a subtle kind that takes a backdoor for the curse plot. A no-good uncle comes along, who you just want to kick out the door. I skimmed through the parts with him because I just found him so irritating. 

Predictability? The author lays out the clues well enough so that you know what is going to happen, whether it is the romance or the mysterious curse. Yet, when it comes to the end, I was never sure whether it was going to have a happy ever after or not. 

It's a historical fantasy novel. The author is sincerely gifted and I can't wait to read more of her novels. I'd suggest this to everyone who loves twists on fairy tales or just unusual historical novels. Let me know what you think of the book in a comment below or if you have any reading suggestions.