**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.**
Title The Storyteller’s Daughter
Author Victoria McCombs
Description from Amazon
His shadowed face lit by flames,
Rumpelstiltskin is my name…
For as long as anyone can remember, every child in Westfallen has been born with a Gift, and these Gifts defined them.
Then Cosette is born, Giftless.
An attempt to hide her misfortune brings her before the King, who entraps her to use her Gift as a pawn in his war.
Caught in a lie, Cosette desperately searches for a power strong enough to free her. Intrigued by whispers of an old king and a dark curse, she calls upon Rumpelstiltskin and finds him trapped in a magic deeper than she bargained for. Now, Cosette must fight to reclaim her freedom from the King and break Rumpel’s curse. When time runs out, she’ll lose more than her heart. She’ll lose her life.
Release Date July 14, 2020
Initial Thoughts
I was excited to read this one. I hadn’t read any Rumpelstiltskin retellings and this sounded really good. I also love the cover art and love reading books by new authors.
Some Things I Liked
- Dark themes. This story had some morally grey and difficult themes and I loved that. Rumpel was not always the nicest character and Cosette’s motivations were also sometimes questionable. I really enjoyed their character growth.
- A new retelling. I’ve read a lot of fairytale retellings, but no Rumpelstiltskin stories. I was excited to read a fresh story about a tale that hasn’t been done over and over again.
- Magic system. I thought the magic system of “gifts” was really interesting. I really liked the different types of “magic” the people had and that they saw magic in activities that are often taken for granted. For example, singing or storytelling.
Series Value
While I think Cosette’s story is complete, I’d love a spin off about her sister or more retellings set in this world. I really enjoyed the writing and the way the fairytale I knew was molded to the world Victoria McCombs created.
I would definitely read more in this series.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. I don’t have a particular affinity for Rumpelstiltskin retellings but I really enjoyed this one. I think I’m jaded from Rumpel in the show Once Upon a Time, who was one of the primary villains, in case you’re not familiar. I was pleasantly surprised to see how this book played out and really enjoyed Victoria McComb’s writing style.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Of Beast and Beauty by Chanda Hahn – if you enjoyed the idea of a fairytale retelling, try this series by Chanda Hahn.
- A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan – if you enjoyed the idea of a unique retelling centered around gold, try this duology by Annie Sullivan.
Books Over Everything 