A Curse Dark as Gold

by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Overview

“In this slow-simmering but rewarding retelling, first-novelist Bunce presents an innovative interpretation of Rumpelstiltskin.” —Horn Book

Winner of the William C. Morris Award for a Young Adult Debut

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

A Smithsonian Notable Book

An Oprah’s Book Club Kids’ Reading List Teen Selection

The gold thread promises Charlotte Miller a chance to save her family’s beloved woolen mill. It promises a future for her sister, jobs for her townsfolk, security against her grasping uncle—maybe even true love. To get the thread, Charlotte must strike a bargain with its maker, the mysterious Jack Spinner. But the gleam of gold conjures a shadowy past—secrets ensnaring generations of Millers. And Charlotte’s mill, her family, her love—what do those matter to a stranger who can spin straw into gold? This is an award-winning and wholly original retelling of “Rumplestiltskin.”

“Set in a rural valley in the late 1700s, this reworking of the ‘Rumplestiltskin’ story includes ghosts, witchcraft, elements of Georgian society, and much earlier folk magic in the guise of a novel of manners.” —School Library Journal

“A Curse Dark as Gold beats the hell out of any fantasy novel I’ve read this year. Her heroine/narrator is immensely appealing; the atmosphere of a world on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution is completely believable; and the suspense of the story builds so craftily that I started taking notes on just how she does it.” —Peter S. Beagle, World Fantasy Award-winning author

“An intelligent, original, and interesting new take on an old fairy tale, and a marvelous debut novel.” —Teen Book Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545281560
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/17/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	404
Sales rank:	377,173
File size:	907 KB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth C. Bunce's first novel, A Curse Dark As Gold, won the ALA's William C. Morris Award for a YA debut. Elizabeth cuts, sews, and embroiders both cloth and stories at her home near Kansas City, Missouri. Please visit her website at www.elizabethcbunce.com.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 8 Up- Too stubborn to let go of the troubled mill that has supported her community for generations, Charlotte Miller takes over after her father's death, fighting impending disaster with bargains with a mysterious Jack Spinner that eventually threaten her infant son. Set in a rural valley in the late 1700s, this reworking of the "Rumplestiltskin" story includes ghosts, witchcraft, elements of Georgian society, and much earlier folk magic in the guise of a novel of manners. The leisurely paced narrative gathers steam as it becomes clear that the family and the mill have not simply had a long run of bad luck, but are seriously cursed. Readers need not be familiar with the folktale to see where Charlotte's efforts to save her mill are headed. Though their roles in the narrative are clear, secondary characters are distinctive: foppish Uncle Wheeler is more than a stereotyped villain, and Charlotte's eventual husband is an admirable romantic lead with unsuspected talents. A rich opening to Jane Austen's world for teens.-Kathleen Isaacs, Towson University, MD

School Library Journal

In a hefty, thoughtful Rumpelstiltskin tale, Charlotte Miller fights and strains and sacrifices to embody her surname. The Miller family runs Stirwaters, a river-powered textile mill in a pre-industrial village. It's been passed down haphazardly because no Miller son ever lives to inherit it. Charlotte and sister Rosie take over upon their father's death, but troubles persist. Non-superstitious Charlotte resists the idea of a family curse; she insists the ongoing destruction is simply bad luck and vandalism. A perfumed, dandy uncle arrives to wrest power away from the sisters. Bunce writes the mill as a character too, bound into the family "by loss and grief and vengeance." As stubborn Charlotte fiercely defends Stirwaters against physical and financial ruin, misguided habits of secrecy and fear lead to a near-loss of her infant son to the Rumpelstiltskin figure, a classic tortured ghost from ages past. His origins unravel the tangled mystery. Slow pacing and a protagonist with infuriating secretiveness may deter some readers, but those who stick it out will find substance and beauty. (author's note) (Fantasy. YA)

Kirkus Reviews

"Bunce blends multiple elements in her savory stew of genres–mystery, romance, work, and chicanery simmer in a rich broth of history infused with light touches of traditional beliefs and folk magic. The Rumpelstiltskin story progression is deftly integrated into a plot that enfolds and extends its implications regarding class and the value of skilled workmanship. In an author's note, Bunce readily admits where she has tweaked historical detail to align more favorably with folkloric belief, and her instincts prove right on target as she gives flesh to distinctively individual characters with almost archetypal resonance. Charlotte's complex loyalties to her family, the mill, and the townsfolk who depend upon it for their livelihood make her an estimable character indeed, well worth applauding in a tale that is as spooky and suspenseful as it is satisfying." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review



"An innovative interpretation of Rumpelstiltskin. . . . The pastoral microcosm of Shearing is classic fairy tale, but it gains traction in the gritty social and economic details of small-town life, and the sisters, subtly differentiated, are strong characters defined by fierce loyalty, pride, and determination that goes beyond simple feistiness. Similarly, the villains are rendered with nuance. The result is a fully realized dramatic conflict characterized by the folkloric magic of memory imprinted upon place; inherited legacies; and the power of recognition, recompense, and forgiveness." -- Horn Book

From the Publisher