Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce
After the death of her father, seventeen year old Charlotte Miller has inherited his responsibilities as the manager of Stirwaters mill and all of its employees. Unfortunately, the old mill seems to be curse because of all the bad things that have been happening around it. With the help of her younger sister, Rosie, Charlotte tries to make things work, even as Pinchfields, a rival mill, is pressuring her to sell. Their situation only worsens with the arrival of their long lost Uncle Wheeler and the revelation that their father died in great debt. Eventually Charlotte has no choice but to turn to the mysterious Jack Spinner, a man who can spin straw into gold, for help. She begins to ask for his help any time she is in a crisis, but every time she does he demands payment in return, payment that gets worse with each passing bargain. Finally he asks for the ultimate sacrifice: her infant son. She must either give her son to him or find a way to vanquish Jack Spinner and the Stirwaters curse forever.
This novel was a dark and gripping addition to the lore surrounding the character known as Rumpelstiltskin. What I really liked about the book was that it had an explanation as to why Rumpelstiltskin wanted Charlotte’s child, which many similar books lack. Charlotte Miller comes across as a strong female character with genuine concerns for her family and friends in her first person narration. I would recommend this mostly to girls who like slightly gothic historical fantasy, with a touch of humor and romance.
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