Magic is scary in this world, but it’s also not far away I thought the way that folklore was interwoven with daily life was wonderful, a mix of religion and superstition that rang very true to real life history, while having that added punch of actual magic lurking in case of a misstep. Even castles and kings aren’t glossy Disney types, but dark, dangerous things. There’s little glamour in Serilda’s village life, even before the violence and gore start, and you can feel the trees of the Aschen Forest looming behind even the most domestic scene. I absolutely loved the dark, Grimm-esque setting. The story rollicks along at a pleasant speed, treading the line perfectly between the quieter fairy tale feel and a proper adventure. I’ve previously enjoyed several of her books, and I always feel like her writing has a light hand, so that what you remember is the plot, not the actual reading experience, if you see what I mean.

It’s easy to read, and unobtrusive, so you just sweep through it, but it always does a great job of making sure that you can picture every scene. Marissa Meyer’s writing is always so good. Discussing my issues with the end will mean that this may not be the most spoiler-free review ever, but I’ll mark clearly when I’m about to go into spoiler territory – the next couple of paragraphs are safe, I promise! The first three quarters, I adored, and it was well on its way to being a 5 star book for me, but then the last quarter took a turn into the weird, and I ended up giving it quite a hefty side-eye. I had the strangest time reading this book. But love wasn’t meant to be part of the bargain. In despair, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious young man to her aid. The king locks Serilda in a castle dungeon and orders her to spin straw into gold, or be killed for lying. When one of Serilda’s stories draws the attention of the devastating Erlking, she finds herself swept away into a world of enchantment, where ghouls prowl the earth, and ravens track her every move. He was going to kiss her.Ĭursed by the god of lies, a miller’s daughter has developed a talent for storytelling – but are all of her tales as false as they appear? Serilda had never been looked at like that before. All opinions my own.Ĭontent warnings: Violence, murder and death, including of children and major characters gore/body horror (also sometimes involving children) grieving a parent strange depiction of pregnancy, and discussion of selling babies.Īll magic comes at a price, but love was never part of the bargain. Ownership: Proof copy provided free of charge by Faber & Faber.

Gilded marissa meyers