What do you think?
Rate this book
Goldmayne: A Fairy Tale
Evil witches, cursed royalty, heroes by happenstance, and happily ever after: Duncan does not believe in fairy tales, but when he runs away from his father's farm, he tumbles headlong into one. Old Dame Groach recruits him as caretaker of her crumbling estate, where he must tend her poisonous garden, beat her white horse daily, and keep far away from the mysterious closet beneath the stairs... and that's only the start of his fantastical troubles!
A retelling and shameless embellishment of the French-Canadian folk tales, "Scurvyhead" and "Sir Goldenhair."
A retelling and shameless embellishment of the French-Canadian folk tales, "Scurvyhead" and "Sir Goldenhair."
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2013
149 people are currently reading
874 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
September 4, 2018
A very entertaining retelling of two fairy tales that were completely unknown to me, with a plot that had the feel of a traditional Medieval knightly quest story, plenty of hilarious scenes, and a lovable main character, who reminded me a bit of Duncan the Tall from the Dunk & Egg novellas by George R. R. Martin.
January 12, 2017
You thought I was done reading fairy tales?
Because there is no such thing as reading too many fairy tales.
Goldmayne is a mix of two French-Canadian stories that I have never had the joy of reading (Scurvyhead and Sir Goldmayne). Our stunning protagonist is a young man by the name of Duncan, a farmer's son, illiterate, with a good head for numbers, but a poor belief in fairy tales. Which, is too bad for him, because he's in one.
Duncan's series of adventures includes working for an odd witch, hanging out with a talking horse, getting a head full of gold, playing knight, and being lackey to a scowling princess.
POINT OF THE MATTER IS.... Goldmayne is a ride you absolutely don't want to miss. The characters, the plot, EVERYTHING, is amazing. Why have I not found Stradling sooner???!
So let me put it this way---
FRIENDS, FELLOW GOODREADERS, read one of Stradling's books.
Because there is no such thing as reading too many fairy tales.
Goldmayne is a mix of two French-Canadian stories that I have never had the joy of reading (Scurvyhead and Sir Goldmayne). Our stunning protagonist is a young man by the name of Duncan, a farmer's son, illiterate, with a good head for numbers, but a poor belief in fairy tales. Which, is too bad for him, because he's in one.
Duncan's series of adventures includes working for an odd witch, hanging out with a talking horse, getting a head full of gold, playing knight, and being lackey to a scowling princess.
POINT OF THE MATTER IS.... Goldmayne is a ride you absolutely don't want to miss. The characters, the plot, EVERYTHING, is amazing. Why have I not found Stradling sooner???!
So let me put it this way---
FRIENDS, FELLOW GOODREADERS, read one of Stradling's books.
April 29, 2023
5 stars // read April 2023
This was such a fun story! I started reading it one night and quickly finished it the next. It’s based on several obscure fairytales that I wasn’t familiar with, which was a refreshing change from others than tend to be overdone. The romance was unexpected and was easily one of my favorite parts- it reminded me of the dynamic in W.R. Gingell’s “Gothel and the Maiden Prince.” Overall, one of my favorites by Kate Stradling- highly recommend.
This was such a fun story! I started reading it one night and quickly finished it the next. It’s based on several obscure fairytales that I wasn’t familiar with, which was a refreshing change from others than tend to be overdone. The romance was unexpected and was easily one of my favorite parts- it reminded me of the dynamic in W.R. Gingell’s “Gothel and the Maiden Prince.” Overall, one of my favorites by Kate Stradling- highly recommend.
September 21, 2022
That was super fun. A fairy tale retelling of some little known French-Canadian tales I'd never heard of, that manages the difficult trick of being both a folk tale retelling and an engaging novel. Tricky because folk tale characters tend to be archetypes lacking in character detail, while the plots abound in weird but somehow compelling magical rules, things that come in threes, and kings who will marry off their daughters at the first sight of a victorious hero. The values and attitudes of our ancestors are also sometimes difficult, especially around the role of women, and yet in other places they challenge and judge us against their ideals - here for example hard work, integrity, valour, steadfastness and selflessness.
Some retellings are clearly getting around this by retelling Disney's digested fairy tales, that already have character and plot in a recognisable form. Ms. Stradling has shown that she has an eye for the uncomfortable and fey bones of the originals (I liked Brine and Bone as a much more original Little Mermaid with a dash of The Manchurian Candidate). This one maybe has a large dash of Forrest Gump, especially the buddy-dynamic and personalities of the two main characters (not the romance(s) though).
If I had a criticism, it would be that in the first third we do very much get Duncan as the folk-tale archetype, and only slowly develops a clearer character. The female characters rather tend to steal their scenes as a result, as perhaps normal in Stradling's work, though this is the first of her books I've read with a male MC. The princesses are delightful, though, so I'll forgive that for the entertaining ride.
Some retellings are clearly getting around this by retelling Disney's digested fairy tales, that already have character and plot in a recognisable form. Ms. Stradling has shown that she has an eye for the uncomfortable and fey bones of the originals (I liked Brine and Bone as a much more original Little Mermaid with a dash of The Manchurian Candidate). This one maybe has a large dash of Forrest Gump, especially the buddy-dynamic and personalities of the two main characters (not the romance(s) though).
If I had a criticism, it would be that in the first third we do very much get Duncan as the folk-tale archetype, and only slowly develops a clearer character. The female characters rather tend to steal their scenes as a result, as perhaps normal in Stradling's work, though this is the first of her books I've read with a male MC. The princesses are delightful, though, so I'll forgive that for the entertaining ride.
September 13, 2024
Admittedly, the first 25% of the book is slow and a bit dull, but then it takes off and ends up being a wonderfully fun and captivating story! It almost has a whimsical note to it, with a humor that enjoys being a fairy tale poking fun at fairy tales. It was quite difficult to put down at night, and I’m sad to see it end.
The character development was excellent and I especially loved Duncan! He was so charming with his simple honesty and steadfast work ethic. I mean, how could the girl NOT fall for him?? He’s everything a hero should be.
Despite the slow start, I highly recommend the book!
Content:
There’s no foul language, violence, or sex. The romance is super clean with only a couple light kisses at the end. There’s lots of magic and curses. There’s no mention of faith or God.
The character development was excellent and I especially loved Duncan! He was so charming with his simple honesty and steadfast work ethic. I mean, how could the girl NOT fall for him?? He’s everything a hero should be.
Despite the slow start, I highly recommend the book!
Content:
There’s no foul language, violence, or sex. The romance is super clean with only a couple light kisses at the end. There’s lots of magic and curses. There’s no mention of faith or God.
March 11, 2020
Yeah, I loved this way too much. I think even more than The Legendary Inge.
I'm not familiar with the two French Canadian fairy tales this is based on, but the tropes utilized within this retelling are both familiar and slightly unpredictable. I loved Duncan (the witch's frustration with his decidedly not curious nature was hilarious to me) but the story was filled with plenty of other entertaining characters as well.
It did start off a little slow (even though I still found it interesting) but once Part II really got rolling, I knew I was going to be finishing this one in a single sitting! Goldmayne has just made it onto my list of "Kindle-books-I've-read-that-I-really-need-a-hard-copy-of" now.
I'm not familiar with the two French Canadian fairy tales this is based on, but the tropes utilized within this retelling are both familiar and slightly unpredictable. I loved Duncan (the witch's frustration with his decidedly not curious nature was hilarious to me) but the story was filled with plenty of other entertaining characters as well.
It did start off a little slow (even though I still found it interesting) but once Part II really got rolling, I knew I was going to be finishing this one in a single sitting! Goldmayne has just made it onto my list of "Kindle-books-I've-read-that-I-really-need-a-hard-copy-of" now.
January 8, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by this retelling and I'm pleased to announce I have read both fairy tales that it was based on! Or variations, at least - they would have been in either my huge collection of the Grimms' fairy tales or the [Insert Just About Any Color Here] Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, or both. It was a while ago, too - I really haven't read any of those books since I was a pre-teen. (But I still remember and I want to reread them now!) Anyways, enough about me.
This book was so fun. Goldmayne is a good bit longer than Kate Stradling's other fairy tale retellings (Brine and Bone, Soot and Slipper, and Maid and Minstrel) and a bit older. But it doesn't follow that it is worse than the other three! It was just as fun, with awesome characters and a rollicking plot. I'd definitely recommend this, and it was so cool to read a retelling of rather uncommon fairy tales.
Oh and I also must talk about the three princesses (who only come into the story approximately half-way through). The princesses were so lovely. I liked their relationship, good sibling relationships are always sweet, but I do wish Princess Margaret, or Mae, was a bit more three-dimensional.
And the romance! I saw hints of Shakespeare (my fault, having just read Much Ado About Nothing) with quite a few modern fantasy twists. So much fun. I shipped the main couple (nearly) as soon as she was introduced and I have no regrets. I love their relationship - they complement each other so well.
(Not really a huge spoiler, but a fun note: )
My few qualms with this mostly are at the beginning. Even roughly knowing how the original fairy tales went, I was somewhat suspicious of Wildfire and confused about Dame Groach's motivations. No major problems, just me over-analyzing everything.
This book was so fun. Goldmayne is a good bit longer than Kate Stradling's other fairy tale retellings (Brine and Bone, Soot and Slipper, and Maid and Minstrel) and a bit older. But it doesn't follow that it is worse than the other three! It was just as fun, with awesome characters and a rollicking plot. I'd definitely recommend this, and it was so cool to read a retelling of rather uncommon fairy tales.
Oh and I also must talk about the three princesses (who only come into the story approximately half-way through). The princesses were so lovely. I liked their relationship, good sibling relationships are always sweet, but I do wish Princess Margaret, or Mae, was a bit more three-dimensional.
And the romance! I saw hints of Shakespeare (my fault, having just read Much Ado About Nothing) with quite a few modern fantasy twists. So much fun. I shipped the main couple (nearly) as soon as she was introduced and I have no regrets. I love their relationship - they complement each other so well.
(Not really a huge spoiler, but a fun note: )
My few qualms with this mostly are at the beginning. Even roughly knowing how the original fairy tales went, I was somewhat suspicious of Wildfire and confused about Dame Groach's motivations. No major problems, just me over-analyzing everything.
September 4, 2018
I stayed up until one a.m. to finish this story, killed two electronic devices, and slipped out of bed to steal my husband's. That is how good this book was. My goal was one book per week; it's only Tuesday!
I really loved this tale. Kate's writing style was amazing, her flow graceful, and the pacing perfect. Every time even a speck of boredom set in, a new dynamic was added and my eyes popped wide again.
I loved Duncan so much! What a strange man he was. Abused by his father for years, I felt that Kate captured this in his awkwardness. But he didn't stay this way. He gained skills that proved more beneficial than an army of men. I guess this story could be labeled under a theme, 'the underdog thrust into power whether he wanted it or or not'. Yet, this power stays well hidden under a sheepskin wig.
Wildfire is a huge bit of fun too. I expected him to be an evil horse, but the adventures they went on, the bonds formed, delighted me. He's such a snark too.
On top of all of this, I didn't see one gaping hole in the entire book. EVERYTHING was wrapped up to near perfection. Truly, I loved every minute of reading.
And I will be reading more of Kate Stradling's stories.
I really loved this tale. Kate's writing style was amazing, her flow graceful, and the pacing perfect. Every time even a speck of boredom set in, a new dynamic was added and my eyes popped wide again.
I loved Duncan so much! What a strange man he was. Abused by his father for years, I felt that Kate captured this in his awkwardness. But he didn't stay this way. He gained skills that proved more beneficial than an army of men. I guess this story could be labeled under a theme, 'the underdog thrust into power whether he wanted it or or not'. Yet, this power stays well hidden under a sheepskin wig.
Wildfire is a huge bit of fun too. I expected him to be an evil horse, but the adventures they went on, the bonds formed, delighted me. He's such a snark too.
On top of all of this, I didn't see one gaping hole in the entire book. EVERYTHING was wrapped up to near perfection. Truly, I loved every minute of reading.
And I will be reading more of Kate Stradling's stories.
January 17, 2018
This is the third book I've read by this author, and, unusually, I read them one after another. (The two Ruses books were the first two.) That argues that I enjoy her writing, and indeed I do.
It also makes me aware of patterns, though. The fact that all the characters hum when they're ambivalent about something. The habit of putting in an unnecessary comma after "Then" when it's the first word in a sentence. Spelling "altogether" as "all together". The occasional incorrect choice of vocabulary words (such as "courtesan" for "courtier" here - those are two very different occupations, or so one would hope). And two much larger flaws: passive main characters, and arrogant, annoying love interests.
It's a sound rule of thumb in writing that the viewpoint character should be the one who has the most at stake, the one who's most motivated and driven to solve the story problem, the one who's working hardest and sacrificing most, and often the one who's most competent to bring about a resolution. In all three of these books, though, the viewpoint character is not these things. They're resistant to taking action, not just at first, but almost throughout; they often have to be bullied into action by the arrogant, annoying love interest - and also, in the case of this book, by the talking animal sidekick, who is smarter and more capable than the theoretical hero, and for most of the book has more at stake.
The arrogant, annoying love interest is a trope of the romance genre, and one I've never liked. It's hard to identify with a character who's attracted to someone who I, in real life, would find extremely irritating and not especially attractive. It's also harder to identify with a character who's passive and not the one who takes decisive, effective action at key moments in the story.
I don't mind books that are written to a formula if it's a formula I like. If the formula has elements I don't like, it's usually a problem.
And yet I do enjoy these books. What would usually be fatal flaws are still drawbacks, to be sure, but not dealbreakers. I think this is because the books mostly read smoothly; the main characters, while often passive, are genuinely good-hearted; and there's a good amount of tension that ebbs and flows as it should.
I don't know that I'll read any more of these for a while. But this is an author I probably will come back to when I'm in the right mood.
It also makes me aware of patterns, though. The fact that all the characters hum when they're ambivalent about something. The habit of putting in an unnecessary comma after "Then" when it's the first word in a sentence. Spelling "altogether" as "all together". The occasional incorrect choice of vocabulary words (such as "courtesan" for "courtier" here - those are two very different occupations, or so one would hope). And two much larger flaws: passive main characters, and arrogant, annoying love interests.
It's a sound rule of thumb in writing that the viewpoint character should be the one who has the most at stake, the one who's most motivated and driven to solve the story problem, the one who's working hardest and sacrificing most, and often the one who's most competent to bring about a resolution. In all three of these books, though, the viewpoint character is not these things. They're resistant to taking action, not just at first, but almost throughout; they often have to be bullied into action by the arrogant, annoying love interest - and also, in the case of this book, by the talking animal sidekick, who is smarter and more capable than the theoretical hero, and for most of the book has more at stake.
The arrogant, annoying love interest is a trope of the romance genre, and one I've never liked. It's hard to identify with a character who's attracted to someone who I, in real life, would find extremely irritating and not especially attractive. It's also harder to identify with a character who's passive and not the one who takes decisive, effective action at key moments in the story.
I don't mind books that are written to a formula if it's a formula I like. If the formula has elements I don't like, it's usually a problem.
And yet I do enjoy these books. What would usually be fatal flaws are still drawbacks, to be sure, but not dealbreakers. I think this is because the books mostly read smoothly; the main characters, while often passive, are genuinely good-hearted; and there's a good amount of tension that ebbs and flows as it should.
I don't know that I'll read any more of these for a while. But this is an author I probably will come back to when I'm in the right mood.
July 7, 2013
Goldmayne: A Fairy Tale. Previous to a month ago, I had never heard of this fairy tale. My curiosity and interest was piqued and so as soon as it became available, I purchased it and read it through in two days. There are so many impressions going through my mind as I think back on the experience that was Goldmayne.
Duncan, the hero, is an amazing, humble, likable young man. His tragic yet character building beginnings create such sympathy and admiration for this softly spoken hardworking boy, that I could not help BUT like him. He goes from illiterate farmboy/slave, to working for a witch. He befriends a talking horse, creates a legacy of legend for his past, and ends as the unlikely (and according to him - unworthy) hero. He gets entangled in the lives of three sister princess's and despite the many opportunities he has for feeling proud or superior, he remains a humble, hardworking, handsome hero :P
The storyline was intriguing and unexpected. I could not predict many of the outcomes, though some, as they should be, were clear. The unlikely relationship that Duncan has with his talking horse is entertaining, and I appreciated the way that fairytale and fantasy was wrapped up, not only with a rich story, but also with good character development. There was depth and breadth to the people and their relationships.
There were some great opportunities lost, I think, in delving deeper into some of the characters and their tragedies. Duncan, the horse, as well as one of the princesses, all have possibility there for deeper feelings. And though these were touched on, I felt they weren't maximized. For instance, Duncan, a friendless abused boy, whose only champion had been his dead mother, had no one. He had never had a friend in his whole life. And then he meets this horse. Through the rest of the book, their relationship grows and they become quite close, but I felt like something more could have been expressed. That bone aching loneliness. The healing that comes with friendship. And even, at the end, something he is called to do that would seem almost impossible to do. Don't get me wrong, the feelings were there, but were not maximized.
Overall, this was a fabulous fabulous read. Kate Stradling is a master weaver of words and I highly recommend this book.
Duncan, the hero, is an amazing, humble, likable young man. His tragic yet character building beginnings create such sympathy and admiration for this softly spoken hardworking boy, that I could not help BUT like him. He goes from illiterate farmboy/slave, to working for a witch. He befriends a talking horse, creates a legacy of legend for his past, and ends as the unlikely (and according to him - unworthy) hero. He gets entangled in the lives of three sister princess's and despite the many opportunities he has for feeling proud or superior, he remains a humble, hardworking, handsome hero :P
The storyline was intriguing and unexpected. I could not predict many of the outcomes, though some, as they should be, were clear. The unlikely relationship that Duncan has with his talking horse is entertaining, and I appreciated the way that fairytale and fantasy was wrapped up, not only with a rich story, but also with good character development. There was depth and breadth to the people and their relationships.
There were some great opportunities lost, I think, in delving deeper into some of the characters and their tragedies. Duncan, the horse, as well as one of the princesses, all have possibility there for deeper feelings. And though these were touched on, I felt they weren't maximized. For instance, Duncan, a friendless abused boy, whose only champion had been his dead mother, had no one. He had never had a friend in his whole life. And then he meets this horse. Through the rest of the book, their relationship grows and they become quite close, but I felt like something more could have been expressed. That bone aching loneliness. The healing that comes with friendship. And even, at the end, something he is called to do that would seem almost impossible to do. Don't get me wrong, the feelings were there, but were not maximized.
Overall, this was a fabulous fabulous read. Kate Stradling is a master weaver of words and I highly recommend this book.
January 31, 2018
For those hankering after a fairy tale retelling rather than a fully fleshed-out fantasy novel, this story hits the target. A series of events forces our hero (an abused but goodhearted youth with a tremendous work ethic) into conflict with a malevolent witch. While hiding from her and concealing the enchantment that makes him the target of half the fortune-hunters in the country, he becomes an under-gardener in the palace of a king with three daughters.
The eldest daughter has not laughed since her true love mysteriously disappeared five years ago. The middle daughter is a self-proclaimed villainess who bullies the household. The youngest is enchantingly beautiful. Before long, our hero has entangled himself in the activities of the sisters--and neither the activities, nor the sisters, are quite what they seem.
I enjoyed the author's quite subtle use of multiple fairy tales. I loved the hero's character and work ethic. At first I was pleased that the story largely stuck to the style of it's source material and didn't try to round out all the characters, but by the end, I wasn't actually sure this was entirely the right choice. I think the second half of the book might have been more satisfying if a few of the players (particularly the king, a one-dimensional fool who couldn't possibly have retained control of any real kingdom) possessed convincing personalities. (Why is it that in stories of this type, all the older male characters are universally fools or bullies?).
Overall, a reasonably pleasant, light read, suitable for younger readers* as well as adults.
*Caveat: the ending involves a secondary character deciding to commit suicide (everything turns out OK). This may make some readers or parents uncomfortable. It didn't bother me on an initial reading because it echoes a specific incident that happens in a lot of obscure folk and fairy tales--I knew it was surely coming--but upon reflection, it's something that should be discussed with any kids who read this book.
The eldest daughter has not laughed since her true love mysteriously disappeared five years ago. The middle daughter is a self-proclaimed villainess who bullies the household. The youngest is enchantingly beautiful. Before long, our hero has entangled himself in the activities of the sisters--and neither the activities, nor the sisters, are quite what they seem.
I enjoyed the author's quite subtle use of multiple fairy tales. I loved the hero's character and work ethic. At first I was pleased that the story largely stuck to the style of it's source material and didn't try to round out all the characters, but by the end, I wasn't actually sure this was entirely the right choice. I think the second half of the book might have been more satisfying if a few of the players (particularly the king, a one-dimensional fool who couldn't possibly have retained control of any real kingdom) possessed convincing personalities. (Why is it that in stories of this type, all the older male characters are universally fools or bullies?).
Overall, a reasonably pleasant, light read, suitable for younger readers* as well as adults.
*Caveat: the ending involves a secondary character deciding to commit suicide (everything turns out OK). This may make some readers or parents uncomfortable. It didn't bother me on an initial reading because it echoes a specific incident that happens in a lot of obscure folk and fairy tales--I knew it was surely coming--but upon reflection, it's something that should be discussed with any kids who read this book.
March 20, 2018
I love this story! This is a retelling of two French-Canadian fairy tales I had never heard of. If you haven't either, don't let that stop you from reading, because if you enjoy fairy-tale retellings, you will love this one.
Goldmayne reads like a classic fairy tale yet is more personal in tone as the story progresses and offers humor and romance that are subtly written. The main characters are distinctive and fun, and the author did a great job turning two obscure fairy tales into one really good book.
Favorite part? Duncan. He's a classic peasant-hero who grows into an appealing character in his own right.
Highly recommended.
Goldmayne reads like a classic fairy tale yet is more personal in tone as the story progresses and offers humor and romance that are subtly written. The main characters are distinctive and fun, and the author did a great job turning two obscure fairy tales into one really good book.
Favorite part? Duncan. He's a classic peasant-hero who grows into an appealing character in his own right.
Highly recommended.
October 5, 2022
Very original plot and characters. I enjoyed the unexpected in this one.
Self-sacrifice, friendship, keeping promises, doing what’s right, honor, perseverance; all honored in this story.
Nice, clean romance, building on a firm friendship, not just base physical attraction. Kissing insinuated and briefly described - young teens would probably be fine.
Self-sacrifice, friendship, keeping promises, doing what’s right, honor, perseverance; all honored in this story.
Nice, clean romance, building on a firm friendship, not just base physical attraction. Kissing insinuated and briefly described - young teens would probably be fine.
August 19, 2016
I loved the nice guy hero and his interactions with the princesses. The female lead was very unusual for a fairy tale story - and I loved her for that.
April 24, 2020
The first third of this book was enjoyable, a pleasant reminder of a lot of fairy tale elements I remember from my childhood reading but are rarely included in the more popular retellings. After the first third the story starts to pick up a bit, introducing more characters that make the story a lot more interesting, but it's still a slow burn to get to the point near the end where my emotions were REALLY invested in the story and relationships.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a slow burn kind of story, or who really loves all the fairy tales.
This story does touch on some dark and emotional themes, specifically abuse and death (including animal abuse and death), though it never dwells there for long. Aside from that, and a bit of adventure story level violence, there's a bit of kissing, and no other real content concerns.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a slow burn kind of story, or who really loves all the fairy tales.
This story does touch on some dark and emotional themes, specifically abuse and death (including animal abuse and death), though it never dwells there for long. Aside from that, and a bit of adventure story level violence, there's a bit of kissing, and no other real content concerns.
October 14, 2021
Wow! I love this book!
This is such a wonderful fairytale re-telling. I was not familiar with the original stories but I loved how the author seamlessly stitched them together into a truly engaging tale. Loved the characters and loved the resolution!
This is such a wonderful fairytale re-telling. I was not familiar with the original stories but I loved how the author seamlessly stitched them together into a truly engaging tale. Loved the characters and loved the resolution!
January 4, 2024
fun read
I just love these fairy tale retellings. Enough magic to be fun but set in mostly human world so they aren’t too weird lol I enjoyed this one though I think bone and brine is my favorite
I just love these fairy tale retellings. Enough magic to be fun but set in mostly human world so they aren’t too weird lol I enjoyed this one though I think bone and brine is my favorite
July 27, 2020
Super fun adventure book, adorably cute, with a romantic subplot coming in about halfway that made me oh-so-happy!
February 2, 2023
I scanned the reviews before reading this, and everyone raved about this fairytale retelling. I’m here to do the same! I loved the characters, enjoyed the action scenes, and am a hopeless romantic at heart, so this book satisfied all of the fun in reading! I enjoyed how popular fairytales weaved into the storyline, and while I thought I knew where the story was headed, it sure was a fun ride to get there!
April 7, 2017
Hooked from the first
Excellent storytelling, fast moving plot with full fleshed characters. Do yourself a favor and curl up with this one. Cheers
Excellent storytelling, fast moving plot with full fleshed characters. Do yourself a favor and curl up with this one. Cheers
January 31, 2017
I love fairy tales and legends, so it is not at all surprising that I really liked this story. There's an author's note at the beginning explaining that this is not a well-known tale and the author originally read it a book that is now out of print. The fact that this tale seems a bit familiar (and not just because the author tosses in references to more well-known fairy tales) but is not quite anything I've read before makes it all the better.
There were holes -- there were several points at which I wondered about the horse, for instance -- and it's wholly predictable. As soon as the main character sees the three princesses, I knew what would happen, and the fairies avoiding saying the reward would be a cure made the ending pretty obvious. But aren't most fairy tales somewhat predictable?
I would have liked a bit more character development, as well. We only get to know the main character and the "middle princess" really well and I would have enjoyed more about the other two princesses, and the horse.
If you like fairy tales, you'll probably enjoy this story.
There were holes -- there were several points at which I wondered about the horse, for instance -- and it's wholly predictable. As soon as the main character sees the three princesses, I knew what would happen, and the fairies avoiding saying the reward would be a cure made the ending pretty obvious. But aren't most fairy tales somewhat predictable?
I would have liked a bit more character development, as well. We only get to know the main character and the "middle princess" really well and I would have enjoyed more about the other two princesses, and the horse.
If you like fairy tales, you'll probably enjoy this story.
March 3, 2019
This book was truly delightful. Not knowing the original fairy tale, it was entirely unique and quirky to me, while still having that definite fairy tale feel.
August 21, 2024
This was the first Kate Stradling book I ever read, and it’s one of my favorites. The romance is adorable and fairly low angst. The only thing I dislike about the book is Wildfire. He is incredibly annoying and a bit of a whiner. The other characters more than make up for it. Duncan is an unusual MMC and I adore our love interest.
I’m not sure why I’ve never happened upon the two French-Canadian stories this book is based on before now. Or maybe I did and have forgotten, because something about the story rings faint bells in my mind—though the plot is hardly new or original. Either way it’s quite delightful.
I’m not sure why I’ve never happened upon the two French-Canadian stories this book is based on before now. Or maybe I did and have forgotten, because something about the story rings faint bells in my mind—though the plot is hardly new or original. Either way it’s quite delightful.
December 5, 2015
I loved this fairy tale! I generally like fairy tales, but this one has the exceptional quality of having a main character who is hard working, humble, and obedient. Many times in the story these virtues are shown to be beneficial. This is yet another inspirational book to have in my home library.
August 30, 2016
This was a great retelling! I recognized some of the stories that helped inspire it, and I'm impressed with the creativity of the blending. The story actually kept me on my toes! It was well edited, thoughtfully crafted, and entertaining. Well done!
November 22, 2017
This was such a wonderful read. Dessert for the soul and I didn't want it to end. Not only a fairy tale but fantastic story of a boy's journey into manhood and the adventures he experiences. I could not put it down.
October 24, 2013
Disclaimer: I won this in a First Reads contest.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable guilty pleasure romp of a fairy tale. I could hardly put it down.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable guilty pleasure romp of a fairy tale. I could hardly put it down.
September 19, 2013
Very fun and full of adventure! I loved all the characters! I won my copy of this book from Good Reads First Reads.
August 31, 2013
A great step into a fairy tale world!
March 2, 2014
What a wonderful story! I didn't know what to expect and I got into it I really started to enjoy it! Everything fits together so well! Thank you!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews