Monday, November 4, 2013

Review: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin (Liesl Shurtliff) + Giveaway

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
Title: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
Series: standalone
Author: Liesl Shurtliff
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf BYR
Genre: Middle Grade Fairytale Retelling
Rating: Juvenile (some violence, bullying, scary situations, rump humor)
Told: First Person (Rump), Past Tense
Format: ARC
Find On: Goodreads
Summary:

In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.


*          *          *

Three Words: A fun retelling.

Writing: A simple and easy read.

Setting: The usual fairytale world with plain names (The Mountain, The Village, The Kingdom, etc. - but for a reason) and basic cast of magical creatures (pixies, trolls, gnomes, etc.). Your name is your destiny, and magic comes with a price. It was simple, but a fitting backdrop for the story.

Story: Rump, a poor boy with half a name, gets himself into a load of trouble when he discovers he can spin straw into gold. To remedy the life-altering problems that ensue, he must go in search of his true name - and the destiny tied to it. But when his destiny turns out to be much more than he bargained for, can he find the strength in himself to forge his own destiny? A fun and magical adventure about a boy finding his identity as he discovers family, friendship, and just how important names can be.

Characters: Rump started out a sweet boy in a poor situation, scrounging for bits of gold to trade for barely enough food to keep himself alive. When he discovered his magic, it's understandable how he acted - and the consequences that came from those actions. But he took responsibility and strove to be strong and courageous despite the odds. He always did what he thought was right - or what he could do to make things righter than they were. He was heavily flawed and made countless bad decisions, but what kid in his situation wouldn't? All in all, a realistic character worth rooting for.

I loved Red, fierce in all things - family, friendship, and telling Rump when he was in the wrong. I wish we'd gotten a hint of her destiny - I bet it's a doozy, and I wouldn't mind if she got a book of her own. (Do I smell a sequel, Ms. Liesl? ;) The rest of the cast fit well - except Opal. Her age was in constant fluctuation for me - I thought she was Rump's age, but then...well, without spoiling anything, let's just say that if she was that age...yeah, just no. So her scenes always left me a little confused because I couldn't get a handle on her.

Favorite Bit: The messenger gnomes. They were just too adorable. Like the newspaper and mail service rolled into one - so handy!

Conclusion: A fun fairytale retelling that could be enjoyed by girls and boys (there is certainly enough snot, trolls, dirt, gross food, and mention of rumps for any person of the male persuasion to be happy). If you enjoy Middle Grade and fairytales, Rump is definitely worth the read.

Scribble Rating
3 of 5 Scribbles


GIVEAWAY

This book definitely deserves more love, so I'm giving away my ARC! Enter below for a chance to win it. (US residents only - sorry International Followers!) Good luck!

1 comment: