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Saturday, March 9, 2013

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

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Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
by Liesl Shurtliff
4/9/13
Random House
Format: e-galley
Source: from pub
In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke.Rump has never known his full name—his mother died before she could tell him. So all his life he's been teased and bullied for his half-a-name. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. For Rump discovers he can spin straw into gold. Magical gold.His best friend Red Riding Hood warns him that magic is dangerous—and she's right! That gold is worth its weight in trouble. And with each thread he spins, Rump weaves himself deeper into a curse.There's only one way to break the spell: Rump must go on a quest to find his true name, along the way defending himself against pixies, trolls, poison apples, and one beautiful but vile-mannered queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—Rump just might triumph in the end.



 I am a huge fan of fairytale re-tellings and Liesl Shurtliff's Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin is a quirky and delightful tale that introduces readers to a more endearing Rumpelstiltskin than they may be used to.


Twelve year old Rump lives in a place where one's name is one' destiny. So, it isn't easy having a name like Rump. His mother dies before she could give Rump his full name and it seems he is destined for nothing spectacular. Then he finds his mother's old spinning wheel and discovers that he can spin straw into gold. But this gift of magic comes with a heavy price: Rump can only trade the gold for something in return, but he must accept any trade offered. Instead of riches and feasts, this magic gold just brings trouble. Big trouble in the form of greedy kings, bratty queens, pixies, trolls, long lost aunts, and a snarky best friend (Red Riding Hood). Rump sets out to find his true name and true destiny.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin is delightfully whimsical and as heartwarming as it is funny. Liesl Shurtliff has taken a fairytale character that is often disliked and given him a quirky, touching back-story full of adventure, fun, thrills, and charming characters.

Shurtliff creates a fantastical and enchanting world full of whimsy and fairytale fun. Rump's journey is an entertaining one, riddled with wonderment, exciting danger, awesome magical beings, and the unpredictable. From The Mountain to a crumbling castle to Beyond and Yonder, Rump travels far and wide to find his true name on an unforgettable adventure. Shurtliff incorporates many of the well-known aspects of the Rumpelstiltskin story, but adds a lot of her own creative and captivating touches to spin a story that is truly one of a kind. As fun and amusing as Rump's story is, the author also weaves in a great deal of heart and lovely lessons about family, love, selfishness, and acceptance

As someone who grew up with an unusual name and often felt like the pure oddness of it defined me, I could really relate to sweet Rump. He's such an endearing, determined fella who's impossible not to root for. Red is an awesome girl full of spark, snark, and heart. I love how unexpected all the characters are and how they constantly surprised me.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin sparkles and glitters like gold! Fairytale fans will enjoy getting to re-know an unforgettable Rumpelstiltskin and readers of all ages will be charmed by this fantastical story. 

MY RATING

Purchase: Amazon / B&N 

Liesl Shurtliff
Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world!
Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and three young children, where she still dreams of the mountains. Rump is her first novel.

Win an e-galley of Rump!
Thanks to the generous people at Random House, one lucky cupcake will win an ebook copy of Rump.
DETAILS
-Open to anyone who can read ebooks
-will run until 3/31
-must be 13+, one main entry per person
-winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
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8 comments:

Amy said...

This book sounds excellent. I am a huge fan of re-tellings too and this one seems like one that I would really like. Awesome review.

Natalie @ Book Lovers Life said...

I love the retellings so am excited to read this. It sounds awesome :)

Anonymous said...

I'm expecting this to be one of the most original retelling I've yet to read.

~Akoss

Brenda said...

Retellings are such fun. This one looks to be funny and sweet.

Deborah Julene said...

Rumpelstiltskin has always been a favorite fairy tale of mine, so I've been excited about this book for months. It sounds like a great MG fairy tale book. Great review!

Jen | Book Den said...

I've been looking forward to Rump for a long time!

Michelle @ In Libris Veritas said...

I love the way this one sounds. Rumpelstiltskin doesn't get nearly enough 'retelling' love as the others, so I think this one could be fun. It certainly sounds that way. Great review!

Geo Librarian said...

Thanks for the great review. I'm really looking forward to reading this one.