A Curse as Dark as Gold (2008)

a curse as dark as gold
elizabeth c. bunce
read: february 2009

recommendation: definitely read, whether from the library or buying it, just read this book!

I don't usually seek out retellings of fairy-tales, but I heard good things about this one from people's opinions I respect, not to mention all the awards it won. And "Rumplestilskein" is one of my favorite stories, so there was added incentive to pick it up.

Note: Because of this book, I started to actively seek out more fantasy styled fiction, and I haven't looked back yet!

In the town of Shearing, there is a mill, run by the Miller family. Stirwaters has been in the family for generations and is the heart of this town, set in late 18th century England. When Mr. Miller dies, the mill falls in the hands of his daughters, Charlotte and Rosie.

And then everything at the mill starts to fall apart, no matter how hard Charlotte tries to hold things together. There are people who work for her that rely on her for their livelihood - the town itself relies on the mill. When things are at their worst, a mysterious man named Jack Spinner appears, with a promise to weave thread of actual gold - perfect for the cloth Charlotte needs to sell to save the mill.

But as is true of all stories like these, everything comes at a cost. The story brilliantly works with all the responsibilities Charlotte has to deal with, and to what lengths she will go to save her mill, her town, and her family. It's a ghost story inside historical fiction all wrapped up with a magical fairy tale bow.

There's so much to like about this story - first, it's fantastically historically accurate. The contrast of Shearing versus Pinchfields was beautiful, as it's so the story of cottage industries compared with the beginnings of industrialization. It's so seemlessly done you don't even realize what you are reading.

Second, the female characters are strong, brilliant, flawed and intelligent. Charlotte and Rosie are smart and clever, as well as possessing big hearts. This book passed the Bechdel Test a million times over.

Third, it actually makes the fairy-tale better, in my opinion. It makes it make sense. The gold spinner character actually has motivation other than wanting to steal little babies! Making the creepy little gnome sympathetic? A brilliant move.

Fourth, there's love, and there are male/female relationships, but they aren't fairy-tale perfect - they are realistic. (Especially of the time.) Which to weighs more - your home life or your new married life? How much to share with your new spouse, with your family, with your workers? What is the burden of responsibility and what does it actually mean when you marry someone? It's especially important to remember because Charlotte is so YOUNG, which can easily be forgotten. Rosie's only fourteen herself, which is a tiny side-note throw away line - but these two girls feel the weight of the village on their shoulders - and in a way, it is. As someone who is quite tired of books that Have To Have Romance, this was a great reprieve - the romance was there, but not forced, and it required work, as most relationships do.

Not to mention how much I loved everything that was going on with the girls' uncle on the side, and how he made so much of the story without overtaking it. The townspeople, the whole thing - every note seemed to be right in this. There's just the right amount of creepiness and horror and shock and panic and love and sensibility and everything. It's a very well-balanced book.

I really, really loved "A Curse as Dark as Gold" and can't say enough about it. Give it a try - past the first 100 pages if you aren't someone like me who finds a slow build immensely satisfying in the end. (I think this is why I root for the late closers in horse racing, and the teams that are behind in sports. Who doesn't love a ninth inning rally?!) I actually found myself feeling fond of Jack Spinner, and I can't say enough about Charlotte and Randall and how note-perfect almost everything was.

The plot at the beginning of the book is a bit slow, but press on, reader! Take the time to enjoy what you are reading too, and the fact that you are learning, because the historical accuracy is amazing. (Try convincing your social studies/world history teacher that this should count toward your class!)

I fell in love with these characters, and I think you will too.