Review of "A Crown of Gilded Thread" by Evangaline Pierce

Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)

A Crown of Gilded Thread is an enchanting romantic fantasy and fairy tale retelling by Evangaline Pierce! It evokes the spirit, charm, and magic of classic fairy tales. It is enhanced by an invigorating and compelling coming-of-age story set against a turbulent political climate (full of court drama and clashing kingdoms) and mythical conflict.

This is so much more than a retelling of the stories of the Miller's Daughter and Rumpelstiltskin—it has a soul of its own!

We'd posted on social media that of the seven books we read at the beginning of this contest, this was the one that we enjoyed the most. Does that make it the best? Not necessarily. But there's something to be said about the importance of enjoying and being entertained by something.

A Crown of Gilded Thread may not knock your socks off or wow you. However, what it does it does well.

And that really starts with its protagonist, Gwen.

Right off the bat, Gwen, the "miller's daughter", wins you over with her tenacity and will to survive despite the awful conditions she lives in. Gwen is not Supergirl or Wonder Woman. She isn't a Mary Sue either. Gwen is first presented to us initially as a peasant in a dreary medieval-fantasy society that is succumbing to famine due to the ongoing war between the Kingdom of Aurum (in which Gwen and her miller father live) and the Kingdom of Mystrim, which is ruled by the feared White Witch.

The poverty, desperation, and misery that Gwen and her father live in is palpable. Hey, at least Cinderella lived in a nice house her evil stepmother owned and didn't ever consider having to eat the cat!

Gwen doesn't even have that luxury.

Something we also really loved about this book is that the lines between good and evil, right and wrong are blurred and not so clear. Specifically, you would think that the White Witch would be the cause of the famine and suffering like Jadis from The Chronicles of Narnia--some evil tyrant.

However, the Kingdom of Aurum is just as much (if not more to blame) for the suffering of its people via its own actions. The King is cruel, manipulative, and power hungry. He comes to view Gwen as a disposable tool that can be used and discarded once her usefulness is gone.

Speaking of which, Gwen's circumstances do change, but not necessarily for the better. Sparking this turbulent, compelling character journey, Gwen is sold out by her father to the royal family, who believe Gwen to be the last being in the kingdom with magic. She is told by the miller that her mother had magic and that she must have it too.

Despite her innocence, she is apprehended like a prisoner—like the perpetrator of a heinous crime—by the King's men led by the duty-bound Captain Drake.

She is brought to the castle where she is trapped in a room and is forced to spin straw into gold under threat of execution. The cruelty and greed of the King becomes apparent. This is worse than some sweatshops!
Making matters worse, we soon learn that Gwen just so happens to be allergic to straw. So, how can she possibly accomplish this feat without magic or divine intervention?

Well, intervention does come in the form of the mysterious Mr. Woolworth/Aurius, a magical being who seems to be able to appear to Gwen at will. Aurius takes a strand of her blonde hair and performs the magic of turning straw into gold for her.

The reader is initially as grateful to him as Gwen is. However, there's also a sense of distrust, caution, and apprehension we have toward him. Can he be trusted? Why would he help Gwen? What does he really want?

Before we're even given time to catch our breath, we're introduced to another of the book's fascinating dynamics: the other members of the royal court, namely Prince Ryland and Princess Avonlee.

It immediately becomes clear that Ryland and Avonlee have some degree of power in the kingdom and that they aren't exactly on the same page as the King, who turns out to be their step-father. Ryland immediately starts talking about how he would take over the kingdom if the King abdicates and how he wants Gwen to himself, desiring to marry her in place of his step-dad. It also becomes clear that Captain Drake has a special and unique loyalty to Ryland, obeying him despite his somewhat treacherous, treasonous words and actions.

It also become clear that Avonlee seems to have a special pull and influence on the King, expressing confidence that she can persuade him despite the difference in authority.

So, essentially this is the McMahon family (or maybe the Kardashians).
Dysfunctional. Powerful. Full of power plays, manipulation, and ulterior motives.
Immensely intriguing.

Meanwhile, we learn more about the other kingdom led by the White Witch, a royal ("Queen") in her own right. She is joined by Aurius, who we learn is both a prince (Prince Aurius) and a valued consultant to the Queen with heightened trust and privileges.

Furthermore, we learn that he is uniquely a Goblin—rather, half-Goblin, half-human. We learn that Goblins are the only beings with the ability to turn straw into gold, and that Aurius is the very last of them due to a conflict and genocide that occurred long ago.

We learn that Goblins are actually all male, which we found both odd and interesting. This makes reproductions kind of difficult, helping to explain why they never repopulated and why all the full-blooded ones are gone.

Prince Aurius is far and away the more likable and charming of the two love interests vying for Gwen's affection in this love-triangle. Yes, Ryland is interesting in his own way, but it's usually the reader just wondering if he'll actually intervene if the King were to actually try to execute or punish Gwen for real or perceived failures. Ryland kind of comes across as a sleazeball. Meanwhile, there's a real tug-o-war with the character of Captain Drake, who seems loyal to Ryland (as stated before), as he seems to give Gwen a choice to escape.

By the way, this scene actually shows how good of a person Gwen is since she stands up for the guards who just apprehended her, trying to convince Captain Drake to not sentence them to more lashes for her sake.

We are told that Ryland is cursed and that the only way to break his curse is for him to marry a magical princess (i.e. Gwen).

However, we are told by a competing party that Ryland really isn't cursed.

We are told that Aurius/Mr. Woolworth is either the enigmatic and evil Rumpelstiltskin ("dark prince") or a descendant of his.

So, the reader, like Gwen, is stuck between a rock and a hard place—trapped in the middle of a web of lies, half-truths, and competing narratives.

This is a really intriguing fantasy novel that's sure to keep you on your toes!

Check it out on Amazon!