Blessings and Curses: The Power of Stories
Marissa Meyer’s duology, “Gilded” and “Cursed,” breathes new life into the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin, transforming it into a richly imagined young adult fairy tale romance. These novels dive deep into a world where ancient myths blend seamlessly with modern sensibilities, including diverse characters and contemporary themes.
In Gilded, we meet Serilda, a gifted storyteller whose ability to weave fantastical stories is both a blessing and a curse. Her wild fantasies captures the attention of the malevolent Erlking, a sadistic entity who wishes her to spin straw into gold. While trapped in the Erlking’s dungeon, Serilda receives help from Gild, a poltergeist with no memory, who has the actual ability to weave straw into gold. Neither of them expect their simple business transaction to turn into real love.
Cursed picks up the threads of Serilda’s journey as she grapples with the consequences of her storytelling and the harm it has caused to those she loves. She and Gild walk the a fine line as they seek to discover the secrets of their ghost-filled castle without incurring the Erlking’s wrath. But when they discover that the Erlking seeks to bring back a diety even worse than himself—his beloved huntress—Serilda must learn to tell the ultimate story in order to save herself, her family, and the world.
What I Loved About the Series:
Meyer’s “Gilded” and “Cursed” standout for their dynamic world-building that respects the original fairy tale while updating its elements to reflect contemporary values. The inclusion of diverse characters—gay characters, female warriors, and gods with they/them pronouns—adds layers of depth and relatability to the narrative.
I also appreciated Serilda’s internal conflict, her gift for storytelling seen both as a blessing and a curse. Her journey reflects the power of narratives in shaping realities and the moral responsibilities that come with such power. As she transitions from dreaming to doing, Serilda’s growth mirrors the path many find themselves on—navigating the complexities of their talents and the impacts they have on the world around them.
If you’re captivated by fairy tales reimagined with depth, diversity, and modern twists, “Gilded” and “Cursed” are must-reads.
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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.
