Rum Paul Stillskin

Rum Paul Stillskin by Laura Strickland- A view from the other side

The opening sets up an immediate conflict. A not fully human boy ends up in the hands of a woman who loves him as much as she is allowed and a man who despises but suffers his presence for the woman’s sake. The questions arise of nature vs. nurture and fall somewhere between both. One of my favorite retelling of a fairy-tale is Maleficent. Is she good? Is she bad? What happens to a person, and what drives them to be who they are?

Set in a Medieval type village, the world building is enough to draw the reader in but not dragged out to overdone. The boy who is looked down upon is not a totally empathetic character. He often is his own worst enemy though you never lose complete sympathy for Rum as he is known. I like characters with all their flaws and strong points.


The story is told from Rum’s point of view, and as he grows up falls in love then becomes obsessed and blinded to the truth, I experienced his struggle.

Short stories are not something that I usually gravitate toward. In this case, it was an excellent choice, and I recommend Rum Paul Stillskin.

All his life, Rum Paul Stillskin wonders where he fits it. Abandoned when he was a baby and taken in by a woman who loves him and her husband who despises him, Rum feels isolated. The whole village scorns him, going so far as to throw stones. Sure, he may be different from the rest of them, but he has feelings too. Rum throws up walls around his heart and convinces himself he doesn’t need love but all that comes crashing down when a wild beauty named Mallie befriends him. As they grow older, their friendship turns into something deeper.



When Mallie has to go away, she promises to return. While she is gone, despair and grief turn Rum into someone Mallie wouldn’t even recognize. He feels abandoned again and this time, he refuses to let it destroy him. But fate has something else planned for Rum and Mallie. Her return forces Rum to confront everything he’s kept bottled inside. Can her love overcome his pain or is he too far gone?



A fabulous retelling of the Grimm’s fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin. Laura Strickland breathes new life into this fairy tale and we see Rum in a whole new light. He’s not evil per se but he’s not innocent either. There’s a question of nature versus nurture hidden beneath the story that’s poignant and thought-provoking. Rum is the classic antihero. Laura Strickland’s ability to plunge the reader inside Rum so we get to experience everything he’s feeling and going through. His own struggle soon became mine while reading. Highly recommend, especially for fairy tale retelling fans.



Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.



My Rating: 5 stars

Root for Rum Paul

Over the past several years, the book world has seen its' share of revisionist fairy tales. But usually from the female perspective (Cinder). What a refreshing spin from Laura Strickland about the baddie Rumpelstiltskin.

I loved the first half of the book. The origin of how Rum was born, how he was raised and how he fell in love. I feel that the second half suffered a bit, as the story became a little less optimistic the story seemed to veer back more to the original tale. I felt that I was reading the Grimm fairy tale but with less punch. The love story while very sweet again was so much sweeter while the love was young and fresh. So, while the happy ending was a bit anticlimactic, I really enjoyed this tale.

I will recommend this book for a rainy day. If you like a new spin of fairy tales. This one is for you. The story did not wow me, but it made me engaged in reading. I liked it!

Excellent retelling of the Rumplestilskin fairy tale. Rum Paul has a tough life, yet he manages to find a way to go on. Definitely a twist on the classic with lots of atmosphere.

Rum Paul Stillskin is the first book I've read by this author. I quite enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author.

Abandoned as an infant at the edge of Dartmoor, Rum Paul Stillskin does not know his true name or parentage, but it's clear he's not completely human. The old man who raises him calls him evil.

The village children, who throw stones, whisper the word faery. Shunned by all, he finds comfort in his rude, native magic, and tells himself he doesn't need love. Until he meets Mallie Goodman, who sees in him a wild beauty he cannot see in himself. As they grow into adulthood, the bond between Mallie and Rum Paul deepens.

When a cruel fate separates them, Mallie promises she will return to him, however long it takes. Twisted by loss, his long wait turns Rum Paul into someone Mallie never knew. When Mallie returns, will lies and betrayal keep him from recognizing her? Will he ever believe he deserves love?