I found this book on Amazon by accident. I was looking for books on fairy tales (because I love them and am obsessed with reading every version) when this popped up as a recommendation. I added it to my cart as soon as I read the description and I was not disappointed!
In The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde, the author seeks to fill in the gaping holes in the Rumpelstiltskin story by re-writing the tale six times. It's actually hard to choose a favorite, they are all quite clever and fresh! There's nothing quite like a beloved fairy tale that's been brought back to life. It's also funny how many plot holes there really are in the original story, some that had occurred to me but got pushed aside and others that I never thought of.
When you really step back and look at the story, Rumpelstiltskin is like Swiss cheese. Velde tries to fill gaps and answer questions like:
Why is the king talking to the Miller in the first place? Why the heck would he make up a lie as crazy as his daughter spinning straw into gold? And why didn't the king question such a strange talent?
What does Rumpelstiltskin want with a gold ring and chain if he can spin straw into gold, and what does he want with a newborn baby? Why did he strike such a lousy bargain?
What possessed him to dance around a fire and sing his name?
What is up with the ending??
She does take into consideration that the story does show the power of a name... but why all the plot holes? We also have to consider that fairy tales get passed down through generations and are often not written down until they have been told a few (hundred!) times, so parts may have been left out or gone missing. We've all had someone try and tell us a story and forget a part or two! These stories are also from very different times and cultures so it may have made complete sense to someone at some point.
Overall, I think Velde comes up with clever ways to make the story work. She respects the original and comes up with six versions that are all very different but very good. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fairy tales as much as me or to people who are just curious and want to revisit a story from their childhood.
