Combining fairy tale and etiological myth, this story of the Victorian art critic Ruskin has familiar motifs found in fairy tales (the number three, bad siblings vs. good siblings, a quest, goodness is rewarded and selfishness is punished), and it apparently worked for contemporary audience, because the story sold out three editions and became an instant classic.

I didn't find the story particularly interesting. Under all the flowery prose the plot is quite simple, and reminds me of fairy tales of lesser quality I've been reading lately. I don't see the kind of charm and magic that would make this memorable, even though there's nothing atrociously bad either. To be fair, Ruskin wrote this for his future wife and never intended this to be published, but maybe his friends wanted his work to be known, who knows.

I read this aloud to my boys (age 10, 8 and 6). We all enjoyed it.

Ruskin’s only published fiction, The King Of The Golden River came from the same source as so many other marvelous works of fiction-someone made a bet. Ruskin, the art philosopher and architectural historian was compelled by a young girl who would eventually become his wife to write this fantasy tale reminiscent of something out of George MacDonald.

Young Gluck and his two evil brothers are the sole inheritors of a high mountain valley, always blessed with ideal weather and lush verdancy. But when his abusive siblings moronically kick a stranger out in his ear one blustery midnight, they gain the disfavor of all the west winds. Their green valley shrivels up to a desert and they’re forced to leave and find something else to do. Hearing a rumor of treasure at the head of the alpine falls known as the golden river, the brothers head one by one to test their fates. Young Gluck, the good hearted, diligent, compassionate, and long suffering, finds that these traits will lead him faithfully where his brothers find perils and pitfalls.

A fun little tale with unique and inventive fairies. It feels like The Ingoldsby’ Legends, George MacDonald, or a soft and kid friendly tale from the Brothers Grimm. A short little treat for fans of old fashion fairieland.

Read with the kids during morning time and enjoyed by all of us. A delightful little fairy tale.

A free read for Y1, I read as a bedtime story in two days. A mesh of a fairytale and parable, it was a quick and enjoyable read.

My goal is to read the books I have on my Kindle. I'm not certain when or why I downloaded this fairy tale. It was a quick read, only 69 pages, about three brothers. The author wrote it by request from a twelve-year-old girl, who twenty years later became his wife. That alone is a delightful story.

Written in 1841, this charming tale tells the story of a kind boy and his less than kind siblings. There is nothing surprising in the book, nothing a modern reader will marvel at. Nevertheless it is timeless. Well worth the brief time it takes to digest.

Wonderfully written with an evermore relevant lesson.