Some books resonate so perfectly with my tastes and engage my heart so profoundly that I hesitate to recommend them to others, because no one will appreciate them the way I do.

This is one of those books.

This is a retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" that hits the plot points of the fairy tale in some brilliant ways that enrich the story but don't keep it from being a unique and original novel. I guessed two of the big twists early in the story, some of the dialogue is unnatural, and the ending gets a bit gooshy. But I don't care about that. I love this story. It found me at exactly the right moment and claimed a piece of my heart.

This book is about three lovely, lost and deeply flawed people who turn to art and to each other when they're trapped by the harsh realities of the world and the cruel demands of powerful people. It's about the power of art to provide beauty and show truth. It's about the ties of friendship that cause people to make sacrifices for those they care about. These themes and characters resonated deeply with me and turned it from a pleasant little fairy tale into something beautiful and meaningful and one of my new favorite stories.

By all means, if this story sounds at all interesting, go ahead and read it. Just know that it's not possible for you to love it more than I do.