It is a little dark, but after all it's based on German folklore, so it was true to the spirit of the tale. A bit slow in the beginning, but the story of Serilda, the miller's daughter, and how she came to tell the lie of spinning straw into gold gets very captivating. Every time she comes about a clue (usually the letter R), I want to scream Rumpelstiltskin! I am eagerly awaiting the next book.
