Review of ‘A Touch of Gold’ (A Touch of Gold #1)

Synopsis

Gold is wealth. Wealth is power. Power is a curse. This captivating fantasy adventure--the untold story of the daughter King Midas turned to gold--will dazzle you with the kind of action, adventure, twists, turns, and a bit of romance to make any fan of magic and mythology greedy for more.

After King Midas's gift--or curse--almost killed his daughter, he relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father's wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide.

Kora spends her days concealed behind gloves and veils. It isn't until a charming duke arrives that Kora believes she could indeed be loved. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals treasures her father needs to survive. Thanks to Kora's unique ability to sense gold, she sails off on her quest to find the missing items.

Magic, mythology, fantasy, and pirate adventures charge through every page as Kora learns that not everything is what it seems--not her companions, not the thieves, and not even Kora herself.

Review

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan takes the tale of King Midas and gives readers a delightful adventure with a girl marked by gold, pirates, and cursed treasure.

This novel was certainly interesting and enjoyable. Sullivan has shown that she as a knack for breathing creativity in her retellings. A Touch of Gold is the second novel of Sullivan’s that Cyn’s Workshop has had the pleasure to read and review, and Sullivan captures that spark of hers to bring new life to an old story.

Entrancing Opening

The opening of the story is entrancing, giving the reader an understanding of Kora and her relationship with her father, King Midas. The opening not only shows the reader a story but also tells a fable of sorts, warning of the curse of greed. Midas turned his daughter to gold, marking her forever.

Written exceptionally well, the opening captures the reader’s attention, trapping them in the confines of the story. It sets up tension and introduces the reader to Kora and her father, creating exciting dynamics.

As the story continues, it becomes an adventure story. With the cursed gold stolen, Kora, being the only one who can find and sense it, embarks on a journey with a would-be suitor and slightly run-down ship. The crew is a unique set of characters, all of whom have strong personalities and voices. Matched up against Kora, these characters blend quite nicely, giving the narrative a strong foundation to grab the reader.

Kora herself is quite impressive. As a cursed princess, she likes to keep to herself. She begins as a reserved character, but as the story evolves, Kora grows. I love a good story where the protagonist finds comfort in their flaws, in their skin, I think it speaks a lot to the reader, making the story relatable. Kora comes into herself; she saves the crew, she saves herself, and she does it all by finding the strength inside of herself to do so.

Final Thoughts

A Touch of Gold is the first in a brilliant new series. It retells a classic Greek tale, taking the mythology and developing something new and different. It stands on its own while offering the reader a riveting adventure filled with compelling characters.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.