Das Rumpelstilzchen

I’ll admit, I approached this expecting another saccharine kids’ recording, but Gerung’s *Rumpelstilzchen* surprised me with its teeth. His narration walks a tightrope between campy and sinister—listen to how he stretches the gnome’s name into a hiss (*“Ruuuumpelstilzchen!”*), or how his voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper during the queen’s desperate bargaining. The production values are deceptively simple: no bombastic orchestration, just well-placed sound effects (the *thwack* of the gnome stomping his foot is oddly satisfying) that ground the fantasy in tactile reality. That said, the pacing *occasionally* feels rushed in the first act—the miller’s daughter’s panic could use a beat more breathing room before the gnome’s entrance. And while Gerung’s character voices are vivid, his queen sounds eerily similar to the miller, which might confuse very young listeners. Still, the payoff—the gnome’s tantrum and the queen’s triumph—lands perfectly, thanks to Gerung’s impeccable comic timing. At 18 minutes, it’s the audiobook equivalent of a perfectly brewed espresso: short, strong, and leaving you craving just one more sip. Ideal for parents tired of treacly retellings, or adults who appreciate fairy tales with a dash of subversive charm.