If a god granted you one wish, do you know what you would choose? What if this god was a trickster? Fans of Greek mythology might be familiar with the story of King Midas, who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Those fans may also be familiar with a version involving his daughter, whom he accidentally turned to gold when she came to him for comfort. Annie Sullivan imagines an untold story of King Midas’ daughter in A Touch of Gold and A Curse of Cold, a duology full of adventures on open waters, including gods, pirates, stolen gold, sea monsters, and more. 

A Touch of Gold begins with a bit of backstory that explains how The Oracle predicted that a farmer with a donkey would become the new king and have a prosperous rule. Enter Midas, the subject of the prophecy and eventual ruler of Lagonia. During a time of war, however, Lagonia soon ran out of money and other resources. Dionysus, known for his play on words and making bets with unsuspecting humans, offers to grant King Midas one wish as repayment for his hospitality. Hence, a desperate King Midas wishes that everything he touches would turn to gold, in order to help Lagonia emerge victorious in the war. 

But alas, the King’s poor daughter Kora becomes one of the objects turned to gold (along with 12 other items that he touched). Dionysus agreed to lift the curse as long as Midas washed all 13 gold items in the river. Luckily, he was able to wash Kora but forgot to wash the other items. Consequently, Kora’s body returned to gold but she remained a living girl, while the King now depends on the other cursed gold items to remain alive for the remainder of the duology. 

Fast forward ten years later – Kora is 17 years old and has a strained relationship with her father, due Kora’s golden skin and hair being a constant reminder of his failings. She also lives a very sheltered life and is subject to rumors and deceptive treatment by suitors that come to visit the palace. One day a handsome, charming, and seemingly selfless love interest named Aris comes to visit, and of course he seems different than all who came before him. 

Readers of A Touch of Gold might consider this an insta-love romance, but I disagree; Kora is extremely skeptical and guarded at first, and only warms up to Aris once he opens up to her. Even so, it’s easy to understand how she would fall in love so easily – she doesn’t have a lot of experience with potential suitors who see her as more than the heir to the throne or someone who can make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. 

Coincidentally, on the day that Aris and Kora meet, her father’s gold is stolen and he is now in danger of dying if the gold is not returned to him. Since Kora has a strange connection to the cursed gold, she is the only one who can find the stolen items and save her father. Luckily for her, the charming Aris has a ship and a crew to assist her in her voyage. The ship’s captain, Royce, does not seem at all thrilled to be a part of this agreement – nevertheless, he becomes a key player in the events throughout the story and the sequel. 

A Touch of Gold focuses on Kora’s journey to search for the stolen gold. She faces danger on her quest, such as a visit to the Island of Lost Souls, a run-in with the Temptresses, and several betrayals to name a few. She also has special abilities revealed later in the story, which become pivotal to helping her escape aforementioned danger. Her cousin Hettie is a stubborn yet fierce companion who sneaks aboard the ship and becomes a crucial part of her journey as well. Honestly, the story told from Hettie’s point of view may have been more entertaining – but Kora’s the one with the golden skin and story arc, so we live in her head throughout the duology. 

Readers who were disappointed in the lack of Greek mythology in A Touch of Gold will be very happy once they dive into the sequel, A Curse of Gold. Dionysus wants Kora dead and plans to destroy Lagonia and its citizens. Hence, Kora is the only one who can stop him and save her kingdom. She embarks on another journey filled with tons of creatures from Greek mythology – satyrs, pegasi, harpies, sirens, gorgons, and more. She also gets some help from The Oracle and a reluctant Triton, son of Poseidon.

The stakes are higher than ever in A Curse of Gold, and Kora’s life is in even more danger than before. She has to find answers, negotiate with multiple gods, and escape deadly situations with her life. If she doesn’t succeed, not only will her loved ones die, but all of Lagonia will cease to exist. No pressure. 

The A Touch of Gold and A Curse of Gold duology is a fun take on an ancient story. I loved Annie Sullivan’s imagination in giving King Midas’ daughter a voice, with her being the only person who can save those close to her. Her growth as a character is admirable and appropriate given the circumstances; Kora begins the duology as a sheltered teenager who is unsure of herself. By the time we get to A Curse of Gold, Kora has a new confidence resulting from the events of the first book, and embraces her role as Princess and future heir to the throne. 

On the other hand, this duology is not without its shortcomings; some parts of the story were underwhelming or predictable, and some characters’ actions lacked the foreshadowing to make them believable. The main villain in the first novel seemed stereotypical, and could have used more of a backstory to understand his motivation or give more depth to his character.

I love that we see more action and suspense in the A Curse of Gold, although it seems very condensed in the last quarter of the book (almost to a point where the last few chapters dragged on a bit). Even so, a sea voyage with a golden Princess filled with mythological beings turns out to be just the right amount of entertainment for the intended age group. 

Annie Sullivan joins our expanding list of guests featured on Cantina Conversations. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss her love for Greek mythology, challenges faced during her writing process, and her plans for the future. Check out Episode 106 on The Nerd Cantina podcast to listen to the interview, and purchase A Touch of Gold and A Curse of Gold, both available now.