Heartless
by Marissa MeyerGenre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Romance, Retellings
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: November 8, 2016
Length: 453 pages
Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Note: The book retells Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as a prequel from the Queen of Hearts point-of-view.
Offical Books Summary:
"Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King’s marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.
Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans."
Quote:
"A heart, once stolen, can never be taken back."
My Review:
Marissa Meyer is the popular author of the young adult sci-fi series The Lunar Chronicles (you can read my review of the entire series here). When I picked up Heartless, I was curious.
I was not disappointed.
This young adult retelling did the original story justice. Heartless is an origin story of Wonderland's cruel Queen of Hearts. I like origin stories and really love it when an author doesn't sacrifice an ending to appease fans, but rather stays true to the character they've created. This is a frequently unpopular point-of-view. Many readers--young adult fans in particular--want happy, romantic endings and for stories to be neatly wrapped up with pretty bows, while I don't mind lingering questions or sad endings if I feel that's what should happen within the plot. That's a bit of a spoiler, but nevertheless when you're reading an origin story about the Queen of Hearts, if it ends happily, the author's obviously done something very, very wrong.
Following the journey of a young girl in love transform into an evil, vengeful monarch was great even if at times the writing wasn't perfect. It was great because the backstory Meyer gives Catherine really justifies the heartless cruelty we see in Lewis Carroll's beloved tales. I really enjoyed this perspective, the pages (453) flew by, and I recommend the novel to any Alice fans.
If you like this, try...
The Lunar Chronicles series, I Capture the Castle, A Darker Shade of Magic, The Sun is Also a Star, These Shallow Graves, Holding Up the Universe, Stalking Jack the Ripper, Orphan Train, The Siren, Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea, The Matched series, The Selection series, A Study in Charlotte
Following the journey of a young girl in love transform into an evil, vengeful monarch was great even if at times the writing wasn't perfect. It was great because the backstory Meyer gives Catherine really justifies the heartless cruelty we see in Lewis Carroll's beloved tales. I really enjoyed this perspective, the pages (453) flew by, and I recommend the novel to any Alice fans.
If you like this, try...
The Lunar Chronicles series, I Capture the Castle, A Darker Shade of Magic, The Sun is Also a Star, These Shallow Graves, Holding Up the Universe, Stalking Jack the Ripper, Orphan Train, The Siren, Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea, The Matched series, The Selection series, A Study in Charlotte
I've been a fan of Ms. Meyer since I first read Cinder. This is truly her best work to date. I had trouble putting it down as the story and characters were so compelling. It was a wonderful, unique twist on Lewis Carroll's work. I fell in love with the characters and rooted for them throughout the various plot turns, none of which were predictable! Truly an enjoyable read.
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