by Marissa Meyer
♦publisher: Feiwel & Friends
♦release date: November 8th, 2016
♦hardcover, 464 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone
♦source: trade show
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. 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 an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. 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 an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
Review: This book...will tear your ever-loving heart out. But you knew that. You know who the Queen of Hearts is. She's cruel. She's mad. She's...well, she's heartless. This is the story of how she got that way, so you know going in that it's not going to be pretty. But OH was it magical, whimsical, kooky, twisted, very creepy at times---much like Alice in Wonderland. In fact, I adored the wonderful nods to the original stories and characters. It was like seeing new sides to characters I've known my whole life. I'm sure I've said a dozen or so times on this blog, but I was very literally raised on Alice in Wonderland. :) My mother collects all things Alice, read me the stories, and I grew up watching several different movie and tv show versions. So having one of my favorite authors take on this story and give me a whole new perspective on a character I've always known just to be unwaveringly villainous was absolutely amazing. And while I loved this so much and I guarantee that my personal connection to the original stories made this a whole different experience than, say, someone who doesn't love Alice in Wonderland, I still proclaim that the storytelling was fantastic, full of whimsy, romance, madness, hope, and heartbreak.
I loved Cath's character. She was so determined and hopeful to see her dream come true and so willing to work hard for it, despite having to go against her parent's expectations, and everyone's really. She sees them slipping farther and farther away as the realization hits that the king truly has plans to court her and everyone pressures her to accept. The romance was just right---not a case of her throwing everything away for a guy, but more figuring out how he might fit into the dream she's already striving for. It breaks my heart as the story goes along and the people she hopes most might believe her and back her up let her down. Especially her father---their last conversation before the end had me absolutely sobbing.
Meyer successfully pulls in so many of the original characters from Wonderland and gives them a place in this Queen of Hearts origin story. I loved how it gave the whole story a feeling of familiarity and you see how each one might have scattered across Wonderland after she became queen to later become part of Alice's story. There are some genuinely creepy moments, especially with the Treacle sisters and their horrific prophecies. The story twists and turns and twists again and I thought the chaotic downward spiral and the iconic last line were absolutely perfect---as well as completely devastating. Beautifully done.
While I know this stands boldly on it's own, I would love to get another origin story about Jest and Hatta in the land of Chess. Just sayin' ;)
Marissa Meyer is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles. She lives in Tacoma, Washington. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, any occasion that requires a costume), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*chosen edition must be available through either BookDepository.com or Fishpond.com. Please note that the illustrated UK paperback does not release until 2/2017 so prize will be for a pre-order. Winner will be contacted if chosen edition is not available through either site within 3 months of winning.I loved Cath's character. She was so determined and hopeful to see her dream come true and so willing to work hard for it, despite having to go against her parent's expectations, and everyone's really. She sees them slipping farther and farther away as the realization hits that the king truly has plans to court her and everyone pressures her to accept. The romance was just right---not a case of her throwing everything away for a guy, but more figuring out how he might fit into the dream she's already striving for. It breaks my heart as the story goes along and the people she hopes most might believe her and back her up let her down. Especially her father---their last conversation before the end had me absolutely sobbing.
Meyer successfully pulls in so many of the original characters from Wonderland and gives them a place in this Queen of Hearts origin story. I loved how it gave the whole story a feeling of familiarity and you see how each one might have scattered across Wonderland after she became queen to later become part of Alice's story. There are some genuinely creepy moments, especially with the Treacle sisters and their horrific prophecies. The story twists and turns and twists again and I thought the chaotic downward spiral and the iconic last line were absolutely perfect---as well as completely devastating. Beautifully done.
While I know this stands boldly on it's own, I would love to get another origin story about Jest and Hatta in the land of Chess. Just sayin' ;)
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
*International Cover Showcase*
GUYS, check out all the gorgeous covers for Heartless!!
US Hardcover Dutch Paperback
UK Paperback UK Paperback (Feb 2017)
Can you pick a favorite? I love them all, and while I adore our US hardcover, I think my favorite is the upcoming UK paperback! Not sure why they are reissuing it recovered in February 2017, but I love it and I know I'll be preordering it!!
So here's YOUR chance to nab one!! Enter below to win a copy of Heartless. Winner can choose any cover they want*! :D
•Open internationally
•Ends 11/25/16
•Open internationally
•Ends 11/25/16
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