“A heart, once stolen, can never be taken back” (Marissa Meyer, Heartless)

This quote emphasizes the importance of giving your heart to someone that can end in tragedy due to societal expectations or individuals using you as a way to live their fantasies. The Heartless is a fantasy, romance retelling of the ‘Alice in wonderland’ novel, written by Marissa Meyer, where long ago before she was Queen of Hearts- she was just a girl that wanted to choose her own love. Seeing a love affair barely beginning that would soon end gruesomely for both lovers, one that meets their demise and the other rising for revenge on those who took everything before it began. 

Synopsis:

Before she became known for the title ‘Queen of Hearts” everyone would call her Catherine, one of wonderlands most desired girls throughout the kingdom. Who was even favored by the unmarried King; however her true desire lay elsewhere. Visioning a future bakery that will create and sell the most delectable pastries. Nevertheless, her mother had one goal, which was for Catherine to be the next queen. There’s a ball held for Cath that is expected to receive the King’s hand in a marriage proposal, where she’ll meet the handsome and mysterious Jest. At first glance she feels a true attraction. This puts risk at offending the King and ruining her parents reputation, as she and Jest enter into a secret relationship. All her life Cath was pushed onto one path, now she’s determined to choose her own destiny. But in a world of magic, madness, and monsters, fate will have other plans. 

Review:

I’ve heard of Marissa Meyers’ work before, but had never found an interest in reading any of her novels. Until a friend recommended this book, since they knew I had a love for Alice in wonderland. Once I began reading, I really felt like I was in the book itself. The style of writing is not slow or fast paced, but is able to illustrate the world of wonderland through Catherine’s eyes. Where we as the reader slowly see Cath losing everything she worked hard for and can no longer control her emotions. 

I really related to Catherine, not with losing a lover, but being forced to be something that your parents didn’t get to be. Which I felt was extremely important to help the reader feel connected to the protagonist and not to label her as being just a villain. Since not every villain was born evil but was forged and pushed to their breaking point. 

The main themes of Heartless center on love, loss, and question of destiny. I notice how Meyer would foreshadow destiny that everything can be set in stone and while the path can be changed it will be at the consequences of what you must do. Furthermore shedding light on how you choose to deal with that loss in healing or revenge. 

I felt like the plot was very original and still stuck with the worldly themes of Wonderland. That offered us a different perspective of the Queen of Hearts that she wasn’t always deranged, but someone broken on the inside and is now covering up those scars with vengeance. I did feel like there were scenes that didn’t add up with the timeline of a certain girl that still made an appearance throughout different parts of the novel. 

I loved seeing the romance bloom between both Catherine the Duke’s daughter and Jest the entertainer. Their chemistry was something that you slowly see from each page of the book, that got me screaming not to let their story in devastation. Especially seeing the longing looks they gave to one another whenever they both were separated. The one person that truly sees you and wants to give you the world even if they can’t fully offer your heart’s desire. 

Honestly I loved this story, and had nothing to dislike about it. Of course what I didn’t like was knowing how Catherine’s fate could never be changed and that she would always be destined to be the Queen of Hearts. 

This book is perfect for anyone that loves Alice in Wonderland and wants to know more about the Queen of Hearts themselves. Especially if you’re looking for a tragic romance story for halloween coming up soon, to cause heart break and grief. 

I give this book a 📚📚📚📚- for showing me that not every story ends in happily ever after. 

Love, Gia 

GFB Ambassador