Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Published: November 8th 2016 by Feiwel and Friends

Book Depository

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.

After reading the Lunar Chronicles (bar Winter which is still sat on my shelf waiting for me), I couldn’t even wait to get my hands on this book! I really enjoyed this book and I really wish it was a series rather than a standalone!

I think my favourite part of this book was the subtlety that it used. It started off really light and fluffy (the first sentence was about baking lemon tarts… can you get a better first sentence?!? I think not) and it slowly and gradually got darker. It wasn’t obvious at first that it was getting darker more like it took a while and it really showed Catherine and what she went through and why she ended up the way she did. It was really refreshing. I did have to go and watch some Gordon Ramsay during the really fluffy parts just to find some semblance of balance, though. No great shakes.

I really like Catherine’s characterisation. She was extremely relatable in the sense that she was one of us. Sure, she was high born, but she was normal in that she had her own friends and dreams and her parents didn’t approve etc. It made the reader relate to her on a whole new level and I loved it. I also really enjoyed the way that she began to change throughout the book as things started happening. The way that she developed when the pressure became too much for her and how she ultimately ended up after everything that had happened.

What I also really enjoyed about this book was the way in which the author kept elements of Alice in Wonderland there, but she changed them ever so slightly in order to make them her own. Cheshire was there, but the way he came into existence was different – or the mad hatter, but the way in which he went mad was also different. It was a nice change to see the elements there, but to also witness the way in which the author made them her own.

I would have liked to have seen more of the Hatter and the rest of the tea party company before the ending, however. Whilst we did meet him and Catherine had a short discussion with him later in the book, I wanted more from him. I did absolutely love his story, though!

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I wish it was a series! I cannot wait to see what Meyer has in store for us next! I gave this book 4/5 stars.