Book Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Title: Heartless

Author: Mariss Meyer

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 453

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Year Published: 2016

Format: Audiobook

"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.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

My Rating: 4/5

 At this time I have read the vast majority of this author's works.  I just don't think they are for me. I find that while they are ok, I just don't connect with the characters, or the writing style the way everyone else seems to. And that's ok. That being said, this was maybe my favourite book that I've read from here. I really enjoyed the adaptations she made to the world and how she humanizes someone who is viewed frequently as a villain. I often find myself drawn to prequels especially ones that are centred around what makes the villain in the main series and this was no different. The cast of characters was both unique and familiar, which made it easier to connect with them and feel for them. A negative aspect of the plot was the emphasis on weight. I understand that we're supposed to understand why the character might not get along with her mother but can we please have a relationship between mother and daughter that isn't look/weight centred? Overall, while a long story, it was enjoyable. I would strongly recommend the audiobook if it is available to you as the accents and voices used by the narrator helped suck me into the story.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny