Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Shruthi | Holmdel High School, Grade 11

Rating: ****

Meet Catherine Pinkerton, Hearts’ best baker and the daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Rock Turtle Cove. Although Catherine is part of Hearts’ nobility, her real dream is to own her own bakery with her best friend, where she will sell her world-class pastries to all of Hearts. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when the King expresses his love for her, and her parents force her into a courtship with the king. But, when she meets Jest, the king’s amusing court jester, her plans change yet again, and she finds that she is drawn closer and closer to him by his mysterior lemon colored eyes.

A standalone novel for any historical fiction or fantasy lover, Heartless spellbinds readers and leaves them wanting for more. The story and the world of Hearts are brilliant, drawn upon from Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland, and the dialogue and the imagery is strategic and symbolic. I especially loved how cryptic the dialogue was, as it made the story so much more interesting than it would have been otherwise.

Julia | Allentown High School, Grade 12

Rating: ****

Heartless by Marissa Meyer gives a backstory to the Queen of Hearts in Lewis Carroll’s famous character in Alice in Wonderland. The story begins with Catherine, a normal young woman who is a favorite of the King of Hearts. Catherine is not interested in the King and instead wants to open her own bakery but her parents long for her to reach royalty. While attending a ball, Catherine meets the King’s new joker, Jest, and the two have an instant connection. Cath is determined to open a bakery and fall in love on her own terms but fate has other plans.

Marissa Meyer is a wonderful author who has mastered mixing fantasy with modern. Even in this stand-alone novel, the characters are relatable and well rounded. Catherine’s dream of opening a bakery and how this causes her to rebel against her parents shows her driven nature. The whole novel is very character-based and tells the story of how Cath became the notorious Queen of Hearts. She evolves from a sweet, driven girl to the villain of Alice in Wonderland.

I enjoyed this retelling of the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland. Marissa Meyer is a long time favorite of mine because she is amazing at revamping old fairy tales. Her series The Lunar Chronicles is based on a dystopian future with cyborgs and Cinderella. But, reading this novel made me appreciate Meyer’s storytelling. The ending leaves you shocked and wanting more, the perfect finish.