(4 / 5)
I expected to enjoy this book (it’s Marissa Meyer after all), but I did not expect to become totally enchanted by it. I have not seen Alice in Wonderland in twenty years and never read it, but all faint memories I thought buried forever in the folds of my brain came creeping from the recesses of my mind to the forefront. Alice is not a story I’m particularly fond of but Heartless makes me want to be a believer. I loved everything Meyer did with this origin story. The literary world is overrun with back stories nowadays and the appeal for such tales have waned for me. But this is a well thought out and clever origin story which I heartily (ha!) recommend. Even if you don’t love Alice in Wonderland, you can still love this book. Although Cath (the future Queen of Hearts) is doomed from the onset, you can’t help sympathizing and rooting for a happily ever after.
This story is very different from Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles, but delivers everything we’ve come to expect from her: strong protagonists, love able secondary characters, an insurmountable problem, and a strong side of romance. This one’s a favorite of the summer so far.
Violence: Low Language: Low Adult Content: Low