I never really had a favorite Disney princess growing up. If you ask now, I suppose I like Jasmine the most, but I just wasn’t big on princesses like most little girls. The stories that always stood out to me were ones where extraordinary things happened to ordinary people. I suppose you could say that the same is still true today.
I adore most everything Alice in Wonderland. I collect Alice coffee mugs, Alice figurines and stuffed animals, different editions of Alice, etc. I even have an Alice – Our Lady of Perpetual Wonder prayer candle made by my lovely and talented author friend Tominda Adkins, purchased by one of my best friends as an epic surprise gift for my birthday. I’m considering that design for a tattoo one day. I think it’s safe to say, I’m an Alice fan.
Anyone who knows me, or even just anyone who reads my reviews, also happen to know that I’m a major fan of retellings. That’s why, when I heard that there would be a new Alice retelling that told the story of the Queen of Hearts, and it would be written by Marissa Meyer, I knew we’d be in for a treat. I know I can trust Marissa Meyer for a quality retelling, one that will deviate from the original and create its own rich plot. The Lunar Chronicles series is a prime example of her talents. Plus, Meyer isn’t retelling Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, she’s merely borrowing this strange world and its even stranger characters and making it all her own. She takes us back to a time before Alice, before the Queen wore her crown, and gives us a look at what can truly turn a heart evil.
RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2016
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Summary (via Goodreads)
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 yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king’s marriage proposal, she 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.
Things I Liked:
One of the most satisfying moments for me was a thought I had near the end of the book. I reached a certain heart-wrenching scene, and all I could think is, “Man, this is really starting to remind me of Wicked.” I mean that in the best way possible. I picked up Wicked sometime around high school and was utterly mesmerized. I remember thinking it was something so unique and wondering why there weren’t more stories that delved into the pasts of famous characters, particularly the villains. They weren’t always bad, were they? Something had to make them that way. Heartless and Wicked both show readers the depths that love and loss can affect a person’s heart, how someone innocent can easily become someone wicked, evil, or mad.
There are plenty of characters and references from the original that will delight fans, but you could also pick this book up without ever having heard of Alice or her adventures in Wonderland. Meyer presents every character in a new way. For instance, the Mad Hatter is one of my favorite characters in the original. In Heartless, he’s known as Hatta, and yes, he still makes hats, but hats with special characteristics. He’s also a character that I’m torn about my feelings for, mainly because I never knew if I could trust him or not. I thoroughly enjoyed that though, getting to see the Mad Hatter/Hatta through a new light. You’ll still get to meet sly Chesh, the bumbling King of Hearts, the nervous White Rabbit, and more, but Meyer has created a unique spin on classic characters.
Jest was the best part of this story for me. I liked Cath well enough, especially as the story went on and you see all of the expectations put on her a) for being a woman and b) for being the daughter of a Marquess. All she wants to do is open a bakery with her best friend, a dream which repeatedly gets dashed due to the sexist society she’s a part of, and you really start to feel her anxiety about her obligations to her family. Enter Jest – clever, handsome, and fun – another character that you’re not sure if you can trust, but you really don’t care because of how much you (and Cath) enjoy his presence. The part he plays in this story is beautiful, tragic, and so captivating that he’ll be on your mind long after you close the cover. Trust me, I still haven’t stopped thinking about Jest and his fellow Rook, Raven.
Things I Didn’t Like:
Cath has a really interesting ability to dream things into reality. When we very first meet Cath, she’s baking lemon tarts made with lemons from a tree which sprouted in her bedroom while she was dreaming. Incredible, right? You’d think this would be more of a major plot point, but it isn’t. Other than Cath wondering if perhaps she dreamed Jest into existence, this special talent doesn’t get much of a mention. I feel like the story could have either done completely without it or it should have played a bigger role.
Overall Rating:
4.5/5 It’s a little slow to start, but once Jest is introduced, you’ll be looking forward to him in each scene almost as much as Cath does. I think the allusions to Wicked and to Poe’s The Raven bring this tale from Wonderland to a new level. That being said, this story is going to break your heart. It will leave your emotions shattered, and at the end, you’re just going to want to curl up into a ball and curse Marissa Meyer for doing this to you. But you NEED to read this story, and part of you will feel thankful that you did – while the other part of you is bawling your eyes out in the BEST. WAY. POSSIBLE.
“I cannot tell you how I look forward to a lifetime at your side, and all the impossible things I’ll have you believing in.”
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