Heartless Kindle Edition

“One to be a murderer. One to be a Martyr. One to be a Monarch. One to go Mad.”Let me just start by saying: read this NOW ! You won't regret it, even if you aren't the biggest fan of Alice in Wonderland. Marissa Meyer crafts an ingenious, fantastic story that takes you on a whirlwind adventure. You honestly never want to stop reading!! This was the first book I have read by Ms. Meye, but it certainly won't be my last. I have been meaning to check out her other novels, but Heartless is giving me the push I need to jump right into those others stories. There is a lot to love about this story, but warning...it'll make you pretty hungry for some baked goods while reading.While I can't compare to previous books she has written, Marissa Meyer has achieved an excellently balanced story that is full of action, forbidden love, and that wonderfully weird essence of Wonderland. The beauty in this story is that you really don't need to enjoy the original story. You might say that's odd because why would you want to read a story set in the world of Alice when you dislike the original story? Well, let's put it this way...do you like strong characters, a unique plot, and a love for the slightly weird/nonsensical things in life? Then you're going to enjoy this novel! Obviously, there are ties to Wonderland and you never truly forget the setting while reading, but it is an incredibly original idea that just makes you lose yourself in the story.“But hoping," he said, "is how the impossible can be possible after all.”Catherine, our MC and resident baker, just wants to open her own bakery and live out her dreams. But that's a no go when she has to be the future bride to the King of Hearts. The one thing I loved about Cath is her characterization throughout the story. Ms. Meyer did an excellent job at this and made the book be fueled by Cath's anger and frustration at not being able to love who she wants to AND not being able to achieve her dreams. Her frustration is palpable, and the pages are filled to the brim with tension. I loved watching Cath descend into that fierce and ferocious woman we know as the Queen of Hearts, and honestly, I would entirely believe that this is her backstory.“The easiest way to steal something, is for it to be given willingly.”We have the requisite love interest...and boy did I fall for him! Every time he left, I was desperate for more scenes of him and Cath together. There was a interesting twist that I definitely didn't see coming with his character and his companion, and that just made the story even better for me. Some favorites are still in the story as well: the Cheshire Cat, the Jabberwock, the Mad Hatter, etc. It's important to note that every character has a very special role to play.I would highly recommend checking out this novel if you have the chance because it is not one to miss! I was a little hesitant going in because stories that incorporate Alice in Wonderland can be pretty hit or miss for me, but Marissa Meyer did a phenomenal job and really won me over within a couple pages of her magnificent storytelling. With riddles, excitement, and treats that will leave your mouth watering, this book has it all and is a definite must read of 2017! And in the spirit of a Wonderlandian novel, I'll leave you with this:“Why is a raven like a writing-desk?”Happy reading :)

Truly a wonderful book, that had me focused in certain areas all the way through. The ending itself, may be considered a “bad ending”, but it was stellar ending for how the story had progressed. One truly did become all 4. Mad, murdered, a murdered, and a monarch. Each were assigned one, but I feel a specific person became all 4. I wish this had a short story about her life after, but we are left to imagine. This enthralling story is one of a kind.

***Review posted on The Uncharted Word blog***After having some time to let the story settle, I’ve decided that I love this book. As evidenced by her Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer is incredibly skilled in crafting retellings of well-known fairy tales. I really enjoyed Heartless, despite its flaws. In comparison to the Lunar Chronicles, Heartless doesn’t necessarily match up in terms of plot development. However, the story makes up for its weaknesses with its whimsical nature and vibrant cast of characters.The writing for Heartless is nothing exceptional or groundbreaking, but it is lyrical and fluid. Just by reading the first page, readers know that they’re in for an extravagantly topsy-turvy experience that is accentuated with sensory details. Meyer excels in bringing the wonder into Wonderland through her characterizations and richly detailed settings and events. There is no lack of color, of humor, of rhymes and riddles. Meyer brings all the elements we love from Lewis Carroll’s Alice and Wonderland and gives them new life in a refreshing new tale that acts as the origin story of the famous Queen of Hearts.The author brings back familiar characters like the Chesire Cat and the Mad Hatter, and allows them to flourish in their own roles, especially the Mad Hatter. I was pleasantly surprised by Meyer’s choice to give the Hatter a much larger role than expected in this tale. Not only is this the origin story of a young girl named Catherine who becomes the Queen of Hearts, it is also the origin story of a hatter before he devolves into madness. I also appreciate the tie-ins of Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater and Edgar Allen Poe’s Raven. These helped to give the story a bit more breadth and whimsy.Of all the characters, Jest is the most charismatic and he is most certainly swoon-worthy. I loved the relationship he had with Catherine, though it could have been developed a bit more. I felt some sparks were missing between the two in the beginning, but by the end, I was fully convinced that they were a lovely pairing. His character was the essence of fun and lightheartedness. It was hard not to love him.As for Catherine, I really enjoyed her character. She is headstrong and determined, and I also loved her affinity for baking. She is a wonderful character in her own right, and I admired her strength and cleverness as well as her bravery, both in love and in life. I especially loved watching her transformation from a loving, caring young noblewoman to an angry and ruthless queen.So, why didn’t I give this book 5 stars? Because I knew how this book would end. The book is called Heartless and so I knew that somewhere along the way, something terrible would have to happen for Catherine to lose her heart and ability to love. After the introduction of Jest, it became obvious what would need to happen for her to become the Queen of Hearts, and so I was left incredibly unsurprised in the end. I was hoping there would be some plot twist that would really throw me off, but no. There were still some surprising events in the end, but not enough to convince me that everything that happened before the ending was important. In this aspect, the story was underwhelming.I would also say that this is the type of story I would label plot challenged in that there is no definitive plot, only a series of subplots and mini-conflicts that criss-cross and run parallel with one another. There is no one BIG conflict, but a plethora of issues that carry their own weight and purpose. This forms a story that is engaging, but not fully captivating as there is no huge issue to focus on. In a way, it’s a slice of life story with mini-events and conflicts that eventually culminate into one “shocking” event that triggers a resolution or after-story.All in all, this is a great book. The pacing is a bit uneven and the ending is foreseeable, but the characters are intriguing, the writing is excellent, and the essence of Wonderland is gorgeously conveyed throughout the pages. It’s not perfect, but it’s entertaining and it is definitely a lovely addition to any YA reader’s shelves.

Cannot recommend this book enough! I smiled, I laughed, I cried! Such a well- rounded origin story. If you're considering it, just get it. And the hardcover copy is simply stunning!

I like the story of this book. Also good price.

Además de que el libro en sí está bien bonito físicamente, la historia es hermosa y te rompe el corazón. Es mi libro favorito de 2021

But the quality is great.

Hej, jag behöver hjälp från er nu. Mitt beställning har blivit avbruten i Klarna och jag vet inte hur jag ska betala. Smälla, hjälp mig. Jag ber er att hjälpa mig. Jag kan betala här även, men snälla, hjälp mig.

"Heartless" tornou-se um dos favoritos da vida!! Mas que livro.Acho que quase toda a gente conhece ou já ouviu falar da Alice no País das Maravilhas. "Heartless" é a história de como a Rainha de Copas se tornou, bem, a Rainha como a conhecemos.No livro é nos apresentado Catherine, a filha do Marquês e da Marquesa do reino de Hearts, que sonha em abrir uma pastelaria, mas, infelizmente, os pais têm outros planos para ela.Eu não comecei este livro com grandes expectativas, aliás nem andava com grande vontade de ler, mas, depois de alguns capítulos, viciei por completo.A história é tão envolvente e os personagens são tão incríveis. Apaixonei-me pelo Joker, o Jest, e gosto muito da Catherine, não importa quem ela se torna...E por isso mesmo que sofri mais ainda com os últimos capítulos deste livro. Também como podia eu pensar que isto tinha um final feliz?E bem, como este é um daqueles livros que eu sofro e choro horrores, obviamente ia gostar!!Mas não houveram só personagens de que gostei. Achei que a mãe da Cath era extremamente irritante, não conseguia gostar dela, e o Peter Peter era HORRÍVEL, deixou-me com muitoooo ódio!A marquesa também serviu como uma crítica para com a sociedade, sendo que ela é aquela mãe que quer impor os seus sonhos nos da sua filha, o que ajudou a que este final acontecesse…Para mim foi um livro incrível de todas as maneira possíveis, desde os sentimentos que me despertou, aos personagens tão bem desenvolvidos e à história toda que estava por trás dos acontecimentos secundários. Oh, e como no final tudo se interliga.Portanto, sim leiam!! Provavelmente vão sofrer mas compensa.