Book Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

 

Goodreads Overview:

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.

Review:

I picked up a copy of this book at Book Expo America (BEA) quite some time ago. It was a nominee for Best YA Fantasy and Science Fiction in 2016, so it must have been around that time. I hadn't read any of Marissa's books yet, but I was familiar with their popularity and had them on my extensive TBR list. I have since read all of her Lunar Chronicles series, which I really enjoyed, and was excited to finally read this stand alone.

This story is based upon Alice in Wonderland/The Queen of Hearts and had a very entertaining cast of characters. Catherine comes from a prominent family and has caught the eye of the King of Hearts. Unfortunately, Catherine is not interested in him, but has to go along with the courtship to please her parents. Secretly, she wants nothing more than to open a bakery in town, which her parents do not condone and will not financially support.

She meets Jest, who is the court joker, and is immediately drawn to him. They embark on an adventure that only Wonderland itself could top. Marissa weaves in an interesting take on the Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater story with Sir Peter and his wife. They are a local farming couple, but there seems to be something seriously wrong with his wife. Catherine can't put her finger on what it is, but it soon becomes very clear to everyone. 

Jest may appear to be a lowly Joker in the King's employ, but there is far more to him than meets the eye. His good friend, Hatta, makes magical hats that have become the biggest hit in town. I absolutely loved these characters and can't believe how things eventually played out for them in this story. I guess I always hope for the best, even when I know the story will likely follow a similar path as its source material. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters, but I did not think it was as good as the Lunar Chronicles series. If you are new to Marissa's books, I would start with Cinder.