Heartless ~ Marissa Meyer (Warning, contains Spoilers)

Heartless
by Marissa Meyer
YA Fantasy
Wonderland Retellings
Link to Goodreads

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King's marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. 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 a secret courtship.

Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

My Review

Heartless? More like heartbreaker - that is, unless Meyer is referring to herself. 

Ok. I knew this was Wonderland going in, but I had forgotten that it was an origin story for the Queen of Hearts. Once I remembered that, I knew what was going to have to end up happening - which I was NOT happy about. 

All Cath wants to do is bake with her best friend & servant Mary Ann. All her mother wants is for her to marry the King, and that is all he wants as well. She has hopes and dreams in a time where it was impossible for a girl to have hopes and dreams of her own. 

Jest/Joker was a little too perfect the first time we meet him. I wasn't too sure how I felt about him until the second meeting. It was then, that we saw a little imperfections and I knew he and Cath simply had to end up together. 

SPOILER ALERT:  But of course, that would mean she wouldn't have become the Queen of Hearts. Stupid origin story. Why? Why, why, why?  SPOILER END

I do like how we see each character from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland grow into who they are in Carroll's classic. The characters may have each started out in different paths in Heartless, but in the end, everything was lined up - with the exception of maybe Jack the Knave. Oh how I hated him. I couldn't tell if he actually liked Cath, or really hated her. It was hard to tell, and annoying. 

Great book! Glad this is a stand-alone because it reads like one. Everything is laid out perfectly and wrapped up at the end. It is a fantastic fanfic prequel to Carroll's classic tales. 

Recommended for fans of Alice & lovers of retellings. 4 out of 5 Stars.