Heartless

I do not read many fantasy books, however, books such as Marrisa Meyer’s “Heartless” definitely show why this genre receives all the hype it does. A story about how the Queen of Hearts came to be this book shows that not all things in Wonderland are as wondrous as they were thought to be. When diving into this book, I could never have expected the amount of emotion this story would evoke in me. Though I don't want to sound overdramatic, this fantasy novel left me on the edge of my seat and had me biting my nails. There was the main character Catherine’s passion for baking that her mother dismisses because becoming queen is far more important, then her newfound interest in the mysterious court jester and the threat of the monstrous Jabberwock. This book explores what it means to pursue the things you love even if they are forbidden. I had become so accustomed to the belief that every book will end with the perfect happily ever-after. However, given that this story ends with sweet Catherine being shaped into the cold-hearted Queen of Hearts, this book shines a light on how that is not always the case. It seemed that throughout this entire book, I found myself screaming for something to either happen or not happen and Ms. Meyers would do the exact opposite of what I expected. I was praying that Cathernine would not conform to what those around her expected her to be and do and continue to be self-determined. For a while it seemed this dream was not so out of reach. Her blossoming relationship with Jester left butterflies in my stomach and her aspiration to open a bakery instead of yearning to become queen was a refreshing change. Sadly, towards the end of the book it seemed fate did not seem to be playing in her favor and her connection with Jester seemed to be more star-crossed than anything. By the end of this whirlwind of a book, I was left in tears, but that would not stop me from going back and reading this incredible book yet again.