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Heartless

Marissa Meyer

Start date: November 1, 2018

Finish date: November 30, 2018

Discussion: Heartless

Discussion leader: Ashley Chen

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Heartless

Heartless-Reviews
By Aqsa , Dracarys! · 15 posts · 16 views

last updated Nov 29, 2018 01:51AM

Heartless-Chapters 45-54
By Aqsa , Dracarys! · 21 posts · 18 views

last updated Nov 18, 2018 06:15PM

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What Members Thought

Sep 15, 2017 Maddie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-mag-realism-dyst, am, young-adult

Heartless is a beautifully written retelling of Alice in Wonderland. It tells a story of how Catherine became a bitter tyrant that we know as Queen of Hearts. We see how she goes from being a sweet girl full of hope and dreams who wants to open a bakery, fall in love and just be happy to somebody whose heart gets broken and hardened.
Marissa Meyer created a strong cast of characters and built a fantastical world which fans of Lewis Carroll's classic should really enjoy. ...more

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Nov 26, 2016 Jillian rated it it was amazing

This is a story of how the queen of hearts came to be. Alice in wonderland is one of my favorite stories in the world and and is very dear to my heart . That being said it is sometimes hard for me to like or love these retellings but this retelling even though borrows from the original is a very original story all on its own and I absolutely fell in love with this story . I don't like to give spoilers but if you want to know if it is worth reading ? Yes by all means give this a read. This gets a ...more

15 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2021 Brianna rated it liked it

Shelves: 2021-books, audible, lost-interest, disappointment, not-another-disney-disappointment

Heartless has been a book that has sat on my TBR list for years. I have admired the beautiful cover, imagined how Meyer could create a spin on the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. I loved Meyer's ability to create a story after having read the Renegades series. I was unable to find excitement in the Scifi adaptation of Cinder. But I thought this standalone may be worth it.

Had I not read this book on Audible, I would have gotten to my breaking point, closed the book, and more than likely sat Heartless has been a book that has sat on my TBR list for years. I have admired the beautiful cover, imagined how Meyer could create a spin on the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. I loved Meyer's ability to create a story after having read the Renegades series. I was unable to find excitement in the Scifi adaptation of Cinder. But I thought this standalone may be worth it.

Had I not read this book on Audible, I would have gotten to my breaking point, closed the book, and more than likely sat it on a shelf to be forever a DNF. The audible reader made the book somewhat able to be stomached, however her fake British accent was often unsettling.

Lady Catherine is an incredibly talented and aspiring baker in the kingdom of Hearts. Where she would rather own a bakery and live a simple life, her mother has other plans: marry the king and become Queen of Hearts. Catherine's parents are absolutely unreasonable and honestly written unrealistically; typical cliche of unreasonable parents in stories and movies that leave you rolling your eyes.

The King is a flat character, poorly developed - but I suppose that was the choice given you are not meant to like him anyway - and acts like a complete oaf.

The Joker. Ah, I found myself craving for more development of his character. He is the obvious character that you want Catherine to be with, however there are outside forces (her parents and their class status) that will not permit so. He is the mysteriously introduced character that captures Catherine's heart, has earned a quick spot next to the king, and has more tricks up his sleeve than one can imagine.

There are numerous plots within the story that are left poorly inserted or leaving the reader pining for more. There was such a strong focus on stupid baking and Catherine wanting a bakery, that classic aspects of the Wonderland world that were added were poorly supported. The Jabberwock appears to be the overall antagonist of the story, however it is given but a few chapters and forgotten for great lengths of the story where a monster of is magnitude should be given at least half. The three sister-witches-I can't remember what they were called, were given but a small introduction, and yet they apparently have the ability to predict everything perfectly? A character from the White Queen's Kingdom is sent to Hearts on a mission to steal the heart of the Red Queen before she can be queen. But why? This is poorly explained, even though it practically bypasses the Jabberwock problem, taking center stage of Catherine's stupid attention over other issues.

Common characters from the world of Wonderland are the Cheshire cat, Hatter, Caterpillar, the Knave, and many others. I appreciated the connection Meyer made with Heartless and the poem of Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater.

There were small moments in this book that I found enjoyable. But the action in the book was not really given until the last maybe quarter of the book. There was more focus on baking, Catherine not getting the bakery she dreamed, not wanting to marry the king, woes about her parents not understanding her, woes of her heart pulling towards the Joker.

The ending was a decent conclusion to draw Catherine to the Red Queen we know - to bring her character to her sad villainous persona.

Overall, a 2.5/5 stars but rounded up. ...more

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Sep 29, 2017 Vidhya rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 16, 2017 Whitney rated it it was amazing

This book was everything an Alice fan, such as myself, could've asked for.

Meyer pays exquisite attention to detail, using small parts of the Carroll novel to make her reimagining of Wonderland vibrant and true to the original story. Her origin story of the Queen of Hearts is as captivating as it is heartbreaking. I would've never imagined such a character could become so sympathetic. Definitely a new favorite. ...more

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Dec 27, 2017 The Raven King - Feyzan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I wish for you all the joy that this darkened world can employ.

I never would have picked this book up, if my friend hadn't bought it for me. I am not really fond of reading romance and fairytales, in general.
I went into this book expecting to not like it, but i was completely surprised. This was so fun and so heartbreaking. Part of me knew what was coming, but I didn't want to believe it, i didn't want to accept it. It is always difficult to see the characters you have grown to love and care a ...more

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