Heartless by Marissa Meyer

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Pan Macmillan, 2016. ISBN 9781925479478
(Age: 13+) Recommended. A tale that is a must read for anyone who enjoyed Alice in Wonderland and fairy tale retellings, Meyer, the New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, has given a unique backstory to the woman who was the Queen of Hearts. Catherine Pinkerton is a talented baker and even though she is desired by the unmarried King of Hearts, all she wants to do is to open a baker's shop with her best friend. However her mother is determined that she will be the next queen and having a daughter who owns a bakery is not what she wants. Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome court jester and the two begin to fall in love, but fate intervenes . . .
Readers will become engrossed in the setting of the strange fantasy world that Meyer has created, while identifying with the normality of Cath making delicious cakes and dreaming of opening her own shop. Catherine feels no attraction for the King of Hearts and doesn't want to be the Queen of Hearts, instead falling for Jest a most unsuitable man in the eyes of her mother. Readers will be swept away by the conflict that Cath faces, that of being a dutiful daughter and obeying her mother, while wanting completely different things for herself.
The idea behind the story is very clever, the writing is lyrical, Catherine's dreams and desires are very relatable and the ending will leave readers breathless. This is sure to appeal to people who enjoyed The lunar chronicles, and those who like books by Robin McKinley, Zoe Marriot and Frances Hardinge.
Pat Pledger

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