I loved this one so much. Omg. Marissa Meyer has become one of my favourite authors and after reading this one, oh my! I'm excited to read more of her books.
I have to admit, I have never read Alice in Wonderland in its entirety. I've watched the movies, of course. The beginning of this book surprised me with its frothiness. There is a lot of baking in this book, and the beginning was the equivalent of a strawberry cream puff, it was so lighthearted that the gradual darkening and the development of Catherine almost sneaks up on you.
"She stared at the girl in the mirror, the one who looked as though she had never known a smile. Even as she had the thought, her reflection’s lips curled upward, revealing a delirious grin beneath her sullen eyes."
Heartless is a well-done and well-written retelling of Alice in Wonderland.
Catherine was on many levels, one of the most relatable characters I've ever read about. All she wants is to open up a bakery with her best friend Mary Anne. Baking pastries and delicacies is where her heart belongs. However, her parents want her to seize such silly dreams and focus on other acts for young women such as herself. That includes marrying the King of Hearts. Even though that is not what she wants, Catherine wants her parents disappointment even less. Catherine's parents are infuriating people. Not once do they stop to ask her if she is happy. Not once do they stop and consider that this might not be what she wants. Her mother, is biggest nightmare of them all. Refusing to speak of anything other than her future wedding and queenly status, she hurts Catherine with her words. She often chastised her for eating too much or even considering having another bite.
"Her husband? Her one and only? Her partner through life’s trials and joys?
She would be queen, and queens ... queens did not open bakeries with their best friends. Queens did not gossip with half-invisible cats. Queens did not have dreams of yellow-eyed boys and wake up with lemon trees over their beds."
I loved Heartless! I liked that it was a retelling of the Queen of Hearts and not about Alice. What made me love this more was that Marissa included so many characters and aspects of the original retelling.
I highly recommend it!
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