Publishers Weekly
09/12/2016
Before she was the Queen of Hearts in Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, she was Catherine, the spirited daughter of royalty, destined to wed the King of Hearts but determined to set up shop as a baker with her best friend and longtime maid. In this whimsical standalone tale, readers follow Catherine’s simultaneous courtships with the jovial king and his court joker, Jest, whose earnest boyishness makes him far more charming than his royal boss. Caught between her own desires and her mother’s stop-at-nothing goal to make her daughter queen, Catherine must decide how much she will risk for a future with Jest. Meyer’s Wonderland is a fun and more refined version of Carroll’s, and readers will enjoy the obvious parallels. Jest and Catherine have a playfully clandestine relationship, but it’s a slow build-up to the inevitable clash between what Catherine wants and what reality demands. Meyer’s worldbuilding is extensive and impressive, and the persistent threat of a destructive Jabberwock lends tension, but the story lacks the high-stakes danger that fans of the Lunar Chronicles have come to expect. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Heartless:
#1 New York Times bestseller
“In Heartless, the nonsense that is Wonderland gets a reverential makeover, full of heart and its own idiosyncratic character.” —Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and After Alice
“What Gregory Maguire did for the Wicked Witch, Meyer does for Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts, tracing her arc from a teen with dreams of owning a bakery into a murderous madwoman.” —People magazine
"If you love rooting for anti-heroes and misunderstood protagonists (calling all Descendants stans!), you'll love reading Heartless."—Girls' Life
“Will make readers grin like the Cheshire Cat.” —Common Sense Media
"Jest and Catherine have a playfully clandestine relationship. . . . Meyer’s worldbuilding is extensive and impressive." —Publishers Weekly
“The author’s best fantasy yet. . . . Meyer has woven all the elements of darkness and light, fate and free will, and love and hatred into an unforgettable story of the evolution of the Red Queen from a young girl who dreamed of true love and freedom to a madwoman best remembered for the phrase 'Off with his head.' If you only read one fractured fairy tale this year, make it Heartless. A must-have title.” —School Library Journal, starred review
Praise for Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series:
#1 New York Times Bestselling Series
USA Today Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
National IndieBestseller
“A mash-up of fairy tales and science fiction . . . a cross between Cinderella, The Terminator,and Star Wars.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Prince Charming among the cyborgs.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Terrific.” —Los Angeles Times
“A binge-reading treat.” —MTV
“Marissa Meyer rocks the fractured fairy tale genre.” —The Seattle Times
“Epic . . . Breathtaking.” —Teen Vogue
“Utterly thrilling.” —Publishers Weekly
“Wonderfully addictive.” —Buzzfeed
School Library Journal - Audio
★ 03/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—In this dark imagining of the origin of the Queen of Hearts, Lady Catherine starts out with the dream of owning a bakery with her maid, Mary Ann. Cath's baking skills land her the heart of the King of Hearts, but she is drawn to the mysterious court joker, Jest. As Cath begins to give her heart to Jest and is courted by the King, the kingdom of Hearts is darkened by the appearance of the Jabberwocky. To stop this beast, Cath will have to make costly choices and in the process may lose her heart forever. Meyer has created a bittersweet twist on the tale of the Queen of Hearts, and the story is as enchanting as Lewis Carroll's original. Through her narration, Rebecca Soler brings to life the quirky denizens of Hearts, including the evanescent Cheshire Cat, the giggling King, and the nervous White Rabbit, while also capturing Cath's shift from hopeful baker to heartbroken and heartless queen. Soler's voice has a storytelling quality that entrances listeners and perfectly matches Meyer's vivid writing. VERDICT Give this to fans of Meyer's "Lunar Chronicles," lovers of Alex Flinn's fairy-tale twists, and those who enjoy the classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. ["A must-have title": SLJ 9/16 starred review of the Feiwel & Friends book.]—Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY
School Library Journal
★ 09/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—The author's best fantasy yet. In her inspired reimagining of Lewis Carroll's inimitable adventures in Wonderland, Meyer has explored the world that existed before Alice fell down the rabbit hole. All Lady Catherine wants to do is open her own bakery with the help of her maid. She has no wish to wear beautiful dresses or go to balls, and she certainly has no desire whatsoever to marry the good-natured, bumbling, childlike king. But that seems to be her fate until she meets the king's handsome and mysterious new joker, Jest. Although his mission is to steal Lady Catherine's heart and take it to the White Queen, who would use it to overcome the enemies of her realm, he falls in love with her instead. Employing all the best aspects of Carroll's book—the White Rabbit, croquet with hedgehogs and flamingos, suits of cards, and the Jabberwocky—Meyer has woven all the elements of darkness and light, fate and free will, and love and hatred into an unforgettable story of the evolution of the Red Queen from a young girl who dreamed of true love and freedom to a madwoman best remembered for the phrase Off with his head. VERDICT If you only read one fractured fairy tale this year, make it Heartless. A must-have title.—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK
FEBRUARY 2017 - AudioFile
Fans of ALICE IN WONDERLAND will love the audio version of HEARTLESS, beautifully narrated by Rebecca Soler. Listeners hear the story of Lady Catherine Pinkerton, known as Cath, before she became the infamous and terrifying Queen of Hearts. Despite being born into the gentry, Cath just wants to open a bakery with her best friend and create delicious treats. Her parents are thrilled when the King of Hearts requests permission to court Cath; however, her interest lies elsewhere—with the mysterious Jest—and she’s torn between doing what is expected and following her heart. With appearances by well-known characters like the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Jabberwock, Soler does a remarkable job of bringing to life the fantasy and magic of Wonderland and drawing listeners into the adventure. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
