Hi guys, I’m delighted to be the first stop on the Canadian blog tour for Heartless by Marissa Meyer! Heartless comes out tomorrow, and to celebrate, I’ve got an excerpt focused on the future Queen of Hearts herself, Lady Catherine Pinkerton, and my review. Oh, and I’m also giving away a copy of the book – internationally!
As many of you know, I’m a HUGE fan of Ms. Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, which are four connected sci-fi fairy tale retellings. Marissa has an incredible talent for making fairy tale characters realistic and making us care about them. At the same time, she plays with the details in fairy tales and twists them to make her retellings unique and full of clues and red herrings.
Heartless is no exception. Cath, the future Queen of Hearts, is such a strong and honest character, and Marissa really digs deep into her to show us a new side to her story. Below, please find an excerpt about Cath, my review of the novel, and yes, a giveaway!
THREE LUSCIOUS LEMON TARTS glistened up at Catherine. She reached her towel-wrapped hands into the oven, ignoring the heat that enveloped her arms and pressed against her cheeks, and lifted the tray from the hearth. The tarts’ sunshine filling quivered, as if glad to be freed from the stone chamber.
Cath held the tray with the same reverence one might reserve for the King’s crown. She refused to take her eyes from the tarts as she padded across the kitchen floor until the tray’s edge landed on the baker’s table with a satisfying thump. The tarts trembled for a moment more before falling still, flawless and gleaming.
Setting the towels aside, she picked through the curled, sugared lemon peels laid out on parchment and arranged them like rose blossoms on the tarts, settling each strip into the still-warm center. The aromas of sweet citrus and buttery, flaky crust curled beneath her nose.
She stepped back to admire her work.
The tarts had taken her all morning. Five hours of weighing the butter and sugar and flour, of mixing and kneading and rolling the dough, of whisking and simmering and straining the egg yolks and lemon juice until they were thick and creamy and the color of buttercups. She had glazed the crust and crimped the edges like a lace doily. She had boiled and candied the delicate strips of lemon peel and ground sugar crystals into a fine powder for garnish. Her fingers itched to dust the tart edges now, but she refrained. They had to cool first, or else the sugar would melt into unattractive puddles on the surface.
These tarts encompassed everything she had learned from the tattered recipe books on the kitchen shelf. There was not a hurried moment nor a careless touch nor a lesser ingredient in those fluted pans. She had been meticulous at every step. She had baked her very heart into them.
Her inspection lingered, her eyes scanning every inch, every roll of the crust, every shining surface.
Finally, she allowed herself a smile.
Before her sat three perfect lemon tarts, and everyone in Hearts—from the dodo birds to the King himself—would have to recognize that she was the best baker in the kingdom. Even her own mother would be forced to admit that it was so.
Heartless Goodreads
Author: Marissa Meyer
Find the author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest
Also by this author: Cinder, , Scarlet, Winter, Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5), Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5, 0.6, 1.5, 3.1, 3.6), Wires and Nerve, Wires and Nerve, Volume 2
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan
Publication date: November 8th 2016
Source: ARC from Raincoast Books (thank you!)
My rating:
Buy It: Indigo.ca | Amazon.com | The Book Depository | iBooks | Google Books | Audible
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Heartless by Marissa Meyer is the story of Catherine Pinkerton, a member of the gentry and a girl who is a fantastic and impressive baker. She’s dazzled many in the kingdom of Hearts with her take on confections, and longs to start her own bakery. But parental and familial obligations make it difficult for Cath to follow her dreams. Add to that the fact that the King of Hearts is interested in her, and she’s feeling pretty trapped. And, if that wasn’t enough, Cath is fascinated and attracted to the King’s new court joker, Jest. While the former’s attentions are unwanted, the latter is, and Cath and Jest end up entangled while the fate of Wonderland lies in their hands.
I enjoyed and was completely weirded out by the world of Heartless. I knew going in that this was going to be an Alice in Wonderland book. But I somehow didn’t put two and two together on how Meyer was going to deal with the-ahem-drug-induced hallucinations that brought on some of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland characters.
Her solution? Just act as if it’s completely normal. It’s totally normal to have a sassy cat who appears and disappears at will. Animals who walk, talk, and are sometimes part of the court? No big deal. Magic is everywhere in Hearts, and it’s just a part of the routine. I think it works best that way, too, because it allows the reader to feel just as off-kilter as Alice probably did when she first came through the looking glass.
Aside from the fantastical elements, though, at its heart, this is very much a classic YA story. There’s a love triangle (sadly a very lopsided one). There’s a young girl who has a talent but is unable to follow her passion to do more because of societal norms. Honestly, if you didn’t know that Cath was going to turn into a villain at the end, you might find the whole thing a bit cliche.
But this is where Meyer’s talent at mixing all of these pieces comes in. She perfectly blends the fantastical with the character moments, the action with the snappy dialogue, the mythology with romance. And then she goes a bit further to give us hints at what this world is. Suffice to say, it’s not just Hearts that exists in Wonderland, and there’s more to this story than just one kingdom.
The romance. Wow. There were moments when I actually thought I was reading a romance novel because it was SO swoony. Even though it started off as a bit of insta-love (Cath and Jest are attracted to each other really fast), this ended up being a slow-burn where you are just desperate for them to just TOUCH each other.
I do have one complaint about the book: it seemed like every male character in Hearts was immediately in love with Cath. There’s the King, who barely knows her but has decided she can be his wife. There’s Jest. Then there’s the Turtle at the Hatter’s tea party. And Cath, of course, sees herself as just a girl who likes to bake. It just grated a bit because I felt like she was far too unaware of her own charms – to the point of naivete.
Overall, though, Heartless is a compelling read, and one that normally wouldn’t have gotten me because it’s so weird at moments. But I loved that there were always little mysteries about characters and about the world to solve. It was those moments, plus the romance, that really kept me going.
Bonuses:
Cameos: Everyone you want to see from Alice in Wonderland is here, in many iterations. I especially enjoyed Meyer’s take on the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and croquet. SO FUN.
Drool-Inducing Food Descriptions: OMG, the descriptions of food had me hungry constantly through this book. You have been warned.
The Final Word:
A lush fantasy/fairy-tale prequel, Heartless by Marissa Meyer is a book for people who like to revel in the details. Usually, that’s not me. But the way that Meyer takes the Alice in Wonderland story and breaks down pieces of it while teasing what’s-to-come is really impressive. She tantalizes you with just enough twists and turns while preserving iconic moments and characters. Although I had a few issues with the characters, Heartless is a fun, unique, and worthy prequel for Alice in Wonderland.
About Marissa Meyer
Marissa Meyer is a fangirl at heart, with a closet full of costumes, a Harry Potter wand on her desk, and a Tuxedo Mask doll hanging from her rear view mirror. Han and Leia are still her OTP. She may or may not be a cyborg.
Marissa writes books for teens, including the NYT bestselling series: The Lunar Chronicles.
Follow her blog or sign up for her newsletter at http://www.marissameyer.com.
——
HEARTLESS comes out on Tuesday, November 8, aka tomorrow! Will you be reading it? Are you a fan of the Lunar Chronicles? How about Alice in Wonderland? Let me know in the comments and you could win a copy of Heartless for your own shelf!
So I really enjoyed this book, and since I won a pre-order from someone, I wanted to spread the love. So here it is, one copy of Heartless by Marissa Meyer to anyone who can accept a Book Depository shipment! Good luck!
I am beyond excited for Heartless! Marissa Meyer is so good at retellings, I can’t wait to see what she does with this book. Oo, the love triangle may bother me but as long as it doesn’t take over the plot, it’s good. Great review!!
Fantastic review!!! You captured everything I loved about Heartless so eloquently, and I can definitely relate to some of the complaints as well. But overall, I thought Marissa Meyer did a wonderful job of breathing new life into Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts. It’s the rare time where I want to know more about the other kingdoms and would love a sequel, even though I like that it’s a standalone. And the desserts!!! Oh my goodness. I was craving lemon tarts and pumpkin spice cake. If I hadn’t already read Heartless, your review would have convinced me!
Awesome review Tiff!
I wasn’t a big fan of the Lunar Chronicles, but I love Alice in Wonderland retellings so I thought I would give this one a try. Hopefully my pre-order comes soon!
Lovely review! Even more excited to jump into this beauty!!!
I’ve never read anything by Marissa Meyer, but I am so excited to! I love that she writes a lot of retellings, this is definitely her genre!
But I am a fan of Alice in Wonderland and my favorites character is the Cheshire Cat! I love him for many reasons, including him being so smart and explaining the new world to Alice.
Thanks so much for the chance!! 🙂
My favorite character is probably the Cheshire Cat mainly because he sometimes disappears, leaving that mysterious “grin” for last … makes you wonder what he knows that he is not telling lol
Thanks for the giveaway and great review. My favorite character is the Cheshire Cat because he is always up to mischief. 🙂
OMG, awesome review! I am just DYING to read this book!!
My favorite character is the Mad Hatter because he’s so unique and brings humor to the story.
I think my favorite would have to be the Mad Hatter because he’s just so strange, but then again, aren’t all of the characters?
I haven’t read an Alice In Wonderland retelling in a long time so I’m super excited about this one. I’d probably say my favrite character is Alice, but I also really like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb because they are so weird!
I enjoyed reading The Lunar Chronicles – Marissa Meyer is a fantastic writer! And as a big fan of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland, I cannot wait to have the opportunity to read Heartless ♥ So thank you sooooo much for this giveaway, Tiff!!
Though I love Alice’s curiosity and imagination, my favourite character is, without any doubt, the Cheshire cat ♥ Besides the fact that I have a big obsession with these animals, this particular cat is so clever! I’ve always loved those nearly philosophical conversations with Alice – when I first read the story, it made me think about lots of things!!
The Queen of Hearts. She wants people’s heads.
Cheshire Cat, because he is a very colorful character.
My favourite Alice in Wonderland character is probably the Cheshire Cat, he’s really funny and I love how he just appears randomly.
I always loved the White Rabbit because he was the person who originally led Alice down the rabbit hole. Anyone who can lead someone into such an adventure is great in my book. 😉
My favorite is The Cheshire Cat because he is always up to mischief and can disappear whenever he wants!
I’m so excited for this book! My favorite character is probably the Cheshire Cat because no matter the retelling, he is always so mischievous and playful.
Definitely love me some Mad Hatter! The hats?! ? The madness?! ?
I think I’ll go for the mad hatter. Some may perceive him as crazy and I agree with that sometimes, but what I really appreciate is how good of a friend he is. (At least in the versions I know about!)
I love Alice herself, mostly because her character is so cynical. 🙂
The Mad Hatter, ever since I saw Through The Looking Glass on stage.
My favorite is The Mad Hatter. I love how unique he is!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I liked Alice. She was put in tough situations, and kept her head, literally and figuratively .
My favorite is the Cheshire Cat. In fact my iPad cover is a graphic of his face.
Thank you for this giveaway. I am really interested in this book and can’t wait to read it.
My favorite Alice in Wonderland is definitely Cheshire Cat. He is full of personality and beside, he’s cat, and I looooooove cats! 😉
My favourite character is the Cheshire Cat! He’s just so sassy and funny and mysterious and I really love how he’s portrayed in the films!
I love the Mad Hatter because he is just so ridiculous. =P
I like the Cheshire Cat because he’s so weird and fun and cryptic.
I’ve always liked the White Rabbit because he was the one who led Alice to Wonderland in the first place. And I also love rabbits. ^_^
I’m so excited to read this one! Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite classic, so I definitely will read a retelling of it. Lovely review! 🙂
I cannot wait to read this! Everything Marissa Meyer has published so far is love. I particularly can’t wait to see what the Cheshire Cat will be like in her world, and the White Rabbit because I was the White Rabbit when I was a kid. Still love clocks a bit too much!
Really good review! I’m so looking forward to this one. I think my favorite character would be the Cheshire Cat. He’s just too mischievous and he’s a cat (which I love). Thanks for the giveaway!
My favourite character is definitely the Cheshire Cat! Can’t wait to see what he will be like here!
Oh I can’t wait to read this book! It sounds fantastic. Thanks for the chance in the giveaway! And my favorite character is the mad hatter because he’s mad and that’s interesting haha. ??
I always liked Cheshire Cat! I def love him in American McGee’s Alice in Wonderland 2.
I love the cat! He is smart and magical!
My favorite character is the Cheshire Cat because it is so mysterious and always has that evil smile. Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite is probably Alice, some of the other characters give her a hard time, and she always stands up for herself, which I always like in a heroine.
I obviously love Alice because we share the same name, but I also find the Cheshire Cat to be so interesting as a character! I’m so excited to read HEARTLESS!
The Mad Hatter is my favorite character!
I love Mariss’s writing
My favourite character is The Queen Of Hearts because:
I love villains
She loves her tarts
And she is a psycho
So I am crossing all of my fingers that I win because I love Alice’s adventure in Wonderland and Heartless is my most anticipated read of the year!!!!!!???
The mad hatter is definitely my fav since he is crazy and u gotta love his tea parties!!!!!
I love Hatter becuase he’s such an interesting charecter! 🙂
My favorite character is the Cheshire Cat. He’s smart, magical and who can resist that grin? 😉
Alice because she made it back home
Loved Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series. Very excited to check out this new book! As for my favourite character from Alice and Wonderland, I’d have to say the Chesire Cat.
So looking forward reading Heartless!!
My favorite character from Alice has always been the Mad Hatter ?
The Mad Hatter is usually my favourite because he’s eccentric! And hosts tea parties, haha.
My favourite part of this book was the weirdness, too! Though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance but I did love (and was heartbroken) by the ending.
Lovely review!
I like the Mad Hatter!
I always liked Alice
The Chesire cat will always be number 1. Who doesn’t love a gossip and a trickster!
What a review, Tiff!! Looking forward to reading Heartless <3 So many people raving about it, and I just want to put my hands on it NOW 😀 So thank you for this giveaway! *I'm crossing my fingers :D*
I love Alice's adventures in Wonderland, and I think every single character was wonderfully built. But my favorite one is definitely Alice: unique, innocent but so adventurous!!!
I love Alice in Wonderland and this retelling just seems really neat! Been on my TBR for a while now. Would love the chance to win!