Wild Wonderland Gracie Boyce, sophomore

It is becoming common to run across some fairytale without the maddest tea parties in the land, courtesy adaptation or spin-off in the bookstore—hundreds of of the Mad Hatter—just be sure you have a talent to characters become a new version of , Snow share! But Hearts isn’t at peace; a monster called the White, or some other princess made classic by Disney. Jabberwock is striking, and everyone is afraid of being Naturally, I was a little skeptical about how cliche the next victim. “Heartless” by would turn out to be, I certainly wouldn’t want to spoil all of the madness given that, at first glance, it follows a line similar to that goes on in this book. Meyer really has brought other books. Wonderland to life with all of its wacky characters However, I had previously read The Lunar Chronicles and random occurrences. Heartless is not the series by Meyer, and while characters in the books standard spin-off you might pick up off of the shelf; included representations of Cinderella, Little Red like The Lunar Chronicles, it has its own individual Riding Hood, , and , the series characteristics and story. was completely its own; the story was individual and I do have to say this: I got so thrown into the not some standard the-princess-gets-the-prince tale. story that I forgot I was reading the backstory of the Have you ever read another series that had cyborgs, a Queen of Hearts. Meyer completely reconstructed colony on the moon, and all of these fairytale classics? the character in a way that made me have what was I hadn’t. Meyer had made The Lunar Chronicles probably an unhealthy amount of sympathy for her completely unique. So, when I heard that “Heartless” by the end of the novel. Not-really-a-spoiler spoiler was being published, I decided to give it a try. alert: a book about the making of a villain won’t end in “Heartless” is the tale of the Queen of Hearts happiness. Don’t trick yourself into believing it will— from Wonderland. Just this choice of protagonist you will save yourself some heartbreak (and don’t instantaneously moves the novel out of the category worry: you will still be left with some). with all of the typical princesses and deposits it beside So, if you’re looking to read quality young adult books like Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked.” Catherine, or fantasy, I would certainly recommend this book. Cath, has been raised to marry well. In fact, she has “Heartless” strays away from the stereotypical fairytale even caught the eye of the King of Hearts. But all she adaptation style, and it is impossible to put it down has ever wanted to do is open a bakery. Desperate one once you pick it up. Meyer has done a truly fantastic night at the King’s ball, Cath runs out into the gardens job with this heartless character and everything about where she meets the mysterious Jest. her, from the delicious treats she bakes to the vengeful Cath embarks on a series of adventures, coming into soul that lies within. contact with many characters. It wouldn’t be Hearts

40 Grace Yang, senior Heart