I just finished reading Marissa Meyer's prequel to Wonderland, and I honestly couldn't wait to sit down and write this heartless book review. If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland, you probably know the Queen of Hearts as a croquet-obsessed, head-chopping tyrant, but this book gives her a soul—right before it systematically rips it out of her. It's a weird experience reading a book when you already know the ending is going to be a train wreck, but Meyer makes the journey feel surprisingly fresh.
Why I Finally Dived Into Wonderland
I've had this book sitting on my shelf for a ridiculous amount of time. I'm a huge fan of The Lunar Chronicles, so I knew Meyer could handle a retelling, but I was hesitant about this one. Retelling a villain's origin story is risky business. Sometimes it feels forced, like the author is trying too hard to make a bad person seem misunderstood. But after hearing so many people rave about how much this book destroyed them emotionally, I figured it was time to see what the fuss was about.
The premise is pretty straightforward: before she was the Queen of Hearts, Catherine Pinkerton was just a girl who wanted to open a bakery. She's talented, ambitious, and happens to be the daughter of a Marquess. The problem? The King of Hearts has his sights set on her for his future queen, and her parents are more than happy to trade her happiness for a crown.
Catherine: More Than Just a Future Tyrant
In this heartless book review, I have to give credit where it's due: Catherine is a great protagonist. She isn't a "girl boss" in the modern, aggressive sense. She's soft. She loves sugar, butter, and the way a perfectly baked lemon tart looks on a plate. It's actually quite tragic to watch her try to navigate the social pressures of the court while all she wants to do is bake with her best friend/maid, Mary Ann.
Watching her struggle against the expectations of her parents was probably the most relatable part of the book for me. Even if you aren't living in a magical land with living playing cards, that feeling of having your life planned out for you by people who "know better" is a universal bummer. You find yourself rooting for her to just run away and open that shop, even though you know she's destined for a much darker fate.
Jest: The Court Joker Who Stole the Show
And then there's Jest. Oh, Jest. If you're looking for a new book boyfriend to obsess over, he's a top-tier candidate. He's the new court joker, and he's everything the King isn't: witty, mysterious, talented, and actually interesting to talk to. His chemistry with Cath is the heart of the book, which makes the whole "heartless" theme even more painful.
Their secret meetings and the way he calls her "Lady Catherine" while clearly seeing through her noble facade is just chef's kiss. Their romance doesn't feel rushed, which I appreciated. It builds naturally through shared secrets and stolen moments in the gardens. But again, there's that nagging feeling in the back of your mind. You know how this ends. You know he isn't in the original Alice in Wonderland stories. That sense of impending doom hangs over every romantic scene like a dark cloud.
The World-Building: Wonderland Before the Madness
One thing I really loved about this story was how Meyer managed to make Wonderland feel both familiar and new. We get to see the Jabberwocky, the Cheshire Cat (who is as cryptic and annoying as ever), and even a younger Mad Hatter. Seeing Hatta before he completely lost his mind was a highlight for me. His character arc is actually one of the most interesting side plots in the book, especially his relationship with Jest and his fear of the "madness" that runs in his family.
The descriptions of the food and the clothing are also incredibly vivid. I found myself getting genuinely hungry every time Cath was in the kitchen. Meyer has a way of describing a strawberry tart that makes you want to go out and buy a rolling pin immediately. It adds a layer of sensory detail that makes the whimsical world feel grounded and real.
My One Gripe: The Pacing
Now, I can't write a heartless book review without being a little critical. The pacing in the middle of the book is a bit of a slog. There are a lot of scenes of Cath going to balls, Cath being annoyed by the King, and Cath worrying about her parents. While it helps build the tension and shows how trapped she feels, it did start to feel a little repetitive around the 250-page mark.
I think the book could have been about fifty pages shorter without losing much of the impact. There were moments where I found myself checking how many pages were left in a chapter, which is usually a sign that things are dragging. However, once the "inciting incident" of the final act happens, the pace kicks into overdrive and doesn't let up until the very last sentence.
The King of Hearts: The Ultimate Annoyance
To be fair, the King of Hearts is supposed to be annoying. He's a dim-witted, bumbling man-child who only cares about tarts and puns. But man, did I want to scream at him. Every time he showed up on the page, I felt Cath's internal cringe. The fact that he's not a "villain" in the traditional sense—he's not mean or abusive, just incredibly oblivious and shallow—makes it almost worse. It's easier to fight a monster than it is to fight a "nice" person who is accidentally ruining your life.
Her parents are the real villains in my eyes. Their obsession with status and their complete disregard for their daughter's feelings made my blood boil. It's a testament to the writing that I felt such strong negative emotions toward them.
That Ending (No Spoilers, But Ouch)
I won't spoil the specifics of how everything falls apart, but let's just say the title of the book is very literal. The transition from the sweet, hopeful Catherine to the "Off with their heads!" Queen is handled beautifully. It doesn't happen all at once; it's a series of tragedies and choices that slowly strip away her humanity.
The ending is brutal. It's one of those books where you close the cover and just stare at the wall for a few minutes, wondering why you do this to yourself. It's heartbreaking because you see exactly where it could have gone right, which makes the fact that it goes wrong so much harder to swallow.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth the Tears?
So, what's the final verdict for this heartless book review? Despite the slower middle section, I think this is a must-read for anyone who loves retellings or tragic romances. It's a masterclass in how to take a character everyone hates and make them someone you deeply pity.
Marissa Meyer managed to take a nonsensical world like Wonderland and give it some very real, very heavy emotional stakes. If you're looking for a happy, lighthearted romp through a magical forest, this is definitely not the book for you. But if you want a story that will make you feel things—even if those things are mostly sadness and frustration—you should definitely pick this up.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. It would have been a five if the middle hadn't felt quite so long, but the ending more than made up for it. Just make sure you have some tissues nearby, and maybe some actual tarts to comfort yourself with once you're done. You're going to need them.