heartless by marissa meyer wrecked me and i want an apology 🥀 a sad book rant review

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heartless by marissa meyer wrecked me and i want an apology 🥀 a sad book rant review

[@caricanread]

SPOILER MAYBE? . . . . PS i went into this NOT knowing it was a villain story - only that it took place in alice in wonderland's world ;)

[@brioche_bread]

jest's death basically ripped my heart out, stomped on it, stabbed it and then reattached it, but lopsided. THE LOVE WAS BEAUTIFUL, PURE AND FREE WHY MARISSA WHYYYYYY

[@blueeyedwitch9840]

Yeah, same lmao, I had no idea it was about the queen of hearts until I got to the very last page because I was so just engrossed

[@amielortega2361]

Same , and the realization hit me i had to flip back

[@nadakamal1138]

Literally same, I didn't even know it was about the queen of hearts

[@AnnabellesArt]

I feel your pain! I finished reading right before a formal event and I was just so- 😡😭😱

[@marymik7372]

"the villain of this story is Marissa Meyer" truer words have never been spoken 🤣

[@marymik7372]

You encapsulated the exact feelings I had while reading this book! I was so not expecting it to end like it did and even when Jest died, I was positive he was going to get brought back to life somehow. Because it's nonsensical so anything can happen, right? I mean people transform, lose hearts and survive, but my man Jest is still cold and dead 😭

[@TheatreLover-c3r]

@@marymik7372I know right?

[@TheatreLover-c3r]

@@marymik7372WE NEED JEST!

[@natashaarnold3981]

It also sounds like Katherine is all four of the prophecies figures, like she is mad and a murderer and a monarch, but also kind of a martyr because she sacrifices her heart

[@okayymegann]

oohh I did not think about it that way

[@FANGRUNlN]

this was my thought throughout the last part of the book because she really fits all of those prophecy figures

[@chiyanewman87]

I also read it as that Raven was the murderer, not Peter's wife because Raven became the executioner.

[@majocarrillo4111]

I also thought the same when I read the book🥹

[@moreenfernando3983]

Ur so right!!

[@electricbaby7315]

i think heartless is such a great example of how *good* a writer marissa meyer is. because this book is about queen of hearts before alice in wonderland, we know how the story is going to end. we know that katherine is going to lose her kindness and compassion and turn evil, because that's how she is in the og source material. but nevertheless, you forget that. as you're reading, you find yourself caught up in her and jest's story and fully believe that they'll have a happy ending. with stories that you know the end to before you start reading, it can be hard to not let that color your perception of the book, especially when the ending is unhappy. but meyer does such a good job of staying faithful to the source material while also putting in enough original content that you forget you're reading a sort of "spin-off" of such well-known content. and then jest's death is so sudden that you're slammed back into reality and you're reminded that you already know how the story ends and it's absolutely soul-crushing in the best way possible. it's a hard balance to achieve, but i think heartless does it really well. anyways that's the end of my heartless/marissa meyer appreciation rant, hope you enjoyed

[@simonegardner4471]

OMG so true! I accidentally spoiled the ending while reading it and was so crushed I couldn't finish it, as well as that I was also just wondering how dumb I was for thinking it would end any differently.

[@gigikju9934]

This woman is responsible for the literary master piece that is the lunar chronicles. I don’t expect anything less from her

[@isabelle2164]

The one thing I can't get over in this book is how sudden Jest's death was. Like out of absolutely NOWHERE it's like bam Jest is dead. I had to reread the line a good 3 times before i actually believed it. I was NOT PREPARED and not happy to say the least.

[@ocinidolegna]

i was listening to it as an audiobook so i was literally rewinding it cause im pretty sure this was after they “won” and things were supposed to be happy, and then peter peter just lumps off his head- i was torn like never before

[@stabby7194]

SAME

[@liliaxox5429]

It fully broke me. I finished it today and I broke down in tears and UGH I’m so upset

[@annagracebecker410]

SAME I had to look up some other peoples opinions of it bc I can’t stop thinking ab it now

[@Ellie-jz6yu]

Me too

[@fangirlllll3690]

I absolutely loved Heartless. I know a lot of people didn’t like it but I loved just getting lost in a clearly fictional, illogical world. I loved the characters and everything and the ending just ripped my heart out

[@ocinidolegna]

yeah it was kinda fun in that way :D

[@zylalena]

yesss!

[@cc_sleepless]

this book has a special place in my heart because it was the first tragic story i've ever read in books back when i was 14. I was so used to getting happy endings for the main couple (which at some point was starting to bother me, because i felt there weren't any stakes) that when i read this, i was so shocked and sad, but honestly, it became one of my fav for the sole reason that Marissa Meyer had the guts to pull off that ending.

[@caricanread]

yeah i cant believe she did that but i respect her for commiting hahaha

[@lynxii3234]

bruh, i have a habit of skimming ahead and i accidentally spoiled jest's death for me (the, "jest was dead. _jest_ " part or smth and im kind of annoyed because the effect it would have on me would be stronger. What i kind of love about it and gives it more feeling is that jest was simply there one moment and beheaded the next, with no warning, no last words, and no chance to say anything else. It was sort of dramatic in a way that i wish i could feel myself more because i have a habit of trying to empathize from every POV and i just cant seem to get his death in my mind

[@lynxii3234]

@Linda Les oof lol did u finish the book?

[@hansiniede3385]

I went into this book not expecting to be UTTERLY BROKEN AT THE END... at one point I didn't even wanna finish it but I did anyway, god its so heartbreaking 😭

[@caricanread]

i am just so aslkd;fj;aslkdfja;lsk

[@jordyngaudet45]

I love this video! I just wanted to clarify that Peter Peter is the one who killed Jest, not the Jabber work. Also Mary Anne was In Peter Pumpkins patch held captive because Mary saw him with the Jabberwock and he intended to kill her to keep his secret. Cath, Jest and Hatta were about to enter Chess when Cath heard Mary Anne. Cath killed the Jabberwock and that is why Peter killed Jest. This was such a fun video to watch!

[@noreenezin651]

I remember reading the last chapter and reenacting the scene, pretending I was Catherine. And the moment she said, "off with his head" I screammmed. The part when everyone in the courtroom cowers beneath her gives a satisfaction. Ahhhhh I literally cannot fangirl enough. Wonder if there will be a sequel.

[@caricanread]

:'''''''')

[@avaalce1076]

Omg I screamed too I literally loved this book

[@ellybean9922]

i've just finished my third heartless reread, saw ed sheeran & taylor swift had brought out a song called "the joker and the queen" and now i see this?!?! heartless and gilded are two of my favourite books because marissa meyer never sticks to the expected formula of a YA book, she always manages to respect the og source material whilst throwing you through an absolute loop. Also, it was on my third reread that I spotted there was a tiny Alice mention in Chapter 14 - 'Before the awkwardness could stretch on, the Marquess perked up. "I heard the most delightful tale at the party today about a little girl who discovered an upwards-falling rabbit hole just off the Crossroads, and when she started to climb, her body fell up and up and-"

[@mariamdagher2088]

Yeah I’ve just went through the same cycle but add to it your comment 🤯

[@lynngloop4483]

Haha😁

[@neonpinkqueen1403]

I just read Gilded and. Ms Meyers had me so lost in the sauce I completely forgot it was a fairy tale retelling

[@chaosandwildflowers782]

i haven't read this book in a HOT minute, but i remember loving Kath and thinking "oh certainly this will be a retelling with a different ending, they have to have a happy ending" and then BOOM jest was dead and i'm pretty sure it was the first time a book made me actually physically sob

[@saaraqureshi8652]

Same, never been that depressed over a book😀

[@Ellie-jz6yu]

I actually cried

[@bahar3902]

I personally walked into it knowing it was the backstory of the Queen of Hearts, so I KNEW what was coming, but it still made me mad as well 😂😂

[@caricanread]

i almost wish i had known so my heart was a little prepared but NOPE hahaha

[@zahidanerway]

do i have to read Alice in the wonderland before reading heartless??

[@HelloNoa7658]

@@zahidanerway Nope!

[@zahidanerway]

@@HelloNoa7658 thanks

[@HelloNoa7658]

@@zahidanerway Your welcome! Infact I read it without reading Alice in Wonderland myself

[@hi5the31s3]

I was so sad that Jest died since he was my favorite character but it was like i could feel Cath's pain. After he died it made so much sense to me as to why Cath became the way she did- the Queen of Hearts. The 'Off with their head' Queen of hearts. It felt more realistic in a way. I love myself some angst when it comes to couples(i don't like cheating angst but character deaths angst i am fine with and find interesting), it breaks me but at the same time i wonder what would happen if things went differently. It became my favourite book ever.💕😭

[@iri02802]

Yeah I do not like cheating angst either.

[@witheredahlia]

spoiler!!! i think Hatta being in love with Jest was foreshadowed in the way he despised Cath before getting to know her and always held a grudge. He only ended up tolerating her when he saw how happy she made Jest and when he learned she was the reason he died, he went mad. In a way I think Jest grounded him. It’s been a few months since I’ve read it though so my interpretation might be a bit rusty 😅

[@moreenfernando3983]

So did I!!!! Great minds think alike 😁

[@ΝΙΚΟΣΚΑΛΟΓΕΡΗΣ-θ7χ]

@@thewritersalcove Yess! There is a part after Jests death that Hatta says "if you think you have the monopoly in loving him you are wrong" or something like that, i dont remember well but thats the part that he admits loving him!

[@iri02802]

Oh I like this interpretation ! ❤❤

[@ro-tf2uu]

you just read my thoughts!!!

[@jumisjam]

THE ENDING WAS SO LIKE!?!? it was so amazingly worded and written that i couldn't even be mad bc you just felt her pain and her anguish of trying to go against these fates presented to her. i fell in love with her and jet's love story. it was so whimsical and magical how they met and for it to be taken away... with no final "i love you" no final words... just gone. wow

[@hedvigfrost2820]

Yeah, this is why I loved this book, because it was completely illogical, so the fantasy elements could fly around without anyone stopping them. xD I mean Alice in Wonderland is the same, and I'm a huge fan, so I appreciated the choice to keep things the same in this book. If Lewis Caroll were still alive, he would be proud of Marissa, I'm sure of it. And finally, someone who kills of the characters!!! xD But the real reason this book resonated with my soul is that Alice in Wonderland was my first ever book i read in my life, and it brought back my childhood memories. I loved the characters in Heartless, the atmosphere, the slow placed story, the conflict, the tension and the beautiful way to tell this masterpiece. I should reread it. Maybe I enjoyed it that much because I am a little bit of a heartless myself xD

[@caricanread]

[@vcackermanwrites]

Retellings of old stories can be so much fun. It’s always interesting to see which elements an author will keep and which ones they’ll throw away.

[@darcyreads]

WAIT THIS ISN’T A HAPPY BOOK? *puts it on top of tbr list* lemme read it to feel something 😭

[@caricanread]

dont say i didnt warn you!!!!!

[@bekah6794]

goodluck😭

[@cammyscofield9030]

I read this book because I saw you post about it on IG. I finished it last night but Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran had no right to release their song "The Joker and the Queen" while I was heartbroken by this story. I'm shattered.

[@invisiblelocket1978]

i wish i could like your comment three times i completely agree with you.

[@maegan9718]

Hi Cari! This is ramble-y, I'm sorry 😅 So please forgive me if I'm remembering this wrong, and feel free to correct me, but I believe the ending battle scene happened a little differently then you're remembering. I remember Cat killing the jabberwocky, and we think everything is all good, but theres this whole "be scared of the scythe" thing in the 3 sisters prophesy, which is Raven's weapon. So she has been all sketch about Raven turning on them and killing Jest, but he's actually like super loyal. So Raven is guarding over Peter after the Jaberwocky dies, but Peter Peter is freaking pissed, naturally, because Cat just killed his wife, so he throws his scythe at Jest and cuts off his head as revenge. So then she becomes the Queen of Hearts, Raven becomes her executioner, and her preferred punishment becomes the removal of heads.

[@elynnayong5803]

that's how I remembered it as well! :))

[@ellybean9922]

yeah i just finished a re-read and this is exactly how it plays out!! :)

[@caricanread]

yes you're right!!!

[@NatMiii]

I had to get my copy and check cause this is how I remember it too! To my surprise I opened the book right on the page it happened. IT KNEW!! hahaha but dang, to relive the moment... Excuse me while I go cry in a corner for a while...

[@maegan9718]

@@NatMiii That ending tho! I might have to do a reread of this book soon! I spent the whole time hoping that I was wrong and that it wouldn't end in tragedy.

[@raevtsel]

had the motivation to finish this book because of the newly released the joker and the queen track by ed and taylor 😭 now sobbing!!!

[@katiec1249]

SAME it is literally them

[@invisiblelocket1978]

OMG YES SWIFTIES UNITE 😭 this song was on REPEAT as i read this book

[@kaiyaschmidt704]

when jest died there was like maybe 40 pages left and i knew there couldn’t be a happy ending. ended up sobbing at 11pm last night!!

[@maddspizzazz1938]

oh man i read this for the first time last month and it was BRUTAL 😭 i didn’t even want to finish it halfway in because i was getting so attached to the characters- the authors note about the raven’s desk was so neat too!!

[@teresaneves8839]

I LOVED this book, but honestly when Jest died I didn’t even realise it lmao they just kind of skipped over it and went straight into Caths revenge. His death was just a bit too quick and underwhelming

[@abbywolffe4114]

Just for reference, a marquess is pretty high in a royal court (right below the Duke, which is right below the Prince) so Catherine is very similar to a princess. I just think it adds a little more to her character because she's not just a court lady, she's stuck in her pre-determined royal life, and Jest's death not only destroys her life but also cements the fate she was trying to avoid. Very Greek tragedy of Marissa Meyer.

[@SweetHime]

Another fairy retelling that I think you’d like a lot is Malice by Heather Walter! It’s a high fantasy sleeping beauty retelling with a sapphic romance between aurora and technically “malificent”. It’s so so so so good I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

[@caricanread]

ohhhhh i will look this up asap!!!

[@phoenixrising1960]

I read that right before reading heartless, definitely a top favorite now, i can't wait for the sequel to come out, that book was perfection retelling with the saphicness being in there too ugghhh so good

[@skyjones4142]

I felt so numb for like 2 days after finishing this book. I haven’t even gone back and re read it because it’s too heart breaking. I really feel sad with this book for what it could’ve been too. It could have been a series and the book ends while they hike for days, or even after that. It would’ve been a great trilogy 😭

[@Allyounead]

Am I the only one that would be interested in a sequel where Catherine doesn’t go back to hearts and goes through the looking glass?

[@TheatreLover-c3r]

Definitely not the only one, that would be amazing!

[@Princesspeachfan456]

I second this opinion.

[@ninabee644]

I honestly knew I was going to suffer cause I assumed we were going to end with the queen of hearts that we know, so I was prepared to be sad. I was so in the mentality that this was Wonderland that I didn't find anything nonesensical in the context hahaha. And yeah, Jest being gone was sooo quick and pretty brutal if you ask me and I cried for a while not gonna lie. And also, maybe it was just me reading too much into it but I think there were some lines Hatta had that made me think he either liked Jest or just loved him platonically, so I wasn't surprised when he admitted to it. Anyway, maybe I read it through rose tinted glasses or I was really looking forward to Cath saying off with their heads but I really liked it haha, loved your views on it too

[@ajskitchen3551]

I think the reason this book emotionally scarred me was bc some part of me knew that it would not end well bc we all know how the queen of hearts ends up. But I read this book 2 years ago and it just wrecked me and I thought about the ending for weeks after I read it.

[@Malwayslate]

It wasn’t supposed to be completely logical, after all, it is wonderland. I think Marissa Meyers did an amazing job at being us into this “off” world and making us care. And, the fact that you had an emotional response to this book, shows what good writing it is. I loved it!

[@caricanread]

Yes i did too thats why i made a video about it lol

[@stellymads]

i was so taken aback with jest’s death and how after the fact the book felt completely different. like it entirely shifted. it was so unexpected and i LOVED that and like you said i’m so used to happy endings with these types of books that it was so shocking so in conclusion i’m angry and depressed but in the best way

[@NEKO-mw9id]

I can get why people would hate this and I haven’t read it but from what you described I personally think it’s kinda nice. Like I just feel like you have to get into it knowing It’s nonsensical as the whorls is, and personally I also like when endings aren’t always happy. I might read it and see. Love your videos tho, you literally got me into reading and now I’m obsessed.

[@definitelynotoliwia]

listening to you talk about this book made me be excited for reading again after a year of thinking i kinda fell out of love with it damn THANK YOU AND EXCUSE ME NOW, I NEED A BOOK

[@caricanread]

YESSSS

[@dawn0916]

My heart broke after finishing this book...i cannot still believe that end ......i was so hopeful about happy ending for the mc but no the author had torment in her mind .It literally shattered my heart when Cath turned cold in the end,her whole life destroyed.

[@mnlxlover00]

Yess!! Marissa Meyer!! ☺ I absolutely DEVOURED the Lunar Chronicles last summer - I literally read all 4 books, plus the Stars Above novella and the 2 graphic novels in less than two?! WEEKS!! 🤣 It quickly became one of my all-time fav series, it's just SO amazing.. and I cannot wait for its release as an animated TV series! Heartless is on my tbr list for this month, I'm soo excited to finally read it!! Hope you feel better soon, Cari, much love~ 💞

[@anitaseukunian3349]

Hey Cari!! I want to recommend the legend series by Marie Lu to you, it’s one of my favourites so I’d love to hear what you think of it! Love your videos💜

[@caricanread]

i will look it up thank you!

[@TheSally1307]

@@caricanread legend series is fantastic!

[@ln3971]

I grew up with the series and till today it holds a special place in my heart

[@Cmoore-Books]

I love the Legend series too. I fourth this recommendation!

[@feyfrentress5060]

Yesssssss, this.

[@neonpinkqueen1403]

The first time I read this, I was in shambles. I knew it was a villain origin but not like this. Not like t h a t. Jest dying had me f l o o r e d It's one of my favorite books to date

[@aseelsahib7039]

I straight up forgot half of this book but all I remember was being mad about the ending!! it was so heartbreaking but also explained a lot!!

[@caricanread]

[@CelebrimborCurufinwe]

Honestly I loved how true to the feel of the nonsensical logic of The OG Wonderland this was, all the heart taking stuff does make sense within th magical metaphorical ness of the world. Also this is literally the only backstory of a Villain story I can think of (besides like, the Star Wars prequals I guess) where the creator actually has the spine to end with the Villain actually being Villainous instead of just "misunderstood"

[@stabby7194]

When I finished this book it was like midnight and I cried for a good ten minutes in the dark. A few years later I recommend it to my sister and she had a good cry afterwords too.

[@emk-zp3zq]

ahh this is the next book i’m reading! i saw the thumbnail and the description and decided i’ll come back after reading the book lol

[@caricanread]

the first 7 min are technically spoiler free but yesss come back after reading!

[@iri02802]

That is so true! This is exactly how I felt reading this back when I was 16. It was such a heart breaking story. And know that the pastries were mentioned in the video I remember how delicious they were described. I wanted to taste that ❤

[@laurajohnson3592]

Yep. I came away from reading this book thinking "That was such a fun ride!" simultaneously as "Well, THAT was a crappy ending."

[@caricanread]

GAHHHH right?!

[@souumcorvo]

I read this book some years ago and was basically the only one in my little book club who don't liked the story. I was expecting a "sad end" because of this being the story of Queen of Hearts but I really thought that she is gonna make this have more sense. And for a moment I really thought that she was trying to start a new series, especially with all the mentions of characters/places/traditions that we don't know nothing about (she kinda did this in Lunar Chronicles).

[@demik4882]

Dont worry, you are not alone. I really wanted and expected more of this story, it was very slow and predictable.

[@kekelottas]

I think this could've been a nice 4 or 5 stars for me if Mary Ann died. She did too much! I totally understand why she told her parents about Cath going out to the tea party, she didn't really know Jest. That's still a strike, but I understood her intentions. The she fully striked out after thinking she could actually do something by confronting Peter...alone. Forget the rules of baseball! That counted for a trillion strikes ;-; she sank my damn ship. She was the frickin glacier in this story! Get her out!!!

[@ellenlovre]

Cari I'm so sorry we didn't warn you but I have NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITED FOR A VIDEO!!!!! I read Heartless five or six years ago and it has stuck with me since then :''') I cannot wait to know your thoughts! Edit: ok when I read Heartless I knew it was an origin story for the Queen of Hearts going in so I was just sort of... apprehensively expecting an ending like that the whole time. That being said Jest deserved better and I am still mad and sad about it :'(

[@caricanread]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@saaraqureshi8652]

*SPOILER ALERT* Bruh this book got me sobbing in the middle of class.. This is the first book I’ve ever CRIED at- (I barely cry at books) My friend literally thoight I was crying cuz I might have failed my test but no- MY HEART MY HEARTTTTTTT Literally still makes my heart ache every time I think about that ending😭😭😭 Strange to say this but it’s like this book is my comfort book, ironic since well- That ending-😭 But I just loved it so much, SO SO MUCH Just the fact that an innocent teenager who loved baking could turn into a madwoman like the Queen of hearts- I couldn’t take it. You’d expect to only sob at the part that JEST DIES. HE DIES??! WHY. But really I sobbed so much at watching Catherine transition into the madwoman she’s destined to become. And it broke my heart. Completely CRACKED IT IN HALF. I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one to have gone through a literal depressive episode for 2 days after I’d finished it. It started of SO SLOW I had to come back to it after weeks but I’m more than glad I continued because HAVE I ME TIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE IT? Wait okay I didn’t- but yes I love it, despite it literally cutting me to the core. Okay I’ll stop now :) GO READ IT IF U HAVENT PLSSSS YOU WONT REGRET ITTT

[@lhiannicole]

Pls this book emotionally destroyed me for days like I couldn’t function well cause of it 😭 I also just wanted clarify, I think it was Peter Peter that killed Jest, if I’m not mistaken. 😄 Cath killed the Jabberwocky, pissing off the husband so he beheaded Jest with Raven’s scythe or ax, wasn’t sure specifically. Hence, the whole “off with your head” thing 😅 But I agree with your points! The way Marissa wrote this in an nonsensical perspective was really brilliant imo lol. I was a bit spoiled of what’s gonna happen (I kinda wish I wasn’t) so I had a vibe of what’s gonna happen, but I still cried and sobbed for days 😭

[@mokshitamonga9554]

Hi cari!! I'm so grateful that you recommended the gilded wolves! I've started the third book and I LOVE IT so far, thanks to you. But I remembered that you said in your wrap up that you were going to make a separate video on this series and I'm so sad that it never came.. I was so excited to hear your detailed thoughts on it :(

[@caricanread]

glad you enjoyed it!!!!

[@mokshitamonga9554]

@@caricanread Also wanted to know why that video never came..

[@aleksandraperegon2947]

I was so shocked with this ending... i cried my heart out, it was sooo unexpected, a full-on tragedy hidden in a whimsical fairy tale

[@isabelle2164]

Also I do not know if I'm just a complete idiot but I was kinda reading the ending in a rush and DID NOT EVEN PICK UP ON HATTA'S LOVE CONFESSION. I remember being confused on what was happening in that part and I couldn't exactly remember what monopoly meant so I just kinda skipped over it thinking it was irrelevant and now i'm in shock.

[@ivysnyder7]

that’s identical for how it happened to me. I was rereading the ending one day AND WAS SHOCKED THAT I MISSED IT. i googled monopoly too 💀

[@mariafernadamendoza7351]

SAME! English is not my first language so when I read that part I was kinda confused with the meaning of the word monopoly, the only thing that came to my mind was that I thought he was mad at her because she was acting like she was the only one suffering, and I understood that he said that he also was suffering because he “loved him as a friend”, never came to my mind that he actually was also in love with him. Now I understand why she asks if Jest knew, I was like what? Did he knew what? That he had friends who also loved him? 🤔 I was so confused so I just skipped it

[@gildedwolves]

RIGHT!! the mom’s obsession with controlling cat’s food intake threw me off as someone with an ed, you’re the first person i see mentioning it so thank u

[@caricanread]

yeah it was really hard to read :(

[@Zucchini.1]

You know it’s a good book when it tears you apart and destroys you inside 😭😭

[@The_WriterVerse]

Also, the Rook is the murderer lol. Jests crow friend. Not the Jaberwock lol. Rook becomes the queens headsman. Probably doesn’t clear anything up for you. 😆

[@caricanread]

yeah i realized that after making this vid but STILL hahahhahahahha

[@shinygems2604]

The ending- the jabberwock didn't kill jest it was Peter Peter that swung the ax and he ran off- I think u missed the point, also the murderer in the Sisters prophecy isn't thr jabberwocky, it was the crow/raven (I forgot) bc after Katherine lost her heart she used him to behead ppl so yea

[@caricanread]

yes i've said that a lot in the comments but tbh i dont think its a big deal, the main point that shook me was that jest actually was killed!

[@booksandtehpeng]

omg I feel the same way 😭 (and I love how I just realized the meaning of the title of the book...) I really love Marissa Meyer, but was really disappointed with this because of the logic and lack of character depth (except for Jest but...) love the video and how well you articulated your thoughts ❤️

[@_Spy_]

I finished it 2 weeks ago and I'm not okay. And I need to talk to someone about it!!! So spoilers! Leave if you don't want to read spoilers. Ok you're still here, let's go! I was drawn in by the cover, the queen's face with the thorns around it, and bought it immediately. An origin story for the Queen of Hearts? Sold! The story grabbed me and never let me go till the end, the scenes that were introducing the characters were top-notch. I didn't expect the action to be this good to be honest. When I read that it includes a love story I kinda rolled my eyes a bit because love stories in many books are meh but if they are written properly then yes hit me up. And this one was good. I was rooting for Catherine and Jest to escape and live their life and I can't count the times that I screamed at Catherine's cowardness and not taking her life into her hands despite her place in society. Someone will say that it wouldn't be easy but she needed to try and fight more! I hate it when people in books and in real life go down like that! The Mad Hatter stole the show for me, his scenes were wild and entertaining and I actually used the scene where Kath asks him to become her business partner for a univeristy project. That's how much I liked it. He was an antihero a bit in my eyes but still meant well and he did nothing wrong! NOTHING! Those pumpkin seeds were planted there by accident! He did nothing wrong! The Kingdom of Hearts was full of people that wanted to have fun and not take themselves seriously and the King is a prime example of that. He wasn't bad or evil but really out of place. And when you have to deal with a threat, you need to be serious. And so needed the people of the kingdom. Sir Peter was a scary enemy, the scenes with him and his wife sent chills down my spine because I could feel that these two were up to no good. And I knew his wife was the Jabberwock. I just knew it and it was confirmed when he built a giant pumpkin cage. Like, who are you putting in there Peter? //__- Also I didn't really understand how time works in Chess and in the Kingdom of Hearts so I need to read these parts again. But it had a nice touch, I was very anxious at some parts that the will run out. I don't know XD Now let's talk about the Sisters. First of all I loved how the author used the concept of number 3, Fate and Fates from Greek mythology and the concept we have for faith and how that you matter what you do you will never escape it, you will just stall it for a bit till she finds you again and I loved that! I couldn't put the book down from chapter 42 till the end. It had gone dark and I loved every second of it, it was a horror movie on its own! When Jest, Catherine and Hatter entered their domain and the Sisters started asking for the heroes to hand them over something till the end in the courthouse I wasn't breathing from the anticipation. I felt trapped in that place too. The journey and the desparation of Kath to change her fate and her transformation from a girl in love with dreams to a heartless creature was so macabrly beautiful and I didn't expect Jest to die to be honest, I thought he would survive but the pictures the Sisters had drown were not there just for decoration. The change in Catherine's character it's amazing, she basically says to everyone who was controlling her life that making her the Queen will be the biggest mistake they ever did. And how far she was willing to go to find Peter and bring him to justice. I wanted for her to be more cruel and don't hold back the things she wanted to say to everyone after the final battle but she was ok. I visualize when I read and this made the experince so much better. I really loved the book and I hope Marissa Meyer writes more fairytale inspired origin stories because she is so good. And the vilain of the story for all of us XD It's 8 black hearts out of 10 for me 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[@iri02802]

I read this at the end of 2016 when I was 16 and I remember really loving this and being heart broken. I even used this book for a school assignment 😊 I barely remembered what happened so thanks for the review 🤩

[@blueeyedwitch9840]

This has been my favorite book for literal years

[@acherthecat8316]

idk if anyone has mentioned it yet, but thank you for putting english captions in your videos! as someone who's first language isn't english, it really helps😄

[@LeylaKaratas]

i have an unhealthy obsession with sad books. i NEED to read this book lol

[@iri02802]

Now I want to reread this book. But I'll wait for a bit so I can forget the details you just mentioned 😊

[@marianamauricio]

"the villain of this story is marissa meyer" LMAOO

[@gabriellaonaba6736]

Mhhh I sobbed when I read this .😭I'm glad you have read it and now you're talking about it

[@spidey_things]

I have never been able to reread Heartless. And I've tried to, but I get so upset that I have to stop because I know the ending. Little 14 year old me absolutely fell in love with Jest, and I was devastated with the ending. It's been almost seven years, and I cannot pick this book up because it left such a mental funk in my brain that I just cant get past.

[@shadowashfire5681]

Any time I describe this book to people it’s always like “I absolutely hate this and it’s my favorite book” specifically because it has an unhappy ending that you don’t really see much in modern media

[@Sthemingway]

I hope you feel better, Cari. I've experienced mild vertigo before (I kept feeling like a force was trying to push me backwards) and it was so weird. Jinusean promoted Pocari Sweat once upon a time.

[@shuncai1697]

I always thought that Peter Peter killed Jest also that Jest’s crow was the murderer not the Jabberwocky

[@jasminlauff3934]

I actually really liked the story all the way to the ending, I was like this is quite good, at least 3-4 stars. And then came the ending. Like I really loved Christine as a charachter , and then to see her change so drastically. I mean it makes sense, like I think knowing the villains back stories is usually something I’m really into, because you get to understand their actions better and so on.. But this was just heartbreaking, like I never saw her as becoming the queen of hearts in the same brutal way as the original, it was just so wrong. So I ended up really hating this book because it seems so happy and light, to me just totally heartbroken. By the ending.

[@jasbernales]

I highly recommend the Lunar Chronicles series!

[@caricanread]

yes! they were so fun :)

[@iyaehsan3840]

Yup, loved them to bits😏

[@missisy2823]

I just read Heartless and did I misunderstood after watching Cari's video? It was Peter who killed Jest- not the Jaberwock. I'm pretty sure Catherine killed the Jabberwock, and it was Peter that killed Jest that's why she wanted revenge on him and to have Peter's head off. Then there was the trial for him in the end too.

[@shanie2350]

let me tell you I read this at age 12 I was clueless but at the same time aware of the pain that the book gave me. Now that I reread it again at the age of 16, I finally understood how beautiful yet painful this story was. AND YES I AM STILL BROKEN BECAUSE OF THE PLOT !!!

[@elisamaghelly2461]

When I started this book I knew what I was signing up to, but It hurt the same way. I hoped for a sort of happy ending even though I knew It couldn't happen.

[@willow8745]

I read Heartless without reading Alice in Wonderland 😂 I had no idea that Catherine had turned into the original Queen of Hearts which makes the reason why there’s isn’t a sequel make more sense? I always felt like the ending hadn’t resolved the conflict but ig Alice is the sequel? Gl on Outlander! I love the story sm but It. Is. Dense. I’ve already started it and now it’s too late as I’m too invested and can’t stop reading them and now I’m on book 5 😂 😬 Can’t wait to hear your review!

[@caricanread]

reading 900 pages took a lot out of me so i dont know if i'll continue but i started watching the netflix show and its gooooood!

[@namitam6224]

I've not read heartless yet but I am so tempted to now! Thursdays are my favourite day haha ❤

[@caricanread]

:''') thank you so much!

[@blackheartbooks]

I read this book twice and never noticed Hatta being in love with Jest

[@AuburnHuhmann]

Ditto to everything. Watching this made me feel so happy, sad, and completely justified. I loved the experience of reading this book, until the end. Even now, I can’t stop thinking about it. I don’t know that I love the story, but it made me feel things, and I’m still not over it.

[@lucydasilva7820]

I think the concept of this book was definitely better than the execution but I still enjoyed it

[@katemeyer5430]

I also get vertigo and can sometimes get rid of it by using the Epley maneuver. There are videos of how to do it online. It’s possible to do it on yourself but it can be easier with someone to help :) glad you are feeling better! This is one of my favorite books but it is absolutely heartbreaking 💔😔

[@elenebe947]

I would recommend Marie lu's The Rose Society trilogy. It's amazing series, with an antagonist protagonist. The main character is very interesting and I perosnally loved reading it❤

[@caricanread]

lol is marie lu paying people to make comments? this is the third comment about her in 45 minutes of this vid and i've never heard of her hahaha

[@jocey1364]

@@caricanread weird because her books are fairly popular although The Rose Society isn't one of her best works

[@oceanliv]

my favourite book omg!! I literally died with jest 😭😭

[@TheatreLover-c3r]

Same girl

[@emiliamarquez9640]

Just some corrections: - Hatta is not a spy. The raven is. - Murderer, martyr, monarch, mad. - Peter kills Jest, not the Jabberwock

[@cvpid-teddy]

I finished the book a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it! Its become one of my favourite books! I even enjoyed the ending that ripped my heart out. Tbh these days many books (not all) have the expected 'happy ending' so reading this was a nice change

[@thebookobsessors]

Heartless was such a good book, and I’m always still recommending this book to my friends. The only things that I have when I tell people about it are usually 1) As much as this book is easy to read, and easy to follow along with, there are patches that you wouldn’t expect you would need to focus on in order to get the story line straight, so I don’t recommended this book to people who are skimmers, because it would backlash on you towards the end, and would get you confused. 2) I definitely think that the story behind this was very clever, but also again as I said I would t recommend this book to people especially who aren’t fond of the sad endings. I wouldn’t say this is necessarily a *sad* book all around, but I absolutely would not say that this book ended with a happy ending, and I know people who only like the brief light sided stories, and though this book has plenty of that mixed into the story, it definitely took a toll on me towards the end. ⚠️SPOILER WARNING⚠️ Can I just make clear how utterly unexpected the ending was, and how much I was not emotionally prepared for it? Like the chapter that I read where Jest dies, I read when I had just woken up, and I was anything but prepared for that emotional blow, sense Jest was perhaps my favorite character. On the topic, I’d like to mention my favorite characters and why, because the characters, and the way the author portrayed them was actually really creative and I loved every bit of it. 1. Jest- A fun (but not so fun) fact about this specific character is that before I read the book, I already had it spoiled for me that someone was supposed to steal Cath’s heart, though I wasn’t sure who. And for the first couple of chapters, I thought the man who was supposed to steal her heart was Jack lol. But the moment Jest made his first appearance, I knew it was him. From his swift movements, and charming personality, I absolutely loved this character from the very beginning, and was devastated when he died, and still am devastated to this day. (Also his raven is adorable) 2. Chesire- (not sure if I spelled that correctly) but though Chesire only made appearances every so often, and were usually very brief, I still loved his sarcastic way of speaking, and lighting up the mood. He made a great touch to the story, and I’m glad he was included in the book. And I love the way the author described him, and his movements, it made it extra fun to read! Finally, 3. Hatta- Yes, yes, im aware that Hatta is more or less, a rude, and at times obnoxiously annoying character, but I must say I loved the story behind the hats, the family line, and everything about his hat shop and animal friends, and his specific personality. He definitely added a fun twist to the book. And obviously I like Cath, sense she is the main character, (not saying every main character is lovable) and I loved the bakery scheming, sense it added to the story in a nice harmless way, and was like the filling in a cake (hah, totally unintentional cake pun) Though unlike a handful of the other characters, I found allot of things off about Cathrine, that sort of bugged me. Here’s a brief list to wrap this extensive comment up: . Although it was most likely crucial to the storytelling, I did not like how she ended out in the end. I’m not saying that the book would’ve necessarily been better without this outcome, but rather that it left the book feeling incomplete it a small way, it kind of just added into the list of sadness spilling onto the ending. . Once again, it was most likely crucial to the story, but at the same time, maybe not as crucial as the first. I didn’t really like her random bursts of snaps, and pushing people away, specifically speaking Jest, because I will admit at one point while I was reading I did have to set it down for a day in order to gather myself, because I hadn’t liked how she continuously snapped at people, and it left me feeling bad for Jest. (Yes, I feel bad for fictional characters) But I guess in the end it hadn’t particularly mattered. In the end, this book was a delight to read, and kept me on my toes with all the twists, turns, and romantic touches to the story. If you’ve read to the end I’m very impressed lol. I would say I would like a second book, but then again, I think the second book would never fully begin to grasp the original once peppy storyline of this book, though I’m willing to give it a shot if it ever does come. Overall, I loved this book, and I definitely suggest it.

[@TheatreLover-c3r]

Great review, I totally agree.

[@moreenfernando3983]

I am absolutely in love with this book although I have a request I would love if the author made another book explaining how things would have gone if it had went right cuz my heart just burns when i think about how it COULD have ended

[@Sharkfamily1317]

I loved the madness of this story! it made sense why she became the psycho queen at the end.

[@daweithisisdavidinmandarin6121]

Thank you!. This is exactly the type of video we need. A review that will let us know if we would trully enjoy a book or not. Good karma is coming your way!

[@kageyukiaru]

i read it a couple of days ago, and i was NOT expecting to love it so much? i knew it was gonna be a tragic story knowing it's a queen of heart's backstory, so maybe that helped but as someone who's not really a fan of sad stories, i was completely thrown off guard by how much i loved it and the characters! jest and cath ughh their romance made me feel like a giddy 17 y/o despite it not being a very romantic book. and i loved being in the world so much. it really felt like wonderland!! and yes jest's death was so anticlimactic but since i was already expecting something like that happening i didn't feel angry and felt it was a good choice (somewhat) bc if that scene was as sad as i was expecting then i wouldn't be able to pay attention to the climax of the story aka her becoming the queen of hearts we're familiar with. i want to feel angry at the ending bc of how much i loved cath and jest together but the writing, the world-building, the characters--everything was so well done i felt like i just learned the backstory of queen of hearts and it wasn't a retelling of sorts. i'm upset but i love the story as a whole so much more. marissa meyer really knows how to write. also HIGHLY recommend the audiobook! it really helps bring the characters to life and got me emerged into the world! tldr: i'm a big fan

[@abbym4952]

i loved the lunar chronicles when i was younger!! i read heartless a couple years ago and i had the same reaction with the ending, like oh ok then….

[@doaaskari2590]

I didnt read anything from a long time and finally finished one today, and was just thinking about getting back into reading and i was trying to think of my favourite books and the ones which impacted me the most. The first book that came into my mind was Heartless, and all the feelings i felt when i read it (more like cried through) it came back to me. And i just saw that you posted this video on heartless😭. Such a cute coincidence!!

[@reneevannice7380]

Do you think that you'll ever do a plot recap for The Lunar Chronicles?? I've been a big fan of the series since middle school and I love your forgot the plot videos, especially the ACOTAR series and would love one for TLC! :)

[@emeshamckinney244]

Well for the record, this was a prequel to the Queen of Hearts, so we can't expect her to just turn out fine when we already know she isn't fine.

[@caricanread]

Check my pinned comment lol i knew it was a wonderland retelling when i started but didnt know what character it was focused on

[@ocinidolegna]

jest actually made it through the jabberwock fight alive. it wasnt until after the jabberwock died that jest was killed, as quick revenge since cath killed peters wife

[@adritaberrios5621]

I really enjoyed it 😊 agree with you with the attemps on cancel the wedding to many times, but the love story was so nice, smooth and I really wanted to see a happy ending, but if she is the QUEEN OF HEARTS it makes sense to end with no emotions, but i would wanted more violence tho.. I didnt get the LOVE FROM HATTA tho.. I just thought he loved him BECAUSE HE WAS HIS FRIEND.. hahaha may be is an interpretation. Loved the Jabberwocky story line.. Peter Peter was creepy and interesting Anyways, it was fast and light, liked it 🥰

[@patiencelarson3267]

So I read Heartless when I was fifteen and I accidentally spoiled myself and I knew he was gonna die. Also my sister spoiled. I basically read knowing all that was gonna happen. Though because that traumatic book Marissa Meyer is favorite author and also I read the Lunar Chronicles after this book. She's still my favorite author but maybe because before I turned fifteen I never read books ever.

[@CookieMonster32102]

ahhh i'm still in the middle of reading this book so imma be right back!!! so excited to watch this

[@TheatreLover-c3r]

Heartless was so good! I sobbed for a very long time after I finished it and it’s now my fav book. When Jest died I had to reread the page like ten times because it was so sudden and I didn’t want to believe it.

[@lolcatharley6369]

Between the moments of action, it was boring for me, like I had to slog through those parts feeling like I was waiting for the best part to happen while this uncomfortable "romance" dynamic played. I loved the Lunar Chronicles, but this wasn't that for me, and I wanted more of that. Not saying it was a bad book, just not to my taste, and I think my expectations marred my experience of it. Loved hearing your thoughts on it!