I'm finally getting around to writing this review, I'm so sorry, guys. Anyway, proceeding on...I was originally going to give this book three stars, but then I got to the ending and was sent into a flurry of emotions (!!). The ending (probably just the last twenty pages) was amazing and the best part of the entire book. Up until the ending, I felt as though it was lacking in plot. The entire story seemed to revolve around Cath's desire to open a bakery, her endless pining over Jest, and her hatred of her family and the King. I found most of it fairly boring and no matter how hard I searched, I couldn't find a substantial piece of plot. Then around 3/4s of the way through, it's revealed and I liked it so much better from then on forth. It was the very ending, however, that allowed me to raise up the rating because holy-moly that was outstanding.

The writing, as usual was beautiful. I love Marissa Meyer's writing. She flawlessly describes a scene (and makes me drool over the delicious-sounding pastries, oh my) so that I am completely wrapped up in the story. She also writes amazing and in-depth characters, if not proven from The Lunar Chronicles. However, while I found the writing in Heartless just as beautiful, I thought the characters were a little flat. My favorite was Jest, oh-so problematic Jest. Cath could be a little annoying at times, but I truly felt her story and her hatred toward her parents. I loved Meyer's version of the Cheshire Cat as well (who was always my favorite Alice in Wonderland character). However, aside from these three, I found the characters to be lacking. Even the three I loved, I felt somewhat detached from. I wish that I could read Jest's story front to back because I almost feel as though Heartless would be better from his perspective. The plot would at least be more present. Argh, I'm not even a fan of plot-driven novels, but this was in serious need of a more driving plot.

In all honesty, I did not expect Heartless to end the way it did. Sure, this was the ending I wanted, no matter how heartbreaking it was, but I didn't believe that Marissa Meyer who wrote the beautiful and mostly-happy Lunar Chronicles could pull off something so epically tragic. I was pleasantly surprised when I turned to the last few pages. She ended it exactly the way it needed to be. Honestly, I sound as though I hated this book, but the end was beautiful and fantastic and epic in all intents of the word. I'm still screaming about it internally (not externally though, I'm not that weird). Gah, it was just AMAZING. Seriously. The entire plotless beginning was worth it just for this ending. Holy-moly, oh my god.

If you love Marissa Meyer as much as I do, try not to expect so much out of Heartless--you'll probably be disappointed. However, I hope that you'll ending the ending just as much as I did; maybe you'll even like the book more.

-Book Hugger

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