Heartless

Cath, Lady Catherine may belong to the aristocratic class in Wonderland, but her dream is to set up as the best baker in the land with her companion, Mary Ann. The problem – becoming a baker is not suitable and in addition the King of Hearts wishes to marry her; to make her Queen of Hearts. Then Jest arrives – Cath falls in love. But even in Wonderland happy endings are not guaranteed

Marissa Meyer has established herself with the Lunar Chronicles where she reimagines iconic fairytales. Here she takes on Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The result is a dense, detailed read abounding in neat references to the originals and leading up to a dramatic – and appropriate conclusion; the title of the novel is Heartless after all. This is not an easy read and would be most appreciated by young readers (or adults) already familiar with Carroll and so able to relish the intertextuality and the recreation of this world. What is lacking is Carroll’s anarchic but logical nonsense.