Bring Me Their Hearts
By Sara WolfPublished on June 5, 2018
400 Pages
This book was provided to me by YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.
Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Review
Snow White is the most boring princess story ever. The whole story revolves around some short men, food poisoning, and a cliche kiss of true love that is supposed to make everything better. I am glad to say that Bring Me Their Hearts is nothing like the Disney version of the vanilla Snow White story. Instead, Wolf's offspring of the traditional tale dives into real gore and grit that the Grimm brothers themselves would be proud of.
First of all, Zera is a thousand times more interesting than Snow White. Snow White would lose her breakfast fat the first sight of Zera. In fact, she is a literally heartless monster who only eats raw flesh. However, she doesn't let all of the blood and guts hinder her sense of humor. Zera's voice hits the perfect balance between monster and human in a way that questions which one is real. Her humor contrasts to her seemingly violent nature, intensifying the internal conflict at the core of the story. Plus, she is just so sassy.
The best part about Bring Me Their Hearts is the incorporation of Zera's story as a part of the world as a whole. Instead of just focusing on one character, one story, the novel expands to create a completely unique world. All of the secondary characters had stories and added intrigue to the plot. No words were wasted or dumped for the sake of description. All of the the tiny details are all there. I learned about the history of the world, from their religion to their wars, and both sides of the political spectrum. I was mystified by the details of their holidays, fashion trends, and art that were intricately, not intrusively, woven throughout the story. Not only is the setting developed, but also the culture and the ins and outs of everyday life in the world. Good fantasy books create a world, not just take place in a world and I am happy to say that Bring Me Their Hearts is a good fantasy.
In addition to the complex fantasy world, the writing style is also magical. As a certified expert in sarcasm, I hereby proclaim Zera as the Most Eloquently Sassy Character of 2018. I looked forward to her sassy remarks in almost every exchange of dialogue. I couldn't wait to see what hilarious response she would craft next.
As for the romance, I would say that it didn't help and it didn't hurt. It was a tad predictable and just a little bit familiar, but nothing that put me off too much. The real gems of the story for me were Zera's dazzling darkness and the complexity of the fantasy world.
If you are a fan of gruesome Grimm stories and twisted fairy tales, then I would highly recommend Bring Me Their Hearts. Anyone with a good sense of dark humor and a craving for a malicious edit of Snow White's story that is more true to the Grimm's original version than the sugar-coated Disney fairy tale.
About the Author
Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as Lovely Vicious. She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.Website * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram * Facebook * Goodreads * Amazon
Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for a necklace inspired by Zera herself and her heartless adventures!
The giveaway runs until June 10.
The giveaway runs until June 10.
Do you like dark twisted fairy tales or the light-hearted Disney versions? Are you a fan of Snow White? If so, I apologize for my harshness. What was the last fantasy book you read that had superb world-building?
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