
Abusive Parent: Cath's mother is controlling of what she wears and eats, forces Cath into a marriage she's been rejecting since the beginning, dismisses Cath's love of baking, unless it's to help gain the King's attention.It is also notable for including characters that often don't make it into other Alice adaptations, such as the Duchess and the Mock Turtle. It is not, however, related in any way to Meyer's other series of fairy-tale retellings. The book draws from both Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, as well as other literary references, i.e. And to top it all off, there's a Jabberwock stalking the Kingdom. A budding romance forms between Cath and Jest, and she must decide whether to pursue her passions or follow the life that her parents want for her. When it looks like the King is about to propose to her at a royal ball, Cath flees into the gardens, where she meets his new court joker. And her parents absolutely do not want her running off to open a bakery with her best friend when she could be the Queen of Hearts. Unfortunately for Cath, the King has also begun to express an interest in her. Her sweets are well-known throughout the Kingdom of Hearts, even attracting the interest of the King. Catherine Pinkerton, daughter of the Marquess of Rock Turtle Cove, dreams of leaving behind her privileged life to start a bakery. Heartless, written by Marissa Meyer, is a YA novel that serves as an origin story for the Queen of Hearts.
