A review by samthebookdevotee
Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

I really loved this book from start to end. I thought the writing and the world-building were absolutely beautiful. I finished this book in a couple of hours. I thought the author did a great job with the descriptions of the tree sirens and the magic. It never felt too block-heavy or overwhelming. 

I really liked the plot. I loved that there wasn't a strict good vs evil trope. It was just how trauma and violence can change a person. I also thought the distinction between hearts and souls was very fascinating. I will say this book reminded me a bit of the live-action Maleficent even though this was a twist on Beauty and the Beast which I also enjoyed. No forced cohabitation here. Though honestly, I didn't realize this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling until I read the acknowledgment at the end. I also really liked how the author has the stars play into this story. That they could foretell the future was a fun addition.

I thought Owen was pretty interesting. I liked seeing how his mind rationalized and viewed everything. I also kind of enjoyed how determined he was as a character and seeing what lengths he would go to to do what he wanted whether it involved finding his family or seeing Seren. Even though he was a bit reckless at times, I couldn't help but admire it. Seren was the most fascinating though. I loved how the author wrote her thoughts and changed them depending on how human she became. I thought it was very clever. I also liked how the romance between them wasn't the focal point. It was a great addition and I loved how it played out in the story. I was rooting for both of them pretty heavily.

Overall, if you want to be thoroughly immersed in a fairy tale with a huge twist, this is definitely the book for you. While I have enjoyed other works by this author, this is by far my favorite. It's also definitely now in my top 10 favorite fantasy books.