What would you trade for an arm or a leg? What would you trade for a heart? These are the questions asked in the novel The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones. A unique twist to fairytales and demons, the story takes you on the journey of Dee who has decided how much her heart is worth.
I don't regret reading this book. So many times I bore from the constant storyline, we have a hero and the hero must learn about him/herself before saving the world. It feels that if sci-fi or fantasy is the theme, this is the typical plot. Just look at Harry Potter and Hunger Games, exact duplicates except for the big difference; their stories are super unique. We are given distinct characters, descriptive worlds, and something that we can sink our teeth into. Now, I’m not saying that this book is as good as those classics, but I was given something that swept me along the journey.
As the protagonist, Dee was believable. Lloyd-Jones’ description of Dee’s home life was extremely accurate and made Dee’s desire in making a deal with a demon something the reader could get behind. The addition of the secondary characters added color and flavor for the in-betweens. James was someone we could all love and we mourned the loss of others. Lloyd-Jones took moments in the story to develop intricate backstories to enhance the complex construction of her characters. In addition, the twist of possible sci-fi aliens in the mix was a fun take to your traditional fairy tales.
Some areas were less than believable. I wouldn’t say plot holes but areas where it took some effort to take what Lloyd-Jones was dishing out. I won’t go into details because it would give the story away. Sadly, you’ll just have to read the story and fall into the holes like the rest of us.
My final rating would probably be a 3.5 stars out of 5. Not something that I swoon for but definitely a good use of my reading time.