Heartless, the debut novel by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, is an engaging story of a young princess, competing suitors, and the strange and magical world she lives in. A world filled with myth and magic, faeries and dragons, good and evil. A world where anything is possible and all is not as it seems.
Despite a slow start, Heartless is filled with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and so many twists and turns that the unexpected is the norm. With generous use of foreshadowing, the author encourages the reader's curiosity. The writing seemed a bit stilted at first, but quickly settled into a smooth read.
This was not the best novel I've read recently, but enjoyable nonetheless. Enjoyable enough that I plan to read future books by this author. I believe she has a lot of promise, especially for the young adult reader, and I expect her name to become well-known within Christian fantasy circles.
