The Hearts We Sold
Ratings3
Average rating3.7
“Nothing comes for free. We just don't know what it'll cost.”
I can't believe it's taken me three months to write this review, but every time I sat down to attempt it, I just couldn't get the right words on paper. This book meant so much to me. I honestly went into it not expecting very much, but something about it just resonated so strongly with me that, even now, months later, I read the quotes I highlighted and I get instant chills. I think Emily Lloyd-Jones is an incredible artist, and I'm unspeakably eager to read her future works.
A person could trade away a piece of themselves for a wish come true.
Hearts
future
She was a girl held together by knitted yarn and magic.
Dee
special
That made her feel safer; nothing truly bad could happen while there was a herd of toddlers trundling about like slightly drunken wildebeests.
James
Harry Potter
Side note:
everything
She had walked willingly into a fairy tale, into a world where she could trade her heart for her freedom. She may as well have donned a red cloak and strode into a darkened forest.She had always known there would be wolves.
→ writing ←
While the story is fantastical, and the characters are lovable beyond description, I think what sold me the fastest on The Hearts We Sold was Emily's writing. It's so stunning, truly; the above quote is just one example of many in which her phrasing is flawless. There's a lyrical quality to the story without being over the top, and the metaphors she uses seemed to fit the situation without fail.
Actions fueled by desperation. They were the worst kinds of decisions, because desperate people could see the error of their ways and simply not care. They would rush headlong into a bad situation because they could see no other options.
There is only one thing in this book that I disliked. Without spoiling it, a character makes a very poor decision that directly causes a terrible thing to happen to another character. Her decision is fueled by desperation, and is irrevocable and horrific, but it's never really addressed thoroughly enough. It felt a little bit like it was written for shock value more than anything, which isn't something I generally ever appreciate in stories.
This was how normal people survived their own fairy tales. They became their own kind of monster.
→ final thoughts, rep, & warnings ←
All in all, I cannot recommend this book highly enough, especially if you enjoy paranormal fantasies, gorgeous prose, and lovable characters. There is some incredible rep portrayed, including a lesbian character and a trans character, both of them being precious and hilarious. I would only like to advise caution as there are some content warnings for abuse, alcoholism, body shaming, depression, and transphobia (all of which are challenged in the text).