Customer Reviews

Heartless (Tales of Goldstone Wood)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was completely turned off by Una, the princess and main character. She was whiny, temperamental, cowardly, not very intelligent (as she makes one bad choice after another), and was just generally very difficult to like. I couldn't find many reasons why the brave, virtuous Prince would pursue her to the ends of the earth. Also, new characters were introduced at various points when they didn't seem essential to the story; sometimes it just muddled the story and made it more confusing. I also agree with a couple of other reviewers about the constantly changing dialogue (old English at one point, and modern slang the next). Overall it was an interesting premise, but didn't have enough substance to hold it all together cohesively.

Original review on Book Whispers.

Genre: YA Fantasy (Classic Fairy Tale)

Fairytales are the timeless joy of the fantasy genre. Readers thrive off of them, whether it's retellings or variations of our favorite stories. What gets readers into more of a frenzy then the classic Fairytale? Why, an original tale that is clearly worthy of the classics. That is exactly what Heartless is.

The beauty of Stengl's writing style will please fantasy fans who hunger for the kind of quality found in Robin McKinley's books. For those who find McKinley's style too harsh and a bit hard to sink into, Stengl's softer style will be a relief. The landscapes just flow up majestically and the emotions that consume the reader make the characters feel real. The story and plot sweeps across the page with a timeless grace.

Una is definitely a classic fairytale Princess. She needs to be rescued, and there are enough warnings given to her before hand that she shouldn't have fallen victim. Then again--that's life--everyone has bitten and choked on the apple at some point. Una's downfall is of the heart, a modern and historic story of how someone can give their heart to the wrong person. In Una's case it's a terrible price she pays for the nativity of her emotions. Unlike the classic princess, Una is strong and willful. She has enough spirit to make up her own mind, and in the end find redemption--even learning from her mistakes. (Of course Prince Charming still get to ride in and save the day.)

Dragons never quite get the attention they deserve in most fairytales. In Heartless the Dragon(s) finally get that time to shine--even if they are quite the villains. Anne has created a dragon mythology that sent my head spinning into giddiness. They're like vampires in the aspect that they must be invited into a dwelling, and that they can turn other humans into dragons. It's breath taking, and terrifying, all at the same time. Heartless is such a tease as it reveals enough to get you there, but enough is left out to keep you crawling after the next book!

This is a win-win for Fairytale lovers! Dragon lovers will be smitten by the new mythology of the dragon. Princess Una will frustrate readers with the paroles of love, and have readers rooting for her (or wanting to smack her upside the head). This book deals with the modern day heartbreak on a grander scale only a Fairytale can exploit. The ending is just as practical and sweet as a Happily Ever After should be, so HEA readers should feel content. Keep an eye out for more by this author as there's more world--and dragons--to enchant readers.

Sexual Content: Really clean. A few kissing scenes, some blushing, and some very vague sexual humor. Definitely good for the kiddies.

Rating: 4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.

Congratulations to Ms. Stengl on a very promising debut! As a huge fan of Shanon Hale and Megan Whalen Turner's style of fiction, I was so impressed with the craftsmanship of this new fantasy! I am usually a critic of both style and content, but this young adult fiction will top my list of recommendations this year. In a market too often glutted with pulp fiction of mediocre writing (are you reading this Ms. Meyer?), this is a breath of fresh air! I can't wait for the next one!

Heartless is book one of 'Tales of Goldstone Wood', debut novel by author, Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

Princess Una of Parumvir has just turned eighteen and is excited about her suitors that are soon to apply for her hand in marriage. Her father, King Fidel, has promised she can marry whomever she wishes. Una dreams of a charming Prince, riding up on a white charger, proclaiming his undying love and devotion. However, when Prince Aethelbald of the mysterious kingdom of Farthestshore, does just that, Una is appalled and threatens to never marry him, ever.

Among her suitors, is Prince Gervais, whom Una is sure is THE one, however, it comes to her father's attention that Gervais has been thrown from his kingdom by his father for gambling debts. He is a cad of the best kind and is only looking for Una's hand for the dowry she would bring.

The Duke of Shippening is old, fat and arrogant and is looking for a young bride to have as a trophy. He cares nothing for Una and only wishes to use her to become king. When the Duke doesn't get his way, he declares war on the kingdom of Parumvir.

Leonard, the jester and court fool, has also won Una's heart and after learning his secrets, she promises to wait for him. However, she comes to learn that he isn't all that he says he is and Una must come to terms with their relationship.

The Dragon King is also on the hunt for Una, he can feel her and needs to make her one of his own. The Dragon King joins forces with the Duke and together, the two wreck havoc, death and destruction on all the kinsmen of Parumvir. Its up to Una's brother Felix, her cat, Monster and the magic of the Goldstone Wood to save the day.

I wasn't un-impressed with the overall story, it has enough mystery and suspense to keep you reading, however, I did have a problem with Una, the heroine. I found her to be whiny, ignorant, naive and childishly head-strong. I think Prince Aethelbald could have taken the time to explain himself to Una, I feel she deserved the truth and not to be lied to nor manipulated. I really enjoyed Felix and Monster, they brought life and comedy to the story and I hope to see more of them in the future books.

I enjoyed the combat scenes, they weren't too graphic in nature, and I feel young readers would probably really enjoy this book~!! It has all the components of a good fantasy novel, including magic, love, combat, dragons, fairy land creatures and so much more. I liked the flow of the story, one doesn't have to backtrack to stay focused, as well, the descriptive aspects of the narrative were well written and imaginative. Each character is believable, except perhaps, The Dragon King, I expected more from him, instead he was a bit stereo-typed and cliched. I'm also unsure why this is labeled as a Christian-fiction, for there was absolutely no mention of God nor were any Christian aesthetics involved. All in all though, the book was a good read and I'm sure YA fantasy lovers will enjoy it and want to read more!

If you've ever read the original versions of Grimm's Fairy Tales, this story reminds me of those. Not everything is explained in minute detail (such as WHY the prince loves Una), but enough is given for the reader to use his/her imagination to fill in the few blanks. I agree that Una was a tedious character, and she was so illogically nasty to the Prince, but that was part of the fairy tale. Like mentioned, it's very like the old fairy tales... complete with a lovely happy ending. It held me captivated to the ending. Loved it! I'd love to see a prequel that gives more background to the story of the Dragon, the Prince, and the unnamed woman in Una's dreams (the same characters who seemed to be in the painting mentioned in the story).

HEARTLESS is the kind of book that intrigues readers of all kinds. It is a book stuffed with romance, good morals, mystical, wonderful names and places, mystery, and well-thought out characters. Una, though prim and prideful in the beginning, eventually does fall into her role and marries Aethelbald. The story provides good comic relief from Felix, Monster and occasionally Leonard. I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic tale. Veiled Rose, the next in the series, I liked even more then HEARTLESS. I would definitely recommend either of these wonderful books.

Plot Summary:

Princess Una of Parumvir has just come of age, and she awaits the arrival of her first suitors with much excitement. Prince Aethelbald of Farthestshore, however, is not quite what she had in mind. With a name like 'Aethelbald' and perfectly ordinary looks, he can't compete with Una's dreams of a dashing prince, and she refuses to hear his offer - or to heed the warnings of a Dragon who is seeking her. When Una gives her heart away to a man unworthy of it, she finds herself heartless and vulnerable before the Dragon King. Who can save her from herself?

Review:

I read this first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series after 'Veiled Rose,' the second novel, and found it just as well-written and powerful. The writing is excellent, sprinkled with dry humor toward the beginning that does become less as the darkness of the story grows, and the characters wonderful. I especially appreciated the authoress' ability to weave this book with 'Veiled Rose,' even using scenes from 'Heartless' in its sequel, but from another person's point of view. The metaphors and allegories used are also very apt, and, not to be punny, there is a lot of heart in everything about the book.

I would personally recommend reading 'Veiled Rose' first and then reading 'Heartless,' but the books can be read in either order. However, they should both be read before the reader makes a judgment upon them, for it is hard to fully appreciate either without having seen the way they intertwine. They each add to the other, clarifying some points and embellishing others, and should not be taken separately.

Note: This is the conclusion of the review of 'Heartless' from the website "Squeaky Clean Reviews." The full review may be found there.

This ended up to be better than I had expected, although, to be truthful, I didn't expect much when I realized that it was considered Christian Fiction.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that the book didn't contain a lot of evangelism, and instead concentrated on the characters and the story.

However, I found myself underwhelmed by the main character. Una starts out selfish, petty, and more than a little foolish- and there is very little description of any change, except that by the end she's sweet and in love with the good guy. She is difficult to care about, and I found it almost impossible to like her, no matter how hard I tried.

I would have liked to hear more about Prince Aethelbald- why he was so willing to love Una at the request of his father, and the path he took to rescue her from the fate she threw herself into without regard for the people around her.

The world was a fascinating one- the way that magic was rare but treasured, and the unique origin of dragons. I would be willing to give any sequels a read.

Let me first start off this review by saying that I do not normally read fantasy at all. I just cannot get into the story. And I found myself having that problem with this book. Even though the characters were very intriguing and the story line more interesting than most fantasy books I have attempted, I just found myself not wanting to read the book. I would only read 2-3 chapters at a time before I put it down and read something else. In fact, there would be days where I completely ignored it in favor for other books. Then one day, I decided it was now or never that I sit down and read this book in one sitting. And I found myself really enjoying the story.

While all the traditional elements of a fantasy novel are here (mythical worlds, dragons, names I cannot pronounce), Stengl manages to create Una into a character I could very much relate to. Also the entire world didn't seem so distant like other fantasy worlds seem to be. That is the reason why I never can get into the story, because I don't understand their world.

The story started off a little slow for me but once Una falls in love with Leonard, I felt the story really picked up from there. That was the point where I couldn't stop reading and it just kept building up from there. There are dragons, people in disguise, jilted lovers, daring rescues - it just doesn't get any better than this. Seriously, the writing was top notch with lots of drama, plenty of action scenes and a love story.

Being as this is from a Christian publisher, I can sort of see some sort of allegory references in here. But to be honest, they weren't very clear to me and all I read was just a GOOD story. Therefore, this is a book I can recommend to any YA fantasy reader, whether they read Christian or general market books exclusively.

I'm not going to lie. While I ended up really liking this book, I am going to pace myself before reading the next book in the series. If it's about any of the characters in this book, especially Una and Aethelbald, then I will be more inclined to pick it up. However, if it's about new characters or different parts of the world, I might hold off. Stengl's writing is absolutely lovely but I'm still dipping my toes barely into the genre and am working my way in very slowly. If you are YA fantasy fan, you will LOVE this book. And even if you're not, you should still try it. It might just be your next favorite read.

Reminiscent of the "retold fairy tale" style, in the spirit of Robin McKinely and Shanon Hale, "Heartless" is a beautifully crafted story that depicts timeless story themes in a whole new light. But while "Heartless" contains classic fairy tale themes, the story itself is unique. Anne Elisabeth Stengl has created her very own story with beautifully timeless threads, much like Diana Wynne Jones. Stengl is masterful at witty dialogue, creative in descriptions, and brilliant in character development.
The story is also unique in its appeal for a wide range of ages. Stengl maintains a striking story line able to be enjoyed by many, while weaving in deeper literary themes that a wide-read audience can appreciate.
I very much enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the sequels.
Congratulations on a excellent debut, Ms. Stengl. Well done.