Heartbreaker

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This book is full of twists and turns, not all of which are exactly comfortable for the reader. I would definitely say that in terms of young adult novels, Heartbreaker is far more on the "adult" side of that label. I'm not just talking about sexual activity, either. There are a lot of themes that are really heavy and might be upsetting to some. So I guess I am putting a trigger warning on this book for pedophilia, as well as other complications that I cannot quite describe. The mystery of the story was just as bad. The bad guy, 'Heartbreaker', could have been really scary (just consider why he gave himself that name) but he ended up being more of a caricature of a psycho killer. His internal monologue was ridiculous and just made me want to laugh more than anything. His old-fashioned way of speaking - using the phrase 'Yes, sirree' when he was talking to himself - the way he kept telling the reader that he was oh so intelligent, but he never really behaved intelligently. And then there's the oh so easy to spot red herring, he practically had a neon sign above his head that screamed "I am not the killer". I have to admit that while I was reading this book I didn’t enjoy it very much at all but as I let it percolate in my head for a few days I actually like it a lot more. It has grown on me! I still wouldn’t say that I loved it but I have respect for the inventiveness of the author.

I was absolutely fascinated and captivated by the territory – which is the name of the area that this cult-like group of people inhabit. They have their own customs and rituals, and their own understandings of the world around them and their place in it. I would love to have an entirely separate book that just explores the cult, because I find it so intriguing. What begins as a simple mystery—a daughter attempting to investigate the sudden disappearance of her mother—turns into a much stranger and more engrossing tale. . . . Dey deepens this dark fantasy through the imaginatively detailed, keen observations of teen narrator Pony Darlene Fontaine, who muses about her place amid this blank landscape while anchoring the proceedings with sly pop-culture references. Dey’s rich prose drives the story with poetic acuteness.” — LA Weekly The next instalment is already being written, I hear. So same time, same place in 2016? Who’s doing the party bags? I know this review is rambling and vague, but it's because I don't want to give anything away. There were a few reveals...one I suspected, but I think it's because I was meant to, and it rose and crested like a wave. So good. The other was also suspected, and low-key. Heartbreaker is divided into three parts, and even that caught me off surprise. I don't want to ruin any surprises for anyone. This story's like mining for gold and finding thousands of diamonds. The end made me smile and tear up a little. I rooted hardcore for Pony, Supernatural, The Heavy and Billie Jean.Aside from those concerns, the rest of the story was a solid read! I loved the suspense aspect of the book, both main characters were likable and complemented each other well, and the side characters were fantastic too (loved Noah!). If I didn’t have to pause it twice to go to other books, I know this is a story I would’ve finished in one sitting. If I had read this book first I would have been hesitant about reading the next in the series, thankfully that's not the way it happened. I'm hopeful (and only slightly nervous) that I'm not remembering Mercy with rose-tinted glasses, that it really was as good as I remember.

McLaughlin, Gemma E. (2 May 2021). "Heartwarming, real and unaffected: a tale of teenage romance". The National . Retrieved 19 May 2022.The ending was the clincher and increased my assessment of the whole novel. I also keep thinking about the novel based on the ending and want to re-read it someday to catch information and clues I might have missed. Heartbreaker is a darkly comedic weirdo of a book that pulls the string of nostalgia from one side while unraveling it from the other.”