Forest of Hearts is a beautiful reimagining of the fairytale, Snow White, and the latest offering from bestselling fantasy author M A Kuzniar who wrote the wonderful novels Upon a Frosted Star and Midnight in Everwood.
I really love this author's work so I was especially delighted when the publisher, Simon and Schuster, sent me a ARC for review prior to the book being released. I have been engrossed in it for the past couple of days and it has been a very surprising read. M A Kuzniar is best known for her literary reinterpretations of famous ballets and her work is full of sparkling enchantment that dances off the page like the sugarplum fairies and swan queens she writes about. This novel however, is something of a departure from the dazzling worlds she usually creates. Instead of bright snowy landscapes and innocent girls entrapped in magical realms, Forest of Hearts takes place in a very dark forest and the main protagonist is not exactly innocent - she's a murderer.
In its original format, Snow White is quite a dark fairytale and this novel takes that darkness once step further, into the Gothic fantasy genre, where hearts are eaten for breakfast and PG rated sexual tension bubbles beneath the surface - it is a YA book after all. In this tale Snow White is called Elka, the huntsman becomes her ally and together they are out for vengeance against the wicked queen.
It is quite a compelling read and perfectly pitched for its target audience. Teenage girls are going to devour this in one sitting! The dark forest setting gives it Twilight vibes and in some ways it reminded me of the film, Beastly, as the forest roots of her mother's curse snake beneath Elka's skin like poisonous tattoos. Add in the forbidden romance with the huntsman sent to kill her and you have a melting pot of magical mayhem, murder and tender hearted love.
In Forest of Hearts you will find angels of death, helpful house spirits, fantastical creatures, a forest demon, the cutest baby dragon, glass coffins for the undead and lots of snippy banter between Elka and the huntsman. It retains the charm of the original fairytale, but mixes in darker themes as Elka tries to come to terms with her actions, her trauma and the things she has been forced to do just to survive. In this story the heroine is struggling to come to terms with her own shadow-self as much as anything else, trying desperately not to become a monster like her mother, yet still win the battle and emerge victorious.
Its an enjoyable book and perfect for those of you who like fairytale retellings and folklore from around the world. I'm already looking forward to M A Kuzniar's next novel! Happy reading!
Serene Blessings
Marie x
AD: This book was sent to me for review prior to publication by Simon and Schuster. It will be released on 23rd October 2025 in hardcover, digital and audio formats. It is available for Pre-Order now.
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