Review: Queen of Hearts

Book: Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux; August 2011

224 pages

Genres: Historical fiction/World War II/Cananda

I got this book from my local library.

Synopsis via Goodreads: Coming of age in a hospital bed—a deeply affecting portrait of a teen's journey through a TB sanatorium in the 1940s
On the prairies of Canada during World War II, a girl and her two young siblings begin a war of their own. Stricken with tuberculosis, they are admitted to a nearby sanatorium. Teenager Marie Claire is headstrong, angry, and full of stubborn pride. In a new strange land of TB exiles she must “chase the cure,” seek privacy where there is none, and witness the slow wasting decline of others. But in this moving novel about fighting a way back to normal life, it is the thing that sets back Marie Claire the most—the demise of her little brother—that also connects her with the person who will be instrumental in helping her recover.

I don’t know when the last time I read a book set in Canada. Honestly, the only thing that comes to mind is Anne of Green Gables. So when these book called to me from the shelf I gladly picked it up.

I felt that the book started a little slowly and that there seemed to be some superfluous information, but it really picked up after a few chapters. I’m really glad that I stuck with it. I didn’t really like Marie-Claire as a protagonist intially; her character kind of confused me. But as her illness progesses and she gets angrier about it, the more I liked her. (Which is a very odd sentence to write.)

I really adored the character Signy. She was my favorite, even though when you first meet her character, she comes off as a little annoying and eager to please. I just loved her, and thought that her character was a great juxaposition to Marie-Claire’s.

The love story was really great too. I loved that it grew and evolved. Ultimately, this book wasn’t so much about an illness, or “chasing the cure” it was about hope and the importance of having people who care for you in your life.

It was a short book, and it was easy for me to get through in an afternoon. It was a great book to start with coming off my reading hiatus.

My only real complaint, is an odd one. I wasn’t crazy about the cover. It’s cute, and goes well with the title, but I didn’t really make a connection with the book itself until near the end. It’s very scene specific. I greatly prefer to paperback edition’s cover which I posted below.