Once upon a time there was a broken heart
Once upon a time there was a broken heart -or Once Upon a Broken Heart, by its original title in English—is the first volume of the latest trilogy written by American Creative Writing teacher, blogger, and author Stephanie Garber, best known for the best-selling caraval (2017) and its two sequels. The work that concerns this review was translated into Spanish by Eva Gonzáles Rosales and edited by Puck in 2022.
After the phenomenon caraval, youth fantasy enthusiasts were eagerly awaiting Garber's next works. The author managed to surprise the international literary scene thanks to the construction and originality of her worlds and the interaction between her main characters. For her part, Once upon a time there was a broken heart It is presented as the beginning of a new adventure full of romance.
Synopsis of Once upon a time there was a broken heart
The opening of a Faustian deal
Universal literature has often addressed pacts with beings of darkness. One of the oldest is the legend of Theophilus the penitent, a holy man who makes a deal with an infernal entity. Some scholars affirm that of this history - preserved thanks to the compilations of Gautier de Coincy in the XNUMXth century, in his work The miracles of Our Lady— is born the legend of Faust, a wise knight but dissatisfied with his life who invokes Mephistopheles.
In turn, this archetype has evolved until it reaches modern times, it has been renewed and adorned with other elements that arise from the recreation of the oldest tales. Once upon a time there was a broken heart not only plays with the Faustian paradigm, but —as well as works like A court of mist and fury, of blood and ashes o The evil king— unfolds in the eternal game of love between light and darkness: the innocent lady and the devil.
All for a lost love
The stories of fantasy and romance for young adults usually begin with a protagonist who is forced to experience a series of unfortunate events because of a bad decision or an external evil. Stephanie Garber's work is no exception to this rule.
For this purpose, the author introduces Evangeline Fox, a young woman whose life in Valenda has always revolved around the curiosities of his father's store. There he learned about myths and legends, such as that of the immortal Fates or Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, a character as attractive as he was tragic and terrible.
Evangeline knows that a single kiss from the prince could lead to the death of any human being., and that their dealings often include more damning setbacks than those of the old genies and jinx of the past. However, when the protagonist finds out that the love of her life is about to marry her stepsister, her moral considerations are clouded and she decides to go before the monarch to offer him a pact in exchange for preventing Wedding. He, to her surprise, only asks for three kisses.
In the arms of the Prince of Hearts
Giving three kisses to the people the Prince chooses is an infinitely small payment if the prize is the ideal man, right? At least, that's what Evangeline must have thought before she agreed to seal the deal. After saying yes to Jacks, the young woman understands that the monarch wants much more from her than what was initially demanded. He has some plans in mind that will put the protagonist on the cusp of pleasure or in the depths of despair.
However—as the fairy tales always warned—the powerful Fate stops the wedding in the most gruesome way: it turns everyone into stone. To reverse the curse, Evangeline takes the place of the inhabitants of Valenda. After six weeks of a stone life, Evangeline is awakened by Venom, another Fate.. He informs her that all the immortals have returned and that she must fight the evil that is coming.
Once upon a time there was a broken heart, the successful spin off de caraval
Once upon a time there was a broken heart belongs to the universe of fairy tales caraval. By ello, many readers often wonder if it is necessary to read the latter to understand the first.
The answer tends to be no.. Although, it should be noted that Stephanie Garber's most recent success alludes to settings, characters and events that were born and raised in caraval, so there will be many spoilers for those who decide to start reading Garber with Once upon a time there was a broken heart.
Jacks, the handsome Prince of Hearts, is one of those characters who emerged in the first trilogy. The second, for its part, is in charge of telling part of its story, deepening it and giving it the prominence that fans asked for so much.
En Once upon a time there was a broken heart fits all the magical creatures that have existed and to have existed. This greatly magnifies the fantastic world presented, combined, of course, with the ethereal pen of Stephanie Garber.
About the author, Stephanie Garber
Stephanie Garber caught the entire United States after the publication of caraval, a book of fantasy and young romance set in an enchanted land where the most incredible beasts live. Critics were delighted with what they considered a refreshing approach to the already exploited fantasy genre.. However, this was only her public recognition, since the author had written several titles during her university years.
These were rejected by many publishers until, one day, Stephanie caught the attention of an agent, who helped her publicize her work. In addition to spending her time creating stories, Garber teaches Creative Writing classes in Northern California. Additionally, she manages a literary blog and regularly collaborates with content creators who talk about books, writing, and literature in general.
Other books by Stephanie Garber
- Legendary (2021);
- Final (2021);
- The ballad of never again (2023);
- The curse of true love (scheduled for 06/02/24).