Halfway through the novel, a twist brings different characters to the forefront, and this growing ensemble of personalities only adds to the fullness of the story. They demand the reader’s attention, filling the pages with their own struggles, triumphs, and tragedies. Dee’s companions – the lovable Cal, the sharp and dangerous Cora, and the tortured artist James – never feel like supporting characters. Surrounded by an excellent cast of supporting characters, The Hearts We Sold’s coming-of-age arc is heartfelt (pun intended) and realistic despite its heartless plot and surreal setting. “She became her own knight she collected those broken promises and whispered apologies and fashioned them into armor.” Lloyd-Jones’ standout main character blew away my expectations and reignited my love for the naïve, young adult heroine.

Instead, it naturally develops over the substantial 375-plus pages. Dee’s transformation never feels rushed or forced forward through manufactured trauma. Too often Young Adult heroines find themselves saved by their romantic interest, but Dee’s catharsis comes from within, it’s significance only magnified by the love and loss she experiences. Her narrative voice is honest and insightful, and the amount of introspection and self-awareness Lloyd-Jones cultivates throughout the novel impressed me. Dee’s new companions waste no time showing her the ropes of the perilous, unstable missions they’ve agreed to complete, leaving Dee’s life full of sudden secrets and a unearthly, lurking evil.ĭee’s growth throughout the story from a meek and timid young woman to a passionate and fierce heroine is emotional and compelling. Without giving too much away, Dee makes a deal with a daemon and finds herself entangled in the fate of the world.

She’s shy, average in every way (except she’s smart, of course), and inexperienced in affairs of the heart. The story follows teenage Dee who appears, at first, another “every-girl” of the YA genre.

The hearts we sold