About the Book:
Elka has been banished to the forest by her wicked mother, who rules the city with an iron first. She is cursed to remain there forever unless she takes the hearts of seven men. Six have been slain and a wounded huntsman stumbles across her path, destined to be the seventh. But Kaz is hiding a secret of his own, arriving in the forest with another agenda and as the two get to know one another, passion begins to spark. The magic within the forest is stirring and dark forces threaten to overtake them. Elka must face the ultimate relinquish her destiny or betray her heart?
Step into the forest of hearts in this richly imagined take on the Snow White folklore, full of forbidden love, slow burn passion and the promise of true love’s kiss.
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here. Find on Bookshop.org UK (affiliate link).
About the Author:
M. A. Kuzniar is the bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood and Upon a Frosted Star. Before she became a full-time writer, she spent six years living in Spain, teaching English and travelling the world. She lives in Nottingham, where she spends her time reading, writing, playing board games, and dreaming of magic.
Interview:
This is a Snow White retelling that, even though Kaz has a huntsman title, flips the role of hunter to Elka. What drew you to Snow White for a retelling?
Quite a few years ago, an image popped into my head of Snow White living in this dark cottagecore, Slavic-inspired fantasy forest, only she wasn’t a damsel in distress, awaiting her prince charming – this was her villain origin story. When writing FOREST OF HEARTS, I seized that idea and decided to explore the idea of what makes someone a villain – is Elka a villain or a heroine? I’ll leave that up to the readers to decide!
Why do you think fairy tale retellings are so popular?
Fairy tales are familiar stories, like an old comfort blanket, whether that’s the Disney ones so many of us grew up with, or the original stories that have a darker bite. I think it’s fun to explore them because you get both that hit of nostalgia and a fresh new perspective. Fairy tales are a medium that was constructed for constant retelling, to be passed down through generations and adapted to their audiences and I love how authors are now taking that on and wielding these traditional tales in ways that still surprise and delight.
The story contains many references to Grimm’s version of Snow White (for example, the dress and comb). What other tales did you draw from when crafting FOREST OF HEARTS?
Although my interpretation of Snow White is unique, I made sure to hit those recognisable Snow White moments in FOREST OF HEARTS to stay true to the heart of the story (sorry, not sorry for the pun!) The dress and the comb from Grimm’s, the mirrors, glass coffin and, the most iconic Snow White imagery: the poisoned apple. I didn’t draw from any other fairy tales for this book but I did draw heavily on Slavic mythology for my world building, especially the beasties in the forest. I also drew from folk tales around Kraków, which the capital city of Mazrovia, the Amber City, is based on. In Kraków, there are ‘dragon bones’ hanging from the entrance to Wawel Cathedral, which I’ve included in a key scene in FOREST OF HEARTS.
The book draws on Slavic mythology, particularly for the creatures in the forest. Do you have a particular favourite? (Ours is the domowik!) Are there any you wanted to include but didn’t?
Oh, I love the domowik! I would adore having my own little house spirit. I also love the mention of dragons, too. Dragons are everywhere in Polish culture, so I knew they had to be an important part of the history of Mazrovia, as well as Elka’s personal history, when I was worldbuilding. I really wanted to include strzyga, which in traditional Slavic mythology are similar to vampires, but are (usually female) demons that come back to life and suck people’s blood and eat their insides. . . in the FOREST OF HEARTS lore, this is why they bury their dead in glass coffins. I ran out of room in the first two books to include any but if I’m lucky enough to continue the series then they’ll definitely be making a ghastly appearance at some point!
Trust – or not knowing if she can trust – is at the heart of Elka’s relationship with Kaz. Why do you think it’s so important we explore trust in YA romantasies?
A lot of young adults will be experiencing – or soon experiencing – their first relationships and romantic and/or sexual interactions and as trust is a key part of that, I believe it’s an important theme to consider in romantasies when writing for that age group. It gives them a safe environment to explore their feelings as well as seeing what healthy – and unhealthy – relationships might look like.
Elka’s mother is the villain of the tale, but has depths Elka begins to glimpse by the end. How do you approach crafting well rounded antagonists?
For me, it’s about portraying antagonists as characters that are not purely ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but who are complex people. In FOREST OF HEARTS, we believe that Elka’s mother is the black and white ‘Evil Queen’ from the story, but it isn’t until the end that we learn she is more of a morally grey character, with her own set of motives that she’s operating under. Crafting a good antagonist is about looking at those motives and seeing what drives them throughout the book.
What would Kaz and Elka’s perfect Christmases look like?
Oh, I love this question! When I think of Elka and Kaz at Christmas, I imagine them in their crooked little cottage in the depths of the forest, with the fire roaring and *certain characters* curled up next to it. There would be a thick blanket of snow on the roof and they’d be cooking something warm and comforting, crammed into that tiny kitchen with Katia and Szafir and Mirosław and the domowik all crowding around and stealing tastes, sharing stories and in-jokes before eating in front of the fire. Then later, when everyone is all sleeping, Kaz would hold his hand out, pulling Elka into a silent slow dance by candlelight.
Please recommend a UKYA read you think readers will love.
I love Bex Hogan’s writing and her latest book, OWL KING*, a standalone set in her Faery Realms series, is just as enchanting as ever! Think sisterhood, darkly glittering faery realms, and plenty of bargains and trickery.
Thank you, Maria!
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