A Harvest of Hearts

Beautiful sorceresses magically harvest the hearts of complacent townsfolk in this clever but clunky fantasy from Eames (The Making of Stones). Most of narrator Foss Butcher’s fellow villagers only have small pieces of their hearts taken at a time and believe the sacrifice is necessary for the magical protection that brings prosperity and peace to their kingdom. When the first male sorcerer, Sylvester, visits Foss’s village, Foss’s heart is accidentally snagged by his magic, bonding them physically and emotionally. She feels growing pain at their separation and sets off to find him, hoping to sever the bond between them and return home. When he tries to turn her away before the bond can be severed, she impulsively volunteers to be his housekeeper in his odd shape-shifting house in the city so that she can search the property for her missing heart. Along the way, Foss meets other snagged villagers and unravels terrifying truths surrounding the parasitic heart magic and the sorcerers themselves. Readers led to expect coziness from the marketing blurb should instead prepare for a Grimm’s fairy tale vibe and elements of body horror. A strained romance subplot between Foss and Sylvester somewhat mars an otherwise fascinating and complex exploration of the cruel choices often made in the name of tradition and safety. The result is a modern fantasy with the deep moral core of an old fable. (Feb.)