Review Detail

Violet and her brother Seb are running from their father when their ship is attacked due to the war and they are dumped into the ocean. Violet finds herself on the wrong side of enemy lines and separated from her brother, unsure if he’s even alive. She disguises herself as a man and is helped by a young man, Teo, who gives her a job delivering poetry to Olivia. Olivia is unimpressed by Teo but intrigued by this new boy in town. HEARTS ON THE TABLE is a historical tale based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, packed with a queer cast.

The idea of this being based on a Shakespeare story may be daunting to some, but it shouldn’t be. The author manages to bring in some of the central aspects of Twelfth Night while also keeping a tone and idea that is completely hers. There is no need to have prior knowledge of Twelfth Night before reading HEARTS ON THE TABLE, though several readers might from other retellings.

With any Twelfth Night retelling/reimagining, there is a love triangle (and a bit more). Susan Metallo handles it well, making the connections between the characters feel authentic, none of the chemistry feeling forced just for the sake of having a love triangle. The bonds between these characters feel real and are developed well throughout the book. The romance is charming and Susan Metallo does a fantastic job of letting it simmer and build. It’s not a fast burn and it’s not immediate chemistry; it’s something that grows alongside the characters.

Susan Metallo does an amazing job with her descriptive writing. She writes scenes and settings with such detail that it immerses the reader into this world. Depending on your preferred level of detail, some readers may not always enjoy this. The ship sinking, at the very beginning of the book, is an easy way for readers to determine if they are going to be like her writing style. The level of detail included in this scene continues throughout the rest of the book.

This book is told in a sort of dual POV. Violet’s chapters make up most of the novel and are told in first person POV. She brings readers alongside her as she experiences this new and scary world, all while desperately searching for her brother. Interspersed are Faustina’s sections. Written in verse form, Faustina reflects on the world around her. Her sections are lyrical and haunting in equal measures. Faustina's sections can take some getting used to and they might not appeal to every reader.

The representation in this book is handled really well and it’s really refreshing to read. I enjoy historical books and I also enjoy a good Shakespearean retelling, so having one that incorporated both of those aspects and added in queer and neurodiverse representation just made it better. Susan Metallo also handles the identities quite well. It’s not always easy going, in fact some of the characters face serious issues because of who they are, but the author ensures that there is a support system set up.

This book does have some dark moments and dark topics that it talks about. There is discussion of domestic abuse and transphobia, mental health issues not being handled well. Susan Metallo does well to balance heavy topics and discussions out with joy, found family, and sweet moments; but I still urge readers to approach the book carefully if discussions of these topics may be triggering for you.

HEARTS ON THE TABLE is a historical novel that pulls from history but also diverges from it in some ways. The author includes a section at the back that talks about which aspects of the book were real and which ones were made up or changed for the sake of the story.

HEARTS ON THE TABLE is an engaging historical YA book with romance and queer and autistic representation. Featuring a fantastic cast of characters, beautifully vivid settings, and connections that feel authentic and established, it is a solid choice for anyone seeking out a historical or emotional read.