Once Upon a Broken Heart
Once Upon a Broken Heart is the first installment in Stephanie Garber's young adult fantasy series, set in the same whimsical universe as her Caraval trilogy. The story follows Evangeline Fox, a young woman who believes in true love and happy endings until her beloved is set to marry another. In her desperation, Evangeline makes a dangerous bargain with Jacks, the enigmatic and powerful Prince of Hearts, a Fate known for his fatal kisses and unpredictable nature. The narrative weaves together themes of romance, magic, and destiny as Evangeline navigates a world filled with immortal beings, ancient curses, and perilous quests to achieve her own version of happily ever after, or face an exquisite tragedy. The book is designed for a young adult audience, exploring emotional depth and complex relationships within a fantastical setting.
Concerns
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the story, involving powerful immortal beings known as Fates, magical bargains, curses, spells, and the introduction of supernatural creatures like vampires.
Evangeline makes a deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, an immortal Fate, to alter events, which is a core magical bargain. Characters also engage in self-mutilation, 'cutting themselves with knives to use their blood to do something magical.' Marisol uses a 'love potion' created from a spell book to enchant Luc. The plot also introduces vampires, creatures with supernatural abilities and dark associations.
Anti-Christian Themes
HighThe book features prominent themes of interacting with pagan-like deities and Fates, using magic, and making bargains with supernatural entities, which are contrary to traditional Christian teachings. The concept of praying to a 'Prince of Hearts' in a 'church' setting blends religious imagery with pagan practices.
Evangeline seeks help from 'the Prince of Hearts' (a Fate) at a 'church' and makes a deal with him, essentially praying to and bargaining with a powerful, non-Christian supernatural entity for intervention in her life. The entire magical system revolves around these Fates and their powers, including curses and spells, which are explicitly non-Christian in nature and central to the plot.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe book contains a brief, passing mention of a gay couple, indicating minimal LGBTQ+ representation within the narrative. There is no explicit exploration of gender identity or significant LGBTQ+ plotlines.
A reviewer explicitly notes the presence of a gay couple, stating, 'A gay couple of briefly mentioned but that's about it.' No other specific instances of LGBTQ+ characters or themes are detailed in the available content reviews.
Violence
MediumThe narrative includes various instances of implied and depicted violence, ranging from magical incapacitation to physical threats and descriptions of injuries. While not overly graphic, these scenes contribute to a sense of peril and danger.
Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, stops a wedding by magically turning all the guests, including the bride and groom, to stone. Later, Evangeline hears about a 'wolf attack that leaves a boy horribly scarred.' There is also a section describing a lair of vampires where humans are held in cages or shackled, and blood is consumed, with some humans being turned into vampires. The death of a character named Apollo is mentioned.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe book features romantic themes with kissing scenes and significant romantic tension between characters, particularly between Evangeline and Jacks. However, the content is described as avoiding erotic details and is generally considered PG.
The book includes 'kissing between boy and girl'. One instance describes Evangeline spending 'the night curled up in a boy's lap as part of a medical recovery.' Reviewers note 'several kissing scenes, and a couple of brief and mild references to the general idea of a bit more potentially happening or being felt.' There is also 'a lot of romantic tension throughout the series' without being erotic.
Profanity
MediumProfanity in the book is minimal and generally mild, with infrequent use of common swear words and one instance of a deity's name taken in vain.
The book uses 'mild profanity infrequently.' Specifically, there is 'just one use of mild language and one use of the name of Deity in vain.' Additionally, 'a couple instances of “b*tch”' are noted in the series, though primarily in later books according to one source.
Substance Use
MediumInstances of substance use are infrequent and generally mild, limited to social drinking. However, poisoning plays a significant role in the plot as a form of harm.
Evangeline is mentioned to 'drink wine at a social event.' A key plot point involves Evangeline being poisoned to the point of crying herself to death, requiring physical contact to wear off. Another instance includes someone poisoning a girl, and Evangeline discovering a love potion, implying the use of substances for manipulation.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe book contains moderately scary and intense content, including threatening situations, cruel characters, supernatural elements like vampires, and descriptions of peril and death.
The story features 'scary and cruel characters' and 'situations of peril.' A significant intense scene involves Jacks turning wedding guests to stone. The introduction of a vampire lair with humans held captive, shackled, and having their blood sucked, along with characters being turned into vampires, adds a frightening element. A 'Week of Terrors' is mentioned as having unfolded, indicating a period of significant danger.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe protagonist, Evangeline, displays traits of naivete and makes significant, potentially reckless decisions by engaging with powerful and dangerous magical entities, which can be seen as a form of defiance against conventional wisdom and safety.
Evangeline, despite being 'insanely naïve,' makes a 'bad decision' by striking a deal with Jacks, a known 'wicked Prince of Hearts,' to interfere with her perceived true love's wedding. Her choice to drink a poison to take the place of those turned to stone by Jacks demonstrates a rebellious and self-sacrificing act against personal safety.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 14 and up. This recommendation is based on the presence of mild violence, including descriptions of injuries and vampire activity, some romantic tension and kissing, infrequent mild profanity, and significant themes of magic and dealings with supernatural entities known as Fates.
Additional Notes
The series is a spin-off of the Caraval series, and some readers recommend reading Caraval first for a fuller understanding of the world and characters. The content progression across the series is noted to intensify romantic tension, but core content concerns remain consistent with the first book's established themes.
Related Reviews
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