Hello, Cruel Heart

by Maureen Johnson Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden

Overview

An electric new story of teenage Cruella de Vil in an original novel inspired by the upcoming Walt Disney Studios Live Action Film, Cruella.

Swinging London, Summer 1967. Sixteen-year-old Estella, gifted with talent, ingenuity, and ambition, dreams of becoming a renowned fashion designer. But life seems intent on making sure her dreams never come true. Having arrived in London as a young girl, Estella now runs wild through the city streets with Jasper and Horace, amateur thieves who double as Estella's makeshift family and partners-in-(petty)-crime. How can Estella dedicate herself to joining the ranks of the London design elite when she's sewing endless costumes and disguises for the trio's heists?

When a chance encounter with Magda and Richard Moresby-Plum, two young scions of high society, vaults Estella into the world of the rich and famous, she begins to wonder whether she might be destined for more after all. Suddenly, Estella's days are filled with glamorous parties, exclusive eateries, flirtations with an up-and-coming rock star, and, of course, the most cutting-edge fashions money can buy. But what is the true cost of keeping up with the fast crowd-and is it a price Estella is willing to pay?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A fresh take for a new generation of Disney lovers."—Booklist

"Estella’s complete naïveté in the face of wealth and sophistication is convincingly drawn, and her fashionista ability is fun and engaging; the ending brings a twist that readers may not see coming... Rags to riches with a British twist."—Kirkus Reviews

"Teens will want to read the backstory of one of Disney’s most iconic villains. Johnson creates the swinging 1960s London of Estella’s youth in vibrant color and cements the bond between Estella, Horace, and Jasper...Fans of Johnson’s other books will flock to this classic tale of choosing between friends."—School Library Journal

PRAISE FOR THE TRULY DEVIOUS SERIES

“Johnson quickly sets the game afoot, skillfully introducing a Clue-like set of characters, laying out various motives, and hinting at long held secrets. There’s a delicious slow-burn element to the locked-room mystery in Stevie’s present, while the chapters on the kidnappings read like a true crime novel.”—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

PRAISE FOR THE TRULY DEVIOUS SERIES

“Stevie Bell is a dyed-in-the-wool true-crime buff. There is a lot to love here. Fans of puzzles, boarding school stories, and true crime will tear through this book and love every minute.”—School Library Journal

PRAISE FOR THE TRULY DEVIOUS SERIES

“The story raises more questions than answers, leaving readers hoping Johnson has another entry up her clever sleeves. A classic mystery that would make Dame Agatha proud.”—Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE TRULY DEVIOUS SERIES

“Johnson gives and she takes away: a few major mysteries are satisfying solved, but other long-standing riddles remain tantalizingly indecipherable, and several new ones come into play by the enigmatic end. Readers, hang tight: there’s one more round to come, and if the signs are right, it’ll be to die for.”—Booklist

PRAISE FOR THE TRULY DEVIOUS SERIES

“Jumping between past and present, Johnson’s novel is deliciously atmospheric, with a sprawling cast of complex suspects/potential victims, surprising twists, and a dash of romance. Johnson remains a master at combining jittery tension with sharp, laugh-out-loud observations.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review))—Publishers Weekly

School Library Journal

03/01/2021

Gr 7 Up—Estella has been living on the street since her mother died under suspicious circumstances on their way to London years ago. Horace and Jasper, who took her in and taught her to survive, are the only ones she has. But Estella has big dreams and high potential as a fashion designer. She already designs trick clothes to aid the trio's heists to keep them afloat, but a chance encounter with the elite society children of London means her dream might be closer to reality than ever before. The only problem is the voice in her head, the one her mother termed Cruella. Sometimes she can keep Cruella quiet and sometimes she can't, especially when she needs Cruella the most. Will Estella choose the high society life she believes she's always deserved, or the family that's protected and cared for her? This is a tie-in with a live-action film of Cruella and teens will want to read the backstory of one of Disney's most iconic villains. Johnson creates the swinging 1960s London of Estella's youth in vibrant color and cements the bond between Estella, Horace, and Jasper. Characters' ethncities aren't stated. VERDICT Fans of Johnson's other books will flock to this classic tale of choosing between friends.—Stacey Shapiro, Cranford P. L., NJ

Kirkus Reviews

2021-01-26
Penniless 16-year-old orphan Estella dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer but survives by robbing rich tourists in swinging 1960s London.

After her mother died in a freak accident, Estella moved to the city, bunking down in the Lair, a grimy pad in a bombed-out building, with her chosen family of fellow thieves Horace and Jasper. Although she flunked out of school, Estella has exceptional design talent and is determined to excel in the field. A pair of well-connected trust-fund twins dazzle her with their carefree, affluent lifestyle and groovy circle of friends, and they ultimately exploit her by bartering her fashion skills for accommodation and friendship. Estella soon learns that their glamorous lifestyle is shallow and their friendships, fickle, and she realizes that she will have to find her own way in life. Estella’s complete naïveté in the face of wealth and sophistication is convincingly drawn, and her fashionista ability is fun and engaging; the ending brings a twist that readers may not see coming. The story contains peripheral references to One Hundred and One Dalmatians: Estella has Cruella de Vil black-and-white hair, which she disguises with red dye, and a Cruella alter ego who pops up in her head in moments of crisis and helps her remain true to herself. All characters present White.

Rags to riches with a British twist. (Fiction. 12-16)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172792441
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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