Her one thought was getting as close as she could to her name sake, as high as she could to see the stars. There were only curtain places where the sky, the stars, was visible over London for mush of the sky was missing. It wasn't a matter of simply not being able to see the sky; the sky was literally missing, gone, nonexistent. There was a vast nothingness where the sky should be, but for the moment she was consumed with going we're the sky still was, she had to see it.

Then two things happened. First she was murdered, set upon by two men and one knife and before she knew it her heart was in his hands and she was dead. The second thing that happened, and this really shouldn't have, was that immediately following her heart leaving her body she proceeded to get up and run away. She ran scared for her life, scared that she had been killed, scared that she was still alive.

Heaven has all the elements of a classic fairytale mixed with a dash of the supernatural and a touch of mystery. This fantasy romance is an intriguing thriller that is beautifully written around two troubled yet sympathetic central characters that are both as different from each other as they are similar. This is a warm yet fresh tale of both the darker and lighter side of life. A charmingly story that is certainly one to read. ( )

The first half of the book is fine as we're presented with the intrigue. But the answers and the rush to the end leave a lot to be desired. The translation is, on the whole, not distracting, though there are often words that don't quite fit properly. I understand translation is a tricky thing.

There is a little too much repetition of important plot pointers, I don't think readers generally need that much help, usually we get it the first time.

The two main characters (Heaven and David) are well drawn, in both their strengths and weaknesses, and my empathy for them was probably what kept me going to the end. ( )

David Pettyfer has run away from the family home in Cardiff and ended up in London, earning a living as assistant to a bookshop owner. He is a bit of an outsider who doesn't like mobile phones or travelling on the Underground, but instead prefers roaming the rooftops of London. One night, as he's about to make a delivery, he stumbles across a scared young woman on the roof, telling him that the bad men have stolen her heart. From then on, David and Heaven have to run for their lives to escape the clutches of the ruthless assassin Mr Scrooge and the raggedy man.

Aimed at the Young Adult market and described as "a compelling urban fairy tale where love, death and the stars collide", from the dark, atmospheric start this book conjured up echoes of Neil Gaiman's books, in particular Stardust and The Graveyard Book, both in terms of content as well as style. Its long chapters build up the atmosphere very well, and the frantic flight from Heaven's pursuers, along with their desperate search for answers, left me breathless and exhausted. The chapter set in Highgate Cemetery is truly terrifying, and the book has in Mr Scrooge one of the creepiest villains ever encountered (echoing another memorable villain, the man Jack from Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book). Written in a very engaging style, it contains passages that seem sheer poetry, and yet the book has a very dark heart at its centre, and at the same time is filled with hope and true love, without which no fairy tale is truly complete. The reason it falls just short of five stars is that it contains the odd factual inaccuracy (could it be set in an alternative universe?) and one of those incredible coincidences that seem just too good to be true, and which stretched my goodwill that little bit too far. A very good effort, this will appeal to many young readers of the Twilight generation. Four and a half stars.

(This review was originally written as part of Amazon's Vine programme.) ( )

Traversing London via rooftop has become second nature for seventeen year old David Pettyfer. What’s not second nature? Chancing across a beautiful girl in distress on those rooftops who claims that someone has cut out her heart… and not in the metaphorical sense. What she, this girl named Heaven, suggests is surely impossible, and David is convinced that she must be crazy, while also recognizing that she is obviously traumatized, vulnerable and in great need of his help. Agreeing to help her to the nearest hospital, David and Heaven again encounter the men who stole her heart. Their intent clearly malicious, David decides that no matter how crazy Heaven might be, that he must get her away from these men who wish to harm her further. As David and Heaven attempt to discover why these people are after her and how she lives despite her missing heart, David is forced to consider what he knows of reality, who Heaven actually is, and the very real possibility that this crazy, troubled girl has begun to steal his heart as well.


I love Christoph Marzi’s London. Though I’ve never actually been myself, I’m one of those rabid anglophiles who has over-romanticized it so completely that if I were to visit one day, the real London might never even have a chance. Marzi’s London only enables my romanticizing tendencies. From the freeing, fantastic world of London’s rooftops, to the nitty gritty sights and sounds of the London streets, to the gorgeous architecture of the buildings, to the stifling, claustrophobic industrialized efficiency of the Tube, to the quaintness of the local neighborhoods, Marzi’s descriptions of the city bring it life in living color giving him a vivid canvas onto which he paints his story.


The story of Heaven is told primarily from David’s point of view; a refreshing change from the slew of female narrators that normally populate this genre. David is an individual with a troubled past. At a young age he fled his home due to one parent’s psychosis and the other parent’s inability to deal with the issue. He made his way to London where, homeless and penniless, he made a string of rather poor decisions and judgment calls. Then one day, he acted upon an impulse and found himself working in the bookshop of a Miss Trodwood with a home, a benefactress and the opportunity for a fresh start.


Marzi’s development of David is fantastic and thorough. Though not your standard issue White Knight, David is streetwise, resourceful, practical and shows a presence of mind and a stubborn resolve even in the face of danger. Though initially perplexed by what to do with Heaven, he recognizes in her someone who desperately needs his help. He’s just a normal guy – an unlikely hero – but kind, decent and stronger than he imagines himself to be. Given his back story and overall development, David’s a well-rounded character who I enjoyed getting to know.


Heaven, on the other hand, is more of a puzzle. Obviously, the huge mystery of the book is trying to discover who Heaven is and why she’s not currently in a morgue drawer at St. Mary Abbotts. Perhaps it’s because we’re viewing her through David’s perception of her, perhaps it’s because she’s supposed to remain slightly on the mysterious side, but Heaven is not as easy to relate to as David’s character is. The reader is given brief glimpses into her past and she’s clearly independent, passionate, a free spirit who’s confused and searching, but her character is a bit lacking in depth for my taste.


The story itself is pretty entertaining and fast-paced as the reader follows along with David and Heaven’s attempts to uncover who she is and why the people who stole her heart are still pursuing her. Throughout their investigation, it’s interesting watch Heaven and David form a fledging relationship that’s born out of shared heartaches and experiences. As they start zeroing in on the answers they’re looking for, Marzi picks up the pace, culminating in a pretty nail-bitingly exciting climax. On the downside, a couple plot points throughout are a little convenient, coincidental or require a bit more explanation, but I still enjoyed the story as a whole.


The villains are particularly interesting. Specifically, Mr. Drood – as we are introduced to him in the first few pages – is quite chilling. He’s a heartless killer – clinical, calculating, remorseless – a psychopath who takes on a variety of aliases throughout the book inspired by Dicken’s characters. He is a man of extraordinary abilities and Marzi does an excellent job molding Mr. Drood into a terrifying character, creating a real sense of danger in the story through this villain. And I do love a good villain…


Overall, Heaven is a beautifully-written modern day fairy tale about unlikely heroes, freedom, and the undeniable power of the human heart. ( )

David, der die lärmende Enge in den Straßen Londons nicht mag, bewegt sich gern über den Dächern der Stadt fort. Dies ist zwar gelegentlich etwas gefährlich (man denke an Abgründe und glitschige Ziegel), aber schnell. Zudem hat man einen guten Blick auf dem Himmel; doch leider fehlt seit vielen Jahren ein Stück Himmel direkt über Londons Innenstadt. Als er auf einem seiner Wege die schöne Frau Heaven verängstigt auf den Dächern findet entscheidet er sich ihr zu helfen, obwohl er ihre Behauptung, dass zwei Männer ihr das Herz aus dem Leib herausgeschnitten hätten, natürlich nicht so recht glauben will. Doch die Hinweise darauf, dass sie die Wahrheit sagen könnte, verdichten sich, nicht zuletzt weil die zwei Männer eine Jagd auf das Mädchen beginnen.
Die Geschichte führt durch Londons Straßen, deckt manch fantastische Begebenheit auf und zeichnet sich durch einen schönen Spannungsbogen aus. Der Erzählstil ist schön, enttäuschend ist leider das Ende. Von Marzi kennt man durchaus schlüssiger und liebevoller gestaltete Bücher.
Trotzdem ist es ein netter Zeitvertreib und hat 3 Sterne verdient. ( )