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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Alice lives in a world of privilege, but when her troubled friend goes missing, Alice becomes obsessed with finding her. On a trail to find her, Alice finds an invitation to 'Wonderland' which entails three days of sex, drugs and partying. However, she has secrets of her own and a socialite is out to expose them.
All alone and without her medication, can she survive?
This was a quick read and once again grappled with dark themes and featured a transgender main character, which I loved as I found it extremely inclusive!
While it did have some interesting themes, it wasn't my favourite of the three in the London trilogy but it was a fun and sometimes intense read! I loved all the Easter eggs in there as nods to the previous novels too!
All alone and without her medication, can she survive?
This was a quick read and once again grappled with dark themes and featured a transgender main character, which I loved as I found it extremely inclusive!
While it did have some interesting themes, it wasn't my favourite of the three in the London trilogy but it was a fun and sometimes intense read! I loved all the Easter eggs in there as nods to the previous novels too!
Wonderland felt like a wild, drug infused haze, full of high society drama and eccentricities. It felt like Gossip Girl meets Heathers, with Juno’s signature level of depth and empathy. No author takes high society party girls and gives them such multifaceted dimension, weaving in topics of mental health and gender identity, quite like Juno does.
Wonderland was so raw, never shying away from tough topics. I really appreciated the honesty that Dawson brings to the character of Alice in terms of her gender identity. Alice is a young transwoman attending an all-girls school where no one knows her past history. She grapples with the anxiety over being ‘outed’ and how her peers would react to the knowledge of her being trans, and throughout the book we do see different characters learn this and how they react to it.
Something that I’ve not seen before in YA, yet feel is incredibly important, is how Juno treats Alice in such a sex positive light. Alice is a sex positive character, looking for sexual experiences with both men and women, and has not yet had bottom surgery – she’s very nervous about how this will be perceived, yet throughout the book Alice learns that she does not need to physically change her body in order to be a sexy, beautiful woman, yet the topic of fetishisation was touched on in a very poignant way. To read the perspective of a young trans woman embarking on sexual exploits with different people, and to not feel the need to conform to a stereotypically ‘female’ body type is wonderful and I hope will be meaningful and eye-opening to a lot of young people who pick up this novel. I don’t want to speak on the accuracy of this representation, but it is Own Voices.
Alice and other characters spend most of Wonderland in a alcohol and drug fuelled haze, which gives such a whimsical feel to the story – complete with larger than life plots which feel reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars, Dawson has woven a unique take on tropes I love to see in TV. This is what Juno does so well every time – raw, high class, elegant, dangerous drama but with more depth and sensitivity that I’ve seen anywhere else. This is the Alice and Wonderland retelling that every modern teen needs in their life. Wonderland is my third Juno Dawson book, and I can’t wait to read more from her!
TW: attempted rape, drug use, overdose, death, suicide, sexual assault, self-harm, arson, grief, fetishisation, transphobia.
Wonderland was so raw, never shying away from tough topics. I really appreciated the honesty that Dawson brings to the character of Alice in terms of her gender identity. Alice is a young transwoman attending an all-girls school where no one knows her past history. She grapples with the anxiety over being ‘outed’ and how her peers would react to the knowledge of her being trans, and throughout the book we do see different characters learn this and how they react to it.
Something that I’ve not seen before in YA, yet feel is incredibly important, is how Juno treats Alice in such a sex positive light. Alice is a sex positive character, looking for sexual experiences with both men and women, and has not yet had bottom surgery – she’s very nervous about how this will be perceived, yet throughout the book Alice learns that she does not need to physically change her body in order to be a sexy, beautiful woman, yet the topic of fetishisation was touched on in a very poignant way. To read the perspective of a young trans woman embarking on sexual exploits with different people, and to not feel the need to conform to a stereotypically ‘female’ body type is wonderful and I hope will be meaningful and eye-opening to a lot of young people who pick up this novel. I don’t want to speak on the accuracy of this representation, but it is Own Voices.
Alice and other characters spend most of Wonderland in a alcohol and drug fuelled haze, which gives such a whimsical feel to the story – complete with larger than life plots which feel reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars, Dawson has woven a unique take on tropes I love to see in TV. This is what Juno does so well every time – raw, high class, elegant, dangerous drama but with more depth and sensitivity that I’ve seen anywhere else. This is the Alice and Wonderland retelling that every modern teen needs in their life. Wonderland is my third Juno Dawson book, and I can’t wait to read more from her!
TW: attempted rape, drug use, overdose, death, suicide, sexual assault, self-harm, arson, grief, fetishisation, transphobia.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
THE PLOT
Throughout this book we follow Alice, a student at a private London school. After spending a night with fellow student Bunny, Alice takes it upon herself to find out why she disappeared without a trace after their night together. Her journey leads her to Wonderland, an exclusive party for those high in society.
There’s nothing I love more than an exciting retelling of a classic story, and Alice in Wonderland always has so much potential with such a world to play with. What I especially liked about this version was that it was still set in our world, so the events, no matter how wild and dramatic, were still things that could possibly happen.
THE CHARACTERS
Alice, what can I say? I love her with my whole heart. She’s exactly the type of character we need more of in YA. Brutally honest, she says it like it is without apology. I appreciated slowly learning about her past as the story progressed. We come to know why she is on meds and the fears she has about returning to the dark place she was in. It was important that she referred to her therapist from time to time because I’ve read an alarming number of books that don’t shed a positive light on therapists from the beginning. It’s a part of life that we desperately need to normalise.I also loved how she openly discussed her body issues as a trans girl. This is exactly why we need more trans main characters in YA.
These versions of the Alice in Wonderland characters are genius. I’m a sucker for a set of characters that are…shall we say Morally Challenged? But they all have a complex and intriguing backstory that gives us a glimpse into their complicated lives.
REASONS TO LOVE
⭐ Setting and storytelling. The world of high society is always an interesting one. This book showcases how money can help people avoid consequences. As terrifying as it is, it still happens all the time.
⭐ Honest discussions about mental health. We see Alice slip into darker moments and what she experiences during them.
⭐ Character growth. It’s so rewarding to see Alice experiment and discover things about herself during her weekend at Wonderland.
⭐ Important topics. This book openly discusses drugs, self-harm, sexual assault, and much more. It doesn’t shy away from gritty details that need to be told.
⭐ PANSEXUAL REP!!!!!! I'm CONSTANTLY searching for pan characters in YA so I was thrilled when that was how Alice identified herself.
THE FINAL WORD
An engaging, dark, yet magical story, Wonderland never fails to give readers a surprise. It’s a re-imagining of a well-loved tale but manages to be unique and intriguing in its own right. Alice takes us on an unforgettable journey with her sarcastic and honest commentary entertaining us the whole way.
Reviewed @ The Queen of Teen Fiction
Throughout this book we follow Alice, a student at a private London school. After spending a night with fellow student Bunny, Alice takes it upon herself to find out why she disappeared without a trace after their night together. Her journey leads her to Wonderland, an exclusive party for those high in society.
There’s nothing I love more than an exciting retelling of a classic story, and Alice in Wonderland always has so much potential with such a world to play with. What I especially liked about this version was that it was still set in our world, so the events, no matter how wild and dramatic, were still things that could possibly happen.
THE CHARACTERS
Alice, what can I say? I love her with my whole heart. She’s exactly the type of character we need more of in YA. Brutally honest, she says it like it is without apology. I appreciated slowly learning about her past as the story progressed. We come to know why she is on meds and the fears she has about returning to the dark place she was in. It was important that she referred to her therapist from time to time because I’ve read an alarming number of books that don’t shed a positive light on therapists from the beginning. It’s a part of life that we desperately need to normalise.I also loved how she openly discussed her body issues as a trans girl. This is exactly why we need more trans main characters in YA.
These versions of the Alice in Wonderland characters are genius. I’m a sucker for a set of characters that are…shall we say Morally Challenged? But they all have a complex and intriguing backstory that gives us a glimpse into their complicated lives.
REASONS TO LOVE
⭐ Setting and storytelling. The world of high society is always an interesting one. This book showcases how money can help people avoid consequences. As terrifying as it is, it still happens all the time.
⭐ Honest discussions about mental health. We see Alice slip into darker moments and what she experiences during them.
⭐ Character growth. It’s so rewarding to see Alice experiment and discover things about herself during her weekend at Wonderland.
⭐ Important topics. This book openly discusses drugs, self-harm, sexual assault, and much more. It doesn’t shy away from gritty details that need to be told.
⭐ PANSEXUAL REP!!!!!! I'm CONSTANTLY searching for pan characters in YA so I was thrilled when that was how Alice identified herself.
THE FINAL WORD
An engaging, dark, yet magical story, Wonderland never fails to give readers a surprise. It’s a re-imagining of a well-loved tale but manages to be unique and intriguing in its own right. Alice takes us on an unforgettable journey with her sarcastic and honest commentary entertaining us the whole way.
Reviewed @ The Queen of Teen Fiction
“we’re not in kansas anymore, toto. or maybe we are, the usa has highly questionable gun laws.”
i picked this book up at the library a couple days ago, purely because of the synopsis. i completely just didn’t notice it was by juno dawson, and it came as a lovely surprise when i did, because i loved meat market when i read it. i don’t really know how to describe wonderland, because it did sort of feel like a fever dream, but that was probably due to me reading most of it in one sitting. it was actually one of the few books recently i felt i couldn’t put down.
i really liked how fast paced it was, and found the characters very interesting - even the ones i hated. i also loved the diversity amongst the teens, which felt quite natural and well-represented. the wonderland references were amazing and i just adored alice <3
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s a bit of a self insert fantasy.
3.5 stars
Like I said in a previous update, I was going to take the diabetes comment seriously as it didn't sit right with me one bit. The overall story definitely felt madish like Wonderland and I have to admit that I felt a bit off while reading so I had to take a day off from reading it. The ending was okay, and I liked the relationships Alice had throughout the book, though a lot of them were definitely not great relationships. However, due to how I felt while reading I don't think I'll be reading again, though I am happy to have read it at least once.
Like I said in a previous update, I was going to take the diabetes comment seriously as it didn't sit right with me one bit. The overall story definitely felt madish like Wonderland and I have to admit that I felt a bit off while reading so I had to take a day off from reading it. The ending was okay, and I liked the relationships Alice had throughout the book, though a lot of them were definitely not great relationships. However, due to how I felt while reading I don't think I'll be reading again, though I am happy to have read it at least once.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No