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krista_billings's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. I love well known stories retold from different perspectives. I couldn't put this one down. It was never boring or predictable. I can't wait to read Unhinged.
booktallie's review against another edition
4.0
A fantastical re-imaging of the Alice in Wonderland story by Lewis Carroll, is glorious portray in A.G. Howard debut Splintered. Wonderland has never seemed so evil. Howard has taken a magical concept and put her spin on the prettiness of the Wonderland world, making even the white rabbit seem grotesque and troublesome. There was much to be admired in Splintered but in the same instance there was something I didn't fully connect to and I think the romance may have been the culprit.
Splintered is the story of a young girl, Alyssa Gardner, who, like all the females in her family is 'cursed', with the ability to talk to insects and plants. Alyssa, the great-great-great-granddaughter to Alice Liddel, whom Lewis Carrol base his great telling on, fears that the curse that placed her mother in a mental institution will soon be her own fate. Her family and the curse have a connection to the story of Alice and Wonderland and as Alyssa delves further into her family curse she realizes that she must go down the rabbit hole to save her mother and to learn the truth about her family and their origins.
Howard, without a doubt, captured the raw essence of Wonderland. Even though it's a much darker version, it still holds the spirit of the childhood tale. The characters, the dialogue, even the actions while in Wonderland feel original and new and yet we've actual heard some of it before. Every character has their own way of speaking, their own personality, and it's so easy to be immersed within the elegantly described world.
Alyssa is a bit of a tom-boy and likes to skateboard. She is creative, artsy and imaginative, and you can tell this right away with the opening chapters. Howard lays a lot of groundwork to help the reader understand and sympathize with Alyssa and her motivations. And it is this reason why the reader can connect so immensely with her. Her childhood friend, named Jeb, is her constant companion and crush. She believe that he only cares for her in what she thinks is in a "brotherly" way, but we all know that'll get squashed eventually. Jeb's protectiveness of Alyssa is downright overbearing, and her other love interest, Morpheus, uses the fact to his advantage and to gain favor with Alyssa. Morpheus is handsome, charming and suspicious. Jeb hates him instantly while Alyssa is swarmed with memories, realizing that this man has been with her through her entire childhood teaching her things about Wonderland, which explains why she has felt so comfortable in that strange world. However, Jeb seemed to morph to fit Alyssa's needs, and they'd often converse about their feelings during the action. So in essence, we'd have brief romantic-drama interludes that just felt wrong and unnecessary. I’m always up for a good love-triangle but I do not need a pause to get that there is a romance between characters. The book had a slow lagging pace, but it really does picked up when Morpheus entered. His character was new, refreshing, entertaining and also the catalyst for many exciting turns. But by the end, I was left wanting a little more out of his relationship with Alyssa.
The plot was intricately woven and incredibly hard to guess. I was shocked by each revelation and each new twist, especially since I've heard the tale of Alice all before. But Alyssa takes a journey that while sometimes replicates her ancestry, it's an entirely new adventure that's full of changes to the original text.
Overall, I applaud Howard for capturing the spirit of Wonderland and putting her dark spin on the magical world, but the romance (love triangle-ness) really obstructed my connection to Alyssa who spent most of the time worrying about boys instead of her own sanity and her mother's. I look forward to reading Unhinged, the sequel to this incredible debut.
Splintered is the story of a young girl, Alyssa Gardner, who, like all the females in her family is 'cursed', with the ability to talk to insects and plants. Alyssa, the great-great-great-granddaughter to Alice Liddel, whom Lewis Carrol base his great telling on, fears that the curse that placed her mother in a mental institution will soon be her own fate. Her family and the curse have a connection to the story of Alice and Wonderland and as Alyssa delves further into her family curse she realizes that she must go down the rabbit hole to save her mother and to learn the truth about her family and their origins.
Howard, without a doubt, captured the raw essence of Wonderland. Even though it's a much darker version, it still holds the spirit of the childhood tale. The characters, the dialogue, even the actions while in Wonderland feel original and new and yet we've actual heard some of it before. Every character has their own way of speaking, their own personality, and it's so easy to be immersed within the elegantly described world.
Alyssa is a bit of a tom-boy and likes to skateboard. She is creative, artsy and imaginative, and you can tell this right away with the opening chapters. Howard lays a lot of groundwork to help the reader understand and sympathize with Alyssa and her motivations. And it is this reason why the reader can connect so immensely with her. Her childhood friend, named Jeb, is her constant companion and crush. She believe that he only cares for her in what she thinks is in a "brotherly" way, but we all know that'll get squashed eventually. Jeb's protectiveness of Alyssa is downright overbearing, and her other love interest, Morpheus, uses the fact to his advantage and to gain favor with Alyssa. Morpheus is handsome, charming and suspicious. Jeb hates him instantly while Alyssa is swarmed with memories, realizing that this man has been with her through her entire childhood teaching her things about Wonderland, which explains why she has felt so comfortable in that strange world. However, Jeb seemed to morph to fit Alyssa's needs, and they'd often converse about their feelings during the action. So in essence, we'd have brief romantic-drama interludes that just felt wrong and unnecessary. I’m always up for a good love-triangle but I do not need a pause to get that there is a romance between characters. The book had a slow lagging pace, but it really does picked up when Morpheus entered. His character was new, refreshing, entertaining and also the catalyst for many exciting turns. But by the end, I was left wanting a little more out of his relationship with Alyssa.
The plot was intricately woven and incredibly hard to guess. I was shocked by each revelation and each new twist, especially since I've heard the tale of Alice all before. But Alyssa takes a journey that while sometimes replicates her ancestry, it's an entirely new adventure that's full of changes to the original text.
Overall, I applaud Howard for capturing the spirit of Wonderland and putting her dark spin on the magical world, but the romance (love triangle-ness) really obstructed my connection to Alyssa who spent most of the time worrying about boys instead of her own sanity and her mother's. I look forward to reading Unhinged, the sequel to this incredible debut.
maddie_orart's review against another edition
3.0
Review also posted on Of Reading and Random Things
Splintered takes us back to Wonderland many years after Alice left, and it’s not as fun and happy as we thought it would be (I’m imagining the Disney version in my head). To break her family curse, Alyssa Gardner has to go to Wonderland and fix the mess Alice left behind. I really like the concept of the story and I think it’s more like a sequel to the original Alice in Wonderland rather than a retelling.
A.G. Howard has created a beautiful Wonderland. It’s dark, mysterious, and I thought it’s creepy. The writing is very descriptive and I could easily imagine the world she created. Wonderland’s residents in this book are so different from Lewis Carroll’s version (again, I’m thinking of the Disney movie). They are darker, more mysterious and grotesque (?). For example,the White Rabbit Rabid White:
I thought that all the Wonderlanders (is that a word?) are done beautifully, each has their own unique traits and I really enjoyed reading about them.
The main plot of the story was also really fun to read. Following Alyssa on her journey through Wonderland to complete a series of tasks/tests was great. I like how A.G. Howard used the story Alice in Wonderland as the foundation of Splintered instead of creating her own thing. I really like the plot twist about what really happened to Alice which I won’t mention here because spoiler. I do think the ending was a bit rushed. There’s a scene with Morpheus and the Bandersnatch that happened so fast I had to re-read to make sure I got it right.
I couldn’t really relate to Alyssa, though. I guess she’s okay, but I really don’t like how she has to think/talk about or mention Jeb in every other sentence. I mean, I get it. You looove Jeb. Enough already. She’s constantly wondering if Jeb loves her back, or if it’s just a ruse to get them home and it’s really annoying because there are bigger, more important things going on. I like Alyssa so much better when Jeb wasn’t around. Jeb’s girlfriend Taelor was so mean to her for no reason and she didn’t really defend herself or anything until the end of the book after they came back from Wonderland. I guess it’s supposed to show that she’s a stronger character after facing everything that happened in Wonderland, and she actually said it too, something like “I’m stronger now, not like I was before I fell down the rabbit hole”, but I don’t really see it. I feel like she’s still the same as she was at the beginning. Maybe it’s just me, but I think that the whole reason Taelor exists in this story and being mean to Alyssa is so this ‘defending herself’ scene could happen. Oh, and also to create drama between Alyssa and Jeb, because every time something happens, Taelor’s name comes up.
It’s not that I don’t like Alyssa at all, I actually like her most of the time, when she’s doing cool magical netherling things and not thinking about Jeb. I have a lot of issues with Jeb, as you can probably deduct from all of the above. I don’t know why he’s a love interest. I rolled my eyes so many times while reading and it was all because of Jeb. I don’t and probably never will understand the whole “I’m dating her so I can stop thinking about you” thing. I mean, fine, if you want to date someone else, but why does it have to be the one person who is so mean to your best friend? And he actually tells Alyssa to ‘be nice’ to Taelor because ‘Taelor is dealing with a lot of things’. What. Is. That. Okay, I’ll stop now. I think I’ve made it obvious that I don’t like Jeb so I’ll stop :).
There’s a love triangle in this book but it’s not really much of a triangle because the whole time I knew who she was going to end up with. But I just have to say that Morpheus is the best thing in the entire book. He’s like the puppet master that orchestrates everything and it’s so much fun to read. It’s like when I’m watching Once Upon a Time and every time something happens you just know it’s Rumpelstiltskin’s fault. Morpheus is mysterious, manipulative and he’s willing to do almost anything for his own gain. He’s like the Warner of Splintered and I love it. Of course there were times when I was reading that I thought ‘hmmm, this guy is actually awful’, but I still love Morpheus anyway. He loves Alyssa and he believes in her (like Warner and Juliette :) ) and he lets her make her own decisions (unlike Jeb).
Overall, I think this book is pretty good, it has a good storyline and good writing. I do like all the characters except Jeb, and I love the Wonderland that A.G. Howard has created. While I don’t LOVE this book or think that it’s the most amazing book ever, I do like it enough that I will continue reading the sequels. This book may not be for everyone but it could be your next favorite book.
Splintered takes us back to Wonderland many years after Alice left, and it’s not as fun and happy as we thought it would be (I’m imagining the Disney version in my head). To break her family curse, Alyssa Gardner has to go to Wonderland and fix the mess Alice left behind. I really like the concept of the story and I think it’s more like a sequel to the original Alice in Wonderland rather than a retelling.
A.G. Howard has created a beautiful Wonderland. It’s dark, mysterious, and I thought it’s creepy. The writing is very descriptive and I could easily imagine the world she created. Wonderland’s residents in this book are so different from Lewis Carroll’s version (again, I’m thinking of the Disney movie). They are darker, more mysterious and grotesque (?). For example,
“It’s not the White Rabbit or any kind of rabbit at all. It’s a tiny, dwarfish creature the size of a bunny. The legs, arms, and body are humanoid but fleshless –a bleached out skeleton.
The exception to the skeletal appearance is his bald head and his face of an old man, covered with flesh as pale as an albino’s.
Long white antlers sprout from behind each of his small human ears.”
Page 101
I thought that all the Wonderlanders (is that a word?) are done beautifully, each has their own unique traits and I really enjoyed reading about them.
The main plot of the story was also really fun to read. Following Alyssa on her journey through Wonderland to complete a series of tasks/tests was great. I like how A.G. Howard used the story Alice in Wonderland as the foundation of Splintered instead of creating her own thing. I really like the plot twist about what really happened to Alice which I won’t mention here because spoiler. I do think the ending was a bit rushed. There’s a scene with Morpheus and the Bandersnatch that happened so fast I had to re-read to make sure I got it right.
I couldn’t really relate to Alyssa, though. I guess she’s okay, but I really don’t like how she has to think/talk about or mention Jeb in every other sentence. I mean, I get it. You looove Jeb. Enough already. She’s constantly wondering if Jeb loves her back, or if it’s just a ruse to get them home and it’s really annoying because there are bigger, more important things going on. I like Alyssa so much better when Jeb wasn’t around. Jeb’s girlfriend Taelor was so mean to her for no reason and she didn’t really defend herself or anything until the end of the book after they came back from Wonderland. I guess it’s supposed to show that she’s a stronger character after facing everything that happened in Wonderland, and she actually said it too, something like “I’m stronger now, not like I was before I fell down the rabbit hole”, but I don’t really see it. I feel like she’s still the same as she was at the beginning. Maybe it’s just me, but I think that the whole reason Taelor exists in this story and being mean to Alyssa is so this ‘defending herself’ scene could happen. Oh, and also to create drama between Alyssa and Jeb, because every time something happens, Taelor’s name comes up.
It’s not that I don’t like Alyssa at all, I actually like her most of the time, when she’s doing cool magical netherling things and not thinking about Jeb. I have a lot of issues with Jeb, as you can probably deduct from all of the above. I don’t know why he’s a love interest. I rolled my eyes so many times while reading and it was all because of Jeb. I don’t and probably never will understand the whole “I’m dating her so I can stop thinking about you” thing. I mean, fine, if you want to date someone else, but why does it have to be the one person who is so mean to your best friend? And he actually tells Alyssa to ‘be nice’ to Taelor because ‘Taelor is dealing with a lot of things’. What. Is. That. Okay, I’ll stop now. I think I’ve made it obvious that I don’t like Jeb so I’ll stop :).
There’s a love triangle in this book but it’s not really much of a triangle because the whole time I knew who she was going to end up with. But I just have to say that Morpheus is the best thing in the entire book. He’s like the puppet master that orchestrates everything and it’s so much fun to read. It’s like when I’m watching Once Upon a Time and every time something happens you just know it’s Rumpelstiltskin’s fault. Morpheus is mysterious, manipulative and he’s willing to do almost anything for his own gain. He’s like the Warner of Splintered and I love it. Of course there were times when I was reading that I thought ‘hmmm, this guy is actually awful’, but I still love Morpheus anyway. He loves Alyssa and he believes in her (like Warner and Juliette :) ) and he lets her make her own decisions (unlike Jeb).
Overall, I think this book is pretty good, it has a good storyline and good writing. I do like all the characters except Jeb, and I love the Wonderland that A.G. Howard has created. While I don’t LOVE this book or think that it’s the most amazing book ever, I do like it enough that I will continue reading the sequels. This book may not be for everyone but it could be your next favorite book.
“Tearing down the rest of the world won’t make you happy. Look inside yourself. Because finding who you were meant to be? What you were put into this world to do? That’s what fills the emptiness. It’s the only things that can.”
adelle_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
To teda byla jízda. Překvapilo mě to, takovým tím zvláštním způsobem, a jsem spokojená. Jen ten konec se mi nelíbil, už to je ohraný...
A sakra se nemůžu rozhodnout mezi Zachem a Morfeem :D
A sakra se nemůžu rozhodnout mezi Zachem a Morfeem :D
themoonsbacchanal's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
4.0
Prepare for a really specific rating: 3.75 stars. Which is pretty much a 4-star rating. But I had to take away that fourth of a star. I did really like this, but still had a few problems with it.
On the other hand, looking back at it, Splintered definitely has something that most books don't. I can't put my finger on what that is, but it's rare for sure.
Minor spoilers ahead.
This was a great retelling - it never went too far astray from Lewis Carroll's original story (which I am not too familiar with, but I know the basic premise of it), but just enough to make it feel new and exciting.
I loved the mix between the real and surreal.
To solve the real life problems, the main character must dive into the surreal, unknown world that started the curse that’s poisoned all the females in her family with insanity for decades.
One thing I didn't like about the world was that I had a very hard time picturing it in my head. There were so many new and twisted creatures, I lost count of them. I felt that some didn't add a lot to the story. They just made me more confused.
There's always a lot going on in the book. I really liked about half of all the things Alyssa and Jeb encountered on their adventure. The rest, not so much.
As for the love triangle.. eh. I only like those in very rare cases. They tend to steer the focus off of the plot, and this one sometimes did.
I did like how it took the classic part of love triangles (you know, when someone has to choose between the 'good' and the 'bad' guy), a step further.
At home there’s Jeb; Alyssa’s childhood friend who she has always had feelings for. Feelings she has been afraid to show.
Lately they’ve been drifting apart. There's also an unlikable girlfriend in the picture. When Alyssa accidentally brings him with her into Wonderland, they have to fight together and clean up the mess that has been made.
As much as I liked Jeb in the beginning, I started to hate him throughout the book. He seemed fake and it looked like he just wanted to save himself.
When sparks started flying between him and the main character, it appeared as if it was out of despair - he thought they'd never make it home so he might as well passionately make out with her. *sigh*
In Wonderland there’s Morpheus, who is more familiar to Alyssa than she first thinks.
He also happens to be my favorite character, and the only one who left a lasting impression on me. But oh dear, it was a big one at that.
He's mysterious, complex and added so much to the story. I wouldn't say that he's the bad guy, because he isn't. Morpheus is a multilayered character whose agenda remains a mystery for most of the book.
He's a bit of an enigma. The kind of enigma you want to know more about... or kiss.
If you didn't already know: Yes, I am on somebody's side. Morpheus all the way. Without a doubt.
Jeb is the safety, the friendly face at home. Morpheus is the guide to a whole new world. *dramatic voice* Who will she choose?
Just kidding, this isn't an Amazon synopsis.
I definitely think people who love fairy tale retellings will enjoy this to a great extent.
There's action, romance and though some things were very predictable, the clever plot twists near the end made up for it.
This could definitely work as a standalone, but I'm glad that it'll be a trilogy. Can't wait to see what's gonna go down in the next two books.
On the other hand, looking back at it, Splintered definitely has something that most books don't. I can't put my finger on what that is, but it's rare for sure.
Minor spoilers ahead.
This was a great retelling - it never went too far astray from Lewis Carroll's original story (which I am not too familiar with, but I know the basic premise of it), but just enough to make it feel new and exciting.
I loved the mix between the real and surreal.
To solve the real life problems, the main character must dive into the surreal, unknown world that started the curse that’s poisoned all the females in her family with insanity for decades.
One thing I didn't like about the world was that I had a very hard time picturing it in my head. There were so many new and twisted creatures, I lost count of them. I felt that some didn't add a lot to the story. They just made me more confused.
There's always a lot going on in the book. I really liked about half of all the things Alyssa and Jeb encountered on their adventure. The rest, not so much.
As for the love triangle.. eh. I only like those in very rare cases. They tend to steer the focus off of the plot, and this one sometimes did.
I did like how it took the classic part of love triangles (you know, when someone has to choose between the 'good' and the 'bad' guy), a step further.
At home there’s Jeb; Alyssa’s childhood friend who she has always had feelings for. Feelings she has been afraid to show.
Lately they’ve been drifting apart. There's also an unlikable girlfriend in the picture. When Alyssa accidentally brings him with her into Wonderland, they have to fight together and clean up the mess that has been made.
As much as I liked Jeb in the beginning, I started to hate him throughout the book. He seemed fake and it looked like he just wanted to save himself.
When sparks started flying between him and the main character, it appeared as if it was out of despair - he thought they'd never make it home so he might as well passionately make out with her. *sigh*
In Wonderland there’s Morpheus, who is more familiar to Alyssa than she first thinks.
He also happens to be my favorite character, and the only one who left a lasting impression on me. But oh dear, it was a big one at that.
He's mysterious, complex and added so much to the story. I wouldn't say that he's the bad guy, because he isn't. Morpheus is a multilayered character whose agenda remains a mystery for most of the book.
He's a bit of an enigma. The kind of enigma you want to know more about... or kiss.
If you didn't already know: Yes, I am on somebody's side. Morpheus all the way. Without a doubt.
Jeb is the safety, the friendly face at home. Morpheus is the guide to a whole new world. *dramatic voice* Who will she choose?
Just kidding, this isn't an Amazon synopsis.
I definitely think people who love fairy tale retellings will enjoy this to a great extent.
There's action, romance and though some things were very predictable, the clever plot twists near the end made up for it.
This could definitely work as a standalone, but I'm glad that it'll be a trilogy. Can't wait to see what's gonna go down in the next two books.
ignited_redqueen75's review against another edition
4.0
It was a bit of a slow start for me, the story seemed to kind of drag at first and some of it was a bit confusing where i had to reread but all in all I am glad I stuck with it the confusion was explained and the twist was one I didn't expect and loved.
harleyrae's review against another edition
I did not enjoy this book at all. I felt the character build up was weak. The romance to be weird. And everything just felt forced, like this is what I have to do no questions asked. I did not like how once Alyssa got into Wonderland it was like everything came rushing back. That once she step through that rabbit hole, everything changed. That once through everything she thought she knew was gone. I'm not gonna lie I did enjoy the twisted aspect of taking a classic children fairy-tale and adding a creepy spin to it. I thought it was very creative, but that was it. I wasn't a fan of any of the characters, they all bored me to sleep. I hated the romance. It felt as if now that were both in Wonderland we each instantly fall in love, but no one wants to make the first move. I felt there was no lead into it, it was literally just BAM your perfect for me and I you. I also didn't like how it took forever for one to learn background information. Yes i know you wear gloves but why? 50 pages later, Oh okay so that why, so glad you waited till now to tell me.
All in all I was not impressed with this book at all, maybe one day I'll try it again, most likely not.
All in all I was not impressed with this book at all, maybe one day I'll try it again, most likely not.
brooklynnemw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
4.0