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Reviews tagging 'Violence'
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
3 reviews
angelo_vossen's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Lewis Carroll’s „Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland“ has long been heralded as a whimsical masterpiece, but upon closer inspection, it reads more like a nonsensical fever dream than a coherent novel. The book’s biggest flaw is its utter lack of structure — Alice stumbles from one bizarre scenario to the next with no real plot to tie the events together, making the entire experience feel more like a random collection of absurd vignettes than a satisfying story.
The characters, while often quoted in popular culture, are little more than caricatures with no depth. The Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts exist solely to spout riddles or display exaggerated quirks, but there’s no real emotional investment in any of them. Even Alice herself is frustratingly passive, serving as little more than a vehicle for Carroll’s surrealism rather than a character with actual development.
Carroll’s wordplay and logic puzzles, often praised as ingenious, quickly become tiresome. What may have once been seen as clever now feels self-indulgent, as though the author were more interested in showing off his linguistic gymnastics than telling a compelling story. The dialogue is riddled with non sequiturs that serve no purpose beyond confusing the reader, making it clear that the book’s primary goal is whimsy for whimsy’s sake—at the expense of readability.
Furthermore, the novel’s dreamlike nature ultimately undermines any potential stakes. Nothing Alice does truly matters, as everything is conveniently erased by the “it was all a dream” ending, making the entire journey feel pointless. There’s no real lesson, no moral takeaway—just a chaotic, directionless string of events that frustrates more than it delights.
While „Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland“ may have historical significance, it’s hard to ignore that it relies far too heavily on nonsense, leaving little room for narrative satisfaction. More of an exercise in eccentricity than a compelling read, it’s a book that may charm some with its whimsy but will leave many others wondering why they bothered at all.
The characters, while often quoted in popular culture, are little more than caricatures with no depth. The Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts exist solely to spout riddles or display exaggerated quirks, but there’s no real emotional investment in any of them. Even Alice herself is frustratingly passive, serving as little more than a vehicle for Carroll’s surrealism rather than a character with actual development.
Carroll’s wordplay and logic puzzles, often praised as ingenious, quickly become tiresome. What may have once been seen as clever now feels self-indulgent, as though the author were more interested in showing off his linguistic gymnastics than telling a compelling story. The dialogue is riddled with non sequiturs that serve no purpose beyond confusing the reader, making it clear that the book’s primary goal is whimsy for whimsy’s sake—at the expense of readability.
Furthermore, the novel’s dreamlike nature ultimately undermines any potential stakes. Nothing Alice does truly matters, as everything is conveniently erased by the “it was all a dream” ending, making the entire journey feel pointless. There’s no real lesson, no moral takeaway—just a chaotic, directionless string of events that frustrates more than it delights.
While „Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland“ may have historical significance, it’s hard to ignore that it relies far too heavily on nonsense, leaving little room for narrative satisfaction. More of an exercise in eccentricity than a compelling read, it’s a book that may charm some with its whimsy but will leave many others wondering why they bothered at all.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Violence, and Abandonment
phvntomstvrs's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Violence and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty and Body horror
jmdressel's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
odd and interesting and classic. so glad i read it. was difficult to follow in some sections, but a very fun and engaging text!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Mental illness, and Violence
Minor: Slavery