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nightwillowfox's review against another edition
4.0
I am giving it a 4.5/5 stars. Well if you like the Alice in Wonderland story and want a grown up version I would recommend this . But this is the first book on the series which is 3 books all together. But it can be a stand alone, it finished off like the story ended. But I will say don't hold the old Alice book in mind as you read this one because they are different but to m e in a good way.
uglyburrito's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
cloudwings's review against another edition
4.0
The author did a really nice job of incorporating real facts and historical events into this book. It makes the story more understandable and overall a bettes read. The romantic side-story with Alyss and Dodge adds to the drama and greatness of the book.
goobdiddy's review against another edition
4.0
I quite enjoyed this one, although I'm always up for a twist on a classic. I wouldn't recommend reading this unless you've read 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass' since the whole premise of this book is based on those two childhood classics. (I had to quickly read them after getting a couple of chapters into this book and realizing that I was missing out on too much of the assumed universe of this story).
This has a bit of the demented flavor of the American McGee's 'Alice' video game, which I had fun playing ten years ago, which is probably another reason I liked it.
Alyss was a reasonably likable heroine, Hatter Madigan was cool, and the other twisty reflections of the characters from the Carroll books were fun as well. Sigh, yet another series I'll have to follow.
This has a bit of the demented flavor of the American McGee's 'Alice' video game, which I had fun playing ten years ago, which is probably another reason I liked it.
Alyss was a reasonably likable heroine, Hatter Madigan was cool, and the other twisty reflections of the characters from the Carroll books were fun as well. Sigh, yet another series I'll have to follow.
mehsi's review against another edition
1.0
Due to various things happening, I have decided to finish this horrendous piece of poo today. Thank Lord this is over.
I was quite looking forward to this book, sadly it was not meant to be. I normally love reading Alice in Wonderland retellings but this one is one I would never recommend to anyone.
This was for various reasons. The characters, the POVs, the story, the way they just turned Lewis Carroll in a dimwit and a horrendous man, the ending. There was just too much wrong with this.
Let's start with POVs and characters. We got quite a few characters and if they would get a bit more backstory it would have been fine, but no. The only one truly getting backstory is Alice/Alyss. The rest: Bibwit, Hatter, Cat, Redd, Dodge, Döppelganger were mostly just boring characters, cut-outs from paper and I had zero interest in them.
The POVs switch every chapter, however, sometimes they also like to change in one chapter which makes it all terribly confusing. I don't mind 3 or more POVs, but keep it per chapter, or let us know when the switch is. Not just add it willy-nilly.
Alyss is my favourite character from all of it. Even she had flaws and that is why I don't like her that much, but if I had to pick out of all the characters she is at the top (and that says a lot about the story and the book).
I liked her in Wonderland and also in London. I felt sorry for her, being ripped away from her home, ripped away from her parents and people she knows to be thrown into some weird country with people who never heard about Wonderland and think she is just imagining things.
I really liked how she got stronger when she got back to Wonderland, how she didn't just sit down and cried or was confused. No, instead she went ahead with what she had to do, no matter how bad it looked for her and her friends.
Then we have the story which was utterly boring and not something I would want to read again. I really had to struggle through the 4 chapters a day (and today, through the rest of the ~20 chapters). At times it picked up and it was interesting, but a lot of times I was just rolling my eyes and being bored. Maybe if the story had only focussed on one character, and her adventures, but now it was just boring and it had characters I couldn't give a damn about.
I also didn't like the portrayal of Lewis Carroll. He is portrayed as one who is a dimwit, a bad man who just uses Alyss' stories for his own, creating something that she thought would make everything better but is instead a total trainwreck and a total lie.
Then we have the ending, which I could have expected considering this is a series of books and not a standalone. Still I am very disappointed in it and I had hoped for something better.
I wouldn't recommend this to people. Are you looking for an Alice in Wonderland retelling? Pick up something else, there are quite a few good Alice in Wonderland retellings, and this one isn't one of them.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was quite looking forward to this book, sadly it was not meant to be. I normally love reading Alice in Wonderland retellings but this one is one I would never recommend to anyone.
This was for various reasons. The characters, the POVs, the story, the way they just turned Lewis Carroll in a dimwit and a horrendous man, the ending. There was just too much wrong with this.
Let's start with POVs and characters. We got quite a few characters and if they would get a bit more backstory it would have been fine, but no. The only one truly getting backstory is Alice/Alyss. The rest: Bibwit, Hatter, Cat, Redd, Dodge, Döppelganger were mostly just boring characters, cut-outs from paper and I had zero interest in them.
The POVs switch every chapter, however, sometimes they also like to change in one chapter which makes it all terribly confusing. I don't mind 3 or more POVs, but keep it per chapter, or let us know when the switch is. Not just add it willy-nilly.
Alyss is my favourite character from all of it. Even she had flaws and that is why I don't like her that much, but if I had to pick out of all the characters she is at the top (and that says a lot about the story and the book).
I liked her in Wonderland and also in London. I felt sorry for her, being ripped away from her home, ripped away from her parents and people she knows to be thrown into some weird country with people who never heard about Wonderland and think she is just imagining things.
I really liked how she got stronger when she got back to Wonderland, how she didn't just sit down and cried or was confused. No, instead she went ahead with what she had to do, no matter how bad it looked for her and her friends.
Then we have the story which was utterly boring and not something I would want to read again. I really had to struggle through the 4 chapters a day (and today, through the rest of the ~20 chapters). At times it picked up and it was interesting, but a lot of times I was just rolling my eyes and being bored. Maybe if the story had only focussed on one character, and her adventures, but now it was just boring and it had characters I couldn't give a damn about.
I also didn't like the portrayal of Lewis Carroll. He is portrayed as one who is a dimwit, a bad man who just uses Alyss' stories for his own, creating something that she thought would make everything better but is instead a total trainwreck and a total lie.
Then we have the ending, which I could have expected considering this is a series of books and not a standalone. Still I am very disappointed in it and I had hoped for something better.
I wouldn't recommend this to people. Are you looking for an Alice in Wonderland retelling? Pick up something else, there are quite a few good Alice in Wonderland retellings, and this one isn't one of them.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
adhdemon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Gore, War, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Misogyny
rhianydd's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
harleyrae's review
4.0
I went into this book very hesitant. I had tried to read this book many many years ago and was not at all impressed. When I saw that the audio book version of this was on overdrive through my library I decided to go ahead and give this another try. I am so happy I did! It has been awhile since I was engaged and excited to listen to book. I loved the story, the narrator, and just everything about this book. I have a couple issues in the past with Alice in Wonderland retellings, but this blew all of that out of the water.
I interested in reading the second book sometime soon. I was quite pleased with how this book ended, but I'm interested in seeing how everything has change since the events of this book.
I interested in reading the second book sometime soon. I was quite pleased with how this book ended, but I'm interested in seeing how everything has change since the events of this book.
ols_dove's review against another edition
5.0
I found this book in a library as a child,
It felt to me like magic gone wild,
Reread it in a week now I'm older not new,
Still five feathers for the caterpillar that's blue.
It felt to me like magic gone wild,
Reread it in a week now I'm older not new,
Still five feathers for the caterpillar that's blue.
andiemags53's review against another edition
4.0
I really really really liked this book! I am not a big fan of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. So I was a bit skeptic of this book at first. But it definitely did not disappoint! I love spins on stories, especially when I did not like the original. There are 3 books in this series, so I will soon see how the next 2 are.