Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
I'm a huge Alice in Wonderland fan and this was a fun story to share with my 8 year old opening her eyes to the amazing world of Wonderland. I can't wait to read more from J. Scott Savage and see if we get more about Wonderland
What a great book for young kids.
A nice twist on the original series.
Thank you net galley for the e copy arc to review.
Full review on my blog at a later date.
A nice twist on the original series.
Thank you net galley for the e copy arc to review.
Full review on my blog at a later date.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"What if Alice's Adventures in Wonderland wasn't something Lewis Carroll made up, but a history of what he saw when he actually came here?"
I will basically pick up anything related to ALICE IN WONDERLAND; fortunately there are a lot of modern retellings and expansions out there on the world created by Lewis Carroll.
This middle grade novel introduces us to Celia, a descendent of Carroll (you might also notice an interesting anagram of her name!), and her new friend Tyrus. The friends bond instantly over their individual quirks that have generally made them outcasts to their peers, and when they stumble upon the long-missing diaries of Mr. Carroll himself, choosing an adventure that takes them to actual Wonderland isn't much of a choice at all!
Author J. Scott Savage perfectly reimagines the fantastical and often nonsensical world of Wonderland with a seamlessness even Carroll would likely appreciate. Tyrus and Celia learn that their individual strengths work best in tandem: sometimes it just takes a grand adventure to find one's confidence.
I will basically pick up anything related to ALICE IN WONDERLAND; fortunately there are a lot of modern retellings and expansions out there on the world created by Lewis Carroll.
This middle grade novel introduces us to Celia, a descendent of Carroll (you might also notice an interesting anagram of her name!), and her new friend Tyrus. The friends bond instantly over their individual quirks that have generally made them outcasts to their peers, and when they stumble upon the long-missing diaries of Mr. Carroll himself, choosing an adventure that takes them to actual Wonderland isn't much of a choice at all!
Author J. Scott Savage perfectly reimagines the fantastical and often nonsensical world of Wonderland with a seamlessness even Carroll would likely appreciate. Tyrus and Celia learn that their individual strengths work best in tandem: sometimes it just takes a grand adventure to find one's confidence.
Only for true Alice fans - anyone else will find the games, riddles and only skewed mentions of the "real" characters a little much. Even I, who love rewrites and new looks at old stories, found this tough going.
eARC provided by publisher.
eARC provided by publisher.
Very fun tribute to Alice in Wonderland in which two kids go back to Wonderland where they find it in not so great condition and have to save it!
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, this book is gorgeous. Great cover art, cool illustrations, and I loved all of the creative variations in typography. It really added to the feel of the story.
I am a huge fan of books that use codes and riddles and found this a great setting for them. It was cool to read a Wonderland retelling that recognized Lewis Carroll as more than just someone who wrote some children's books. Great way to incorporate math and codes. I loved the combination of logic and magic throughout the story.
There was a lot going on in this book. It deals with so many things, from bullies and being yourself to the importance of a balance of logic and imagination. I also felt that Celia's dyslexia was fairly well-portrayed. It's nice to see more books with characters with dyslexia and showing the various ways they see the world and deal with difficulties. It also helped correct some misconceptions and overgeneralizations about people with dyslexia.
However, at times the book felt very slow. The action keeps going but sometimes the narration got caught up in itself, overly describing things and slowing down the pace in a way that didn't motivate me to want to keep reading. For anyone even vaguely familiar with Wonderland, it was pretty easy to follow the settings and sights. The book really didn't need as much description as it included. This is a pretty hefty book and I think it may have flowed better with more concise narration.
The two main twists were very obvious based on all the buildup. This in itself isn't bad, but it was a little frustrating that the reader could easily pick up on something that took so long for the characters to figure out. It really slowed down the pace for me while reading.
I was also slightly confused by the narration change. The first chapter is told in third-person. Then chapters 2-7 are told from Celia's point of view. The rest of the book switches back to third-person until the final epilogue chapters, which are once again told by Celia. It was a bit odd that these changes weren't labeled or pointed out in some way and it really pulled me out of the story, especially with the final shift after reading the third-person narration for so long.
Overall, a fun new take on the Wonderland series. I loved the inspiration of the missing diaries and the incorporation of logic puzzles with various twists. Some cool twerks on the original story and an interesting setup for a possible second book.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book, though it did take me nearly a month to finish because of the slow pace. The new spin was creative an interesting, with some cool sci-fi elements thrown in to the mix.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, this book is gorgeous. Great cover art, cool illustrations, and I loved all of the creative variations in typography. It really added to the feel of the story.
I am a huge fan of books that use codes and riddles and found this a great setting for them. It was cool to read a Wonderland retelling that recognized Lewis Carroll as more than just someone who wrote some children's books. Great way to incorporate math and codes. I loved the combination of logic and magic throughout the story.
There was a lot going on in this book. It deals with so many things, from bullies and being yourself to the importance of a balance of logic and imagination. I also felt that Celia's dyslexia was fairly well-portrayed. It's nice to see more books with characters with dyslexia and showing the various ways they see the world and deal with difficulties. It also helped correct some misconceptions and overgeneralizations about people with dyslexia.
However, at times the book felt very slow. The action keeps going but sometimes the narration got caught up in itself, overly describing things and slowing down the pace in a way that didn't motivate me to want to keep reading. For anyone even vaguely familiar with Wonderland, it was pretty easy to follow the settings and sights. The book really didn't need as much description as it included. This is a pretty hefty book and I think it may have flowed better with more concise narration.
The two main twists were very obvious based on all the buildup. This in itself isn't bad, but it was a little frustrating that the reader could easily pick up on something that took so long for the characters to figure out. It really slowed down the pace for me while reading.
I was also slightly confused by the narration change. The first chapter is told in third-person. Then chapters 2-7 are told from Celia's point of view. The rest of the book switches back to third-person until the final epilogue chapters, which are once again told by Celia. It was a bit odd that these changes weren't labeled or pointed out in some way and it really pulled me out of the story, especially with the final shift after reading the third-person narration for so long.
Overall, a fun new take on the Wonderland series. I loved the inspiration of the missing diaries and the incorporation of logic puzzles with various twists. Some cool twerks on the original story and an interesting setup for a possible second book.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book, though it did take me nearly a month to finish because of the slow pace. The new spin was creative an interesting, with some cool sci-fi elements thrown in to the mix.
A whimsical fantasy adventure of two unlikely friends who fall into a Wonderland that's plagued by a darkness that seeks to open the door to earth. While Celia loves math and logic, Tyrus loves books and fantasies. Can their new friendship survive such opposing viewpoints? If they hope to find their way back home, they'll have to work together despite such stark differences.
I loved the characters and their very heartfelt fears about going to a new school. They each have been bullied because of their differences. In Wonderland, they'll come face to face with these fears while also meeting the most odd, misfit people that populate this world. It will challenge them in earnest. Their struggles are easily felt even as an adult who's gone through the terror of a new school in a new town and the fear of being different.
Savage does a great job creating a Wonderland-esque journey that strongly harkens to the original work while also making it fresh. I've seen the Disney movie and never really liked it. Too much nonsense. But I've found its the remakes I really enjoy as they find that perfect balance of nonsensical and meaningful. "The Looking Glass Wars?" Awesome. This book? Loved even more.
The new take on very familiar characters was refreshing, the clever wordplay was sublime, the creative solutions to problems that could only arise in a place like Wonderland were delightful, and the character growth was impactful. The characters feel age appropriate while also discovering new ways of seeing themselves. The world building is mischievously enchanting. This book would sit very comfortably on a shelf next to Chris Colfer's "Land of Stories." Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.
I loved the characters and their very heartfelt fears about going to a new school. They each have been bullied because of their differences. In Wonderland, they'll come face to face with these fears while also meeting the most odd, misfit people that populate this world. It will challenge them in earnest. Their struggles are easily felt even as an adult who's gone through the terror of a new school in a new town and the fear of being different.
Savage does a great job creating a Wonderland-esque journey that strongly harkens to the original work while also making it fresh. I've seen the Disney movie and never really liked it. Too much nonsense. But I've found its the remakes I really enjoy as they find that perfect balance of nonsensical and meaningful. "The Looking Glass Wars?" Awesome. This book? Loved even more.
The new take on very familiar characters was refreshing, the clever wordplay was sublime, the creative solutions to problems that could only arise in a place like Wonderland were delightful, and the character growth was impactful. The characters feel age appropriate while also discovering new ways of seeing themselves. The world building is mischievously enchanting. This book would sit very comfortably on a shelf next to Chris Colfer's "Land of Stories." Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced