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kajoreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
–The premise and the setting were interesting.
–I enjoyed a lot of the commentary around transness.
–the Alice in Wonderland retelling aspect was fun.
The bad:
–There were some weird jokes and descriptions that came across like microaggressions.
–The mental illness rep was questionable.
–I wish the MC’s internalized misogyny was addressed better.
–Overall, the book simply didn’t live up to my expectations. The synopsis had me hoping for an investigative mystery. This wasn’t that.
–The resolution was underwhelming.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Abandonment, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Transphobia, Alcohol, and Death
Minor: Racism, Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Biphobia, Ableism, Violence, and Blood
stellabombella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Outing, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
lana88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
thebookishnerd_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, and Sexual content
Moderate: Deadnaming, Suicide, Classism, and Alcohol
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Transphobia, and Abandonment
wonderlandellie's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Outing, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Self harm, Deadnaming, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Outing, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Death, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming, Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Transphobia
kasvispupu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Violence
bunnibelle87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Self harm
thepretentiouspoet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There is no way to prepare yourself for this book - it comes right at you. Alice was an immediately likeable protagonist; she's smart and morally sound, but just unstable enough that you have to keep your wits about you as she enters the bacchanel-like party of Wonderland in search of her one-night-stand who goes missing the next day. Her inner monologue is incredibly engaging, and there are so many incredibly wise and introspective one-liners or passing comments about gender presentation and femininity that shook me.
Then there are the discussions of privilege and social class that occur throughout the plot. Alice is a trans woman who goes to a very elite private school that is dominated by the upper classes. All those Gatsby-esque conversations about Old Money and New Money come into play as she navigates the party, and she begins to see just how deeply class loyalty and wealth run. The people she is rubbing elbows with are all deeply, deeply flawed, and most of that is as a result of their privilege. From the tortured genius stoner that replaces the Caterpillar to the YouTube star twins with no boundaries and even fewer morals to Paisley Hart herself, it is clear that you don't actually want to be a part of their cult-like class. How can a book manage to grip you on all levels?
I will say though, that I would not recommend this book to everyone. Just as Alice In Wonderland is bizarre and messy at points, this book is all of those things tenfold. Check those trigger warnings carefully, as there is a lot of messed-up stuff that happens and is discussed in this book, and it was almost too much for me at times. I will also add, although it isn't a registered content warning, that Alice experiences hallucinations at various points in the book - some are as a result of her excessive drug use, and others are as a result of her not taking the anti-psychotic medication that is prescribed to her.
However, if you can stomach the content warnings, I cannot recommend this enough. I read this book over a month ago and I can't stop thinking about it.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, and Vomit
Moderate: Incest, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Violence