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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
This book is an amazingly creative adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. There have been many horror interpretations of Carroll's text, and this one is by far the darkest.
I liked the fact many of the iconic characters of 'Alice' were turned into crime bosses, who served as the central villains in the text. That was a really unique take on the characters, and it was refreshing to not see the queen of hearts as the central villain.
Alice's self discovery is another strong element. I loved her development as a character, and the fact she became more confident and sure of herself the more time went on.
If you read this book, be sure to be mindful of triggers. TW: rape, murder, dismemberment, gore, cannibalism.
I liked the fact many of the iconic characters of 'Alice' were turned into crime bosses, who served as the central villains in the text. That was a really unique take on the characters, and it was refreshing to not see the queen of hearts as the central villain.
Alice's self discovery is another strong element. I loved her development as a character, and the fact she became more confident and sure of herself the more time went on.
If you read this book, be sure to be mindful of triggers. TW: rape, murder, dismemberment, gore, cannibalism.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this trilogy. Gulped it up. The characters are so diverse and I never was able to guess what would happen next. Intriguing and really well written!
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A genuine contender for the single worst book I have ever read
I'm conflicted about this book - it's an alternative retelling of Alice in Wonderland in a world that is industrial. There's no reference to what 'universe' or time period it is. The premise is that Alice is someone who was kidnapped by the Rabbit, a shadowy creature, a long time ago and is currently in an institution, locked away. She shares a wall with the Hatcher, a brooding man with moods and who seems prone to violence. The Jabberwocky arrives, they break free and then they go on a mission to find the Rabbit, as well as the Jabberwocky. It's high on violence and rape themes, so trigger warning needed for anyone affected by this. What frustrated me is that there's no real character development except for Alice suddenly releasing her fear. It's gory, and as I say, the abuse factor is high throughout the book. And once their quest starts, it almost seems too simple for Hatcher and Alice - everything happens just as they need it to, it seems as though all obstacles just collapse with no real effort. I left the story feeling a little frustrated and not really caring where they went next.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
I really wanted to love this more than I did.
A fairytale retelling set in a decaying, nightmarish Wonderland? Sign me up. And this one definitely delivers on the darkness. This book is drenched in it. There are mentions of rape, torture, murder, cannibalism, and all sorts of horrific violence. Most of it isn’t shown in detail, but it’s still incredibly heavy, and worth a strong content warning. It's brutal, grim, and unrelenting.
What really stood out to me was the audiobook performance by Jenny Sterlin. Her narration doesn’t soften the horror, it enhances it. She pulls you in with a voice that’s somehow both comforting and sinister, like a story being whispered to you in the dark. It made everything feel more vivid and unsettling.
The world of the Old City is bleak and broken, and I loved seeing all the Wonderland characters reimagined in such sinister ways. But even with the strong setup, I couldn’t help feeling let down by the ending. The entire plot builds toward this confrontation with the Jabberwocky… and when it finally happens, it’s just underwhelming. I wanted more: more blood, more magic, more weight. The journey didn’t feel like it paid off.
I also struggled with how women were portrayed throughout. Nearly every storyline hinges on their abuse or suffering, and after a while, it started to feel repetitive. There was no other way to build stakes in this world. I wish there had been more nuance and variation across the different parts of the Old City too, especially since the setting had so much potential.
Still, if you love fairytales dipped in horror, and you're not afraid of the darkest rabbit holes, this might work for you. It's the first in a series, but I’m undecided on whether I’ll continue. I’m intrigued... but not entirely sold.
I really wanted to love this more than I did.
A fairytale retelling set in a decaying, nightmarish Wonderland? Sign me up. And this one definitely delivers on the darkness. This book is drenched in it. There are mentions of rape, torture, murder, cannibalism, and all sorts of horrific violence. Most of it isn’t shown in detail, but it’s still incredibly heavy, and worth a strong content warning. It's brutal, grim, and unrelenting.
What really stood out to me was the audiobook performance by Jenny Sterlin. Her narration doesn’t soften the horror, it enhances it. She pulls you in with a voice that’s somehow both comforting and sinister, like a story being whispered to you in the dark. It made everything feel more vivid and unsettling.
The world of the Old City is bleak and broken, and I loved seeing all the Wonderland characters reimagined in such sinister ways. But even with the strong setup, I couldn’t help feeling let down by the ending. The entire plot builds toward this confrontation with the Jabberwocky… and when it finally happens, it’s just underwhelming. I wanted more: more blood, more magic, more weight. The journey didn’t feel like it paid off.
I also struggled with how women were portrayed throughout. Nearly every storyline hinges on their abuse or suffering, and after a while, it started to feel repetitive. There was no other way to build stakes in this world. I wish there had been more nuance and variation across the different parts of the Old City too, especially since the setting had so much potential.
Still, if you love fairytales dipped in horror, and you're not afraid of the darkest rabbit holes, this might work for you. It's the first in a series, but I’m undecided on whether I’ll continue. I’m intrigued... but not entirely sold.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Took me forever to get to this one, but it was well worth the wait!! 🙌
This is a dark take on Alice in Wonderland and I really enjoyed it! Listened to the audiobook while following along in the physical; the narration was really well done!! Highly recommend the book and the audio!! 👏
This is a dark take on Alice in Wonderland and I really enjoyed it! Listened to the audiobook while following along in the physical; the narration was really well done!! Highly recommend the book and the audio!! 👏