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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
It was the same story but without any whimsy. Thought it was boring
Such a fun read! The way the story of Alice in wonderland was updated and reworked to form the basis of the romance was super interesting and original. I listened to the audiobook for this one and the narration was great as well!
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A truly unique retelling of Alice! Traditional Alice Fans will love the nods to the original side characters and storylines Disney left out. Disney Alice Fans will recognize the headstrong woman from the live action movie as well as some beasties along the way. Yet none of the Alice references are a noxiously trite or annoying, it all blends seamlessly with this inventive version of wonderland and the call of Alice to it. What doesn't feel as seamless is the transition from story to spicy/erotic scene and back. The spicy scenes could very well be from a different book with how jarring the tone shift is back and forth. This blanace is done well in the beginning and then completely goes away after their first kiss.
All in all I, a die hard Alice fan, loved this retelling and how it was fiercely its own story while being respectful and inclusive of the original source material.
All in all I, a die hard Alice fan, loved this retelling and how it was fiercely its own story while being respectful and inclusive of the original source material.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Going to be honest, I had no idea where this book was going when I started it. I couldn’t figure out a time period in my head…but then I remembered it’s a fantasy novel and literally anything goes. As the plot progressed I found myself being sucked into a kind of steampunk version of Lewis Carroll…and absolutely loving it. The familiar warring between Red and White, intriguing interpretations of the Mad Hatter and March Hare, and of course a romantic twist. The backstory is terrific, there are no plot holes, and the characters are all well built and multi dimensional. I personally think some of the spice could be dialled down just a bit…the book actually doesn’t need it! There is so much intrigue, magic and action that it keeps you engaged from page 1. Finn is a sweetheart, Eliza is a feisty legend, and there are surprises a-plenty in store for everyone!
Going to be honest, I had no idea where this book was going when I started it. I couldn’t figure out a time period in my head…but then I remembered it’s a fantasy novel and literally anything goes. As the plot progressed I found myself being sucked into a kind of steampunk version of Lewis Carroll…and absolutely loving it. The familiar warring between Red and White, intriguing interpretations of the Mad Hatter and March Hare, and of course a romantic twist. The backstory is terrific, there are no plot holes, and the characters are all well built and multi dimensional. I personally think some of the spice could be dialled down just a bit…the book actually doesn’t need it! There is so much intrigue, magic and action that it keeps you engaged from page 1. Finn is a sweetheart, Eliza is a feisty legend, and there are surprises a-plenty in store for everyone!
4.5/5
Special thank you to the author for sending me an eARC of this book!
I can always trust Megan Van Dyke to make me reconsider a fairytale I did not enjoy as a child. Alice in Wonderland is one of them. If that one had gone like this book, it probably would have been a favorite.
The plot:
Take everything you know about fucked-up world of Wonderland, toss in a curse, add a sexy cinnamon roll MMC, and include a pinch of political intrigue. Shake for best results. The story follows Eliza Carroll, who is just done with it all. After the death of her grandmother, she faces the manipulations of her scheming parents. As she flees, she runs into a rabbit...Next thing she knows, she's being dragged to Wonderland and told she is the next Alice. She has to decide which kingdom is in power to avoid an all-out Wonderlandian war. But what if she doesn't want to? Is there a way to break the Alice Curse? Can she do it?
I am a sucker for a good curse plotline. I love how it works in this context. I wish it revealed itself a bit earlier, but given who is telling the story of that curse, I would expect nothing less than chaos. I think the plot moves along quickly and sweeps you into the Wonderland world for a fun ride.
Character development:
Eliza's character is not Alice. She has more of a jaded edge to her that balances the naive version of Alice I remember from my childhood. She has more of a spark to her. I love that spark grows the more she learns about Wonderland and its happenings. She's not afraid to fight when she needs to.
Finn, Finn, Finn. When I read that this book turned the white rabbit into a shapeshifter -- I was like "are you sure about this, Megan?!" I was wrong to question it. Finn is a favorite of mine. I had just come off a morally grey character binge and so reading Finn's story was a nice escape. Finn's character is raw and resilient. He's the survivor to Eliza's fighter. I think he and Eliza play nicely off each other.
I also adore Chesa, the reimagined Chesire cat. But I do not want to completely spoil her character, so just read it.
I really enough this romantic retelling of Alice in Wonderland.
-A
Special thank you to the author for sending me an eARC of this book!
I can always trust Megan Van Dyke to make me reconsider a fairytale I did not enjoy as a child. Alice in Wonderland is one of them. If that one had gone like this book, it probably would have been a favorite.
The plot:
Take everything you know about fucked-up world of Wonderland, toss in a curse, add a sexy cinnamon roll MMC, and include a pinch of political intrigue. Shake for best results. The story follows Eliza Carroll, who is just done with it all. After the death of her grandmother, she faces the manipulations of her scheming parents. As she flees, she runs into a rabbit...Next thing she knows, she's being dragged to Wonderland and told she is the next Alice. She has to decide which kingdom is in power to avoid an all-out Wonderlandian war. But what if she doesn't want to? Is there a way to break the Alice Curse? Can she do it?
I am a sucker for a good curse plotline. I love how it works in this context. I wish it revealed itself a bit earlier, but given who is telling the story of that curse, I would expect nothing less than chaos. I think the plot moves along quickly and sweeps you into the Wonderland world for a fun ride.
Character development:
Eliza's character is not Alice. She has more of a jaded edge to her that balances the naive version of Alice I remember from my childhood. She has more of a spark to her. I love that spark grows the more she learns about Wonderland and its happenings. She's not afraid to fight when she needs to.
Finn, Finn, Finn. When I read that this book turned the white rabbit into a shapeshifter -- I was like "are you sure about this, Megan?!" I was wrong to question it. Finn is a favorite of mine. I had just come off a morally grey character binge and so reading Finn's story was a nice escape. Finn's character is raw and resilient. He's the survivor to Eliza's fighter. I think he and Eliza play nicely off each other.
I also adore Chesa, the reimagined Chesire cat. But I do not want to completely spoil her character, so just read it.
I really enough this romantic retelling of Alice in Wonderland.
-A
This is such absolute bullshittery it's hilarious. I think I mow understand the definition of fast burn. By my excellent calculations , the said the 4 letter l word in 36 hours and gave a full ACOWAR level love performance, this shit is just so funny to me I can't even.
As an Alice in wonderland fanatic I loved the premise of this book. The curse element was intriguing and the characters were mad in all the best ways. The love story was cute. I felt the writing style was wonderfully imaginative, the author drew you in with her first chapter. I would recommend this book for lovers of fantasy retellings.
adventurous
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was definitely a pretty solid retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Not many of the characters or themes changed.
I did particularly like the Story with Finn (Finneas) as we got to see a different side of “the white rabbit” and a slight romance.
I also liked how most of the other characters were also personified, Cheshire Cat, Caterpillar, Mad Hatter, and Dormouse.
Other than that, I think enjoyment of this book would be enhanced with love for the original. For me, it was an okay story, but not one I would put at the top of my recommendation list. I would probably read a sequel.
I did particularly like the Story with Finn (Finneas) as we got to see a different side of “the white rabbit” and a slight romance.
I also liked how most of the other characters were also personified, Cheshire Cat, Caterpillar, Mad Hatter, and Dormouse.
Other than that, I think enjoyment of this book would be enhanced with love for the original. For me, it was an okay story, but not one I would put at the top of my recommendation list. I would probably read a sequel.