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tigerlinus 's review for:
Queen of Hearts
by Colleen Oakes
A bit slow at first, then picks up around chapter 8 when Dinah and Wardley sneak into the towers. I can see why some have described Dinah as whiny and a brat, but in all fairness the character of Dinah is that of a teenager, the princess of Wonderland, sister to a mentally ill brother, and daughter to the king - a man who abhors her, has since she was an infant, and wastes no time humiliating and challenging her in public as well as in front of the royal attendants. There are crises that Dinah endures before the end of the novel, challenges that would make adult characters struggle, so I would have been surprised to find Dinah didn't emote given those challenges. Yes, she does bite her lip a lot (we get it) and, yes, she is besotted with Wardley so readers will get all the YA adjectives tied to that infatuation - but not a surprise. In addition, the reader gets, if not yet growth of character, at least a character that is beginning to question, to desire change. I expect we will experience Dinah's metamorphosis in the final two books of this series.
I am unsure why there are criticisms of the riddles found in this story, as riddles are used throughout Alice in Wonderland. The riddles in this retelling, as told from the foundation of the Queen of Hearts, seems consistent with the wordplay one gets within Alice.
I was thrilled that this first of three novels does address the world of Wonderland and the Queen. The reader experiences more of the political aspects of Wonderland, the founding of Wonderland, and a tale that is darker, more violent and uncomfortable in its telling, at least in the second half of Queen of Hearts; it is an interesting lens.
Pleasantly surprised overall. I like this world that Oakes has created, and will continue the series.
I am unsure why there are criticisms of the riddles found in this story, as riddles are used throughout Alice in Wonderland. The riddles in this retelling, as told from the foundation of the Queen of Hearts, seems consistent with the wordplay one gets within Alice.
I was thrilled that this first of three novels does address the world of Wonderland and the Queen. The reader experiences more of the political aspects of Wonderland, the founding of Wonderland, and a tale that is darker, more violent and uncomfortable in its telling, at least in the second half of Queen of Hearts; it is an interesting lens.
Pleasantly surprised overall. I like this world that Oakes has created, and will continue the series.