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Book Review of Alice

Alice
Alice
Author: Christina Henry
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror
Book Type: Paperback
goddessani avatar reviewed on + 268 more book reviews


This is a really dark story about Alice in Wonderland. It's not a sequel, per se, but it does take place after the first book (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) but in an alternate way. There is magic and dark deeds (mainly rape which is aluded to rather than shown, except in one instance where it's a bit hazy whether it would be considered rape or not). The Caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat are actually people instead of animals. The Dormouse is Alice's friend Dor, who leads her into harm's way and the Mad Hatter becomes the Mad Hatcher.

Alice is led into the Old City by Dor when she is 16. The Old City is where the degenerate and unpoliced live. After 2 weeks, Alice stumbles out (without Dor), covered in blood and she can only say The Rabbit did it. She is locked up in an insane asylum where her only real human contact is with Hatcher, who is in the cell next door. They converse through a mouse hole. Hatcher has his own demons, including that he can "feel" the Jabberwock and that terrifies him. When a fire engulfs the asylum, Alice and Hatcher make their way out and into the bowels of the Old City. Hatcher wants to help Alice discover what happened to her and he needs to escape the Jabberwock.

It was well written and maybe even deserves more than 4 stars because of the writing. It did keep me enthralled neough to finish it but I can't really say I enjoyed it. I believe there are other books in this series.

Based on the quality of the writing alone, I will give it 4 stars.