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redvelvetpenguins's review
1.0
the ONLY reason it gets 1 star is that the story had potential to be good unfortunately the fact that it was sloppy and choppy and clearly written by a 6 year old counteracts that. Unfortunately, I kept reading, even when I wanted to stop immediately, because it had good reviews. last time I go against my instinct with a book
babs_reviews's review
4.0
"How to read this book: Begin at the beginning and go until you come to the end; then stop."
I have always been a fan of Alice in Wonderland, books or films, and when a new spin off is released I jump on it. So finding Insanity by Cameron Jace was an excitement for me.
The beginning of the book was interesting but was a bit slow for me. I really wanted to get out of the asylum and into Wonderland... and that ultimately is why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5.
"On a scale from one to insanity, how insane are you?"
Alice struggles throughout the book wondering if what she is seeing and experiencing is real or if she truly is insane. The author does a great job of leaving us wondering not only that but ... is she the real Alice?
I very much enjoyed the authors take on the characters. The Cheshire's role was a grand one and
I believe the Queen was probably the biggest surprise for me. I didn't quite understand the connection there.
The Pillar, with his crazy outbursts and sayings,"Take it from me: sane is mundane, insanity is the new black" was high on the list for a favorite of mine. "Silly is different from nonsense."
I found myself loving every scene with Jack Diamonds and looking forward to him reappearing. So I have to say he was my favorite. "She is awesome, like marshmallow awesome."
Overall it was an insane read and I look forward to catching the second book once it releases.
I have always been a fan of Alice in Wonderland, books or films, and when a new spin off is released I jump on it. So finding Insanity by Cameron Jace was an excitement for me.
The beginning of the book was interesting but was a bit slow for me. I really wanted to get out of the asylum and into Wonderland...
Spoiler
but that never happened. We didn't get to visit Wonderland"On a scale from one to insanity, how insane are you?"
Alice struggles throughout the book wondering if what she is seeing and experiencing is real or if she truly is insane. The author does a great job of leaving us wondering not only that but ... is she the real Alice?
I very much enjoyed the authors take on the characters. The Cheshire's role was a grand one and
Spoiler
the smile he left on his victims I thought appropriate for the role. I enjoyed his games and the hunt he sent them on for the clues.I believe the Queen was probably the biggest surprise for me. I didn't quite understand the connection there.
The Pillar, with his crazy outbursts and sayings,"Take it from me: sane is mundane, insanity is the new black" was high on the list for a favorite of mine. "Silly is different from nonsense."
I found myself loving every scene with Jack Diamonds and looking forward to him reappearing. So I have to say he was my favorite. "She is awesome, like marshmallow awesome."
Overall it was an insane read and I look forward to catching the second book once it releases.
Spoiler
"The Cheshire was no one, yet everyone."caitlinxreads's review
2.0
I had high hopes for this novel even after seeing some not so good reviews. I was not impressed.
First off, I know that this was self-published, but come on. The title at the top of the pages of the novel said Pentimento, not Insanity like it should have. There were so many grammar mistakes as well. Also, the formatting changed multiple times. Some chapter headings were centered, some on the left. Some of the text was double-spaced, some single. On the opening page, it states that this book had an editor. Clearly, they didn't do their job correctly.
On to the actual novel. I wanted a Melanie Martinez level of madness and darkness. This was so confusing (not in a good way) that I just wanted to quit reading. I kept going only because this is short. Had this been even 50 pages longer and I would have given up.
I admire all the research that went into this novel (I learned a ton about Lewis Carroll), but it just wasn't that good.
I have seen that a lot of reviewers love this, I just don't.
First off, I know that this was self-published, but come on. The title at the top of the pages of the novel said Pentimento, not Insanity like it should have. There were so many grammar mistakes as well. Also, the formatting changed multiple times. Some chapter headings were centered, some on the left. Some of the text was double-spaced, some single. On the opening page, it states that this book had an editor. Clearly, they didn't do their job correctly.
On to the actual novel. I wanted a Melanie Martinez level of madness and darkness. This was so confusing (not in a good way) that I just wanted to quit reading. I kept going only because this is short. Had this been even 50 pages longer and I would have given up.
I admire all the research that went into this novel (I learned a ton about Lewis Carroll), but it just wasn't that good.
I have seen that a lot of reviewers love this, I just don't.
pumanupes's review
3.0
Enjoyable, candy reading for sure, but I'm hooked. Will read sequel.
Enjoyable, candy reading for sure, but I'm hooked. Will read sequel. There were several times when the exposition was just far too convenient, but I reminded myself that I was reading because I love Wonderland spin offs, not for a revolutionary literary experience.
Enjoyable, candy reading for sure, but I'm hooked. Will read sequel. There were several times when the exposition was just far too convenient, but I reminded myself that I was reading because I love Wonderland spin offs, not for a revolutionary literary experience.
nicolemhewitt's review
4.0
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Insanity is a quirky, somewhat bizarre modern take on Alice in Wonderland. (Of course, the oddities fit in quite well with Carroll's original tale). After reading this book, I'm still not quite sure if Alice is mad or not, and I have a feeling that that's just what Jace wanted!
The story follows Alice Wonder, who has been locked in an insane asylum for the past two years because she killed everyone in her class. However, her already insane life gets a little crazier when an infamous murderer named Pillar (who is referred to as Professor Caterpillar in the synopsis - he was once a professor, but he now lives in the insane asylum along with Alice) blackmails the man who runs the asylum into allowing her to go out into the "real" world and try to catch a murderer before he kills again. The murderer just happens to be the Chesire Cat. Even more insanity ensues.
The negatives:
It's crazy!
Well, this is kind of a negative, but really mostly a positive. I'm warning you now, though, that you won't necessarily be able to keep track of what's "real" in this book and what's not. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you'll get thrown for a loop again! Like I said, at the end of the book, I still wasn't sure if Wonderland is real or if Alice is just plain crazy!!
What I loved:
It's crazy!
Pillar and Alice's antics are just insane fun! I spent the entire book trying to figure out if Alice is really the Alice - sometimes you think she is, and then you're just not sure. Is it maddening? Yep. Is it interesting? Definitely.
Alice references.
Not only does this book have TONS of references to the original tale, it also talks a lot about Carroll himself (or, I guess I should say, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson himself). Because the idea is that Wonderland is real, Carroll's actions in the real world are just as important as the Alice story (and they play into the murder plotline). I loved meeting the Wonderland characters throughout the book and finding out who their modern-day alter egos were. You never knew who was going to show up next or what they were going to do!
Alice.
I really loved Alice and felt very sorry for her. I mean, she's finally starting to convince herself that everything she believed about Wonderland was just madness (and she actually doesn't even remember any of it because of electroshock therapy) and then she gets plunged right back into it all! Alice struggles to convince herself that she's not mad. And once she gets out into the real world, she begins to think it's madder even than Wonderland - but her top priority is always rescuing Constance (the girl who the Cheshire Cat has abducted).
Pillar.
Pillar is just plain crazy. No ifs ands or buts about it. On the one hand, he's a murderer and you should probably hate him, but on the other hand, he's kind of likable in a crazy sort of way. Sometimes you have no idea if he's helping Alice or if he's just leading her on a wild goose chase (and occasionally you wonder if he's even real). I love it when characters straddle the line between good and bad, and Pillar definitely does that!
If you're looking for a quirky new take on Alice in Wonderland (not really a re-telling, because this book is not trying to re-tell the original story), then this is the book for you! Overall, I give it 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
Insanity is a quirky, somewhat bizarre modern take on Alice in Wonderland. (Of course, the oddities fit in quite well with Carroll's original tale). After reading this book, I'm still not quite sure if Alice is mad or not, and I have a feeling that that's just what Jace wanted!
The story follows Alice Wonder, who has been locked in an insane asylum for the past two years because she killed everyone in her class. However, her already insane life gets a little crazier when an infamous murderer named Pillar (who is referred to as Professor Caterpillar in the synopsis - he was once a professor, but he now lives in the insane asylum along with Alice) blackmails the man who runs the asylum into allowing her to go out into the "real" world and try to catch a murderer before he kills again. The murderer just happens to be the Chesire Cat. Even more insanity ensues.
The negatives:
It's crazy!
Well, this is kind of a negative, but really mostly a positive. I'm warning you now, though, that you won't necessarily be able to keep track of what's "real" in this book and what's not. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you'll get thrown for a loop again! Like I said, at the end of the book, I still wasn't sure if Wonderland is real or if Alice is just plain crazy!!
What I loved:
It's crazy!
Pillar and Alice's antics are just insane fun! I spent the entire book trying to figure out if Alice is really the Alice - sometimes you think she is, and then you're just not sure. Is it maddening? Yep. Is it interesting? Definitely.
Alice references.
Not only does this book have TONS of references to the original tale, it also talks a lot about Carroll himself (or, I guess I should say, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson himself). Because the idea is that Wonderland is real, Carroll's actions in the real world are just as important as the Alice story (and they play into the murder plotline). I loved meeting the Wonderland characters throughout the book and finding out who their modern-day alter egos were. You never knew who was going to show up next or what they were going to do!
Alice.
I really loved Alice and felt very sorry for her. I mean, she's finally starting to convince herself that everything she believed about Wonderland was just madness (and she actually doesn't even remember any of it because of electroshock therapy) and then she gets plunged right back into it all! Alice struggles to convince herself that she's not mad. And once she gets out into the real world, she begins to think it's madder even than Wonderland - but her top priority is always rescuing Constance (the girl who the Cheshire Cat has abducted).
Pillar.
Pillar is just plain crazy. No ifs ands or buts about it. On the one hand, he's a murderer and you should probably hate him, but on the other hand, he's kind of likable in a crazy sort of way. Sometimes you have no idea if he's helping Alice or if he's just leading her on a wild goose chase (and occasionally you wonder if he's even real). I love it when characters straddle the line between good and bad, and Pillar definitely does that!
If you're looking for a quirky new take on Alice in Wonderland (not really a re-telling, because this book is not trying to re-tell the original story), then this is the book for you! Overall, I give it 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
karolina_kat's review
I'd love to give this novel 3.5 stars instead of just three. Having said that, let me also admit one other thing: I did not expect a free book to have this high level of story-telling and background research. Amazing job on writer's side!
It's a very interesting retelling of Alice in Wonderland, so good that it inspired me to re-read this classic from my childhood. I have mixed feelings about the writing style though, the narration is chopped and the setting isn't always given much thought. Then again it may serve the purpose to achieve the atmosphere of madness so that reader isn't sure if the characters really are mad or not.
I particularly enjoyed the twist with Jack Diamonds, and will surely continue the series.
It's a very interesting retelling of Alice in Wonderland, so good that it inspired me to re-read this classic from my childhood. I have mixed feelings about the writing style though, the narration is chopped and the setting isn't always given much thought. Then again it may serve the purpose to achieve the atmosphere of madness so that reader isn't sure if the characters really are mad or not.
I particularly enjoyed the twist with Jack Diamonds, and will surely continue the series.
rlwaite's review
4.0
This is a really good book. However, it's really in need of serious copy-writing. It's kind of jarring when you come across the mistakes and errors.
smuttea_matcha's review
4.0
What a great retelling of Alice in Wonderland! While the "twists" weren't very difficult to figure out , it didn't make it any less enjoyable. I love how Alice in Wonderland is retold as a girl who killed her classmates and now resides in an insane asylum as she tries to stop the Wonderland War from happening. I don't know how I feel about the Cheshire Cat being a villain and the Caterpillar as her ally. I was always a fan of the Cheshire Cat and his riddles . I'm excited to see what happens next in book 2 and would definitely recommend this as a fun read, especially the fun facts thrown into the book (or they're probably not facts... just trivia).
Spoiler
like Adam being JackSpoiler
temporarySpoiler
him being revealed as the old lady who helped Alice in the very beginning was not very shockingbrokenchell's review
4.0
Insanity (Mad in Wonderland) (Insanity #1) by Cameron Jace Well I am not only and Alice geek, but a fairy tale geek as well. I really enjoyed this retelling of "Alice's adventures underground " The dialogue between The Pillar and Alice cracked me up. I quoted many things as I read. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.