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graciegrace1178's review against another edition
4.0
4.2 stars. This is,, not what I expected or remembered.
PT: Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge, books that have been on my TBR for too long, children's lit, classics
What I Liked
1) Math jokes. I love that Carroll built this entire story from math jokes. He's a math nerd, and it *shows.* The logical traps and simple *silliness* of so many plot points boil down to some universal math axiom. Things like the Cheshire cat who leaves only his smile behind, Alice's grappling with her reduction and restoration in size (as a pun on the literal translation of algebra: "al jebr e al mokabala" as "restoration and reduction), and the inconsistency of Alice's own memory in recalling her times tables all reflect Carroll's time/context of increasingly abstracting math ideas. In Wonderland, nothing feels solid or sure in the world anymore, nothing can be trusted to remain as itself and *wholly* itself. Brilliant. For more on this, I highly highly recommend this page on the hidden mathematics in Alice in Wonderland: https://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/devlin_03_10.html
2) Abstract Math, meet pre-teens. RE previous comment of mabstract math: "In Wonderland, nothing feels solid or sure in the world anymore, nothing can be trusted to remain as itself and *wholly* itself." The same is true of adolesence and growing up. I am AMAZED at Carroll's ability to draw that connection. Again, Brilliant.
3) Sheer creative value. Honestly, Carroll's ability to write such *surreal* concepts is remarkable. I want to understand *how* he managed this. What's his creative process? How did this idea come about? Are his dreams like this? How much of this was simple creative storytelling nonsense that he then applied math concepts to after the fact? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS
What I Didn't Like/What I Learned
1) Abstraction = Missing Something. This is one of those stories that steps so so far back into the world of abstraction that it loses some of its heart. Alice is defined primarily by her sheer confusion and uncertainty, which, while Relatable TM, creates something of a disconnect between herself and readers. The aura of surrealism forces readers to recognize the absurdity of Wonderland and their own world rather than connect on any real emotional level to the character. This isn't *necessarily* a bad thing and is certainly a feat, but for a children's story, the tone is a little too detached.
PT: Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge, books that have been on my TBR for too long, children's lit, classics
What I Liked
1) Math jokes. I love that Carroll built this entire story from math jokes. He's a math nerd, and it *shows.* The logical traps and simple *silliness* of so many plot points boil down to some universal math axiom. Things like the Cheshire cat who leaves only his smile behind, Alice's grappling with her reduction and restoration in size (as a pun on the literal translation of algebra: "al jebr e al mokabala" as "restoration and reduction), and the inconsistency of Alice's own memory in recalling her times tables all reflect Carroll's time/context of increasingly abstracting math ideas. In Wonderland, nothing feels solid or sure in the world anymore, nothing can be trusted to remain as itself and *wholly* itself. Brilliant. For more on this, I highly highly recommend this page on the hidden mathematics in Alice in Wonderland: https://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/devlin_03_10.html
2) Abstract Math, meet pre-teens. RE previous comment of mabstract math: "In Wonderland, nothing feels solid or sure in the world anymore, nothing can be trusted to remain as itself and *wholly* itself." The same is true of adolesence and growing up. I am AMAZED at Carroll's ability to draw that connection. Again, Brilliant.
3) Sheer creative value. Honestly, Carroll's ability to write such *surreal* concepts is remarkable. I want to understand *how* he managed this. What's his creative process? How did this idea come about? Are his dreams like this? How much of this was simple creative storytelling nonsense that he then applied math concepts to after the fact? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS
What I Didn't Like/What I Learned
1) Abstraction = Missing Something. This is one of those stories that steps so so far back into the world of abstraction that it loses some of its heart. Alice is defined primarily by her sheer confusion and uncertainty, which, while Relatable TM, creates something of a disconnect between herself and readers. The aura of surrealism forces readers to recognize the absurdity of Wonderland and their own world rather than connect on any real emotional level to the character. This isn't *necessarily* a bad thing and is certainly a feat, but for a children's story, the tone is a little too detached.
cams__8's review against another edition
2.0
Lo empecé a los 8 años y lo dejé en la página 16 porque me aburrió. Me aburrió también pero terminé el libro. Más que nada es por la narración y jamás pude engancharme
bethyluv's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ashy18c's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
bookwyrmjack's review against another edition
1.0
I have to give credit for the effort that went into adapting Alice for a younger audience. However, I don't think there are any redeeming qualities with this version. The text is riddled with typos: sentences end with semicolons, subjects and verbs disagree, a few sentences feature two verbs, the list goes on. These aren't ESL errors; rather, it seems that multiple people had their hands on the final draft and didn't bother to make absolutely certain their edits were grammatically correct. Find and replace, anyone?
Additionally, efforts were made to keep certain aspects as faithful to the original as possible. What results is a confused mishmash of language, some contemporary to Carroll, some to the present day, and some tries to "talk down" to the kids reading/being read to. The length was perhaps more digestible, but apart from that, I wish I'd just read my daughter the original.
Additionally, efforts were made to keep certain aspects as faithful to the original as possible. What results is a confused mishmash of language, some contemporary to Carroll, some to the present day, and some tries to "talk down" to the kids reading/being read to. The length was perhaps more digestible, but apart from that, I wish I'd just read my daughter the original.
lyraggs's review against another edition
3.0
3,5
El cuento de Alicia tal cual, solo que con cabello oscuro. Lleno de disparates y comentarios sin sentido, una historia de lo más loca.
“Seguro que cuando seas mayor, seguirás teniendo el corazón de un niño. A tu alrededor se reunirán una multitud de pequeños con los ojos brillantes y ávidos, para escuchar tus extraordinarias historias. Y, quizá, una sea este sueño sobre todo el país de las maravillas”
— Lewis Carroll
El cuento de Alicia tal cual, solo que con cabello oscuro. Lleno de disparates y comentarios sin sentido, una historia de lo más loca.
“Seguro que cuando seas mayor, seguirás teniendo el corazón de un niño. A tu alrededor se reunirán una multitud de pequeños con los ojos brillantes y ávidos, para escuchar tus extraordinarias historias. Y, quizá, una sea este sueño sobre todo el país de las maravillas”
— Lewis Carroll
lyraggs's review against another edition
3.0
Es único y muy curioso. La mezcla del humor negro y esa moraleja al final dicha por la hermana para mostrar el cambio de la niñez a la madures. Bueno es como una pasada este loco mundo, que me causo gracia y un buen rato para reír.
ollie_gore's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0