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syllareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was an enjoyable if a rather predictable read save for one thing I would like to critique first and foremost once I get to the things I did not like.
Splintered is a dark Alice in Wonderland retelling where our MC, Alyssa, learns that she has to venture into Wonderland to find a cure for her mother who's stuck in a mental institution (more about that later). She's accompanied by an old friend of hers, Jeb, who forms one end of the (rather predictable) love triangle (sadly, the two boys do not fall in love), and experiences various adventures in a rather fucked up version of Wonderland that reminded me of the game Alice: Madness Returns in that it takes things from the original book and cranks them up to the max when it comes to their eerie weirdness.
The setting itself was as bizarre as the premise promised (tho I have to say, the author definitely took more inspiration from the later Johnny Depp movie than the actual children's book. I'm not complaining per se, I'm just saying). The characters were... alright, tho I highly appreciated the fact that one of the love interests, Morpheus, at least calls himself the trash he is (figuratively; he just admits that he hasn't given Alyssa any reason to trust him by the end since he constantly manipulated her without telling her the truth about anything), which, kudos to that, I drink to a fucked up bitch who will at least admit to their nature. The rest of it was pretty standard procedure, which I didn't mind but which also didn't particularly stand out that well.
Slight spoiler, but is anyone else bothered by the hatred Jeb gets? No? Just me? Because damn if that boy doesn't get it from all sides. I agree that he's not the white knight Alyssa sometimes seems to think he is, and the way he's contrasted with Morpheus' obvious wickedness does him a lot of favours he doesn't entirely deserve, but am I really seeing people here saying Morpheus is better because "he at least believes Alyssa can handle herself"?? Excuse me, the main reason he tells her that is so she goes off and becomes Queen for his sake and does him all the favours in the goddamn world without knowing what he wants and what the price for that is?! How is that better than "Hey, so we're in Wonderland, this is fucked up, you're obviously not good at decision-making from my POV because all you do is head straight into danger without even telling me you have a plan, so I might want to protect you from yourself and the rest of the world because you give me no reason to believe you actually can handle yourself"-Jeb? In fact, how can no one see it's actually worse?
I'm not saying either of those guys is good for Alyssa and hey, I like unhealthy relationships in fiction as much as the next gal, especially when the trashy glittery asshole at least admits to being a trashy glittery asshole, but please don't pretend like you have the moral superiority with one ship when in fact, all the dude does is support a woman who does what he wants her to through subtle manipulation.
That is all
Now to the bit I did not like:
The mental illness "rep". I don't even want to call it that, sigh.
Basically, Alyssa's mother is in a mental institution practically from page 0, or even before that, since she's been institutionalised when Alyssa was very young. I say "mental institution"; the book calls it "local asylum".
:))
To make matters worse, Alyssa's visit is one of the most bizarre, irresponsible things this book has ever portrayed, and honestly more a horror-flick, Victorian-esque romanticised version of a mental institution (pardon: Asylum :)) ) than anything else. Wicked nurse with giant syringe, inscribed with the patient's name? Check. Letting the inmate dress like Alice in Wonderland, then leaving her unsupervised when she got in there in the first place because she hurt her daughter? Check. Using a straitjacket on her for multiple days in a row? Obviously.
Now I don't know if the author's intentions were ever to portray mental illness/institutions realistically. If yes, then she has failed, and dare I say in the most offensive way possible. If no, then at least she has not failed in doing what she wanted to do but it still doesn't sit right with me to use mental illness as a prop to make your story grittier or "weirder" for weirdness' sake. Please stop that.
If you intend on reading this book, please be aware of this - either because it might want to make you be careful reading through or because you need to understand that this kind of aesthetics~ shtick is seriously not a good look or move.
Splintered is a dark Alice in Wonderland retelling where our MC, Alyssa, learns that she has to venture into Wonderland to find a cure for her mother who's stuck in a mental institution (more about that later). She's accompanied by an old friend of hers, Jeb, who forms one end of the (rather predictable) love triangle (sadly, the two boys do not fall in love), and experiences various adventures in a rather fucked up version of Wonderland that reminded me of the game Alice: Madness Returns in that it takes things from the original book and cranks them up to the max when it comes to their eerie weirdness.
The setting itself was as bizarre as the premise promised (tho I have to say, the author definitely took more inspiration from the later Johnny Depp movie than the actual children's book. I'm not complaining per se, I'm just saying). The characters were... alright, tho I highly appreciated the fact that one of the love interests, Morpheus, at least calls himself the trash he is (figuratively; he just admits that he hasn't given Alyssa any reason to trust him by the end since he constantly manipulated her without telling her the truth about anything), which, kudos to that, I drink to a fucked up bitch who will at least admit to their nature. The rest of it was pretty standard procedure, which I didn't mind but which also didn't particularly stand out that well.
I'm not saying either of those guys is good for Alyssa and hey, I like unhealthy relationships in fiction as much as the next gal, especially when the trashy glittery asshole at least admits to being a trashy glittery asshole, but please don't pretend like you have the moral superiority with one ship when in fact, all the dude does is support a woman who does what he wants her to through subtle manipulation.
That is all
Now to the bit I did not like:
The mental illness "rep". I don't even want to call it that, sigh.
Basically, Alyssa's mother is in a mental institution practically from page 0, or even before that, since she's been institutionalised when Alyssa was very young. I say "mental institution"; the book calls it "local asylum".
:))
To make matters worse, Alyssa's visit is one of the most bizarre, irresponsible things this book has ever portrayed, and honestly more a horror-flick, Victorian-esque romanticised version of a mental institution (pardon: Asylum :)) ) than anything else. Wicked nurse with giant syringe, inscribed with the patient's name? Check. Letting the inmate dress like Alice in Wonderland, then leaving her unsupervised when she got in there in the first place because she hurt her daughter? Check. Using a straitjacket on her for multiple days in a row? Obviously.
Now I don't know if the author's intentions were ever to portray mental illness/institutions realistically. If yes, then she has failed, and dare I say in the most offensive way possible. If no, then at least she has not failed in doing what she wanted to do but it still doesn't sit right with me to use mental illness as a prop to make your story grittier or "weirder" for weirdness' sake. Please stop that.
If you intend on reading this book, please be aware of this - either because it might want to make you be careful reading through or because you need to understand that this kind of aesthetics~ shtick is seriously not a good look or move.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Bullying and Infidelity