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vaguelyredhead's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Bullying and Violence
Minor: Child abuse and Suicide
sarahsbooklife's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I was kinda disappointed with this book. I really love Alice in Wonderland retellings and books that use it as a part of history for the story, but this one just didn't work for me.
At first, I enjoyed this story. Alyssa was an okay main character and I found her more interesting when they were in Wonderland and she kinda took charge of what was happening. But at times she felt like a "pick me girl" which was pretty annoying and I could really feel the 2000s/10s "I'm not like other girls" energy in this story. Her arc did kind of leave some of that behind as the story progressed, and I probably could have even enjoyed this story more because of that. But the thing that annoyed me the most was Jeb.
And the fact this story was drowning in YA tropes.
But first let's talk about Jeb.
Pretty much everything about Jeb annoyed me. I was really hoping that he wouldn't be the main love interest and that it would be Morpheus instead, but sadly Jeb was. I was also really looking forward to him being left behind in the real world when Alyssa went to Wonderland but alas he came along for the ride. And I think it would have been better if he had stayed because he was constantly getting in the way and just being all around unbearable.
He was, I felt, belittling at times. Alyssa's obsession with him put me off him more, especially when they were flirting when he has a girlfriend. (I'm not going to keep going because I could end up ranting forever.) I like when friends-to-lovers is done right and in this book it is far from it. It's honestly a pretty bad attempt at it. And the felt like they were barely even friends 90% of the time.
There were so many things wrong with this book. Like how it talks about mental health and how the MC's mother is treated in a mental health hospital. Which was pretty horrid. The author definitely shoved a lot of misinformation in here, like having the Alyssa's mum in a straight jacket and placed in a padded cell. Something that hasn't been done since the mid-20th century except for in films and TV.
I did like that the author gave a lot of the beings in Wonderland a creepier description, making them seem a little more unsettling. But I felt like she could have taken it a step further. Made it really creepy and maybe a bit more horrifying.
Lastly Morpheus, Alyssa's childhood friend and second love interest, was probably the only reason I finished with this book. He was the only character that I thought was 100% interesting and I think he would've better as the main love interest instead of Jeb.
Honestly, I don't think that this book was worth the hours I spent reading it and I wish I could get them back and I won't be wasting anymore time on this series.
At first, I enjoyed this story. Alyssa was an okay main character and I found her more interesting when they were in Wonderland and she kinda took charge of what was happening. But at times she felt like a "pick me girl" which was pretty annoying and I could really feel the 2000s/10s "I'm not like other girls" energy in this story. Her arc did kind of leave some of that behind as the story progressed, and I probably could have even enjoyed this story more because of that. But the thing that annoyed me the most was Jeb.
And the fact this story was drowning in YA tropes.
But first let's talk about Jeb.
Pretty much everything about Jeb annoyed me. I was really hoping that he
He was, I felt, belittling at times. Alyssa's obsession with him put me off him more, especially when they were flirting when he has a girlfriend. (I'm not going to keep going because I could end up ranting forever.)
There were so many things wrong with this book. Like how it talks about mental health and how the MC's mother is treated in a mental health hospital. Which was pretty horrid. The author definitely shoved a lot of misinformation in here, like having the Alyssa's mum in a straight jacket and placed in a padded cell. Something that hasn't been done since the mid-20th century except for in films and TV.
I did like that the author gave a lot of the beings in Wonderland a creepier description, making them seem a little more unsettling. But I felt like she could have taken it a step further. Made it really creepy and maybe a bit more horrifying.
Lastly Morpheus, Alyssa's childhood friend and second love interest, was probably the only reason I finished with this book. He was the only character that I thought was 100% interesting and I think he would've better as the main love interest instead of Jeb.
Honestly, I don't think that this book was worth the hours I spent reading it and I wish I could get them back and I won't be wasting anymore time on this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
agustdefault's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
i really enjoyed this book! i loved the writing and even though some of it was pretty predictable and sometimes a little cringey it was very entertaining. i loved the version of wonderland that howard built and her world building was amazing. i definitely need to find a therapist because i liked morpheus way more than jeb lol….despite the incredible amount of red flags. i do think this is a great read as a stand alone and i have a feeling that my opinion of the book will go down if i continue with the series. so i may just be happy with what the end of this book gave me and move on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death and Violence
mallorypen's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Listen. This could have been a really fun read. The plot was surprisingly tight, and the twists and intrigue were well done. There was such imagination with some of the side characters and story arcs that felt fresh, even within the greater, familiar context of the Alice stories. Those elements kept me locked in the world building and fully engaged.
But oh my God … overall, this read like a 2007 Tumblr fanfic with a self-insert Mary Sue main character, who of course had two smokin’ hot guys (with mysterious and tortured personalities) fighting over her for the entire novel. The flat characterizations, the lurid purple descriptions, the wild overuse of similes … it was cringe at best and painful at worst.
Even with all of that, there was something about the story that kept me going. This wasn’t a DNF moment … but it certainly only got its two stars by the barest margin. And at least one of the stars came from the audiobook narrator, who did a phenomenal job with what she was given.
But oh my God … overall, this read like a 2007 Tumblr fanfic with a self-insert Mary Sue main character, who of course had two smokin’ hot guys (with mysterious and tortured personalities) fighting over her for the entire novel. The flat characterizations, the lurid purple descriptions, the wild overuse of similes … it was cringe at best and painful at worst.
Even with all of that, there was something about the story that kept me going. This wasn’t a DNF moment … but it certainly only got its two stars by the barest margin. And at least one of the stars came from the audiobook narrator, who did a phenomenal job with what she was given.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Blood
booksarefriends_notfood's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment