Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Alice by Christina Henry

8 reviews

queerloras's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I LOVE Christina Henry's retellings and Alice is beyond a doubt one of my favourites.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Murder, Toxic friendship, Torture, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

rosytosey's review

adventurous dark emotional sad 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? No

4.25

This book is great at sweeping you in from the start. Adventurous horror that will leave you holding your breath for the next encounter. There were times where I felt deeply saddened by the content I was reading, but I suppose that’s what makes it such good writing. I loved the style of writing and the reduction at the end of the novel. However, I am not in a hurry to read the second novel. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Sexual content, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Animal death, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Confinement, and Genocide

hathorslibrary's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death, Cannibalism, Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Gore, and Adult/minor relationship

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Animal death, Blood, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Torture, Abandonment, Addiction, and Body horror

teki_p's review

challenging dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Medical trauma, Slavery, Murder, Drug abuse, Torture, Trafficking, and Vomit

Minor: Ableism, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Alcoholism, and Animal cruelty

katiehalford's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

LOVED this book!! I am never normally drawn to fantasy books but thought I would give this a go as I am already familiar with the story of Alice in Wonderland and this did not disappoint!! I loved the twist on the original story, portraying the bizarre characters Alice meets throughout her time in Wonderland as dark and evil. The imagery was very vivid (and at times very graphic) which is fitting for a story as fantastical as this. I agree with other reviews that the ending was somewhat of an anti-climax but it did not let the entire book down as I think the development of Alice throughout the book led to the ending Christina Henry chose. Definitely will be picking up the rest of the series!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Cannibalism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Rape

baileyloveless's review

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

EDIT 2021: when I first read this book in 2016, I gave it four stars and as you can see from the review below I really enjoyed it. Since that time, the book has stayed with me in a strange way. I never forgot it and thought often of how dark and wonderfully creative the author was. Having re read it again, I found myself still surprised by the story and characters but once again appreciative of the creativity. I think that is a mark of a truly resonant book, dare I say a favorite so I have altered my rating from 4 to 5 stars.


BLOG | INSTAGRAM |  TWITTER | FACEBOOK | STORE

For details on entering my giveaway for a copy of the first book Alice,  click here by July 31st, 2016

Wow. I almost don’t even know where to begin. This retelling of Alice in Wonderland is one crazy, dark, wild ride. And I loved every minute of it. Even the parts that made me squirm.

First, I’d like to thank the staff at Ace for allowing me to review this. The Chronicles of Alice is a duology, the first part entitled Alice and the second part entitled Red Queen. I requested Red Queen on Netgalley, not realizing it was the 2nd part. Ace was kind enough to mail me a physical copy of Alice and will be partnering with me for a giveaway. They’re amazing! And I’m so grateful because this story was brilliant.

Picture this: Alice is a patient in an asylum with a cruel scar running from mouth to ear. She doesn’t remember why she’s there or how she got the scar. Just something about a rabbit, a tea party, and a lot of blood. Hatter is not a hatter, but Hatcher, the axe murderer who’s room in the asylum is adjacent to Alice’s. Cheshire, Rabbit, Caterpillar, and Walrus are all underground bosses terrorizing the streets of the crumbling Old City.

Alice begins with Hatcher and Alice’s escape from the asylum. As the hospital is ravaged by a fire, they watch it burn to see a dark shadow rise from the ashes. “The Jabberwocky!” cries Hatcher. Alice and Hatcher are forced into the dangerous streets of the Old City to find the one the one thing that can stop the Jabberwocky and where the Rabbit waits for her return.

“RABBITS DON’T FORGET.”

This first book is creepiness to the max. I am not entirely sure how I got through it being a squeamish person. Perhaps it was the morbid curiosity that took hold of me as I read. I was horrified, but I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for the whimsical Wonderland, you will not find it here. I will fully disclose what you’re about to get into: this book is adult, dark, and horrifying. But if you can get through it, it is worth the read. I just wouldn’t recommend reading it alone at night.

The characters come to life in new and interesting ways. Making Hatcher an axe murderer was a brilliant choice. The relationship between him and Alice is amazing. This passage to me really speaks for the intensity between the two of them, yet the tenderness despite their utter madness:

“I WON’T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU, ALICE. I WILL KILL YOU BEFORE I LET THE WALRUS OR ANYONE ELSE TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME.”
SHE GAVE A CHOKE THROUGH HER TEARS, A GRIM AND NOT-SO-MERRY SOUND. “MOST MEN GIVE A GIRL A RING YOU KNOW, NOT THREATEN THEM WITH MURDER.”
HATCHER PUT HIS HANDS ON HER FACE SO HE COULD LOOK INTO HER EYES. “A RING WON’T SAVE YOU FROM THE MEN WHO WOULD USE YOU AND BREAK YOU. I DON’T WANT YOU TO SUFFER, ALICE, NOT ONE MOMENT. I WON’T LET THEM TAKE YOU.”

Cheshire is my favorite character, and I thought the characterization was perfectly done. He still retains the mad qualities of the original character while retaining the poise and grace of a cat.

I must offer a trigger warning for this first book though. Feminism is none existence. Male dominance and objectification of women are a huge theme throughout this first book, and the subject of rape is prevalent. It is not fun to read, though I can understand why it was included.

This book is disturbing. Period. But it’s also so well done that it’s hard to put down.

Tootle loo, darlings! Till next time!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

pepper9627's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Blood, Body horror, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts