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A review by debicates
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
4.0
Of course I had read Alice in Wonderland. I mean, surely I have. Right? Long time ago. I feel sure I did. Didn't I?
Turns out, I had merely been exposed to its wacky world by way of movies, cartoons, and vast cultural references. Upon my actually reading it and to my pleasant surprise, there is a lot more wackiness in it I never knew about. My favorite new wackadoodle being Bill the Lizard, poor put-upon character Bill that I don't recall ever showing up when being movie-ized.
It's much more delightful than just all those odd talking creatures. As a Math fan, I loved the correct assessment Alice makes that she would never reach 20 while doing her multiplication self-test. (Carroll was a mathematics professor.) And so many puns and word play I was completely unaware of. I mean, a Mock Turtle turtle? That just strikes my funny bone.
Maybe it's because we never outgrow that heeby-jeeby feeling that the world is teetering toward illogical strangeness and could tumble into full blown madness at any moment that Alice resonates over the years and to all ages (I'm 61). Rightly so, too. I mean, there's young Alice -- fallen into a world of livery-wearing fish, flamingos as not-very-cooperative croquet mallets, and schools that teach Laughing and Grief (another funny bone strike!) -- and she plays right along. She faces all manner of disorientation and possible danger with aplomb and curiosity. It's no wonder Alice has lasted so long and in so many ways.
Turns out, I had merely been exposed to its wacky world by way of movies, cartoons, and vast cultural references. Upon my actually reading it and to my pleasant surprise, there is a lot more wackiness in it I never knew about. My favorite new wackadoodle being Bill the Lizard, poor put-upon character Bill that I don't recall ever showing up when being movie-ized.
It's much more delightful than just all those odd talking creatures. As a Math fan, I loved the correct assessment Alice makes that she would never reach 20 while doing her multiplication self-test. (Carroll was a mathematics professor.) And so many puns and word play I was completely unaware of. I mean, a Mock Turtle turtle? That just strikes my funny bone.
Maybe it's because we never outgrow that heeby-jeeby feeling that the world is teetering toward illogical strangeness and could tumble into full blown madness at any moment that Alice resonates over the years and to all ages (I'm 61). Rightly so, too. I mean, there's young Alice -- fallen into a world of livery-wearing fish, flamingos as not-very-cooperative croquet mallets, and schools that teach Laughing and Grief (another funny bone strike!) -- and she plays right along. She faces all manner of disorientation and possible danger with aplomb and curiosity. It's no wonder Alice has lasted so long and in so many ways.