A review by jazzypizzaz
After Alice by Gregory Maguire
3.0
I quite enjoyed reading this book, although I don't think it carried through with the themes and plot as effectively as it intended.
I really enjoyed the obscure language and peculiar writing style-- it made it fun to read even when I wasn't sure what the point was of particular plot points. Also, the obscure language used (for example, spelling "jail" as "gaol" at one point, a spelling apparently used in the time period) is a nice parallel to the fanciful and colorful made up words in Carroll's Jaberwocky poem.
I liked the character of Ada-- for an "unimaginative" child, she seemed well-suited to navigating Wonderland, perhaps *because* she took everything literally.
The situations of the various characters tied in nicely with the themes, particularly the commentary on Victorian society as similarly confusing and arbitrary as Wonderland. Ada, child of a Vicar, sees depictions of Dante's Inferno in a book and assumes they are the literal truth-- is Wonderland really so strange to consider, when her father's religion preaches literal fire and brimstone for moral transgressions? Rules surrounding moral transgressions in Victorian are similarly absurd as the Queen of Hearts' constant threats to cut off people's heads-- Ada's posture is a moral failing, women cannot even step foot on college grounds, the governess feels herself morally superior to the Vicar's drunk wife but keeps catching herself in indiscreet transgressions. On the other hand, in Alice and Lydia's household, Darwin's theory of evolution-- that species evolve and man evolved from monkeys-- seems similarly absurd and nonsensical at this time in history. Parallel with this, Lydia is trapped between her "evolutions" as a woman-- neither child nor adult, neither cared for by a mother nor having the power/respect of matron of the house. Siam is similarly caught between worlds, because of his unfortunate life experiences-- slavery is outlawed and Mr. Winter promises to protect him from his former horrific life as a slave, but in white society he is continually an oddity and the best he could hope for is to be overlooked.
Where this book really shines is these reflections on Victorian life, and I applaud Maguire's focus on these scenes, as any attempts to keep up with the original whimsy and creativity of Carroll's Wonderland fall flat.
I really enjoyed the obscure language and peculiar writing style-- it made it fun to read even when I wasn't sure what the point was of particular plot points. Also, the obscure language used (for example, spelling "jail" as "gaol" at one point, a spelling apparently used in the time period) is a nice parallel to the fanciful and colorful made up words in Carroll's Jaberwocky poem.
I liked the character of Ada-- for an "unimaginative" child, she seemed well-suited to navigating Wonderland, perhaps *because* she took everything literally.
The situations of the various characters tied in nicely with the themes, particularly the commentary on Victorian society as similarly confusing and arbitrary as Wonderland. Ada, child of a Vicar, sees depictions of Dante's Inferno in a book and assumes they are the literal truth-- is Wonderland really so strange to consider, when her father's religion preaches literal fire and brimstone for moral transgressions? Rules surrounding moral transgressions in Victorian are similarly absurd as the Queen of Hearts' constant threats to cut off people's heads-- Ada's posture is a moral failing, women cannot even step foot on college grounds, the governess feels herself morally superior to the Vicar's drunk wife but keeps catching herself in indiscreet transgressions. On the other hand, in Alice and Lydia's household, Darwin's theory of evolution-- that species evolve and man evolved from monkeys-- seems similarly absurd and nonsensical at this time in history. Parallel with this, Lydia is trapped between her "evolutions" as a woman-- neither child nor adult, neither cared for by a mother nor having the power/respect of matron of the house. Siam is similarly caught between worlds, because of his unfortunate life experiences-- slavery is outlawed and Mr. Winter promises to protect him from his former horrific life as a slave, but in white society he is continually an oddity and the best he could hope for is to be overlooked.
Where this book really shines is these reflections on Victorian life, and I applaud Maguire's focus on these scenes, as any attempts to keep up with the original whimsy and creativity of Carroll's Wonderland fall flat.