A mind-bending new novel inspired by the twisted and wondrous works of Lewis Carroll...
In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor souls inside. In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood…
Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago. Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful. And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice.
What did I think?
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of my favourite books so I was very intrigued to read Christina Henry's alternative story. I knew from the start that this wasn't going to be a fairytale version of Alice although it is equally as bonkers and entertaining as the original Lewis Carroll book.
When she went missing, Alice was found and reunited with her parents but could only rave about 'The Rabbit'. Her parents were unable to cope and put Alice in an asylum where she was forgotten and left to rot. The only thing keeping her going is the ability to contact the resident in the room next door through a mousehole. Her neighbour is Hatcher and he has a plan to escape...
Alice and Hatcher's escape from the asylum during a fire also releases the beast known as the Jabberwock and the beast is on their tail as they travel through the Old City in search of the truth about what happened when Alice went missing. During their travels, we meet familiar characters in unfamiliar forms as Christina Henry takes us on a dark and dangerous adventure through a nightmare land. I loved meeting the characters and seeing how Christina Henry had twisted the original tale.
Completely unusual and imaginative but very very dark, Alice will give you nightmares as you journey through an Old City that is a dangerous as Wonderland was colourful. I'm looking forward to continuing the story in Red Queen.
My rating:
Buy it from Amazon
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