THE LOWDOWN:
Alyssa Gardner hears the thoughts of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.
FIRST IMPRESSION:
I’ve been collecting bugs since I was ten; it’s the only way I can stop their whispers. Sticking a pin through the gut of an insect shuts it up pretty quick.
SNAPSHOT:
In this lyrical debut, a re-imaging and sequel to Alice in Wonderland, teenage Alyssa’s voice is instantly likable. The gorgeous details of her human world—with her bizarrely grotesque but oddly captivating artwork, the acid-trip skater-park, and the dust-and-lace vintage shop she works at—and the incredible world-building surrounding Wonderland itself will have readers eagerly devouring Alyssa’s journey.
While the questions of her own and her mother’s madness is enticing, the novel does digress into a more straightforward love triangle that parallels Alyssa’s struggles. Does she give her heart to her human life and skater-boi Jeb, or her fae-touched life and Wonderland bad-boy Morpheus? Readers familiar with the genre will know the answer early on.
Appropriate for ages 13+. Some strong language, intense fantasy-horror situations, and morbid imagery.
Deals with mental health issues in a strong and positive manner, even if the outcome is more fanciful than realistic. A good starting point for open conversation.
GET IT ON YOUR SHELF:
If you…
- Loved Tim Burton’s or American McGee’s versions of Alice
- Are a skaterpunk, emo-artist, or vintage fiend
- Know that the mad ones are the best ones
- Need a touch of magic with your tea
- Have ever wondered what happened next for Wonderland
THE ESSENTIALS:
YA fantasy romance
Hardcover & Ebook, 384 pages
Published January 1st 2013, by Amulet Books (ISBN 1419704281)
http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Splintered-9781419704284.html
(Review copy provided by Laura Mihalick at Amulet Books.)