Well this sure was an odd reading experience. I picked this one up for a quick read – being half the size of my usual books and a children’s. But it really didn’t go how I expected.

Let’s dive right in!

(Found on Goodreads)

On a golden afternoon, young Alice follows a White Rabbit, who disappears down a nearby rabbit hole. Quickly following him, she tumbles into the burrow – and enters the merry, topsy-turvy world of Wonderland. A series of whimsical escapades and nonsensical obstacles dictate Alice’s journey, which culminates in a madcap encounter with the Queen of Hearts – and her army of playing cards! Is it all a dream, or just an alternate reality…?

I expected such a different rating from this book.

I love Disney’s Alice in Wonderland – the animated version, not so much the live-action. I love the whimsical nonsense story and how random everything is. So why did I not like this?

It’s not that it’s a bad book. I just…really, really despised reading Alice’s every thought. A seven year old girl, questioning all the wrong things about every peculiar thing going on. Not knowing when to just stop talking. Or when to just stop, really. I KNOW she’s seven years old. But I can’t help it – I just wanted to yell at her for being so annoying. Honestly, she was a snob that thought herself smarter and of a higher status than everyone else, while actually being insolent and downright rude. Yeah yeah yeah, I know she’s meant to be this innocent curious little being we’re all fond of. In the Disney animated one then sure, anytime! But for me, reading about her was really damn annoying. I had to stop my eyes rolling out of the back of my head.

And please note: This is not like the cases where an adult reads YA and hates how childish the character sounds because they’re younger than them. If I thought her age would bother me, I wouldn’t pick up a children’s book. I don’t hate Alice because she’s childish. I’ve read books featuring children of the same age or younger, and get along with them just fine. I’m aware she wouldn’t process and question things the same way I would. I just hated how snobbish and rude she was. Sorry.

As for the story – quite frankly, the only reason I knew what was going on was because of Disney.  Reading the first half of this book went somewhat ok (despite seething at Alice and feeling guilty about hating a child), because I vaguely knew the plot. But the second I started reading Through The Looking-Glass, oh dear goodness. I have no idea what even happened in that story.

This nonsense world was a bit too nonsensical for me to follow. It didn’t seem to really have a plot, it just passed through a series of random characters popping in to say some complete gibberish of a rule, then leave her wandering round until the next one came along. And again, I get that it’s meant to be weird and dreamlike and not really have a plot. BUT COME ONNNNNN. Give me something!

My thoughts basically went through a cycle of “Ok we’re in Wonderland, ok I know this place. Oh Alice. No. You don’t say that to people. Not to animals either. Oh look! I recognise yo- oh wait you’re gone again nevermind. Alice for god’s sake stop eating things. Where even are you right now? What’s with the flamingoes? Oh, shut up Alice. ALICE. For goodness sake.”

Funnily enough, I didn’t outright hate the book when I read it. I just didn’t have a clue what was going on – which left me exasperated because usually I love the weird and wonderful. And just because my hopes were so high, this book hit me with a real low.

And so – a bit heavy heartedly – this book was right at the bottom of the rating chart for me.

Rated 1.5/5 stars

Amazon

Share your thoughts!

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Have you ever had one of these cases, where you feel guilty for hating a character?

If you haven’t read this book, do you plan to?

Let me know in the comments!

Until next time…

Come and visit me!