Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz, Vol. 3

クローバーの国のアリス ～チェシャ猫とワルツ～ [Clover no Kuni no Alice: Cheshire Neko to Waltz] #3

by Mamenosuke Fujimaru (Illustrations), QuinRose

“IF EVER YOU ARE LOST… I PROMISE I’LL FIND YOU.”

In the Country of Clover, Alice finds herself newly drawn to Boris, but their budding love affair is anything but stable. No matter how happy the Cheshire Cat makes her, Alice still feels the pull of her old world; the more she falls in love, the deeper her remorse. Enter the White Rabbit. How is he connected to Alice’s feelings of guilt, and why, exactly, is time of the essence?

Lost in love in Wonderland…a guilty pleasure, indeed.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Comics Manga

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2010

About the author

FUJIMARU Mamenosuke
Name (in native language): 藤丸豆ノ介

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liking the development of the main characters and it's interesting to see how Boris reacts to learning the truth of Alice's existence in Wonderland when she herself doesn't know.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ten times better then the first two volumes!

While its definitely not my favorite of the Alice series/spin-offs, there was actual character growth in this one and Alice and Boris actually communicating.

Since I had already ordered this volume and couldn't cancel it, I went ahead and tried it out. I don't have plans to pick up the rest, but I'm glad that I at least read this before donating it to my library because it took a lot of my upset away from before.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for complete series

The Cheshire Cat's spin off in this series sadly has a very weak start, although it does catch itself and turns into a reasonably well thought out series - surprisingly longer than than the main series at that. I think one of the biggest issues is that Boris' personality is quite different from what he is like in the original series and he is arguably one of the more loveable characters. In this spin off, he is pushy and possessive, borderline arrogant and strangely flirtatious. In the original, he seems a lot more innocent and perhaps more oblivious to love, he is clearly affectionate toward Alice but it is never really shown in an obvious romantic way whereas here it is sexual from the start. I also found Boris' nicknames for Alice rather off putting. As the story progresses, Boris luckily becomes a bit more mellow. While he still uses the nicknames for Alice, he shifts back a bit closer to his original personality.

The story also has a strangely slow start, I found the first few volumes quite hard to get through. That might be because the entire focus is on the back and forth between Alice and Boris. Unlike most of the other spin off series, though, this one actually has a plot besides the relationship running in the background, and it's a more than decent one that could have easily been part of the main series. It adds more depth to Alice's character and background, has some good tension and mysteries going on and also lets us get to know some of the other characters better. Ace is handled much better in this instalment than he was in his own spin off and also Peter is a much more compelling character than he was in the original series.

The series as a whole isn't as good as the main series, and I am a little sad that they didn't do Boris justice. But I do think that it is one of the better spin offs and it does add value to the franchise over all. It has a rocky start but if you can get past the first volumes it's a worthwhile read. It's also worth noting that each volume has some bonus stories at the end that also focus on Alice and Boris but follow an entirely different plot line - these are not highlighted well enough can it can easily happen that one continues reading without realising one has left the main story and moved on into the bonus which can really be confusing at times. I always flipped through the book to mark there the bonus story starts before starting to read to avoid just that.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice meets Nightmare in her dreams and Boris takes her away from him. Boris wants to know if Alice really loves him, so he asks her. Of course she tells him she does, but she is still recovering from a bad relationship she had in her world.

[Chulandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still confused on what nightmare and Peter mean by that Peter is Alice’s Sunday afternoon is that supposed to mean that he is what makes her the most happiest? Also I what is up with ace why is he suddenly acting like he wants to kill Alice or make her go back to her world all of a sudden?

[Amanda Setasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's too cute. So much fluff. I love it.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

WELL DANG, I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS VOLUME TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE AND SERVE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD YANK ON MY HEARTSTRINGS FOR PETER WHITE. WELL PLAYED, FUJIMARU, WELL PLAYED.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice is starting to go through the same memories of her older sister, making her question which world would she go to if she went through the door. Making her relationship with Boris strain without her knowing.

In book two we end up with Alice falling down a hole. Turns out to be just a normal giant-ass hole. No teleporting. I am not surprised that Cheshire jumps in after her and saves her from the fall. Though he does get hurt which makes me sad since Boris is too aweosme to get hurt *love of all cats* We find out more about the vial which the liquid is said to increase and decrease without anyone knowing based on Alice's guilt.

Now that I see new openings for the manga, I am wondering if the vial's liquid will start to decrease and upon seeing it Alice will feel guilty, or if she will drink from it at some point. I am hoping it's not the later.

We get this key phrase or trigger word from Nightmare and Peter which is that Peter is Alice's "Sunday Afternoon." I have absolutely no idea what that could mean since it seems like such an odd phrase. Whatever it means though has Peter avoiding Alice (least she remember) and Cheshire being more possessive and blunt than normal. Somehow it is connected to Peter, the older sister, and possibly Nightmare.

Again Cheshire shows his abilities to control the doors which is super cool and I want to have that ability so bad. I found it funny when Alice starts becoming more assertive and Cheshire is flustered (as well as all hot and bothered) when it is usually the other way around.

Though I liked the manga I find that not much has really happened in this one and when I finished it felt more like it ends mid-sentence. Not in the cliff hanger way but in the way that seemed like someone tore out a missing page.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, Nightmare and Gray crack me up. Gray is a workaholic who is constantly getting after Nightmare for slacking off. And, since Nightmare is supposed to be running the Assembly, Gray's a bit justified in his complaints. Their dynamic of bickering is fun and a nice contrast to the emo-ness of the rest of the volume.

For, we have Peter White questioning his role with Alice. He's the one that brought Alice to the Country of Hearts to begin with. He's always loved her and watched over her, even before she came to Wonderland, for he is Sunday Afternoon, the time of day when Alice made precious memories with her sister in their garden reading and spending time together. If Alice forgets Sunday Afternoon, perhaps she'll forget the world that she came from. So, Peter tries to distance himself from Alice, but that only draws Alice's attention to him further.

The continuing theme in almost every incarnation of these arcs is whether Alice will stay. It's here again in Cheshire Cat Waltz. Alice was worried that Boris would leave her because he's the cat, but I think it's more the reverse. Can Boris keep Alice from leaving him?

[E.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was decidedly better than the previous two but is still missing something that Country of Hearts has. Maybe I just don't like this world? Alice was a little better in this one and perhaps it's because she's finally okay with being direct with Boris about her feelings for him. I should also take into account of Japan's culture and how indirect, polite, and anti-PDA it is. Seriously, even holding hands in public in Japan is like "whoaaa" so perhaps it's crass of me to call Alice a prude when it's honestly just the society that she's from. She's had time to get used the world of Wonder Land, but maybe not enough time (?). I'm SO curious as to what Alice and Peter's relationship really is. Her Sunday Afternoon? What does that even mean? It sounds like a weird sexual favor. We shall see what happens in volume 4...perhaps we will find out. Is it bad that I kind of like Peter even though he really is a creep?

[Lanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we dive deeper into the world of clover, seeing a slightly more possessive side of Boris as his and Alice's relationship progresses. I can understand his actions. As he IS a boy and all the guys are always hanging on Alice. It's no wonder he'd get a bit clinging. But I wish he'd trust her more. It's like watching an actual cat. (A cat that pisses on everything to mark its territory.) it's mostly ok though. It's a good balance of slightly possessive, (but only because he's worried & insecure) super sweet, protective, and crazy. :) we also get to see a glimpse of the original story when Alice and Boris drink a potion to become bigger. :D I also like the stuff we learn about Peter White and Ace. Poor lost, scared Ace. :( he needs his Julius! Hope to get book 4 soon.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

29-6-2022:

Whenever I start this series, I just can't seem to stop. The art is wonderful. The characters are fun. I mean, Gray and Nightmare? Boris? The Twins? Elliot? Alice? I love them all. Alice is super relatable to me though I can imagine how she can be frustrating. This book actually has some very decent plot progress as well as some details that I only realised this reread are actually really important. I think. Maybe I realised it before but forgot.

This book gives us some more background to the world, and Boris learns even more than we do (which is a little frustrating, because I'm curious too xD). This book also focusses more on Peter's relationship with Alice, which is intruiging, despite me absolutely hating Peter.

[Stéphanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un ennui profond... Il ne se passe rien à part une histoire d'amour plate rempli de jalousie mal placée. Franchement une saga inutile !

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 3: We find there are lots of odd rules in Wonderland. Peter White is still attracted to Alice and Alice has basically become Boris' girlfriend. Nightmare wants Alice to stay in Wonderland while Peter becomes really jealous of Boris.

Peter, by the way, usually speaks in rhyme. Alice and Boris have declared their love for each other. There's another side story, this one also related to Alice and Boris' relationship and how Alice is upset at his public displays of affection.

This has gotten to be a real good, very romantic series but still with all of Wonderland's oddness.

[Chiara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this volume more than the previous, although it was very confusing.
Perhaps it is the translation from Japanese into English, but I felt that something was definitely lost in this volume. For instance, it made it seem as if Peter was Alice's sister, and I am almost certain that was not what the author was implying. Peter was also called 'Sunday Afternoon' several times. I have no idea what this means.
I guess I will have to keep reading the series to figure it all out.

[Jessica G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Alice book, another review.
(notice how it's usually a manga!)
Anyway, again, I LOVED it!
I mean, Boris was of course as amazing as ever but, hello? Nightmare?
He's back!!!!!!
Everyone bow down in front of him. He is back!!!!
You do NOT know how awesome this is. The whole book, not just Nightmare. Though he does kick butt.
This is mine, and only mine. You can not read it!
...
I'm serious

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good volume in the Cheshire series so far. I'm kind of liking this one more and more. Maybe because Cheshire is one of my favorite Alice characters. Same in another series Pandora Hearts and this. Maybe because he's a mysterious character. This couple's kind of sweet. Weird a tiny bit but interesting.

[Elsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aside from that the cat is my favorite boy character from this series (although Gray might put up a good fight when it's his turn), this volume actually moves the whole story forward and we find out some stuff about some of the characters that makes them much more interesting.

[Jessie Radford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll never understand how there are so many volumes dedicated to Boris. Don't get me wrong he use to be so adorable but now that's change and it kind of takes away from his attractiveness. The best thing about this edition is that you get to see something new about Peter. That's about it.

[Gypsy Esguerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I read the third volume and I love how having a relationship is being tackled. I just hoard the other volumes but still looking for the others."

Read more: http://gypsyreads.tumblr.com/post/137...

[Angela loves 1D Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

i thoght it wass sooooooo good i love this series

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The romantic cuteness in this book is sooooooo sweet!!!!! And it shows some different sides of our favourite characters. <3

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

My NFNT review is up here.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done! Loved the storyline!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have have an ongoing plot, Peter is less annoying, and Ace is still my least favorite.

[Rachel (Sfogs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fallen for Boris! <3