Alice in the Country of Joker: Circus and Liar's Game, Vol. 1

ジョーカーの国のアリス～サーカスと嘘つきゲーム～ [Joker no Kuni no Alice: Circus to Usotsuki Game] #1

by Mamenosuke Fujimaru (Illustrator), QuinRose

Just when Alice was getting used to life in Wonderland, a wild card appears that changes the enigmatic Joker. Now the dangers are even greater as Alice must dodge bullets and stave off psychopathic suitors while the seasons cycle at random and can be changed by a mere thought. The Circus is a place of mystery, and its warden, the two-faced Joker, as cryptic plans of his own. But what are they? Welcome to the Circus. You won't be leaving... ever.

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

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2011

About the author

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

Reviews

[Ardith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some people find the Alice books confusing so I hope this helps. This manga is based off of a Japanese otome game, or a romantic game for girls. The company that made the game is QuinRose. In this game, the main character, Alice, can end up with one of the many handsome, crazy guys who live in the new world she is taken to. The Alice in the Country of Hearts omnibus books are one play-through of the game. The other spin offs in the Country of Hearts are adaptations of other play-throughs. Right now it is The Clockmaker's Story for Julius' route and My Fanatic Rabbit for Elliot. Once you've read the core books for each country, it doesn't matter what order you read the spin offs in.

The Alice in the Country of Clover series is based off of the second game in this series. The Cheshire Cat Waltz is an adaptation of Boris' Route. We currently also have the spin offs of Ace of Hearts for Ace and the Bloody Twins for Dee and Dum.

Finally, we have Alice in the Country of Joker, which is based off of a third game in the series.

It is best to read at least the main 3 omnibus books of Alice in the Country of Hearts first. Things will make a lot more sense. I would also read the Cheshire Cat books from Alice in the Country of Clover before reading the Alice in the Country of Joker books.

QuinRose also made Crimson Empire, which is why there are Crimson Empire previews and short stories in some of the manga.

I hope this was helpful!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Alice in the Country of... series are adaptions based on the otome (maiden) games of the same name. Each installment places the lead character Alice amongst a reverse-harem where her decisions change so that she becomes romantically involved with a different character for that story. Loosely based on Alice in Wonderland, the original six volume set, Alice in the Country of Hearts, explains her arrival and introduces us to the entire cast. Alice in the Country of Joker brings a new player into the mix, but the Joker is not quite like the others, and it is this intrigue which sets it apart from the rest. To accommodate this slightly darker tone the visuals have shifted towards blacks and heavy greys. Alice herself is much more feisty in order for her to overcome the trials ahead. Volume one does most of the set-up by skimming over the contents of Country of Hearts and Country of Clover, thus tying together the three and making them a little less confusing. Due to this it is best to read them in order. There are certain aspects which don't make much sense, but this is likely due to the nature of the game they were adapted from. Volume two onward digs into the new plot. Alice must face the truth that her memories and heart have locked away before she can handle a relationship. Every title from the Alice series has the same quality writing. A reader's enjoyment of any one volume depends entirely on their own character preferences.

[Gal Tapley]

One thing my old library didn’t have? Manga. I didn’t know where to start so I picked up this and another Alice in Wonderland inspired book,, I won’t be rating as this does seem to be for fan of a game which is why it’s largely confusing and doesn’t follow a coherent narrative structure. But one thing I want to say is that I was bored to tears before the Cheshire Cat arrived. His name? Boris.

And they call him that. Best quote: “Boris, you can’t point a gun at a child!”

[Erica Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this enough to where I want to continue the series to see what happens.

[M.C. Crocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice in the Country of Joke has been out and around for few years and I was always hesitant to pick anything from that country up because I wanted to finish the Country of Hearts story but eventually I figured out that the stories don’t entirely flow one right after the other and the Country of Hearts story didn’t seem to progress any just a bunch of smaller stories where Alice ends up picking one person or another in the country of Clover. Though that repertoire has expanded to some of these stories being in the Country of Hearts and at least one in the Country of Joker. For the love stories where Alice picks a person the country serves for little more than a back drop so to speak. This book however is not about Alice picking a person it is more plot heavy and is about Alice being in Wonderland and how she shall remain there.



The idea of the Country of Joker is that there are seasons, something that is not there in the other stories and each land has a season and the main season is April season the season of lies ruled by the bothersome Joker. In this story it is revealed that Alice had forgotten some things such as the fact that people who had been missing in the Country of Clover are returned she thinks they have always been there and doesn’t question how the Clock Tower and the Tower of Clover now the same place. Everyone is concerned by this on some level and wants her to remember things because it could be bad if she doesn’t. Additionally there is pressure for Alice to pick a land to spend all of her time in because once the seasons settle; she’ll be locked in at that place unless she gets express permission from the joker to move between lands. It is clear that there is evil intents for Alice from the Joker and his circus but nothing more is revealed and it has left me very curious for what will happen next and where Alice will choose to live. The love and romance aspect of the story still lives only it is toned down as Alice hasn’t picked a person that she wants to be with.



Over all I would give this story another 4 out of 5 stars and an excellent story. I would advise this story if you want less romance and more intrigue as this is what this is. If you expect nothing but the romance you may be disappointed but don’t shun the book because of it, the story holds very well and is something I would recommend reading. Particularly for the ever hilarious bonus panels of “If Alice was small” it was quite cute!

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest.

What the heck just happened?

I feel like we're missing something. It starts out in Hearts and then jumps to Joker without really saying that we're in Joker now and keeps talking about Clover, in some cases like we're still there.

In other words, this volume was very muddled, and now I'm very confused.

...And it bugs me that the artist's notes at the end always say "Go play the game!" when you can't play it in English... D: I know they were just translating what she said, but it makes me really want to play the game when it says, "If you're having trouble understanding, go play the games!"

Curse you, lack of intrest in the American game industry for dating sims aimed at women!

[Miyuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this artist, and I love this story and game series, but I can only give four stars to this volume because it's a little slow paced. Normally I can't ever put down a volume of Alice from anything related to Quinrose, but I put this book down several times because it is /slow/.

I will continue to buy the volumes because I'm familiar with the game's plot and I'm very excited to see more with Joker, but this is a more thoughtful series than the others and may not be to everyone's tastes.

I would also like to comment that it uses a smaller volume size like with the Heart series and I miss the larger pages from the Clover manga.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this manga, and this book really made the whole series turn towards the sinister and mysterious side. It has to be one of the best books in all 3 series yet- I can't wait until I get my hands on the next book!!! Oh and as stated in other comments you should read Alice in the Country of Hearts and Alice in the Country of Clover before this series, or else you'll have a very hard time understanding what's going on. It's confusing for the first two chapters because of the recap, but it ends up balancing out later on (and I can't help but love Alice's bad ass side). It's a very good book and make sure to read it- you won't be disappointed.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chapters 1 - 3: This series looks really interesting and introduces a few more characters. I am looking forward to the next volume and seeing how this plot unfolds as well as finding out more about the connection between Blood and the Joker.

This volume also contains a fun side story "A Spot" that revolves around Alice before she came to Wonderland. It shows some of her relationship with her tutor. There are also some cute bonus comics from the "What if Alice was Small" collection, including one with her and the Hatter.

[Anaïs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and the story is just amazing. The characters are great, handsome, funny and beautifeul and even if it is romance it also looks like action to me. I loved it!!! And i don't now why but Blood and Boris both stay my favorite even in this one. And Alice i just love your darkside!!!
https://www.google.be/url?sa=i&rc...

[Sal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. A good start to the series and slow build up. It was pretty much a run through of what we already know but slightly tweaked to fit the Joker storyline. So far, I'm intrigued by the Joker and there definitely wasn't enough about him in Volume 1, though I believe V.2 is when we get to the good stuff. The circus seems like a fun yet dark place.

Also, The Hatter seems to have a better story arc in this spin off... Which is weird. I like his relationship and interactions with Alice more in this one!

[Miss Zelda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, however I think it's very confusing. For most of the book, I couldn't really figure out what was going on, and what the plot really was (and it never really went anywhere). I felt like this book pretty much consisted of Alice wandering around from place to place and talking to the different characters. I really like the different characters, but the rest is a bit too confusing to me.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga was pretty confusing, and almost next to nothing happened (plot wise).
I liked how Alice's character was different to previous Alice manga series (Clover and Hearts). She was a little more kick-ass.
I want to continue, because I want to see how the story plays out, and who Alice will fall in love with this time.

[Haaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this series. I didn't know that the manga were based on a game. I was wary to read this one after the other because they weren't in the same section. This one is a start of a new stand alone series. They fit together though so I was alright when reading. I didn't get lost. They are always just the introduction.

[Jessica G · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the start, I had to wonder, is it going to recap everything that happened? But alas! It didn't!
In fact, it was really REALLY good! I love how this series seemed a bit more mysterious and sinister. Still funny, but dark.
I'm looking forward to seeing how Nightmare's character develops! XD

[Francine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some background on my knowledge of the series:
I've been reading a bunch of "Alice in the Country of..." titles lately, mostly volumes 1s and then trying to find summaries online of specific plotlines and character routes and such. (I bought a bunch of these books secondhand a while ago, I didn't know where to start so I just never did. But I'm just reading what I have, now.) I haven't played the games, but I really do want to, some of the subplots seem very interesting and I like hanging out with the guys!

"Country of Joker" is the third game in the "Alice in the Country of..." series.
This volume consists of three chapters and the first chapter is spent on retelling the beginning of "Alice in the Country of Hearts" AGAIN... I've already seen the beginning like ten times, oh my god, you don't need to spend thirty pages to go over it again, WE GET IT. 😂 They should have spent those pages on actually telling the "Joker" story, and showing us new stuff!
So, "Circus and Liar's Game" is taking its sweet time to get off the ground. The plot isn't progressing fast -- and this is something the "Alice in the Country of..." books suffer from anyway -- but I'm so tired of the way it drags here. So far the big selling point for "Country of Joker" seems to be this new character, Joker, but he hasn't piqued my interest so far because he's not really doing anything!

I am kinda sad I don't already own volume 2, because I expect the story to pick up soon, but I don't want to spend more money on this series so I will sadly never find out what happens next.

I only have one more book from this series on my shelves that I haven't read yet: volume 1 of "The Nightmare Trilogy". So I'll read that later today, just to get it done, and then I'll sell all my Alice no Kuni manga (except the very first omnibus, I liked that one).
It's been a fun but frustrating experience to (try to) get into this series!

[Siti Madihah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was made to understand that this manga is actually based on a game, and that those who haven't played the game may not fully understand the story.

Indeed, the first few pages of this manga made me want to stop right away and mark this book as "DNF". Explaining the concept of a fantasy universe is hard, and I can vouch that some comics failed to do so without confusing the readers even more. I almost gave up on Alice, but then, I decided to press on just a few more pages (to justify not finishing it) - but it's worth the effort because I ended up finishing this book... and even falling in love with it!!!

This manga is full of handsome guys surrounding Alice. To think about it, all the characters in the Country of Hearts (so far) are males - except for Vivaldi the Queen of Hearts, of course. Other females in the story are the 'faceless' maids, which are of no importance to the story.

Luckily all the guys are very adorable and lovable too (except for Joker, whom at this point is still not a fully understood character).

Towards the end of this volume, new concepts were being introduced and I began to feel lost again. But it did not deter me from reading until the end and cannot wait to read the second volume in the series.

So yeah, to think that I almost DNF but ended up not only loving this book, but giving 5-stars rating, and even having a crush on Blood Dupre the Mad Hatter. Kyaaaaa!!!! 😆

[LaShana Claude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when Alice was getting used to life in Wonderland, a wild card appears that changes everything: the enigmatic Joker. Now the dangers are even greater as Alice must dodge bullets and stave off psychopathic suitors while the seasons cycle at random and can be changed by a mere thought. The Circus is a place of mystery, and its warden, the two-faced Joker, has cryptic plans of his own. But what are they?

Welcome to the Circus. You wont be leaving... ever


An all new standalone Alice series by the creators of Alice in the County of Clover!

Older Teen (16+) 14.99 CAN

Seven Seas Entertainment
Distributed by Macmillan

www.gomanga.com

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. It's a good start even though the plot was a bit lackluster, but it was a creative retelling where Alice actually in a Circusland. It's a bit confusing and slow build up. When I thought about the Joker's Country, I was expecting more from him and Alice. That's a bleak but I'm looking forward for the next series. However, I love the art. The characters were so appealing and compatible.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so confuuuuuuused.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing characters and interactions, but overall confusing plot-wise.

[Roel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like some elements, but nothing is explained and everyone is so patronising to the main character that it kinda ruins the fun

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you have read Alice in the country of hearts you will find this manga boring. More than half of this book is about how Alice came to wonderland and what the rules are. There is no romance. I hope the second manga is better.

[Victoria Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little Alice in Wonderland spin off romance.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Alice in the Country of Joker, it's April Season, and that means that the rules have changed. For one, there are actual seasons in the land depending on where Alice visits. For another, more than 12 role holding characters are present. What could this mean? If the caginess of the role holders is any indication, the Joker isn't up to anything good.

This story arc is intriguing me. The focus seems to be about the choice that Alice made to stay in Wonderland. She doesn't remember the tragic details that made her want to forget, but maybe her memory isn't as tucked away as everyone thought it was. While some may complain that the volume starts out with a full recap chapter, I found it helpful (especially for those whose memory might be rusty about Alice's adventures in the Country of Hearts where the story all began), but I also think it ties back to why Alice is here in the first place.

In order to fully enjoy this arc, you need to know all the characters, so reading Alice in the Country of Hearts would be recommended. But, functioning as a stand-alone, this may be the best of the Alice story arcs to date.

[Jaymee Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this it’s great!

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-read 14-8-2022. I remember being slightly confused when first reading this series, but as I have read more and more of the Alice series, this book isn't confusing at all. We have a whole new "country" and this series also mentions some parts of the how and what of the real world, which is super interesting. Unfortunately for me, I don't own all the volumes, but this was a strong start. I liked how Alice's confusion about Clover and Hearts was handled, and the circus is intruiging.

While this should definitely not be your first ~no kuni no Alice book, it's definitely worth the read if you've read more of the books/played the games.

[Almina Orbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

​I must admit I am a manga addict and this series is no exception. However this is just one of the books in the weird interconnecting thing that it is a part of. Alice fell down the rabbit hole again, but this time she fell into a world of violence and where lives are expendable and replaceable. Alice is one of many characters in this book however my favorite character has to be Boris, a funny pink neko, who would do anything for Alice. I always read this series when I am feeling down because not cracking a smile is impossible when they do something stupid.

[Filia Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just did NOT care for this iteration of Alice. It was oftentimes confusing, and the artist pretty much tells you to play the game or to read Clover to make it make sense. The problem is, the main adaptation for Clover isn't available, and we don't have the game in English. So the reader is left trying to guess what they're talking about.
This one took me forever to get through. I will still read the next one, but I'm not looking that forward to it.