Alice In Wonderland: The Original 1865 Unabridged and Complete Edition

by Lewis Carroll

Alice in Wonderland is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures. It is seen as an example of the literary nonsense genre. The artist John Tenniel provided 42 wood-engraved illustrations for the book.

It received positive reviews upon release and is now one of the best-known works of Victorian literature; its narrative, structure, characters, and imagery have had a widespread influence on popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. It is credited as helping end an era of didacticism in children's literature, inaugurating an era in which writing for children aimed to "delight or entertain."

The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults and children. The titular character Alice shares her given name with Alice Liddell, a girl Carroll knew.

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Childrens, Literature, Audiobook, Fiction, Novels

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2023

About the author

The Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer.

His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.

Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.

He also has works published under his real name.

Reviews

[Emilie Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have wanted to read Alice In Wonderland for the longest time, so it felt deserving of being one of my first reads of the new year. My interest in the novel has grown as I read other books referencing it. Not only is it referenced in countless books, but it is also one of the main inspirations for one of my favorites, so ultimately, it was a no-brainer that I had to read it.

It was no surprise that I found it to be utterly delightful. It was perfectly mad and whimsical making it the most charming piece of literature. It is one of those brilliantly innovative novels that is impossible to imagine the world of writing without. It has become such a fundamental piece and for good reason.

How the novel covers childhood imagination and how that plays into growing up is astounding. It has a bittersweet ending tying the careless, accepting nature of a child with the grounded nature of an adult.

Perfect piece of writing and I am ashamed that it has taken me this long to read it.

[Cynthia Feenstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friends and I recently dressed up for an Alice in Wonderland party. Upon discussion, everyone but me stated they had never read the book. So, I later bought a book for everyone and we are all reading it so we can discuss it.

I read it in my youth, and of course, I saw the movie. However, I have to say I enjoyed it even more as an adult. What a witty read with lots of humor and possible intentional allegory/symbolism. Chapter 3 and chapter 9 had me rolling in laughter!

If you read it as a child, read it again. It’s worth the three hours or so, and it will definitely lift your mood!

[Tanisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

why didn't he (the author) talk about the Cheshire cat at the end, in the section that was in a way the microcosm of the entire book? Was it because it was the only channel between the real and the fantasy for Alice or the link to the real world like her cat D. Because all goes but the smile of the Cheshire cat. The in between.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never read this or seen a movie version of this. It has been on my tbr list forever. I have been challenging myself to read outside of my normal genre (thrillers) this year so I figured now is as good a time as any to read this. While I am glad to have marked it off my list, I struggled to finish it. This is one time I may have preferred to skip the book and just watch the movie.

[Eaupluie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nonsense and whimsical but I prefer the animation

[Isha Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book literally feels like someone was really high when they wrote it. It is still better than the kid's version we read at an early age. Just because the book was written wit a kid as the central character doesn't mean that it is meant for the children.

[Milena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've finished Alice just in time to still fit this title in year 2025! :D.
Very happy about that.
I may be a bit biased, but this book was absolutely lovely. Literary nonsense could be one of my favourites actually. However only if combined with a lighthearted fairytale ;}.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
It’s really a fever dream of nonsense. I swear Lewis Carroll was smoking opium when he wrote this. That being said, I enjoyed it. It’s easy to get lost in its silliness.

[Trista Dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t do drugs kids

[Kylie Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read a chapter a night to the kids as our bedtime chapter book.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old classic favorite of mine.

[Sofieke de Loos · Rating 3 out of 5]

mostly nostalgic. it's, however, a very confusing book, and reading it sporadically over the course of a year made it even more confusing

[G · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those famous yet short books. So embedded in popular culture, that one feels like one already knows it. Back in 1865, this whimsical children's story must have made a big impact. However, imaginative, hallucinogenic, literature has moved on by centuries. So I found it like a movie oversold by its trailer. All the good bits already familiar, and the rest deflated.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was so lovely to read such a whimsical book! Not at all what I was expecting - much less plot and much more vivid imagery. It was lovely to be swept away with the quick-paced dialogue and poetry.

At parts it was (perhaps purposefully) hard to follow, but a re-read led me back to realise it is nonsensical. A lovely characterisation of all the animals and cards, and I enjoyed the jury scene most.

Favourite quote: “how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood”

[Quinn03 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally read Alice in Wonderland!! This was so good, the fact that I was in a trance while reading this, it brought back a lot of childhood memories for me and I could not be happier to have finally read it. The Disney movie is one of my childhood favourites so it was so fun to read the original source material

[lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

En definitiva un libro demasiado extraño. Nunca he sido fan de la historia de Alice; la pelicula animada me aburría, el live-action de Tim Burton me daba un poco de miedo pero hasta ahí y cuando comencé este libro sentí que tal vez la historia del país de las maravillas simplemente no era para mi. Pero, al pasar de los capítulos, me empecé a adentrar en las locuras de este mundo y me encontré disfrutándolo. Es una historia confusa pero bastante graciosa y tiene demasiadas frases que se quedan contigo.

[Jules St. John · Rating 1 out of 5]

Almost unreadable. Random, incoherent babble. Nothing makes sense. Sentences are not connected to each other and the endless 'poetry' utterly pointless and meaningless. Horribly written. No story. Could I hate it more? No. I only finished it because it was the chosen text for my bookclub. The only positive was that it's mercifully short.

[Elizabeth Estabrooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I searched for meaning, reason, and logic… I think the true “point” of this book was to indulge in my childlike innocence and let my imagination run wild with what could be and what really is. Although I feel a strong connection to the trials and tribulations children (especially girls-women) experience growing up, not fitting in their skin, being an odd duck in a odd world only to realize the world is more mad than I could ever be. As I closed the cover I had to accept I can prescribe whatever meaning I wish to the book, but in this case it is probably best to accept that it is not meant to be tied up neatly in a bow at the end. Allow myself to sit with the wonder it leaves in me.

[Melissa Ranieri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mi sono fatta spiegare da Gemini i sottotesti di questo classico, sperando che scattasse qualcosa, nella mia testa, che mi facesse apprezzare la satira della rigida educazione vittoriana, l'allegoria delle difficoltà psicologiche che affronta il bimbo davanti ai tanti cambiamenti della crescita, e varie altre cose che sí, capisco ci síano, ma non mi hanno reso interessante quella che alla fine dei conti ho solo trovato una lettura molto noiosa.Ero pronta a farmi rapire dal mondo psichedelico di Alice, ma purtroppo non è successo!

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story and it fits my head and thought patterns. I realize some people think it sounds like nonsense quite a bit of the time though. I'm sure everyone knows of the story, but maybe you haven't read it to get that side of the full experience though the movies are good. :)

I really liked the writing style with loose association conversations and twisty ways of thinking. I didn't really like most of the poems/songs inside the story though.

[Jodie Schick · Rating 1 out of 5]

***Review based on Audiobook of this original unabridged version.***

Terrible. I’ve never read this book and thought it would be a good audiobook but boy was I wrong. The storyline was ridiculous and the storytelling appalling.

I may one day get the hard copy and try to persevere. Made it three quarters of the way through and couldn’t tolerate another minute.

I really wanted to like this, and expected that I would.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun but a little frivolous. Which I suppose is the point. But I'm reading this in consideration of teaching it. I don't think I will though, so I've got to come up with something else fast. Oh well. Fun read; not sure what to make of it. Maybe just old museum jokes. Glad I had the experience with it, though.

[Adam Stanhope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really amazing story to read, this is one of favourite stories of all time, the creativity of the characters and writing is so well done, and the illustrations that accompany the story as you read are brilliant. Classic stories are the best to read because you get drawn in to the world of wonderland

[Igor Jagec · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true classic that’s much more than a children’s story. Carroll’s surreal world invites the reader to question logic, language, and identity — all wrapped in playful nonsense and rich symbolism. The book’s layered meanings and imaginative characters leave plenty to reflect on at any age. A timeless, rewarding read

[Belu Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 2025 re-read.
The conversation with the caterpillar with a hookah and the Cheshire Cat are my favourite
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
That depends a good deal on where you want to get to” said the cat
“ I don’t much care where” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go”

[Lynn Oakwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this book and kept putting it off, until I found a wonderful LibriVox recording by Peter Yearsley. The reading was lightly comical and made the experience worthwhile. Reading 5⭐! The author's writing is great, but it's a children's story, so not very engaging for the adults of today.

[Arianne Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was much better than the last half in my opinion. I love the character Alice and how she talks to herself throughout the story. It was interesting reading the story after having seen the various movies.

[Joseph Droddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never actually read it before.

Compared to any movie about Alice that I ever viewed, I find that actually reading the work is so much more rewarding. Some words and expressions must be researched to get the meaning. And I do so enjoy the language of the time.

[Casey O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! I’m trying to read more classics and bc this was written in Oxford it felt like a good pick to start the year. I’ve seen the film, but I don’t think I had ever read the book.

It’s silly and nonsensical and whimsical, but I didn’t love it and it’s fine.

[Deanna Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should have read it sooner

I have never read this, and I really should have sooner than 65, but some of us are slow to the game. I have tarot cards which have scenes and characters I didn't know. This is beautiful to read and explore.