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Bedlam Stories
Set in the 1920s, intrepid reporter Nellie Bly fakes insanity to gain admission into the infamous Bedlam Asylum. While researching her expose, Nellie meets a young patient, Dorothy, who has delusions of a fantasy land she calls "Oz".
Digging deeper into the dark history of the asylum, Nellie uncovers evidence of human experimentations on another inmate, a young girl named Alice, who's "Wonderland" mirrors Dorothy's imaginary world.
Nellie is determined not to let Dorothy share Alice's fate as a human guinea pig. But the horrific experiments open a portal to these other worlds.
When the dark and twisted inhabitants of Oz and Wonderland clash for control, Nellie realizes that they aren't delusions at all - they are terrifyingly real.
Digging deeper into the dark history of the asylum, Nellie uncovers evidence of human experimentations on another inmate, a young girl named Alice, who's "Wonderland" mirrors Dorothy's imaginary world.
Nellie is determined not to let Dorothy share Alice's fate as a human guinea pig. But the horrific experiments open a portal to these other worlds.
When the dark and twisted inhabitants of Oz and Wonderland clash for control, Nellie realizes that they aren't delusions at all - they are terrifyingly real.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2013
14 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Christine Converse
3 books48 followersI was raised in the Bay Area on a self-imposed study diet of stories of the paranormal, science fiction, fantasy and humor. Always able to glide through English, literature and language classes with little effort, I then suffered near-total brain fry in pre-calc. I also enjoyed programming but realized that, when the slip of a semi-colon can ruin the entire package, an engineering degree was not in the cards. Thus, I entered the video game industry straight out of college and have been writing ever since; during the day hours, it's manuals, strategy guides, marketing copy, website and packaging for video games. At night, it's short stories and fiction novels about the recently departed and twisted morality tales. I also do everything in my power to share my fascination with science fiction and paranormal stuffs with our two young boys and pass on the distinction that, while ghosts, zombies, witches, monsters, demons, and all things creepy and crawly are not real, your imagination and enjoyment in bringing them to life through art, words and film is the ultimate in fun and creativity.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 9, 2013
Bedlam Stories
is an intriguing concept. The oft-told tales of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz filtered through the twisted vision of film maker Pearry Teo whose work has always been marked by a dark, sinister edge. Here Teo teams with author Christine Converse for a tale that takes the works of Lewis Carroll and L. Frank Baum as a starting point and crafts a startling new tale of madness that is certainly not your parents fairy tale!
Of course re-adapting fairy tales and folklore is nothing new, ABC have had success with their series Once Upon a Time whilst NBC turned Grimm's Fairy Tales into a fantastic horror-tinged police procedural show. But whilst both of the aforementioned are superb in their own right there is nothing (and I mean nothing) that can prepare you for Bedlam Stories . From the very first page Christine Converse's prose grabs you by the rough of the neck and takes you on a dark, twisted, surreal and insane (apt given the setting) journey through the halls of Bedlam Asylum and beyond.
The official log line goes like this:
But that is only half the story... If you've seen Teo's Hellraiser-esque flick Necromentia you''ll know [some]what to expect from this book. It features the same lyrical storytelling, the same nightmarish imagery and the same sense of dread and foreboding. Yet at the same time this feels totally fresh, new and VERY exciting. It's the kind of book you pick up and literally don't put down till you've finished the very last page. Which in all fairness is a complete rarity for me - I can drag out reading books for days, nay weeks. But not with Bedlam Stories .
I was surprised to discover that author Christine Converse had, under the pen name Christine Cain, only previously penned numerous strategy guides. She has a real flair for prose and the way in which she describes every gory detail of Bedlam Stories (no doubt helped in part by the imagination of Pearry Teo, whose "baby" this project is), yet never goes too far in her descriptive, really allows the reader to truly use their imagination to fill in the visual gaps - something which cannot be said for a lot of other modern horror fiction today.
Going into Bedlam Stories as hardcore fan of Pearry Teo's film work I knew it would be too easy for me to heap praise on this book so I'll be honest I was looking for something, however minute, to criticise. Happily I can report I found none. I can only hope that the proposed multimedia behemoth that follows, including apps, a movie and more, can live up to the promise of this novel.
A twisted, surreal, imaginative and captivating piece of storytelling, Bedlam Stories can be pre-ordered at the official website. I heartily suggest you do.
***** 5/5
Of course re-adapting fairy tales and folklore is nothing new, ABC have had success with their series Once Upon a Time whilst NBC turned Grimm's Fairy Tales into a fantastic horror-tinged police procedural show. But whilst both of the aforementioned are superb in their own right there is nothing (and I mean nothing) that can prepare you for Bedlam Stories . From the very first page Christine Converse's prose grabs you by the rough of the neck and takes you on a dark, twisted, surreal and insane (apt given the setting) journey through the halls of Bedlam Asylum and beyond.
The official log line goes like this:
Hoping to draw public attention to abuses within women’s mental institutions, journalist Nellie Bly fakes insanity in order to be committed to Bedlam Asylum. Her expose takes an unusual turn when Nellie meets a quiet teenager named Dorothy who insists that a magical land called Oz is not just a figment of her imagination. At first Nellie dismisses Dorothy’s claims, until she actually sees Oz for herself after going through a series of experiments.
Digging deeper into the asylum’s hidden secrets, Nellie learns about a failed test subject called Project:Alice that ended with disastrous consequences. By recreating these experiments on Dorothy and Nellie, the doctors at Bedlam have inadvertently released demonic creatures into Oz – refugees from a place called Wonderland.
Now Nellie must uncover the truth behind Project:Alice before Bedlam’s dark past repeats itself and the demons from Wonderland gain entry into our world.
But that is only half the story... If you've seen Teo's Hellraiser-esque flick Necromentia you''ll know [some]what to expect from this book. It features the same lyrical storytelling, the same nightmarish imagery and the same sense of dread and foreboding. Yet at the same time this feels totally fresh, new and VERY exciting. It's the kind of book you pick up and literally don't put down till you've finished the very last page. Which in all fairness is a complete rarity for me - I can drag out reading books for days, nay weeks. But not with Bedlam Stories .
I was surprised to discover that author Christine Converse had, under the pen name Christine Cain, only previously penned numerous strategy guides. She has a real flair for prose and the way in which she describes every gory detail of Bedlam Stories (no doubt helped in part by the imagination of Pearry Teo, whose "baby" this project is), yet never goes too far in her descriptive, really allows the reader to truly use their imagination to fill in the visual gaps - something which cannot be said for a lot of other modern horror fiction today.
Going into Bedlam Stories as hardcore fan of Pearry Teo's film work I knew it would be too easy for me to heap praise on this book so I'll be honest I was looking for something, however minute, to criticise. Happily I can report I found none. I can only hope that the proposed multimedia behemoth that follows, including apps, a movie and more, can live up to the promise of this novel.
A twisted, surreal, imaginative and captivating piece of storytelling, Bedlam Stories can be pre-ordered at the official website. I heartily suggest you do.
***** 5/5
September 7, 2013
"Picture the works of Lewis Carroll and L. Frank Baum entering a sickening, twisted world of their own devices, and the true Mad Hatter holding the keys to their imaginations is none other than visionary director, Pearry Teo. This is Hellraiser meets the two truly legendary tales we loved as a child, Alice In Wonderland and The Wizard Of Oz. But this is not your typical spin on classic tales, this is demented, twisted, and supremely bloody fun! Bedlam, with the incredible writing assist by Christine Converse has captivated me in its gory goodness...and I could NOT put it down, until it was finished...it was like a drug...a surreal, imaginative, and sickening fever dream...and I never want to wake from it. Bedlam is one of the greatest pieces of literature horror fans will read this or any year...and the projected film which this modern masterpiece stems from is going to blow people's minds all over the Yellow Brick Road...get ready for this story to assist in changing the landscape of the terror game!"-Rob DiLauro, Horror Personality, Author of SCORN series and Director of SCORN:Broken Visions
October 31, 2013
Also posted to Jen in Bookland
This was an interesting read. It was pretty dark and was fun to read a story with familiar characters in such a different way. I actually read the synopsis before starting the book and thought I don't know about this. I mean it seemed like it could go either way - I could hate it or love it. Well I loved it at first. I slowly got disillusioned, but not too much.
This book starts off really good. I couldn't wait to see what was going on and what would happen. Nellie and Dorothy (of Oz) are journeying to the Bedlam Asylum. Nellie does a pretty good job of making sure the people running the place thinks she insane. She really goes as far as possible to sell it. Once she arrives there things get interesting and Alice is introduced slightly. She seems so creepy and all of her friends are just so great. The Cheshire cat, one of my favorite characters from Alice in Wonderland, was one of my favorite characters in this story. The ending where they describe how he eats to body parts and licks up the blood with his tongue like shards of glass was just so creepy fun!
The one issue I did have with the story was the Dr. I get that he is the insane doctor, but his reasoning and such just didn't live up to the high expectations of the rest of the book. It was alright, but I just felt a little...disappointed by the explanation. It was fine, but could have been better. The whole ending though was a little odd...just a little off. A little ridiculous in the confines of the story.
Overall though I did enjoy the story. I am looking forward to the next book to see what happens.
This was an interesting read. It was pretty dark and was fun to read a story with familiar characters in such a different way. I actually read the synopsis before starting the book and thought I don't know about this. I mean it seemed like it could go either way - I could hate it or love it. Well I loved it at first. I slowly got disillusioned, but not too much.
This book starts off really good. I couldn't wait to see what was going on and what would happen. Nellie and Dorothy (of Oz) are journeying to the Bedlam Asylum. Nellie does a pretty good job of making sure the people running the place thinks she insane. She really goes as far as possible to sell it. Once she arrives there things get interesting and Alice is introduced slightly. She seems so creepy and all of her friends are just so great. The Cheshire cat, one of my favorite characters from Alice in Wonderland, was one of my favorite characters in this story. The ending where they describe how he eats to body parts and licks up the blood with his tongue like shards of glass was just so creepy fun!
The one issue I did have with the story was the Dr. I get that he is the insane doctor, but his reasoning and such just didn't live up to the high expectations of the rest of the book. It was alright, but I just felt a little...disappointed by the explanation. It was fine, but could have been better. The whole ending though was a little odd...just a little off. A little ridiculous in the confines of the story.
Overall though I did enjoy the story. I am looking forward to the next book to see what happens.
May 17, 2014
I need the final book, I have to know how it ends!
I loved this book, it was atmospheric, dark, creepy and the visuals just jumped out right at you and made it feel all the more real.
I did read most of this in the dark, with a cat creeping round who managed to add to the dark feeling of this book.
Gaining admission in to Bedlam asylum to prove wrong doings turns out to be a bit more intense for Nellie, and boy doe's she get more than she bargained for.
The creepy doctor, the secretive Project Alice and how does Dorothy Gale fit in to all.
What you get is a trail of creepy happenings when two worlds collide and crash in a gruesome way.
I loved the Cheshire cat and am rooting for Alice till the end.
The visuals created in this book just made it like you were there experiencing everything that was happening in the asylum, the descriptions of the creatures from both Wonderland and Oz were so disturbing I found myself smiling wanting more.
I preferred the character of Alice and hope we get to see more of her dark, macabre Wonderland.
I loved this book and can't wait for The fall Of Oz.
I loved this book, it was atmospheric, dark, creepy and the visuals just jumped out right at you and made it feel all the more real.
I did read most of this in the dark, with a cat creeping round who managed to add to the dark feeling of this book.
Gaining admission in to Bedlam asylum to prove wrong doings turns out to be a bit more intense for Nellie, and boy doe's she get more than she bargained for.
The creepy doctor, the secretive Project Alice and how does Dorothy Gale fit in to all.
What you get is a trail of creepy happenings when two worlds collide and crash in a gruesome way.
I loved the Cheshire cat and am rooting for Alice till the end.
The visuals created in this book just made it like you were there experiencing everything that was happening in the asylum, the descriptions of the creatures from both Wonderland and Oz were so disturbing I found myself smiling wanting more.
I preferred the character of Alice and hope we get to see more of her dark, macabre Wonderland.
I loved this book and can't wait for The fall Of Oz.
May 28, 2014
Two of my favourite things in life, Fairy tales and horror stories. This book was a dream for me; it took two of the best literary character Alice and Dorothy and dropped them in a cold dark Asylum.
This book is fast pasted and a twisted joy to read. The descriptions and atmosphere are perfection, you don’t read this book you are pulled into the Asylum walls to get covered in blood and feel the fear with the rest of the inmates.
I have to say I LOVED the twist with Rose and Dr. Braun’s mother that was just amazing.
You really don’t need any more of a review from me on this because if you think this book looks good it reads even better. I can’t wait to read the next book and I hope it gets even darker.
This book is fast pasted and a twisted joy to read. The descriptions and atmosphere are perfection, you don’t read this book you are pulled into the Asylum walls to get covered in blood and feel the fear with the rest of the inmates.
I have to say I LOVED the twist with Rose and Dr. Braun’s mother that was just amazing.
You really don’t need any more of a review from me on this because if you think this book looks good it reads even better. I can’t wait to read the next book and I hope it gets even darker.
Want to read
February 18, 2014Alice who? Dorothy what? Nellie Bly is what hooked my attention.
Ten Days in a Mad-House
Ten Days in a Mad-House
November 8, 2020
Зло, оно в идиотах.
Наверное, надо начать с того, что я люблю эстетику Пирри Тео (Pearry Teo). Давайте, я сразу покажу, нечто прекрасное. а потом вы сами посмотрите нечто ужасное, но такое же вцепляющееся в тебя.
Я такое очень люблю, но сама создать пока не умею, но очень хочется. Он чувствует красоту, любую, и поэтому умеет оперировать этим создавая невероятное. Его фильмы смотреть, это замирать от того как переплетаются картинки со смыслом, неудивительно, если происходит такое:
Но если этого не знать, то погружение в мир Бедлама, встреча с миром Алисы и Дороти - это удовольствие. Сама история полноценна. Каждая героиня несет свой мир и сплетаясь они производят ошеломляющий эффект.
Все начинается с того, что существовавшая на самом деле журналистка Нелли Блай по запросу редакции на статью попадает в Бедлам, клинику для душевно больных и встречает там очаровательную девушку Дороти из Канзаса, которую отдали в это место ее тетушка, потому что девушка спалила амбар и убила свинью зверским способом и странности ее эти не первые, так что... может быть в Бедламе ее все же от этого избавят? Но у Бедлама есть своя королева и свой злой гений. И вот тут и начинается самое интересное. Когда две сильные личности, которые могли, да в принципе и могут призвать из своих фантазий друзей - встречаются. И вы ведь понимаете, что, если бы не злой гений и страна Алисы осталась бы целее и страна Дороти не была бы тронута. Да, у гения есть своя история, и он фанатично за ней идет, не обращая внимания на последствия, не замечая людей за силой, и это именно он создает монстров. Именно он сталкивает миры и использует Нелли, как мостик.
И может быть, только может быть, все могло закончится хорошо, если бы у Нелли не оказалась своя история, ради которой она бросается в Зазеркалье, а покинутая Дороти начинается готовится к войне, потому что то, что происходило в психиатрической лечебнице лишь одно единственное сражение, а выиграть нужно войну.
И автор не раз нам через героев говорил, что еще неизвестно кто более жесток Алиса или же Дороти...
У меня есть однозначный ответ на этот вопрос - чертов злобный гений, который не хотел смотреть правде в глаза, да у него есть история, но почему? почему ты просто с девчонками не договорился? Почему ты им не рассказал, что ты хочешь, ведь это девчонки, которые считают себя одинокими, именно поэтому создают нечто, кому они будут нужны. Как уж могут, так и создают. Потому что опять же они не знают слов любви. Дай им это, и они ответят тебе. Потому что объединяться - это хорошо. А зло отнимать, использовать, убивать, держать в плену, превращать в рабов, запугивать - это не решение. Никогда не решение. Только если ты не самоубийца, только очень несмелый и ждешь, что за тебя сделают работу.
Непонятно, почему из всех возможных вариантов, люди выберут враждебность. Пусть не все, но слишком уж большая часть их вместо простого «привет», выберут шипеть, гнобить, отказываться разговаривать и даже нажаловаться чтобы боялись и делали как им надо. Только на таких условиях, они выходят к людям. И как им самим от этого не ужасно. Как они вместо разговора выбирают ссору?
И пусть книга кажется большей частью чтобы оживить образы, напугать, но она еще и о том, что ничего бы не было, если бы мы разговаривали и договаривались.
А про сам жанр, что я могу сказать, для меня это слишком красиво чтобы я пугалась, но впечатлительным лучше в книжку нос не совать, там много насилия, много крови и расчленений, там поломают вам представление о волшебстве и добрых сказках. Там оживят ваши кошмары. Книга в этом плане хороша. Мне было в ней эстетически удобно, а кого-то может и неприятно тряхнет. Так что будьте осторожны)
Наверное, надо начать с того, что я люблю эстетику Пирри Тео (Pearry Teo). Давайте, я сразу покажу, нечто прекрасное. а потом вы сами посмотрите нечто ужасное, но такое же вцепляющееся в тебя.
Я такое очень люблю, но сама создать пока не умею, но очень хочется. Он чувствует красоту, любую, и поэтому умеет оперировать этим создавая невероятное. Его фильмы смотреть, это замирать от того как переплетаются картинки со смыслом, неудивительно, если происходит такое:
Честно говоря, моя первая реакция была раздражение. Я подумал, зачем они крутят фильм во время концерта? Я боялся, что люди решат смотреть фильм, а не слушать меня! А потом произошло нечто странное. Я обнаружил, что сам смотрю этот чертов фильм! (Аурелио Вольтер)Поэтому для меня книга была еще одной и долгожданной встречей с Пирри Тео и немного досадно, что он пришел не один, а с кузнецом в виде Кристин Конверс (Kristine Converse). Но опять же будем честными именно она писала книгу Пирри разрабатывал образы, а она их записывала за ним (насколько я поняла из книги, предисловий и благодарностей), и не буду уж сильно ругать женщину, но считаю, что она полностью не справилась с тем, что дал ей Пирри, потому что я вижу, как полноценно выглядят его идеи и как скудны они в книгах. Девочка старалась, правда старалась, и эта книга на порядок выше тех ужасов и переработок Алисы и Страны Оз, что я знаю, но когда ты представляешь, как решилось бы все это гением Пирри, ты почти скулишь, что этого нет в книге, это нет на экране! (что особо возмутительно!) вот она беда знания, ты знаешь, сколько тебе недодали.
Но если этого не знать, то погружение в мир Бедлама, встреча с миром Алисы и Дороти - это удовольствие. Сама история полноценна. Каждая героиня несет свой мир и сплетаясь они производят ошеломляющий эффект.
Все начинается с того, что существовавшая на самом деле журналистка Нелли Блай по запросу редакции на статью попадает в Бедлам, клинику для душевно больных и встречает там очаровательную девушку Дороти из Канзаса, которую отдали в это место ее тетушка, потому что девушка спалила амбар и убила свинью зверским способом и странности ее эти не первые, так что... может быть в Бедламе ее все же от этого избавят? Но у Бедлама есть своя королева и свой злой гений. И вот тут и начинается самое интересное. Когда две сильные личности, которые могли, да в принципе и могут призвать из своих фантазий друзей - встречаются. И вы ведь понимаете, что, если бы не злой гений и страна Алисы осталась бы целее и страна Дороти не была бы тронута. Да, у гения есть своя история, и он фанатично за ней идет, не обращая внимания на последствия, не замечая людей за силой, и это именно он создает монстров. Именно он сталкивает миры и использует Нелли, как мостик.
И может быть, только может быть, все могло закончится хорошо, если бы у Нелли не оказалась своя история, ради которой она бросается в Зазеркалье, а покинутая Дороти начинается готовится к войне, потому что то, что происходило в психиатрической лечебнице лишь одно единственное сражение, а выиграть нужно войну.
И автор не раз нам через героев говорил, что еще неизвестно кто более жесток Алиса или же Дороти...
У меня есть однозначный ответ на этот вопрос - чертов злобный гений, который не хотел смотреть правде в глаза, да у него есть история, но почему? почему ты просто с девчонками не договорился? Почему ты им не рассказал, что ты хочешь, ведь это девчонки, которые считают себя одинокими, именно поэтому создают нечто, кому они будут нужны. Как уж могут, так и создают. Потому что опять же они не знают слов любви. Дай им это, и они ответят тебе. Потому что объединяться - это хорошо. А зло отнимать, использовать, убивать, держать в плену, превращать в рабов, запугивать - это не решение. Никогда не решение. Только если ты не самоубийца, только очень несмелый и ждешь, что за тебя сделают работу.
Непонятно, почему из всех возможных вариантов, люди выберут враждебность. Пусть не все, но слишком уж большая часть их вместо простого «привет», выберут шипеть, гнобить, отказываться разговаривать и даже нажаловаться чтобы боялись и делали как им надо. Только на таких условиях, они выходят к людям. И как им самим от этого не ужасно. Как они вместо разговора выбирают ссору?
И пусть книга кажется большей частью чтобы оживить образы, напугать, но она еще и о том, что ничего бы не было, если бы мы разговаривали и договаривались.
А про сам жанр, что я могу сказать, для меня это слишком красиво чтобы я пугалась, но впечатлительным лучше в книжку нос не совать, там много насилия, много крови и расчленений, там поломают вам представление о волшебстве и добрых сказках. Там оживят ваши кошмары. Книга в этом плане хороша. Мне было в ней эстетически удобно, а кого-то может и неприятно тряхнет. Так что будьте осторожны)
December 10, 2020
The premise sounded so good! A mental asylum, everything doesnt seem as they are, a cruel doctor, an undercover reporter who wants to know what's going on, mysterious events, a shady mirror that shows things that aren't there. Soon things begin to spiral out of control. Oz and Wonderland exist, just not the fairy tale versions. There are demons involved, and two powerful girls against each other, Dorothy and Alice.
I really really really thought I'd like this one. I mean, the plot sounds so interesting, esp to the people who have grown up reading these fairytales and can't wait to see the gory versions! But, I didn't. Not as much as I wanted to. Too much violence described, though maybe it was required of the storyline. The Reporter is stupid, to say the least. She went in without backup, is now trapped there, is now also pregnant, and can see her daughter running around. What's the deal with that? And the climax was revealed right at the beginning, not much build up going on except Nellie going on violent thought world rides with Alice or Dorothy. Only two sentence explanation is offered for each weird stuff and more words are reserved for descriptions of demons. Gross. I would have loved to see more of the dark wonderland and parallels to the lovely original, but no. The Author had to get into bloody mangling All. The. Time. The 2 stars are simply due to the plot. The story failed to impress me.
I really really really thought I'd like this one. I mean, the plot sounds so interesting, esp to the people who have grown up reading these fairytales and can't wait to see the gory versions! But, I didn't. Not as much as I wanted to. Too much violence described, though maybe it was required of the storyline. The Reporter is stupid, to say the least. She went in without backup, is now trapped there, is now also pregnant, and can see her daughter running around. What's the deal with that? And the climax was revealed right at the beginning, not much build up going on except Nellie going on violent thought world rides with Alice or Dorothy. Only two sentence explanation is offered for each weird stuff and more words are reserved for descriptions of demons. Gross. I would have loved to see more of the dark wonderland and parallels to the lovely original, but no. The Author had to get into bloody mangling All. The. Time. The 2 stars are simply due to the plot. The story failed to impress me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2020
Absolutely exceptional!!!!! I was gripped before I even realised the true nature of the story, then it all came into place!!! A terrifying tale of when we corrupt imagination instead of embracing it. I need the next installment. Was gruesome, was horror inducing and most of all I cant wait for the follow up.
November 25, 2018
Scary, disturbing and still beaitiful. I love all things Wonderland related and this darl world and it's lore were amazing. I hope we get more pf the story eventually. I haven't read Project Alice yet, but I'm going to very soon.
June 11, 2022
The concept here seemed very compelling; two legendary wanderers in imaginary worlds coming together in a desolate asylum that questioned the validity of their stories and their sanity. The idea of Dorothy and Alice's worlds of Oz and Wonderland and their inhabitants being twisted and tainted somehow towards darkness and crossing into our own world. Good stuff. But executed with very little development, in my opinion. It felt like all that concept was just a quick setup to arrive at a vivid description of the gruesomely fantastic terrors ripping everyone to shreds for no real reason other than the fact they're there. Other than the evil doctor of course. And we are given an interesting insight into his motivations finally, but that too just lays there and feels unfinished. Why not dive into that more?
In the midst off it all there was some interesting imagery created, which, together with the concept, is why my real score is a 2.5, but the links which held everything together for me needed to be fleshed out much more deeply to find it satisfying. It felt more like slasher porn.
In the midst off it all there was some interesting imagery created, which, together with the concept, is why my real score is a 2.5, but the links which held everything together for me needed to be fleshed out much more deeply to find it satisfying. It felt more like slasher porn.
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November 9, 2023Lost interest in this one 20% in.
December 26, 2013
Before Bedlam Stories brings it’s twisted mash-up of Fairtyale Horror to the big screen check out the whole dark nightmare in Bedlam Stories novel form. The story is the dreamscape of Pearry Teo and written by Christine Converse. The story is a enveloping mash-up horror show that brings together two iconic fantasy lands, Wonderland and Oz. Teo has taken everything we know of the two beloved characters of Alice and Dorothy and twisted their worlds into very dark, nightmarish visions. Bedlam Stories is set in inside a decaying asylum where the staff have sinister motives that are meant to corrupt and pervert both Alice’s and Dorothy’s unique gifts and connection to their mystical wonderlands.
Without giving too much of the story away, Bedlam Stories creates a world that challenges the classic concept of Alice. She is a dark, disturbed child of horror with no remorse or compassion. Her fairytale companions are nothing more than demonic messengers of revenge that will be pitted against the companions of Dorothy. The story is told through the point of view of a new character that Teo has introduced into this dichotomy of worlds that clash within the rusted and ruined walls of Bedlam asylum. The tale is complex, filled with chilling descriptions of macabre situations.
Bedlam stories is only the first chapter in this insane horror tale so most of the book is a story builder to more terrifying, intense drama to come. The visual descriptions of the characters situational climaxes for the most part are meant to set up the coming vision of the film that Teo plans for Bedlam Stories. Christine Converse’s writing brings to life the visions of Bedlam Stories in disturbing realistic intensity. They are deliciously dark tastes of the demented world that sees an evil Alice by forced design rail against all that she comes in contact with, facing a formidable foe in a epic clash of will and unrestrained emotional determination that will pit personal demons against personal demons. It is all very deep and thrilling, with enough complexity to keep you on edge as Bedlam Stories phantasmagoric tale unfolds.
For the most part Bedlam Stories is a creative, unique dark vision that offers a new reality for Alice and Dorothy that goes far beyond what the two characters ever endured in their respective adventures that we all grew up on. It is as if American Horror Story and Once Upon A Time melded into the abyss then spat back a malformed mutant creation that writhes in the suffrage of nightmares. Some moments in the novel seem a bit expected and anticipated but for most of the story everything unfolds in spectacularly suspenseful originality. Bedlam Stories is a nice, dark read that fans of horror and both Wonderland and Oz should enjoy. A definite good read.
Without giving too much of the story away, Bedlam Stories creates a world that challenges the classic concept of Alice. She is a dark, disturbed child of horror with no remorse or compassion. Her fairytale companions are nothing more than demonic messengers of revenge that will be pitted against the companions of Dorothy. The story is told through the point of view of a new character that Teo has introduced into this dichotomy of worlds that clash within the rusted and ruined walls of Bedlam asylum. The tale is complex, filled with chilling descriptions of macabre situations.
Bedlam stories is only the first chapter in this insane horror tale so most of the book is a story builder to more terrifying, intense drama to come. The visual descriptions of the characters situational climaxes for the most part are meant to set up the coming vision of the film that Teo plans for Bedlam Stories. Christine Converse’s writing brings to life the visions of Bedlam Stories in disturbing realistic intensity. They are deliciously dark tastes of the demented world that sees an evil Alice by forced design rail against all that she comes in contact with, facing a formidable foe in a epic clash of will and unrestrained emotional determination that will pit personal demons against personal demons. It is all very deep and thrilling, with enough complexity to keep you on edge as Bedlam Stories phantasmagoric tale unfolds.
For the most part Bedlam Stories is a creative, unique dark vision that offers a new reality for Alice and Dorothy that goes far beyond what the two characters ever endured in their respective adventures that we all grew up on. It is as if American Horror Story and Once Upon A Time melded into the abyss then spat back a malformed mutant creation that writhes in the suffrage of nightmares. Some moments in the novel seem a bit expected and anticipated but for most of the story everything unfolds in spectacularly suspenseful originality. Bedlam Stories is a nice, dark read that fans of horror and both Wonderland and Oz should enjoy. A definite good read.
October 15, 2013
I wasn't really sure what I was getting into when I first picked up this story. To be perfectly honest I had no idea who Pearry Teo was, and after a little research, realized I haven't even seen any of his movies. So that was no help in predicting whether this would be something up my alley or not. Normally I would rely on reviews, but there were so few that I didn't feel like it was much help. Oh how did people choose what to read before the internet?! So without much ado I caved and decided to jump in blind. The premise was intriguing (although I've never been a big Wizard of Oz fan, and Alice in Wonderland was just ok) and with it being October, this seemed like it might be a good fit.
I immediately got sucked into the story, the description enough for me to put myself there beside Nellie experiencing the story. I was a little confused when they told Dorthy's story however. Up until this point the story had been following Nellie, so when Dorthy's story is initially told, I was a little lost as to where Nellie was. Was she seeing what was happening? How would she know, unless it was Dorthy telling her? And at that point Dorthy certainly wasn't in a state to tell her story. So that lost me a little bit. Also, the pictures really didn't do much for me, as I was reading this story on my paperwhite, they were okay, but awfully dark.
Overall this was an okay read for me, but this is one of the rare instances where I think it would translate better on film than in writing.
I immediately got sucked into the story, the description enough for me to put myself there beside Nellie experiencing the story. I was a little confused when they told Dorthy's story however. Up until this point the story had been following Nellie, so when Dorthy's story is initially told, I was a little lost as to where Nellie was. Was she seeing what was happening? How would she know, unless it was Dorthy telling her? And at that point Dorthy certainly wasn't in a state to tell her story. So that lost me a little bit. Also, the pictures really didn't do much for me, as I was reading this story on my paperwhite, they were okay, but awfully dark.
Overall this was an okay read for me, but this is one of the rare instances where I think it would translate better on film than in writing.
October 4, 2013
Ok I’ve never written a review before so bear with me! Bedlam Stories went straight to my Top 10 list of Favorite books! Which is saying a lot as I’m a reading addict & avid book collector!
It has the perfect blend of Horror & Humanity! Even in the darkest of characters you find things about them that at times makes you almost understand why they are the Twisted, Agonized characters they have become, & you find yourself starting to sympathize with them!
This book will make you rethink Everything you know about Alice Liddel & Dorothy Gale! Wonderland isn’t Wonderful anymore & OZ has been twisted & contorted into something you won’t recognize! Oh & you’ll never look at yourself in a mirror the same way ever again!
The collaboration of Pearry Teo, Christine Converse & Nicole Jones-Dion is nothing short of Brilliant! I will be recommending this book to any one that will listen! I’m waiting anxiously for the next installment of Alice & Dorothy!
It has the perfect blend of Horror & Humanity! Even in the darkest of characters you find things about them that at times makes you almost understand why they are the Twisted, Agonized characters they have become, & you find yourself starting to sympathize with them!
This book will make you rethink Everything you know about Alice Liddel & Dorothy Gale! Wonderland isn’t Wonderful anymore & OZ has been twisted & contorted into something you won’t recognize! Oh & you’ll never look at yourself in a mirror the same way ever again!
The collaboration of Pearry Teo, Christine Converse & Nicole Jones-Dion is nothing short of Brilliant! I will be recommending this book to any one that will listen! I’m waiting anxiously for the next installment of Alice & Dorothy!
December 28, 2015
Holy twisted worlds! This book was phenomenal!! I loved the gore and the horror and the torture! I like to read about it rather than actually see it happen in movies, but the book was too good! I NEED the Fall of Oz! I'm so torn without it now D:
EDIT:
I have to say, the more I thought about it, the book itself wasn't exactly phenomenal. I think I just exaggerated the story of the book because it was so damn expensive to get it in the first place so I tried to believe it was a 5-star rating. I would probably say borrow this if you can, but it's honestly not worth spending $50 just to read this when in my personal opinion, it's probably a 3.5 star rating. I would like to continue reading the second part of the story but I don't think I would get it if it's the same price as this one..
EDIT:
I have to say, the more I thought about it, the book itself wasn't exactly phenomenal. I think I just exaggerated the story of the book because it was so damn expensive to get it in the first place so I tried to believe it was a 5-star rating. I would probably say borrow this if you can, but it's honestly not worth spending $50 just to read this when in my personal opinion, it's probably a 3.5 star rating. I would like to continue reading the second part of the story but I don't think I would get it if it's the same price as this one..
January 31, 2014
One of the best dark and creepy tales I have ever read. Alice and Dorthy all twisted together. It makes me think of that meme where the two girls are drinking tea together and one says to the other, "I have seen some weird shit."
In Bedlam stories journalist, Nellie Bly, intentionally gets herself committed to an insane asylum called Bedlam. While incarcerated, she meets Dorthy who claims to live in OZ. Eventually Nelliw sees OZ for herself and then investigates Bedlam further where upon she learns of the Alice experiments. Then we all get to see some weird shit. Bedlam Stories is a great book.
In Bedlam stories journalist, Nellie Bly, intentionally gets herself committed to an insane asylum called Bedlam. While incarcerated, she meets Dorthy who claims to live in OZ. Eventually Nelliw sees OZ for herself and then investigates Bedlam further where upon she learns of the Alice experiments. Then we all get to see some weird shit. Bedlam Stories is a great book.
October 24, 2013
So this took me all of like a day and a half to finish. I'm just going to say I enjoyed the end of the book more than any other part. I mean don't get me wrong, the beginning and middle weren't bad at all, there was just more action and gore toward the end. So, great story, it seems there will be another book(ifnot already and I'm just late because I just bought this book)? It was easy to get through and it captures your attention.
November 6, 2013
While horror stories are not really my cup of tea, I like a good scary tale, as long as it's not blood, gore and guts just for the sake of blood, gore and guts. Bedlam Stories reads like watching a horror flick, or a twisted not-for-kids anime. It's disturbing but not overly gross, bizarre but not hard to follow. If you are into twisted, horrific, bizarre, freaky tales, this is the book for you.
September 20, 2013
Pretty original piece of work - Silent Hill meets Lewis Carroll. It's gnarly, it has a mystery at its core and there's character development that enriches the story. Makes it a little deeper.
My one gripe with it is that certain parts are muddled and characters I was invested in didn't get as much development as others.
My one gripe with it is that certain parts are muddled and characters I was invested in didn't get as much development as others.
October 14, 2013
This book gave an interesting twist on both characters (Alice and Dorothy)and also their friends in the stroies. The descriptions of the characters were very gory and thrilling. I would compare them to something like Hellraiser. The ending left you wanting to read more.
January 10, 2014
Scary bloody and gory mashup of Alice in Wonderland and Wizard Oz… and Sleeping Beauty and Snow White? Oh gosh, bring on the next one!!!
January 6, 2014
Please note that this book is not for the faint of heart or the easily squeamish!! I loved every word of it.
October 26, 2013
Very strange, dark, and to me, terrifying. I don't like asylums much. The incorporation of Alice and Dorothy was well done, like looking through the glass darkly,and on acid.
November 8, 2013
This book is quite a ride. The imagery is incredible and the character development is well done and draws you in pretty quickly. Can't way to read the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2013
Beautifully realized, dark, creepy take on classics! Loved it! Can't wait for Book 2!
December 9, 2013
The scariest part of the book was the book cover.
March 20, 2014
Great book, I love how they put a dark twist on the characters we knew so well in traditional stories. Horror fiction :)
July 2, 2018
Holy mackerel! That was so creepy and yet I couldn't get enough. My only complaint is Tao never did write the last book. I really want to know what happens next.
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