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Malice in Wonderland #1
Alice the Assassin
You've been misled. Lewis Carroll didn't reveal the whole story...
Alice never left Wonderland. She's trapped. She's angry. And she wants revenge.
If you're a fan of twisted fairy tales, you'll love this dementedly funny series, brought to you by the author of Dorothy vs. Alice.
The truth is not what you were led to believe. It wasn't all "just a dream." It's a nightmare. A nightmare she can't escape, where formerly pleasant characters throw her unhappy unbirthday parties to torment her, while others like to make her cry so they can lick her tears.
But one day after years of this unpleasantness, she loses her heart. Literally. Well, technically somebody steals it.
And she has to get it back. By any means necessary. And it's a lot easier to be ruthless now that she's heartless.
Alice is fed up with all the losers of Wonderland, from the sadistic Queen of Hearts to the goofy Mad Hatter to the bloodthirsty Cheshire Cat.
And she's tired of being so sweet and innocent, with all her dimples. She used to be a preteen, but today is her 13th birthday, and she'll be singing “unhappy birthday” loudly as she delivers violent justice! Yeah, she used to be so sweet you could die. Well, now they all shall die...literally.
It may be 1865, but Alice is about to go medieval.
She will have her heart returned to her even if she has to kill all the citizens of Wonderland one by one...
Alice never left Wonderland. She's trapped. She's angry. And she wants revenge.
If you're a fan of twisted fairy tales, you'll love this dementedly funny series, brought to you by the author of Dorothy vs. Alice.
The truth is not what you were led to believe. It wasn't all "just a dream." It's a nightmare. A nightmare she can't escape, where formerly pleasant characters throw her unhappy unbirthday parties to torment her, while others like to make her cry so they can lick her tears.
But one day after years of this unpleasantness, she loses her heart. Literally. Well, technically somebody steals it.
And she has to get it back. By any means necessary. And it's a lot easier to be ruthless now that she's heartless.
Alice is fed up with all the losers of Wonderland, from the sadistic Queen of Hearts to the goofy Mad Hatter to the bloodthirsty Cheshire Cat.
And she's tired of being so sweet and innocent, with all her dimples. She used to be a preteen, but today is her 13th birthday, and she'll be singing “unhappy birthday” loudly as she delivers violent justice! Yeah, she used to be so sweet you could die. Well, now they all shall die...literally.
It may be 1865, but Alice is about to go medieval.
She will have her heart returned to her even if she has to kill all the citizens of Wonderland one by one...
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2012
171 people are currently reading
885 people want to read
About the author
Lotus Rose
100 books46 followers
Lotus Rose is like this generation’s twisted, more adult version of Roald Dahl. And since Lotus wrote a continuation of Alice in Wonderland, he’s also like the demented doppelganger of Lewis Carroll. But he’s not like one of those doppelgangers who kills the original then takes their place, because Lewis Carroll is already dead. Really, though, Lotus is a sweetheart.
His style can best be described as “children’s stories for adults.” He retains all the best of children’s literature—the imagination, the playfulness, the outright weirdness—then adds an additional layer of mature themes and subjects. And often with a dark sense of humor.
So, if you ever wanted to revisit your childhood, to reexperience the wonder of children’s literature, but without all the innocent naivety holding you back, the Lotus Rose books are sure to deliver. From The Poniworld Chronicles, to The Malice in Wonderland Saga to The Twisted Holiday Specials, you’ll love his twisted takes on sacred childhood institutions, and are guaranteed to laugh throughout.
Here's a short poem he wrote:
O, shall I be like the lotus,
And bring you dark dreams and soft sighs?
Or shall I be like the rose is,
Sweet-scented and tempting your eyes?
For the unending sleep can seduce you,
To the world behind unseeing eyes.
And the beauty that beckons, then cuts you,
Is also the cruelest of lies.
Lotus currently lives in Austin, Texas. He likes Newcastle Brown Ale.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 31, 2021
I love Alice re-tellings and am always on the hunt for a new one. This short little book was a fun read. 4 stars.
I'm pretty sure I got this ebook for free on Amazon. It also says it's for adults, but nothing really happens that is adult-like, unless you count blood and gore, than I guess it's adult.
Alice has been locked up in Wonderland since the age of 7. She is now 13. Over the years the characters of Wonderland have become more and more mad and vicious. Before the madness was just silly, but now they like to torture her. Every day that is not her birthday is an unbirthday. Those days are the worst because a lot of the characters like to come and make her cry, by hurting her. Today however, is different because it is her birthday and she has turned 13. A playing card that is unlike the others shows up at her door, proclaiming that he is her birthday present. That he is the 13 of heartless and if she wants to she can become heartless as well. This seems like a good idea to Alice. Without a heart maybe she can fight back instead of always feeling sorry for herself.
The book goes on an adventure through Wonderland, focusing on the characters. This is quite dark. There is a lot of killing.
I am definitely going to try out book two if it's not too much on Amazon. If you like Alice re-tellings and you like short books, give this one a try.
P.S. the entire trilogy + the prequel is free on Amazon for the kindle. (8/31/21)
I'm pretty sure I got this ebook for free on Amazon. It also says it's for adults, but nothing really happens that is adult-like, unless you count blood and gore, than I guess it's adult.
Alice has been locked up in Wonderland since the age of 7. She is now 13. Over the years the characters of Wonderland have become more and more mad and vicious. Before the madness was just silly, but now they like to torture her. Every day that is not her birthday is an unbirthday. Those days are the worst because a lot of the characters like to come and make her cry, by hurting her. Today however, is different because it is her birthday and she has turned 13. A playing card that is unlike the others shows up at her door, proclaiming that he is her birthday present. That he is the 13 of heartless and if she wants to she can become heartless as well. This seems like a good idea to Alice. Without a heart maybe she can fight back instead of always feeling sorry for herself.
The book goes on an adventure through Wonderland, focusing on the characters. This is quite dark. There is a lot of killing.
I am definitely going to try out book two if it's not too much on Amazon. If you like Alice re-tellings and you like short books, give this one a try.
P.S. the entire trilogy + the prequel is free on Amazon for the kindle. (8/31/21)
October 20, 2014
Didn't know what I signed up for when I got this from Amazon for free lol. I thought it was a great concept and an easy read (prose-wise). I love fairy tales and twisted fairy tales, of course, but this wasn't as engaging as I thought it would be. That was probably the reason why it took a few days for me to finish something I'd read in half a day. I kept finding more interesting things to do.
Probably the most entertaining parts were those with the double meanings ... as in Humpty Dumpty tells Alice to "come bend over my lap and I'll give you a spanking, you bad, baaaaad girl" ... or something of that sort.
Probably the most entertaining parts were those with the double meanings ... as in Humpty Dumpty tells Alice to "come bend over my lap and I'll give you a spanking, you bad, baaaaad girl" ... or something of that sort.
December 29, 2025
Almost exactly what it says on the tin - bullied Alice takes her revenge
I’m ambivalent about this one. On one hand, it’s brill and along the lines of Lewis Carrol absurdity & poem-wise; on the other hand it could easily be a trascribed dream of someone who wishes they took to arms to stand up to their bullies. Hmm… yes.
Alice is T-1 to being 13 and has been trapped in Wonderland for a year. All the elements of the all-time favourite story have been severely twisted into every single character bullying Alice to tears. Literally. When a 13th card of Hearts arrives, she gets impetus to break the rules and the killing spree starts. It’s the killing spree that gave me pause when liking the book. While Alice is 13 in this story, I strongly suggest only adults reading this book, NOT teens - as there’ve been too many school violence incidents overall and this book justifies meeting mental violence with physical removal. Fiction yes, but some ideas can be dangerously contagious. So, teens, if you do pick this up, don’t take this as a manual.
I liked the way the author created heartless creatures - tho some of Wonderland’s characters who were supposed to have a heart really didn’t, so heartless is an arguable point here. Still, a great portrayal of what not having a heart eliminates in humans.
I liked the debunked myth of cats having 9 lives. Loved the Alice-Malice duality and the wordplay plus the catchy absrudities. The poems were funky, too. Overall, a good quick read, story flows well, but would recommend to adults over 20 who like fairytales so twisted they’re outright cruel and can tell reality from wishful thinking. This is not for you if you love the original Alice in Wonderland - you’ll never be able to look at that book after this one - ever again.
I’m ambivalent about this one. On one hand, it’s brill and along the lines of Lewis Carrol absurdity & poem-wise; on the other hand it could easily be a trascribed dream of someone who wishes they took to arms to stand up to their bullies. Hmm… yes.
Alice is T-1 to being 13 and has been trapped in Wonderland for a year. All the elements of the all-time favourite story have been severely twisted into every single character bullying Alice to tears. Literally. When a 13th card of Hearts arrives, she gets impetus to break the rules and the killing spree starts. It’s the killing spree that gave me pause when liking the book. While Alice is 13 in this story, I strongly suggest only adults reading this book, NOT teens - as there’ve been too many school violence incidents overall and this book justifies meeting mental violence with physical removal. Fiction yes, but some ideas can be dangerously contagious. So, teens, if you do pick this up, don’t take this as a manual.
I liked the way the author created heartless creatures - tho some of Wonderland’s characters who were supposed to have a heart really didn’t, so heartless is an arguable point here. Still, a great portrayal of what not having a heart eliminates in humans.
I liked the debunked myth of cats having 9 lives. Loved the Alice-Malice duality and the wordplay plus the catchy absrudities. The poems were funky, too. Overall, a good quick read, story flows well, but would recommend to adults over 20 who like fairytales so twisted they’re outright cruel and can tell reality from wishful thinking. This is not for you if you love the original Alice in Wonderland - you’ll never be able to look at that book after this one - ever again.
April 15, 2018
Cover/Title: The cover didn't really draw me in. However, I like remakes of familiar tales so I was looking forward to this once I saw the title & series name.
Characters: Honestly, I couldn't have cared any less for these characters. In the original story, the characters were quirky and fun. In this they were sadistic and cruel. I really didn't have any empathy for any of them. Not Alice, not Malice, the Mad Hatter or any of them. I just didn't like them.
Plot: Alice is kept chained up unless she is doing her rounds. Her rounds being that she gets to spend time with each of the wonderland creatures being tortured until she cries. She gets a Thirteen of Hearts card which allows her to remove her heart. The heart is stolen and she gets even with the characters as she searches for her heart.
Overall: I really didn't care for this book. I loved the original quirky and fun characters but in this book they are just sadistic and cruel. I don't like the characters and I didn't really care for the story. The best part of the book was that it was short so I finished it quickly. I will not be reading any more of this series.
Characters: Honestly, I couldn't have cared any less for these characters. In the original story, the characters were quirky and fun. In this they were sadistic and cruel. I really didn't have any empathy for any of them. Not Alice, not Malice, the Mad Hatter or any of them. I just didn't like them.
Plot: Alice is kept chained up unless she is doing her rounds. Her rounds being that she gets to spend time with each of the wonderland creatures being tortured until she cries. She gets a Thirteen of Hearts card which allows her to remove her heart. The heart is stolen and she gets even with the characters as she searches for her heart.
Overall: I really didn't care for this book. I loved the original quirky and fun characters but in this book they are just sadistic and cruel. I don't like the characters and I didn't really care for the story. The best part of the book was that it was short so I finished it quickly. I will not be reading any more of this series.
December 14, 2013
Excellent book. Not as excellent as Snow white by Katherine Pine but still this is the book if you like reading retellings.Characters 10/10. Originality 10/10. Plot 10/10
January 10, 2014
A cool book
I gave it a five because it was really good. I love the twists and turns in the book. Lotus Rose did an excellent job!
I gave it a five because it was really good. I love the twists and turns in the book. Lotus Rose did an excellent job!
August 1, 2025
This book is incredibly creative, there’s no denying that. The idea of Alice stuck in a twisted, nightmarish Wonderland long after the original story ends is bold and intriguing. It takes familiar characters and completely reimagines them in dark, often grotesque ways, and I appreciated the ambition behind that.
But something about it just never fully clicked for me. The world is imaginative, but the tone felt inconsistent, like it couldn’t decide whether to be edgy satire or serious horror. The constant sarcasm and over-the-top weirdness started to wear thin, and I found it hard to emotionally connect with Alice or the story itself.
Despite the interesting concept, it often felt like style took priority over substance. Scenes jumped from bizarre moment to bizarre moment without enough grounding, and the plot didn’t feel as cohesive or satisfying as I wanted.
Final thoughts:
I respect what this book was trying to do, it’s certainly different and has a distinct voice, but in the end, it just wasn’t for me. If you love dark, twisted retellings and don’t mind things getting a little unhinged, this might still be worth a shot.
But something about it just never fully clicked for me. The world is imaginative, but the tone felt inconsistent, like it couldn’t decide whether to be edgy satire or serious horror. The constant sarcasm and over-the-top weirdness started to wear thin, and I found it hard to emotionally connect with Alice or the story itself.
Despite the interesting concept, it often felt like style took priority over substance. Scenes jumped from bizarre moment to bizarre moment without enough grounding, and the plot didn’t feel as cohesive or satisfying as I wanted.
Final thoughts:
I respect what this book was trying to do, it’s certainly different and has a distinct voice, but in the end, it just wasn’t for me. If you love dark, twisted retellings and don’t mind things getting a little unhinged, this might still be worth a shot.
January 5, 2020
Hmm... 3.5 I think. This series is odd to me in the way that I like it, but I'm not loving it yet.. I think this is because, at least to me, there's no emotional connection to any of the characters in Wonderland.
There was the beginnings of what I thought was one between Alive and Hatter in the prequel, but that wasn't touched upon at all in this. Or possibly the oddness of Humpty proclaiming his love for 8yr old Alice in the prequel, but again, nothing here.
And while the characters were mean to Alice, I just didn't feel any emotion behind it.
Trudging on to book 2.. I'm hoping some emotion seeps in soon. Perhaps Alice will find a way to bring all the corpses back to life and I'll get some emotion now that she's queen.... Cause so far, the most compelling character is Malice.
There was the beginnings of what I thought was one between Alive and Hatter in the prequel, but that wasn't touched upon at all in this. Or possibly the oddness of Humpty proclaiming his love for 8yr old Alice in the prequel, but again, nothing here.
And while the characters were mean to Alice, I just didn't feel any emotion behind it.
Trudging on to book 2.. I'm hoping some emotion seeps in soon. Perhaps Alice will find a way to bring all the corpses back to life and I'll get some emotion now that she's queen.... Cause so far, the most compelling character is Malice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2018
Do you like terrible fanfiction?
Even if you do, I'd recommend giving this one a pass. The writing is awkward and stilted. One hopes that the writer was attempting to emulate the writing style of a children's narrative and did so poorly - at least then it would have been deliberate.
Weak word choices, awkward phrasing, and repetitiveness (in particular we're constantly, and I do mean constantly, reminded that now that sweet little Alice doesn't have a heart she's free to lie).
If there is an upside (it's not actually an upside), it's that the book was less 3edgy5you than I expected from "Lotey's" bio in the back.
Even if you do, I'd recommend giving this one a pass. The writing is awkward and stilted. One hopes that the writer was attempting to emulate the writing style of a children's narrative and did so poorly - at least then it would have been deliberate.
Weak word choices, awkward phrasing, and repetitiveness (in particular we're constantly, and I do mean constantly, reminded that now that sweet little Alice doesn't have a heart she's free to lie).
If there is an upside (it's not actually an upside), it's that the book was less 3edgy5you than I expected from "Lotey's" bio in the back.
September 6, 2020
Not sure what to think about this story other than I think I like the nice Alice with a heart much better.
Alice is in wonderland and she is fed up with all the hurtful pranks the characters constantly pull on her, she decides she wants revenge on all of them but her good heart wont let her do that without feeling terribly guilty, but the 13 of hearts has a way to help her if she is willing to remove her heart and let malice settle in.. what Alice doesnt relize, is the longer her heart is outside her body the blacker her heart turns. will she have a change of heart before its to late?
Alice is in wonderland and she is fed up with all the hurtful pranks the characters constantly pull on her, she decides she wants revenge on all of them but her good heart wont let her do that without feeling terribly guilty, but the 13 of hearts has a way to help her if she is willing to remove her heart and let malice settle in.. what Alice doesnt relize, is the longer her heart is outside her body the blacker her heart turns. will she have a change of heart before its to late?
June 18, 2025
Alice’s stay in Wonderland has been extended indefinitely. The denizens of that unusual land celebrate this every day. Of course, they do it by making her cry. How much of that can she take? Find out in these pages.
This book got darker and darker as it progressed. I am not sure I am brave enough to dive into the next one though my hopeful mind thinks it saw a hint of redemption at the end of this one. Definitely know that even if I make it to the final trilogy of the series, I won’t read it. Sorry, Lotus, that title seems like a warning for prudes not to bother.
This book got darker and darker as it progressed. I am not sure I am brave enough to dive into the next one though my hopeful mind thinks it saw a hint of redemption at the end of this one. Definitely know that even if I make it to the final trilogy of the series, I won’t read it. Sorry, Lotus, that title seems like a warning for prudes not to bother.
July 5, 2022
This short story/novella is a pastiche on Alice in Wonderland. Alice originally went to Wonderland at seven years old and it is now her 13th birthday. The other characters have gotten madder and more cruel as the time passed.
I am not sure what to make of the story. The violence is escalated to the point of being disturbing and the humor isn't really humorous. Stuff happens but, for the most part, I don't see a reason behind the actions. By the end, I felt let down by the story.
I am not sure what to make of the story. The violence is escalated to the point of being disturbing and the humor isn't really humorous. Stuff happens but, for the most part, I don't see a reason behind the actions. By the end, I felt let down by the story.
November 6, 2023
I didn't like this one but I also couldn't put it down.
This read a lot like when my schizophrenic friends are having an episode. Which, if the author has that going on more power to them. My mother taught me to write down nightmares so they'd go away. Good use of nightmares.
I think this book actually gave me nightmares though...
Again, zero hate. It just wasn't for me. I wanna see this author keep creating.
This read a lot like when my schizophrenic friends are having an episode. Which, if the author has that going on more power to them. My mother taught me to write down nightmares so they'd go away. Good use of nightmares.
I think this book actually gave me nightmares though...
Again, zero hate. It just wasn't for me. I wanna see this author keep creating.
January 10, 2018
I found this book to be an interesting twist to Alice in Wonderland. A dark one at that. Very fun and witty. However, I am unsure if I want to continue this series forward. A small part of me wants to know what happens next. However, most likely, I will not continue the series. I feel sorry for Alice and I understand why she does what she does.
January 19, 2018
This isn't your Disney version of Wonderland. It is dark and depraved and is a fast but fun read. However, this really glossed over a lot, leaving a lot of hints but not a lot of substance. It would have been a very effective dark read had it gone a little deeper. Still, I would read the rest of the series, it was a good read and an original take on the Wonderland story.
May 23, 2019
Alice the Assassin is a fun, light (but dark) read. All the major players are there, but Wonderland has changed quite a bit since Alice arrived six years ago.
The humor reminded me of the way I used to write in high school. The prose is a little rough, and there's a lot of opportunity for further character and plot development, but overall it was enjoyable.
The humor reminded me of the way I used to write in high school. The prose is a little rough, and there's a lot of opportunity for further character and plot development, but overall it was enjoyable.
July 2, 2019
This is the first book in the Malice in Wonderland series. Alice heart is stolen so she goes after the Wonderland characters and kills them. All her childhood she was tortured by then and now she is getting her revenge.
This book is very dark and has a lot of Gore in it.
I really love it! It kept me entertain and was a very fun read. It makes you feel really bad for Alice.
This book is very dark and has a lot of Gore in it.
I really love it! It kept me entertain and was a very fun read. It makes you feel really bad for Alice.
January 3, 2019
What a wonderful twist!
This is the first book I've read that actually has a phenomenal spin on the Alice story. Not to give anything away, but Alice going around and taking care of those in Wonderland - fabulous!!! ... a definite must read!
This is the first book I've read that actually has a phenomenal spin on the Alice story. Not to give anything away, but Alice going around and taking care of those in Wonderland - fabulous!!! ... a definite must read!
January 2, 2021
Bizarre
Weird book. However, it did keep my attention. I found myself enjoying it more as it went along. Thank goodness...no zombies! I may read the rest of books...or keep it on my wish list just for looks! (Ha ha ha...I can make up dumb rhymes too!)
Weird book. However, it did keep my attention. I found myself enjoying it more as it went along. Thank goodness...no zombies! I may read the rest of books...or keep it on my wish list just for looks! (Ha ha ha...I can make up dumb rhymes too!)
September 28, 2017
Interesting
Characters were well developed. Didn't like the ending. Not sure if I will read the rest of the series .
Characters were well developed. Didn't like the ending. Not sure if I will read the rest of the series .
March 19, 2018
Definitely a morbid twist of Alice in Wonderland. Not sure I will continue the series. Definitely for mature readers.
May 10, 2018
Amazing I love 💖📖📓📕
I consider this book because I love the author and this book is really good like it is the opposite of Alice in wonderland with a twist and who doesn't love that
I consider this book because I love the author and this book is really good like it is the opposite of Alice in wonderland with a twist and who doesn't love that
May 24, 2022
Very short book. It was ok. Not great but Ok.
June 12, 2025
Sacrilege!!!
This was awful, I would have stopped before end but it was so short. Not my cup of tea this perversion of a childhood favorite.
This was awful, I would have stopped before end but it was so short. Not my cup of tea this perversion of a childhood favorite.
October 20, 2025
Loved this.
I devoured this with in a little over an hours. I loved it and now I must get the next one.
I devoured this with in a little over an hours. I loved it and now I must get the next one.
March 26, 2024
Alice The Assassin (Malice In Wonderland)
On her REAL birthday, Alice after years of being tortured by the residents (who over the years have turned not only INSANE but VICIOUS AND BLOODTHIRSTY in ways you won't even believe) is granted an unusual request by a new visitor (The Thirteen of Hearts) or rather Heartless seeing that there are none in the place where there should be. With the gift of being able to remove her heart after tricking the Hatter into winning a game (I think that's how it went seeing as the rules were confusing), she now has the ability to do what she's always felt so guilty about. She turns ruthless and that's where the fun begins. She begins to hunt down the residents one by one Kill Bill style. With a little help from none other than herself. That's right! Through one of her conquest, she finds a piece of herself inside and they go on their murderous spree. That is until well you can't always trust even yourself.
MY THOUGHTS: WOW! So when I first read the prequel to this book it was a jumbled mess of events and a timeline that didn't make sense. But something about it intrigued me and I wanted to see where it went. This was the DARKEST most APPALLING plot and version of Wonderland I'd ever read. When I was reading this I thought what the hell happened to this place and the creatures. Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum no longer argue childishly all day over just a rattle. Now they amuse themselves by slapping Alice and pulling her hair until she cries, which they describe as "games". Then the Cheshire Cat makes several appearances encouraging Alice (and Malice) to commit suicide so he can watch her insides spill out. I would NEVER encourage suicide but if THIS was my life…. Then we have the Caterpillar who goes a step further and likes to try to get Alice high and overdose her on experiments. And the ghetto fabulous Humpty who stays trying to cut her (which sounds like a someone straight hood would do). Now the message in this was all kinds of twisted too. In most books, like for example if you read Kingdom Hearts there's a battle against the darkness and the light. The message is always typically even though there's darkness in us we shouldn't give in to it. You will NOT find that in this book! This book is all about how it's better to not have a heart. This book encourages embracing and giving permission NOT to feel. How different is this? Alice says it several times and it’s the reason why she rips her heart out. Which I'ma just be honest and say I understand PERFECTLY! Because YES I've been there. I KNOOOW what having a heart can get you. People just like the Wonderlandians will (and are constantly) out to kill your spirit and your mind. And that dark side will come right on out. I thought that in the end, Alice would win over Malice because she got her heart back. And when she went to hunting them all down and picking them off one by one I can't say I felt the least bit sorry for ANY of them. I thought I'd feel a tiny bit sorry for the Hatter (at first). But it's just as bad to take pleasure in voyeurism. If you aren't part of the solution your part of the problem. And then the deaths, a shooting, an execution, an overdose, and a suicide done half through the deceit and cunning of Alice and Malice are especially R rated for a book. Impressive how they tricked these idiots to do themselves in. Just the thought of a mirror half out to kill not only others but you is the making of a nightmare. Which is why this should NEVER be read by kids or to kids. Then the book kind of vaguely ends with just crazy twin on the rampage and sane twin not going back home any time soon. I wanted to know how she got sucked into all this in the first place. I will definitely be reading the next book.
RATING: 8 1/2. FABULOUS! This whole book from start to finish left an unease in my insides. The premise was gratifying. It wasn't the Alice and Wonderland Disney version nor was it the TV movie. This was the Wonderland from HELL! The message wasn't clean cut. This version of the characters will make your stomach turn in disgust. And the ending will make you curious about how worse it can possibly get in the next segment and top what's been done in this one. After all, there's only the Red Queen left.
On her REAL birthday, Alice after years of being tortured by the residents (who over the years have turned not only INSANE but VICIOUS AND BLOODTHIRSTY in ways you won't even believe) is granted an unusual request by a new visitor (The Thirteen of Hearts) or rather Heartless seeing that there are none in the place where there should be. With the gift of being able to remove her heart after tricking the Hatter into winning a game (I think that's how it went seeing as the rules were confusing), she now has the ability to do what she's always felt so guilty about. She turns ruthless and that's where the fun begins. She begins to hunt down the residents one by one Kill Bill style. With a little help from none other than herself. That's right! Through one of her conquest, she finds a piece of herself inside and they go on their murderous spree. That is until well you can't always trust even yourself.
MY THOUGHTS: WOW! So when I first read the prequel to this book it was a jumbled mess of events and a timeline that didn't make sense. But something about it intrigued me and I wanted to see where it went. This was the DARKEST most APPALLING plot and version of Wonderland I'd ever read. When I was reading this I thought what the hell happened to this place and the creatures. Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum no longer argue childishly all day over just a rattle. Now they amuse themselves by slapping Alice and pulling her hair until she cries, which they describe as "games". Then the Cheshire Cat makes several appearances encouraging Alice (and Malice) to commit suicide so he can watch her insides spill out. I would NEVER encourage suicide but if THIS was my life…. Then we have the Caterpillar who goes a step further and likes to try to get Alice high and overdose her on experiments. And the ghetto fabulous Humpty who stays trying to cut her (which sounds like a someone straight hood would do). Now the message in this was all kinds of twisted too. In most books, like for example if you read Kingdom Hearts there's a battle against the darkness and the light. The message is always typically even though there's darkness in us we shouldn't give in to it. You will NOT find that in this book! This book is all about how it's better to not have a heart. This book encourages embracing and giving permission NOT to feel. How different is this? Alice says it several times and it’s the reason why she rips her heart out. Which I'ma just be honest and say I understand PERFECTLY! Because YES I've been there. I KNOOOW what having a heart can get you. People just like the Wonderlandians will (and are constantly) out to kill your spirit and your mind. And that dark side will come right on out. I thought that in the end, Alice would win over Malice because she got her heart back. And when she went to hunting them all down and picking them off one by one I can't say I felt the least bit sorry for ANY of them. I thought I'd feel a tiny bit sorry for the Hatter (at first). But it's just as bad to take pleasure in voyeurism. If you aren't part of the solution your part of the problem. And then the deaths, a shooting, an execution, an overdose, and a suicide done half through the deceit and cunning of Alice and Malice are especially R rated for a book. Impressive how they tricked these idiots to do themselves in. Just the thought of a mirror half out to kill not only others but you is the making of a nightmare. Which is why this should NEVER be read by kids or to kids. Then the book kind of vaguely ends with just crazy twin on the rampage and sane twin not going back home any time soon. I wanted to know how she got sucked into all this in the first place. I will definitely be reading the next book.
RATING: 8 1/2. FABULOUS! This whole book from start to finish left an unease in my insides. The premise was gratifying. It wasn't the Alice and Wonderland Disney version nor was it the TV movie. This was the Wonderland from HELL! The message wasn't clean cut. This version of the characters will make your stomach turn in disgust. And the ending will make you curious about how worse it can possibly get in the next segment and top what's been done in this one. After all, there's only the Red Queen left.
June 13, 2020
Having a heart may sometimes prove to be detrimental to your health and survival, as demonstrated in the adventures contained within Lotus Rose's Alice the Assassin (Malice in Wonderland #1).
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Trapped in Wonderland, Alice has found that over her years there the strange land is more of a nightmare than a dream. Held captive and endlessly tortured by Wonderland's residents for her apparently delicious and miraculous tears, Alice finds that telling lies and harming them is far easier when she doesn't have a heart. But her recently removed heart has been stolen from her and she wants it back. As she searches for her heart, deadly harm befalls the residents of Wonderland but Alice is determined to recapture her heart regardless of the cost to those around her.
A generally entertaining story, the narrative takes the lighthearted nonsensical world familiar to readers of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and weaves in morbid darkness to demonstrate the ruthlessness of a heartless Alice. I found it a bit unbalanced in how Alice was portrayed as there was a gradual descent to Alice's attitude toward the harm that the others around her befell and much of the more deadly or gruesome things that took place were more coincidental rather than intentionally planned, though she also did begin to plan for some outcomes, like for the Tweedles, which made her seem like she was of two minds instead of one. Beloved and quirky characters from the original story are incredibly cruel in this retelling of the tale, which in the brief amount of time spent in establishing this version of Wonderland didn't seem warranted; however, with more development of the characters and how this version of Wonderland functions, there could be potential for a stronger dark retelling of Alice.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Trapped in Wonderland, Alice has found that over her years there the strange land is more of a nightmare than a dream. Held captive and endlessly tortured by Wonderland's residents for her apparently delicious and miraculous tears, Alice finds that telling lies and harming them is far easier when she doesn't have a heart. But her recently removed heart has been stolen from her and she wants it back. As she searches for her heart, deadly harm befalls the residents of Wonderland but Alice is determined to recapture her heart regardless of the cost to those around her.
A generally entertaining story, the narrative takes the lighthearted nonsensical world familiar to readers of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and weaves in morbid darkness to demonstrate the ruthlessness of a heartless Alice. I found it a bit unbalanced in how Alice was portrayed as there was a gradual descent to Alice's attitude toward the harm that the others around her befell and much of the more deadly or gruesome things that took place were more coincidental rather than intentionally planned, though she also did begin to plan for some outcomes, like for the Tweedles, which made her seem like she was of two minds instead of one. Beloved and quirky characters from the original story are incredibly cruel in this retelling of the tale, which in the brief amount of time spent in establishing this version of Wonderland didn't seem warranted; however, with more development of the characters and how this version of Wonderland functions, there could be potential for a stronger dark retelling of Alice.
December 30, 2015
I normally enjoy most books and especially books like these where they re-make stories, but this book disappointed me greatly. When i start reading a series, I always feel the urge to finish it no matter what but with this series I do not feel the need to buy or read the next book.
normally not judging a book on the length or the page count, the length of this story was to short as it caused the author to rush the story line or just the story in general, the pages went to fast and the explanations were very vague. like how did alice originally get there? why had the characters turned out like that? was there another reason for the characters to be like that? Why did the Cheshire cat decide to join alice? he could have easily been the most dangerous of the characters but he yielded to her so easily and quickly it was kinda disappointing.
The characters deaths were written really quickly and did not provide much detail. I get that some of the deaths were supposed to be quick although a few of the more important deaths needed to be explained more, such as, Alice's other self at the end of the book. The only death I remotely enjoyed reading was the Cheshire cats, as it was creative and well thought out.
Although the book had some interesting concepts and ideas and would have been great if portrayed and written at a better standard, then this book could have turned out really well.
I applaud the author for attempting to write another version of Alice.
normally not judging a book on the length or the page count, the length of this story was to short as it caused the author to rush the story line or just the story in general, the pages went to fast and the explanations were very vague. like how did alice originally get there? why had the characters turned out like that? was there another reason for the characters to be like that? Why did the Cheshire cat decide to join alice? he could have easily been the most dangerous of the characters but he yielded to her so easily and quickly it was kinda disappointing.
The characters deaths were written really quickly and did not provide much detail. I get that some of the deaths were supposed to be quick although a few of the more important deaths needed to be explained more, such as, Alice's other self at the end of the book. The only death I remotely enjoyed reading was the Cheshire cats, as it was creative and well thought out.
Although the book had some interesting concepts and ideas and would have been great if portrayed and written at a better standard, then this book could have turned out really well.
I applaud the author for attempting to write another version of Alice.
January 3, 2017
A fun book; free and short too. It really captures the spirit and voice of the original Alice in Wonderland while elevating it to a slightly more mature audience. I did get tired of some repetitive or on the nose elements and the fact that nobody ever goes anywhere, they just sort of appear in certain places. The beginning was the best part and it sort of weakened after that but with it being such a quick and easy read I didn't mind too much. It's also got a ton of light poetry that was ok, though the extra at the end was really good.
March 10, 2014
This version of Alice in Wonderland type story is about Alice who is basically held in Wonderland against her will and tormented by the creatures there. She loses her heart and upon searching for it kills the creatures who have been mean to her. It was a strange take on the story but pretty good in a morbid sort of way.
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