Alice in Horrorland

by Vanessa Hawkins

Alice is a poor, lonely match girl living in one of the many orphanages of industrial London. When she meets a mysterious young gentleman with the power to turn into a white rabbit, she finds herself tumbling down a manhole into Horrorland.

Here, the creatures are strange and uncanny, lost in madness. Drug addicted Caterpillars, grinning cats, and homicidal Mad Hatters gambol around Alice like blood-drunk mosquitoes. At the center of it all is the Queen of Hearts, who is said to have lost her own a long time ago.

Horrorland used to be so wonderful, but can Alice make it so again?

Or will she be hunted down by the heartless Queen of Hearts?

An illustrated reimagining of a beloved classic, Vanessa C. Hawkins is an award-winning author recently shortlisted for the NB Book Awards in Fiction!

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 24, 2025

Reviews

[Michael Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It kept the spirit of the original Alice in Wonderland while giving it a fresh new life of its own. I love the original story and this keep the authentic feeling of innocence, wonder, and whimsy. They become twisted; the innocence is terrifying, the whimsy is horrific, and the wonder is visceral and surreal; but it keeps the essence the same. I would recommend this book to anyone who is both a fan of Alice in Wonderland and a fan of horror.

[Susan Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually more of a romance girl, yet I felt compelled to take this wild ride into madness. The first part was chaotic (just like the original). The middle and ending were insane in all the best ways. The mind-bending finish was entirely satisfying.

[John Siden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot .I thought the pacing was good and the story was interesting .I particularly enjoyed the dialogue between the characters .

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun ride! I really enjoyed the characters and the writing style. Well done!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I found the first half a little hard to get through, as this isn't my typical read. But the second half I couldn't put down, and that ending - love.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had such fun in horrorland! I wanted to stay here and just keep reading about the world.
This book has Alice's muchness with a unique touch. We get to visit with familiar friends who were torn apart and get to re-meet with a darker perspective, even a few new friends.
This re-telling of Alice gives a whole new madness to the quote, we're all mad here.
This book reminds me of a mix of the video game series Alice lost in Madness and Tim Burton's Alice. (but if he was allowed a little more freedom from Disney)