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Looking-Glass Girl
Alice nearly didn't go to the sleepover. Why would Savvy, queen of the school, invite someone like her? Now Alice is lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Lost in a wonderland of dreams and half-formed memories, she's surrounded by voices - the doctor, her worried friends and Luke, whose kisses the night of the fall took her by surprise . . . When the accident happened her world vanished - can Alice ever find her way back? A wonderful modern-day reimagining of Lewis Carroll's timeless classic, Looking Glass Girl is the stunning new book from Cathy Cassidy, an unforgettable tale of friendship and love from one of the UK's best-loved authors.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2015
43 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Cassidy
105 books1,701 followersI was born in 1962 in Coventry (scarily ancient, I know). I wrote my first picture book for my little brother when I was eight or nine. I loved making comics, too - pages and pages of picture stories, features and competitions.
I went to Art College in Liverpool, then got a job as fiction editor on the fab and legendary Jackie magazine.
I have worked as agony aunt on Shout magazine and also as an art teacher in the local primary & secondary schools, as well as as a freelance illustrator. These days, I am a full-time author.
I love my family, I love living in the middle of nowhere and I love my work. Of all my jobs, writing has to be the best - it's the perfect excuse to daydream, after all!
I went to Art College in Liverpool, then got a job as fiction editor on the fab and legendary Jackie magazine.
I have worked as agony aunt on Shout magazine and also as an art teacher in the local primary & secondary schools, as well as as a freelance illustrator. These days, I am a full-time author.
I love my family, I love living in the middle of nowhere and I love my work. Of all my jobs, writing has to be the best - it's the perfect excuse to daydream, after all!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
January 26, 2016
A really quick but excellent read. I promised my preteen self I would always read Cathy Cassidy's books, as she was probably my first favourite author. As a retelling of Alice in Wonderland, I thought 'Looking Glass Girl' was inventive and addicting, hence why I read it in one sitting. I was desperate to unravel the mystery, without unravelling Alice's mind. Classic Cathy Cassidy, never fails to write an amazing story!
July 23, 2016
3.5 out of 5 stars!
This is a modern day reimagine of Alice In Wonderland and quick fun fact, my mum called me Alice after her favourite childhood book Alice In Wonderland! The Alice in this story goes to a themed sleepover and experiences an accident. In hospital, she is in a coma and while she can hear the conversations of her family, friends and doctors, she can't physically reach out and touch them. Through this coma, she ends up in the world of Wonderland to which she isn't sure about finding an escape.
It's a cute story, great for younger readers between 8-14 years of age but I wanted to see more of the Wonderland world rather than just mini scenes. I had no problems with the plot or the pacing.
This is a modern day reimagine of Alice In Wonderland and quick fun fact, my mum called me Alice after her favourite childhood book Alice In Wonderland! The Alice in this story goes to a themed sleepover and experiences an accident. In hospital, she is in a coma and while she can hear the conversations of her family, friends and doctors, she can't physically reach out and touch them. Through this coma, she ends up in the world of Wonderland to which she isn't sure about finding an escape.
It's a cute story, great for younger readers between 8-14 years of age but I wanted to see more of the Wonderland world rather than just mini scenes. I had no problems with the plot or the pacing.
October 31, 2022
This is a book written by Cathy Cassidy. It is based on the book, Alice Through The Looking Glass. It starts with a girl called, Alice hitting her head, surrounded by blood and glass. Whilst lying unconscious in a hospital bed, she forgets everything and is transported to Wonderland.
It makes you want to read more.
The only pictures are the ones surrounding the next chapter.
The text is the right size.
Good for children aged 10 and 11.
It makes you want to read more.
The only pictures are the ones surrounding the next chapter.
The text is the right size.
Good for children aged 10 and 11.
October 20, 2018
3.5/5 staat
Het bekende verhaal van Alice in wonderland in een nieuw jasje! Heel tof.
Recensie binnenkort op myperfectbooklife
Het bekende verhaal van Alice in wonderland in een nieuw jasje! Heel tof.
Recensie binnenkort op myperfectbooklife
March 8, 2016
I decided to read the book 'Looking-Glass Girl' because it sounded like a book that I myself could connect to. Also the front cover was very appealing and had drawn my attention into it. A character that I was very interested in, in the book, was Alice (The main character.) Alice started off as a young, confident girl with lots of friends that she spent all of her spare time with. But as she got older, things changed and her friends started to become jealous of her, stating that their friendship with Alice had simply 'Drifted apart'. As the book goes on, Alice finds herself falling into the reality of life and finding out that not everything in life is how she wants it to be. When Alice and her friends go into high school, the bullying got worse for Alice. The was one girl in particular who was the centre of attention at the school, this girl was the fierce 'Savvy Hunter' Savvy was like the queen of the school, ordering her friends around and making them do the dirty work towards Alice. The type of things that happened to Alice were things like: people smashing some eggs in her bag, putting raw fish inside her school books and other nasty tactics to get at Alice. One of my favourite parts of the story was when Alice became popular and everyone felt bad for treating her horribly but Alice was still kind and inviting to all of the people that were horrible to her, giving them a second chance.
A favourite quote of mine from the book was 'everyone stopped blaming everyone else; we let go of the past and moved on, and in a funny way the crisis seemed to have bought us together.' I likes this extract from the book because it explains how even though a tough situation, it is important to hold on to the things that you believe in and whatever feels important to you. Something that I thought about deeply throughout the book was the fact that some of the things that the author wrote about were all things that I felt in a Sy that I could connect to. Even though Cathy Cassidy who wrote the book is older than her intended audience, I felt that she did a great job trying to intrigue the readers by writing about things that they might know about.
A favourite quote of mine from the book was 'everyone stopped blaming everyone else; we let go of the past and moved on, and in a funny way the crisis seemed to have bought us together.' I likes this extract from the book because it explains how even though a tough situation, it is important to hold on to the things that you believe in and whatever feels important to you. Something that I thought about deeply throughout the book was the fact that some of the things that the author wrote about were all things that I felt in a Sy that I could connect to. Even though Cathy Cassidy who wrote the book is older than her intended audience, I felt that she did a great job trying to intrigue the readers by writing about things that they might know about.
February 17, 2023
managed to get tears out of me somewhere near the end, which haven't happened to me with a middle-grade book in a long time! wonderful story that might even be a bit heavy for children, but i do believe if i have read this when i was younger it would probably leave a very memorable experience and stay with me as a favorite book, as many other cathy's actually are to me!
the very ending is kind of debatable in my opinion, not sure if i agree with the overall approach that she decided to go with by the end which is why i gave it four stars.
other than that, the story will stay with me on an almost same level as i believe it would have if i have read it when i was a child.
the very ending is kind of debatable in my opinion, not sure if i agree with the overall approach that she decided to go with by the end which is why i gave it four stars.
other than that, the story will stay with me on an almost same level as i believe it would have if i have read it when i was a child.
July 21, 2020
WHAT A RUSH. WHAT A RUSH.
Hear ye, hear ye! Cathy Cassidy has done it again! 😍🤩
I've been absent from Cathy's world for a while now. The last book I read from her was Cherry Crush and I adored the world of the Chocolate Box girls. And today, I stumbled across this book by her that she says is an Alice In Wonderland-inspired novel?? Girl, you don't have to ask me twice. Wonderland is like catnip to me. 🤡🤠
I was expecting it to be like her other books. Note that Cathy usually has a very familiar and cozy formula for her novels. First person narrator who goes through a ton of difficulties, sadness and bullying. Abandonment by friends. Loneliness. Fitting in. Learning to love yourself, stand up for yourself and break free. Also, there's gonna be a mean girl somewhere and a cute guy eventually. It never goes wrong and I don't hate this formula at all because somehow, Cathy, being the magician she is, comes up with something refreshing and new each time. 👸
BUT THIS BOOK. OMG. It was so different! Here's what made it so unique and cool:
1. The protagonist in here is absent for nearly 80% of the book because she is in a coma. Not to worry. Her presence in the book is still strong and I was kept wondering and worrying about her whether she would wake up because she is such a sweet character. SHE JUST WANTS TO HAVE FRIENDS AHHH. The opening started off so strong and intense! It made me sit up and go, "Wait, what? Is this a Cathy Cassidy novel or a Pretty Little Liars story?" 🤷♀️🤷♀️
2. There's a little hint of a whodunnit and a mystery that I was just begging to unravel and get to the bottom of. I was constantly asking how on earth did Alice fall down and was there any foul play? Is she ever gonna get out of her coma? I was SWEATING because Cathy almost never dealt with something this dark before (Driftwood was close tho). 💆♀️💆♀️
3. The story is told in a mixture of flashbacks from Alice's memories (those were so heartbreaking and raw, I friggin' nearly cried because I just wanted to hug her and be her friend when those dumb girls were bullying her).😥😥😥 The memories are interspersed with present-day narratives in third person from Alice's parents, the "mean" girl Savannah😯 (keep an eye on her! She's not who she seems to be!), Luke (the love interest)😛, doctors treating Alice and Lainey (WHOM I DEARLY WISH GREAT BODILY HARM UPON)😒. The different narratives were a really nice touch and I'm pretty impressed that Cathy is dabbling in new styles of writing!
4. I LOVED the little Wonderland bits! 🐥🐛🐇🎡🎪🎠As she slips in and out of consciousness, we get to peek into Alice's frazzled mind as she wanders through her own personal Wonderland. It's basically excerpts from the original Lewis Carroll novel but OMG, THE WAY CATHY MASTERFULLY GUIDED AND TWEAKED LITTLE PARTS TO FIT IN WITH THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THE NOVEL is... *chef's kiss*🍱 Loved those little quirky chapters of Alice wandering around and seeing pieces of her old life in Wonderland. It really hit the theme home, ya know?
5. There's a music playlist this time. Heck yeah! 🔥🔥🎵🎼
So my rating overall is definitely five stars. This was a stellar read from Cathy again and I think it'll be great for anyone. Keep in mind, I am a 21 year old young adult writing this and I still thought this was a really fun and meaningful read than most novels written for my age group! Loved how in the end the mean girl does a total 360 and does the right thing. I absolutely adored Alice for being so strong and forgiving and coming back to reality even when it hurts. From the beginning, I thought I had the villain of the story all pegged out and I thought I knew what happened to Alice but I WAS WRONG. I totally didn't see the twist coming but just like in wonderland, I guess you really do have to expect the impossible!
Hear ye, hear ye! Cathy Cassidy has done it again! 😍🤩
I've been absent from Cathy's world for a while now. The last book I read from her was Cherry Crush and I adored the world of the Chocolate Box girls. And today, I stumbled across this book by her that she says is an Alice In Wonderland-inspired novel?? Girl, you don't have to ask me twice. Wonderland is like catnip to me. 🤡🤠
I was expecting it to be like her other books. Note that Cathy usually has a very familiar and cozy formula for her novels. First person narrator who goes through a ton of difficulties, sadness and bullying. Abandonment by friends. Loneliness. Fitting in. Learning to love yourself, stand up for yourself and break free. Also, there's gonna be a mean girl somewhere and a cute guy eventually. It never goes wrong and I don't hate this formula at all because somehow, Cathy, being the magician she is, comes up with something refreshing and new each time. 👸
BUT THIS BOOK. OMG. It was so different! Here's what made it so unique and cool:
1. The protagonist in here is absent for nearly 80% of the book because she is in a coma. Not to worry. Her presence in the book is still strong and I was kept wondering and worrying about her whether she would wake up because she is such a sweet character. SHE JUST WANTS TO HAVE FRIENDS AHHH. The opening started off so strong and intense! It made me sit up and go, "Wait, what? Is this a Cathy Cassidy novel or a Pretty Little Liars story?" 🤷♀️🤷♀️
2. There's a little hint of a whodunnit and a mystery that I was just begging to unravel and get to the bottom of. I was constantly asking how on earth did Alice fall down and was there any foul play? Is she ever gonna get out of her coma? I was SWEATING because Cathy almost never dealt with something this dark before (Driftwood was close tho). 💆♀️💆♀️
3. The story is told in a mixture of flashbacks from Alice's memories (those were so heartbreaking and raw, I friggin' nearly cried because I just wanted to hug her and be her friend when those dumb girls were bullying her).😥😥😥 The memories are interspersed with present-day narratives in third person from Alice's parents, the "mean" girl Savannah😯 (keep an eye on her! She's not who she seems to be!), Luke (the love interest)😛, doctors treating Alice and Lainey (WHOM I DEARLY WISH GREAT BODILY HARM UPON)😒. The different narratives were a really nice touch and I'm pretty impressed that Cathy is dabbling in new styles of writing!
4. I LOVED the little Wonderland bits! 🐥🐛🐇🎡🎪🎠As she slips in and out of consciousness, we get to peek into Alice's frazzled mind as she wanders through her own personal Wonderland. It's basically excerpts from the original Lewis Carroll novel but OMG, THE WAY CATHY MASTERFULLY GUIDED AND TWEAKED LITTLE PARTS TO FIT IN WITH THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THE NOVEL is... *chef's kiss*🍱 Loved those little quirky chapters of Alice wandering around and seeing pieces of her old life in Wonderland. It really hit the theme home, ya know?
5. There's a music playlist this time. Heck yeah! 🔥🔥🎵🎼
So my rating overall is definitely five stars. This was a stellar read from Cathy again and I think it'll be great for anyone. Keep in mind, I am a 21 year old young adult writing this and I still thought this was a really fun and meaningful read than most novels written for my age group! Loved how in the end the mean girl does a total 360 and does the right thing. I absolutely adored Alice for being so strong and forgiving and coming back to reality even when it hurts. From the beginning, I thought I had the villain of the story all pegged out and I thought I knew what happened to Alice but I WAS WRONG. I totally didn't see the twist coming but just like in wonderland, I guess you really do have to expect the impossible!
May 12, 2015
Looking Glass Girl is a junior fiction novel aimed at girls aged 9-14 years . Are you a fan of Alice in Wonderland and don't mind touching on edgy subjects, then this is the book for you.
Once upon a time there were three best friends Elaine, Yasmin and Alice - right until the summer before they left for junior high , they were the best of friends - the three muskateers. That was until Alice decided to give Drama a go and managed to land the lead role in the school play Alice in Wonderland in which she starred against the hottest guy in the school Luke whom Elaine had a crush on. After the play though, things for Alice went down the rabbit hole as her friends started excluding her and soon was the new year at a new school and Alice had been dumped by her friends who had also dropped and changed their names up a bit to Lainey and Yaz. Lainey and Yaz became good friends with Savannah - whom was a bully and also the Queen Bee of Popularity. Alice chucked herself into drama and soon caught the attention of Savannah - this lead to a sleepover at Savannah's house and then disaster struck and Alice found herself tumbling once again down the rabbit''s hole. Looking Glass Girl is told in three parts - the before ( which is the lead up to events that happened) , the present ( which is currently happening ) and the future ( after the accident). This is where the Alice in Wonderland part comes through as due to the accident Alice is in a coma and she is playing out the part of Alice in Wonderland in her mind . One of the more edgier parts is what happened after the accident and how they all ended where they were and the author does show just how jealousy can be a powerful and negative tool and how it can lead to dangerous events occuring and sometimes the events, you can never take back what has happened.
Once upon a time there were three best friends Elaine, Yasmin and Alice - right until the summer before they left for junior high , they were the best of friends - the three muskateers. That was until Alice decided to give Drama a go and managed to land the lead role in the school play Alice in Wonderland in which she starred against the hottest guy in the school Luke whom Elaine had a crush on. After the play though, things for Alice went down the rabbit hole as her friends started excluding her and soon was the new year at a new school and Alice had been dumped by her friends who had also dropped and changed their names up a bit to Lainey and Yaz. Lainey and Yaz became good friends with Savannah - whom was a bully and also the Queen Bee of Popularity. Alice chucked herself into drama and soon caught the attention of Savannah - this lead to a sleepover at Savannah's house and then disaster struck and Alice found herself tumbling once again down the rabbit''s hole. Looking Glass Girl is told in three parts - the before ( which is the lead up to events that happened) , the present ( which is currently happening ) and the future ( after the accident). This is where the Alice in Wonderland part comes through as due to the accident Alice is in a coma and she is playing out the part of Alice in Wonderland in her mind . One of the more edgier parts is what happened after the accident and how they all ended where they were and the author does show just how jealousy can be a powerful and negative tool and how it can lead to dangerous events occuring and sometimes the events, you can never take back what has happened.
March 5, 2016
Looking Glass Girl
By Cathy Cassidy
I decided to read 'Looking Glass Girl by Cathy Cassidy because it was recommended to me by a friend (Rose) and she really enjoyed it. I also found this book really appealing with it's distinctive cover and intriguing blurb.
To me the main character Alice was really interesting. The Author did a really good job with her, she made it so that after Alice had her 'accident' her whole story started almost backwards and I liked how Cathy Cassidy also included aspects from Alice and Wonderland - which fitted the story perfectly.
I couldn't find a quote I liked the best - they all made me wonder and think if I was Alice would my family and friends be their for me just like hers were? Would mine support me or ignore me or not come near me cause they were scared?
I learnt reading this book that no matter what I need to be there and support my friends and family and no matter what you need to support those in need of help. I also thought deeply about how it is such ashamed when your friends all of a sudden stop wanting to be friends and how someone should have at least one friend or someone to talk to, no matter who it is or what they have done.
Hayley O'Brien
By Cathy Cassidy
I decided to read 'Looking Glass Girl by Cathy Cassidy because it was recommended to me by a friend (Rose) and she really enjoyed it. I also found this book really appealing with it's distinctive cover and intriguing blurb.
To me the main character Alice was really interesting. The Author did a really good job with her, she made it so that after Alice had her 'accident' her whole story started almost backwards and I liked how Cathy Cassidy also included aspects from Alice and Wonderland - which fitted the story perfectly.
I couldn't find a quote I liked the best - they all made me wonder and think if I was Alice would my family and friends be their for me just like hers were? Would mine support me or ignore me or not come near me cause they were scared?
I learnt reading this book that no matter what I need to be there and support my friends and family and no matter what you need to support those in need of help. I also thought deeply about how it is such ashamed when your friends all of a sudden stop wanting to be friends and how someone should have at least one friend or someone to talk to, no matter who it is or what they have done.
Hayley O'Brien
May 11, 2015
Good morning :-) !
I'm starting my day with this.
And I'm very impressed :-) !
It is a young adult book.
Which is just what I am ;-) so that works perfectly.
I'm reading it because my niece is, so we can chat about it. But I keep forgetting that as it pulls me in :-) .
It is a book about what it is like to be a young adult. How friends you love and trust turn their backs on you and how the only way to find your way back to true friendship is to find, not them, but you.
Yourself.
A book about:
Losing friends, loneliness, bullies, wanting to fit in, jealousy, guilt, love ... forgiveness and standing up for yourself. Self love.
A book that really mirrors what it is like to be this age and will offer comfort and 'advice'.
I love it!
If you know some age 10 - 16 (or 44) this is a perfect gift.
5/5
I'm starting my day with this.
And I'm very impressed :-) !
It is a young adult book.
Which is just what I am ;-) so that works perfectly.
I'm reading it because my niece is, so we can chat about it. But I keep forgetting that as it pulls me in :-) .
It is a book about what it is like to be a young adult. How friends you love and trust turn their backs on you and how the only way to find your way back to true friendship is to find, not them, but you.
Yourself.
A book about:
Losing friends, loneliness, bullies, wanting to fit in, jealousy, guilt, love ... forgiveness and standing up for yourself. Self love.
A book that really mirrors what it is like to be this age and will offer comfort and 'advice'.
I love it!
If you know some age 10 - 16 (or 44) this is a perfect gift.
5/5
November 6, 2015
Gostei mesmo muito deste livro! Aborda o tema do bulliyng e acho que todos deviam ler, crianças, por volta dos 12-15 anos e adultos que lidem com crianças nesta faixa etária, para estarem mais sensibilizados para este problema.
October 24, 2016
I loved this book! One of the best books I've read.
February 24, 2019
**4.75
Alice in Wonderland is my all time favourite book; for an avid reader, that’s saying a lot. I absolutely adore the story and the unique and peculiar cast of characters Carroll had dreamed up. Therefore, to find this book hidden at the back at the shelves of my local library felt like discovering buried treasure.
This book was wonderful. Flawlessly weaving in themes of friendship, bullying and finding yourself, Cassidy creates a captivating and creative turn on the classic tale that had me engaged throughout. I found it so gripping and fantastic I flew through it in two sittings, consequently beating my reading slump.
I think one of the best aspects of the novel is the characters. Not only are they unique and developed but there is a grey area which inevitably leads the reader to question “who is the real villain?” I found Alice extremely relatable and was therefore an absolute pleasure to read about.
I adore how Cassidy related each of her own characters to those of the source material, I found that very inventive!
The story spans a few storylines, narrating Alice after her horrendous and potentially fatal accident, the repercussions of that and how the people around her are dealing with it and the events leading up to it. It was all so interesting and I couldn’t put it down.
If you too are a fan of Alice and like books about friendship, I recommend picking this one up and falling down the rabbit hole.
Alice in Wonderland is my all time favourite book; for an avid reader, that’s saying a lot. I absolutely adore the story and the unique and peculiar cast of characters Carroll had dreamed up. Therefore, to find this book hidden at the back at the shelves of my local library felt like discovering buried treasure.
This book was wonderful. Flawlessly weaving in themes of friendship, bullying and finding yourself, Cassidy creates a captivating and creative turn on the classic tale that had me engaged throughout. I found it so gripping and fantastic I flew through it in two sittings, consequently beating my reading slump.
I think one of the best aspects of the novel is the characters. Not only are they unique and developed but there is a grey area which inevitably leads the reader to question “who is the real villain?” I found Alice extremely relatable and was therefore an absolute pleasure to read about.
I adore how Cassidy related each of her own characters to those of the source material, I found that very inventive!
The story spans a few storylines, narrating Alice after her horrendous and potentially fatal accident, the repercussions of that and how the people around her are dealing with it and the events leading up to it. It was all so interesting and I couldn’t put it down.
If you too are a fan of Alice and like books about friendship, I recommend picking this one up and falling down the rabbit hole.
November 8, 2016
More reviews on The Books Are Everywhere!
Re-imaginings are always difficult to get right, and people tend to have a love/hate relationship with them. But I have to say, Cathy got it spot on!
This book was utterly captivating. Even for me, who has been in a reading slump for months that I rarely appear to get out of...this one pulled me out, if only for a day. Yes, I said a day. I sped through those 275 pages quicker than I expected!
I love the casual twists and turns this book took, and the hint of Wonderland wasn't too heavy throughout. It headed in the perfect direction, interweaving a teenage friendship with the fantasy world of Wonderland.
I also loved the fact that this book closely followed a difficult friendship, and didn't include too much romance. The hint was more than enough, and gave the book a unique feel.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was so intriguing and heartwarming at the same time - showing the strength of true friends. A really great read and one I'd definitely recommend for 9+, but teenagers too!
☽ ☽ ☽ ☽ ☽
5 out of 5 moons
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
Re-imaginings are always difficult to get right, and people tend to have a love/hate relationship with them. But I have to say, Cathy got it spot on!
This book was utterly captivating. Even for me, who has been in a reading slump for months that I rarely appear to get out of...this one pulled me out, if only for a day. Yes, I said a day. I sped through those 275 pages quicker than I expected!
I love the casual twists and turns this book took, and the hint of Wonderland wasn't too heavy throughout. It headed in the perfect direction, interweaving a teenage friendship with the fantasy world of Wonderland.
I also loved the fact that this book closely followed a difficult friendship, and didn't include too much romance. The hint was more than enough, and gave the book a unique feel.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was so intriguing and heartwarming at the same time - showing the strength of true friends. A really great read and one I'd definitely recommend for 9+, but teenagers too!
☽ ☽ ☽ ☽ ☽
5 out of 5 moons
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
May 3, 2015
I really do hate to give 1 star reviews because so much work going into writing a book. But this was just such a let down to me, it was meant to be a celebration of 150 years of Alice in Wonderland.
But really what it read like (to me anyway) was a book the author already had ready to go, but since she was asked to do a Alice story she just added a weak Wonderland theme. If you took every reference to Alice out of this book you would still be left with the same story.
Such a massive disappointment.
But really what it read like (to me anyway) was a book the author already had ready to go, but since she was asked to do a Alice story she just added a weak Wonderland theme. If you took every reference to Alice out of this book you would still be left with the same story.
Such a massive disappointment.
January 25, 2017
this book is one of the best books i have ever read! in a lot of ways the main character Alice is like me ;-) i got this book signed by Cathy Cassidy and she is really nice! i recommend this to everyone!
August 18, 2017
Wow! This book is so sad but good. I love how it's written present and past at the same time. I'm not going to give away any big spoilers but I will say, when you're reading this book you truly will fall into wonderland...
October 31, 2015
This was a really good book. It's very different to Cathy Cassidy's other books, it goes from the present to the past. It's definitely worth reading.
February 22, 2021
This was so good!!! I loved every single word on every single page!!!
So interesting and their is lots of twists and turns!!
So interesting and their is lots of twists and turns!!
September 23, 2022
A great quick read from one of my all time favourite authors- I will forever be picking up Cathy Cassidy novels.
October 10, 2020
CATHY YOU ARE DRIVING ME OVER THE EDGE.
Apparently, Cathy was asked to write an Alice in Wonderland themed book, and jumped at the chance. It's very painful to see what she did with the base material.
ALICE
Our main character is Alice Beech, who is thirteen. We are introduced to her in hospital, as she is recovering from a bad accident.
She once played Alice in an Alice in Wonderland play at primary school, where she met this one hot boy (IMPORTANT INFORMATION).
Moving into secondary school, she fell out with her old friends Elaine and Yaz, who soon got in with a more popular crowd including the "coolest girl in school" Savannah Hunter. After two years of being ignored and bullied by the group, Alice is invited to an AIW themed sleepover at Savvy's house, where Alice has her accident, and slowly throughout the course of the book, we see what happened.
Alice is a terrible character. She's boring and dull, and continuously paints herself as the victim, moaning about being an outcast at school, though of course she is such a good actress, and liked that hot boy, both of which Elaine and Yaz were always jealous of.
It transpires that at the sleepover Savvy invited a few boys, including said hot boy Luke Miller, he and Alice kiss out in the garden despite not really knowing each other, and Elaine gets jealous and pushes her down the stairs.
While Alice is in a coma, there are these terrible little scenes of her basically living out Alice in Wonderland, it's bad.
LUKE
What do you want me to say about him? He's there, he's a character. Probably the only interesting information about him.
Again, he and Alice were in the same drama group when they were about 10, and were sort of friendly acquaintances until they went to secondary school, when they lost touch. So now, two or three years later, they meet up at Savvy's little party, talk for maybe half a page, kiss, and decide they're in love.
When Alice has her accident, despite the fact that he literally just got in touch with her again, Luke spends all his time sitting beside her hospital bed and being sad and broody.
What's his personality you ask, well dear reader, he doesn't really have one.
They end up together once Alice wakes up bc duh.

EVERYONE ELSE
Elaine is such a bad fucking person lmao, she is given absolutely no redemption. First of all she drops Alice as a friend just because she was in a drama group with the boy she liked in primary school. Then she bullied her for two years, then locked her in Savvy's garage/pushed her down the stairs, THEN bitched about her while she was in a bad condition in hospital, and last of all thought about pulling out the wires in the hospital machines, aka possibly killing her. Nevertheless Alice decides to forgive her at the end because you know, she's such a good person, a choice not not understandable in any way because Elaine is not at all shown to have any good points, nor does she ever apologise for her actions.
The other characters barely exist. Savvy is the only other one who really marks a difference to the story at all, and she's boring and dull and ends up being really nice and becoming Alice's best friend so whatever. Meanwhile the other girls in the group, Erin and Yaz, are vague shadows.
(Slowly working my way through these books and sometimes wondering why)
Apparently, Cathy was asked to write an Alice in Wonderland themed book, and jumped at the chance. It's very painful to see what she did with the base material.
ALICE
Our main character is Alice Beech, who is thirteen. We are introduced to her in hospital, as she is recovering from a bad accident.
She once played Alice in an Alice in Wonderland play at primary school, where she met this one hot boy (IMPORTANT INFORMATION).
Moving into secondary school, she fell out with her old friends Elaine and Yaz, who soon got in with a more popular crowd including the "coolest girl in school" Savannah Hunter. After two years of being ignored and bullied by the group, Alice is invited to an AIW themed sleepover at Savvy's house, where Alice has her accident, and slowly throughout the course of the book, we see what happened.
Alice is a terrible character. She's boring and dull, and continuously paints herself as the victim, moaning about being an outcast at school, though of course she is such a good actress, and liked that hot boy, both of which Elaine and Yaz were always jealous of.
It transpires that at the sleepover Savvy invited a few boys, including said hot boy Luke Miller, he and Alice kiss out in the garden despite not really knowing each other, and Elaine gets jealous and pushes her down the stairs.
While Alice is in a coma, there are these terrible little scenes of her basically living out Alice in Wonderland, it's bad.
LUKE
What do you want me to say about him? He's there, he's a character. Probably the only interesting information about him.
Again, he and Alice were in the same drama group when they were about 10, and were sort of friendly acquaintances until they went to secondary school, when they lost touch. So now, two or three years later, they meet up at Savvy's little party, talk for maybe half a page, kiss, and decide they're in love.
When Alice has her accident, despite the fact that he literally just got in touch with her again, Luke spends all his time sitting beside her hospital bed and being sad and broody.
What's his personality you ask, well dear reader, he doesn't really have one.
They end up together once Alice wakes up bc duh.

EVERYONE ELSE
Elaine is such a bad fucking person lmao, she is given absolutely no redemption. First of all she drops Alice as a friend just because she was in a drama group with the boy she liked in primary school. Then she bullied her for two years, then locked her in Savvy's garage/pushed her down the stairs, THEN bitched about her while she was in a bad condition in hospital, and last of all thought about pulling out the wires in the hospital machines, aka possibly killing her. Nevertheless Alice decides to forgive her at the end because you know, she's such a good person, a choice not not understandable in any way because Elaine is not at all shown to have any good points, nor does she ever apologise for her actions.
The other characters barely exist. Savvy is the only other one who really marks a difference to the story at all, and she's boring and dull and ends up being really nice and becoming Alice's best friend so whatever. Meanwhile the other girls in the group, Erin and Yaz, are vague shadows.
(Slowly working my way through these books and sometimes wondering why)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2023
Can I just say, I have grown up with Cathy Cassidy’s books and I wouldn’t like it any other way. I first discovered her books at my local library at about 8 or 9 years old, and I’m now 18 and I bought all her books recently and still pick them up and read them often. This one, Looking Glass Girl, has always been my absolute favourite. Even after I read all those grown-up books, it’s probably still my favourite. I think I’ve read it at least 10 times.
Now, Looking Glass Girl, when I first read it, was unlike any other book I’d ever read. It’s like a teens story, but with a type of dark backstory to it. The way Alice was treated by the two girls she thought were her best friends, absolute horror. The stuck in the coma part? Even scarier. As all the secrets spill out, you see the cracks in what you think was a perfect friendship between Yaz, Lainey, Savvy and Erin, and the cover-ups they tried to integrate. But that’s the part that stuck with me, because it’s so different, the take on the story is just so amazing in my eyes.
I still think about the book at night sometimes to this day, and wonder what Alice was feeling, how absolutely stifling the loneliness must have felt, the betrayal at her best friends leaving her behinds, and how she must’ve jumped at the chance to finally become friends with them again, or even with Savvy. And they took the chance to use her.
Lainey is such a complex character. I sometimes love her, like when Alice mentions the little things she’d done for her over the years, being there for her, encouraging her before the school play. I often think that perhaps the experiences of high school changed her and went to her head. And while she had her redeeming moments towards the end of the book, I began to absolutely loathe her until the part where she pleaded with Alice not to go. The things she whispered in Alice’s ear? Almost unforgivable. In a way, she also caused her to fall. I wonder if she’s bipolar? I go over that a lot. But I also wonder what SHE felt like. She grew up in a dysfunctional family home. The boy she’d liked for so many years never even spared her a second look. All the things she’d ever wanted were taken away from her. But she didn’t react to that very well. The jealousy engulfed her. I love discussing her character, because there’s a lot of ways to approach the reasoning behind her actions and the good and bad things she’d done.
I actually really liked Savvy. I wonder, did she actually do the bullying? She seemed so taken aback when Alice confronted her about it, it almost seemed like she wasn’t the one doing it. Maybe it’s glaringly obvious, but I’m just missing it. She stuck by Alice, and I appreciate her for that.
But the book, overall 100000/10. Loved it, love it. Highly recommended. And feel free to leave a comment if you would like to discuss it :)
Now, Looking Glass Girl, when I first read it, was unlike any other book I’d ever read. It’s like a teens story, but with a type of dark backstory to it. The way Alice was treated by the two girls she thought were her best friends, absolute horror. The stuck in the coma part? Even scarier. As all the secrets spill out, you see the cracks in what you think was a perfect friendship between Yaz, Lainey, Savvy and Erin, and the cover-ups they tried to integrate. But that’s the part that stuck with me, because it’s so different, the take on the story is just so amazing in my eyes.
I still think about the book at night sometimes to this day, and wonder what Alice was feeling, how absolutely stifling the loneliness must have felt, the betrayal at her best friends leaving her behinds, and how she must’ve jumped at the chance to finally become friends with them again, or even with Savvy. And they took the chance to use her.
Lainey is such a complex character. I sometimes love her, like when Alice mentions the little things she’d done for her over the years, being there for her, encouraging her before the school play. I often think that perhaps the experiences of high school changed her and went to her head. And while she had her redeeming moments towards the end of the book, I began to absolutely loathe her until the part where she pleaded with Alice not to go. The things she whispered in Alice’s ear? Almost unforgivable. In a way, she also caused her to fall. I wonder if she’s bipolar? I go over that a lot. But I also wonder what SHE felt like. She grew up in a dysfunctional family home. The boy she’d liked for so many years never even spared her a second look. All the things she’d ever wanted were taken away from her. But she didn’t react to that very well. The jealousy engulfed her. I love discussing her character, because there’s a lot of ways to approach the reasoning behind her actions and the good and bad things she’d done.
I actually really liked Savvy. I wonder, did she actually do the bullying? She seemed so taken aback when Alice confronted her about it, it almost seemed like she wasn’t the one doing it. Maybe it’s glaringly obvious, but I’m just missing it. She stuck by Alice, and I appreciate her for that.
But the book, overall 100000/10. Loved it, love it. Highly recommended. And feel free to leave a comment if you would like to discuss it :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2019
Quand Alice est invitée à la soirée pyjama de Savvy, la reine de l'école, elle n'arrive pas à y croire. Elle aurait mieux fait de ne pas y croire. Maintenant, celles qu'elle prenait pour ses amies l'ont poussée dans le trou du lapin et si elle veut en sortir, il faut qu'elle se souvienne ; se souvienne de ce qu'il s'est passé ce soir-là...
[Livre lu en VO]
Au résumé, je m'attendais un peu à une réécriture d'Alice au pays des Merveilles un peu torturée, avec une Alice sombre et brisée...mais au final, il ne s'agit ni d'une véritable réécriture moderne, ni d'une nouvelle interprétation. C'est un récit sur l'enfance et ses mesquineries, jusqu'où on peut aller par jalousie, mit en parallèle avec les péripéties du récit de Lewis Carroll (il n'est donc pas nécessaire de l'avoir lu pour comprendre ce livre-ci).
Cette mise en parallèle est d'ailleurs très intéressante : on alterne entre le temps présent, avec Alice dans le coma et son entourage qui vient la voir ; le passage dans le pays des Merveilles, qui est malheureusement très rapide et peu approfondi ; et les souvenirs d'Alice. Cette structure du récit permet d'ajouter au suspense, car le lecteur veut savoir autant que notre protagoniste ce qu'il s'est passé ce soir-là ; et ajouté aux seulement 260 pages du roman et la plume très simple et tout à fait abordable pour commencer la lecture en VO, on obtient une histoire très rapide à lire, sans effort, et addictive.
Malheureusement, la longueur de ce livre peut être aussi bien un atout qu'un mauvais point : avec aussi peu de pages pour apprendre à connaître Alice, on a un peu de mal à s'y attacher et à rentrer en profondeur dans l'histoire. En revanche, le lecteur peut très facilement s'identifier à Alice, une petite fille assez ordinaire, très mignonne et très réaliste, tout comme les évènements du roman ; et cela vient d'une personne qui en général déteste les enfants comme protagonistes dans les livres! Il est également assez difficile de dire si Looking-Glass Girl est plutôt adressé aux jeunes adultes ou enfants, néanmoins ça reste une lecture rafraîchissante car simple. Je suis juste un peu mitigée par rapport à la morale, qui me paraît assez discutable, mais sur laquelle je ne vais pas m'étendre pour ne pas spoiler.
En conclusion, Looking-Glass Girl n'est pas la réécriture à laquelle je m'attendais, mais reste une lecture simple, addictive et abordable grâce à un niveau d'anglais assez facile, et avec une Alice très réaliste à laquelle on peut facilement s'identifier malgré son jeune âge.
[Livre lu en VO]
Au résumé, je m'attendais un peu à une réécriture d'Alice au pays des Merveilles un peu torturée, avec une Alice sombre et brisée...mais au final, il ne s'agit ni d'une véritable réécriture moderne, ni d'une nouvelle interprétation. C'est un récit sur l'enfance et ses mesquineries, jusqu'où on peut aller par jalousie, mit en parallèle avec les péripéties du récit de Lewis Carroll (il n'est donc pas nécessaire de l'avoir lu pour comprendre ce livre-ci).
Cette mise en parallèle est d'ailleurs très intéressante : on alterne entre le temps présent, avec Alice dans le coma et son entourage qui vient la voir ; le passage dans le pays des Merveilles, qui est malheureusement très rapide et peu approfondi ; et les souvenirs d'Alice. Cette structure du récit permet d'ajouter au suspense, car le lecteur veut savoir autant que notre protagoniste ce qu'il s'est passé ce soir-là ; et ajouté aux seulement 260 pages du roman et la plume très simple et tout à fait abordable pour commencer la lecture en VO, on obtient une histoire très rapide à lire, sans effort, et addictive.
Malheureusement, la longueur de ce livre peut être aussi bien un atout qu'un mauvais point : avec aussi peu de pages pour apprendre à connaître Alice, on a un peu de mal à s'y attacher et à rentrer en profondeur dans l'histoire. En revanche, le lecteur peut très facilement s'identifier à Alice, une petite fille assez ordinaire, très mignonne et très réaliste, tout comme les évènements du roman ; et cela vient d'une personne qui en général déteste les enfants comme protagonistes dans les livres! Il est également assez difficile de dire si Looking-Glass Girl est plutôt adressé aux jeunes adultes ou enfants, néanmoins ça reste une lecture rafraîchissante car simple. Je suis juste un peu mitigée par rapport à la morale, qui me paraît assez discutable, mais sur laquelle je ne vais pas m'étendre pour ne pas spoiler.
En conclusion, Looking-Glass Girl n'est pas la réécriture à laquelle je m'attendais, mais reste une lecture simple, addictive et abordable grâce à un niveau d'anglais assez facile, et avec une Alice très réaliste à laquelle on peut facilement s'identifier malgré son jeune âge.
September 24, 2024
i read this book quite recently, because i loved the choclate box girls and also because i got the book for free :)
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the title and blurb but wanted to read it anyway bc I like the author. I was actually really invested in the storyline, not knowing when she’ll wake up, why she was in the accident, what happened the night of the sleepover. I did skip quite a few pages of the book because I was more interested in the “before” chapters than the ones with Luke and Lainey.
anyways, here are the pros and cons:
PROS:
• I actually really liked savvy’s character, it’s quite refreshing to see someone challenging the “all popular girls are awful” stereotype. it is a little weird that Alice and savvy were “best friends” at the end when they hadn’t really been that close throughout the book
• I liked the way the author didn’t immediately tell us WHY Alice was in a coma and that most of the book built up to the accident
• the wonderland scenes were well written
CONS:
• lainey was such an awful person throughout the book, and for some insane reason Alice just decides to forgive her, after she almost killed her *multiple* times. also her jealousy around Luke was so unrealistic, like surely you’re over this random guy you haven’t seen for a year??
• Luke and Alice’s “romance“ was really unrealistic. they met up again for the first time in like a year and then suddenly luke has feelings for her and he kisses her, but maybe thats just me.
• yaz and erin, i think she was called, basically didn’t have any personality and didn’t really make any diffrence to the storyline except them being there
• Alice was a pretty boring character. I did feel sympathy for her, especially when her friends dumped her, but yeah
• alice becoming really popular at the end also felt unrealistic, because as i’ve said, shes a boring character
CONCLUSION:
Despite my *heavy* criticism for it, I did actually enjoy this book. definitely my least favourite of the authors works, but still well written.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the title and blurb but wanted to read it anyway bc I like the author. I was actually really invested in the storyline, not knowing when she’ll wake up, why she was in the accident, what happened the night of the sleepover. I did skip quite a few pages of the book because I was more interested in the “before” chapters than the ones with Luke and Lainey.
anyways, here are the pros and cons:
PROS:
• I actually really liked savvy’s character, it’s quite refreshing to see someone challenging the “all popular girls are awful” stereotype. it is a little weird that Alice and savvy were “best friends” at the end when they hadn’t really been that close throughout the book
• I liked the way the author didn’t immediately tell us WHY Alice was in a coma and that most of the book built up to the accident
• the wonderland scenes were well written
CONS:
• lainey was such an awful person throughout the book, and for some insane reason Alice just decides to forgive her, after she almost killed her *multiple* times. also her jealousy around Luke was so unrealistic, like surely you’re over this random guy you haven’t seen for a year??
• Luke and Alice’s “romance“ was really unrealistic. they met up again for the first time in like a year and then suddenly luke has feelings for her and he kisses her, but maybe thats just me.
• yaz and erin, i think she was called, basically didn’t have any personality and didn’t really make any diffrence to the storyline except them being there
• Alice was a pretty boring character. I did feel sympathy for her, especially when her friends dumped her, but yeah
• alice becoming really popular at the end also felt unrealistic, because as i’ve said, shes a boring character
CONCLUSION:
Despite my *heavy* criticism for it, I did actually enjoy this book. definitely my least favourite of the authors works, but still well written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2022
If there's one thing you can always tempt me with, it's Wonderland inspired stories. So, when I saw this book somewhere, I have absolutely NO idea anymore where that was, I had to have it. The cover looks like a lot of fun and the blurb also sounded interesting. And it's nice to have some middle grade books to read once in a while, especially when you're doing a reading challenge and like a quicker read in between the bigger ones.
I have to admit that after reading the story I was a little disappointed with how little Wonderland there was in this book. For some reason I had the impression that we were gonna see our heroine in Wonderland, that we were gonna watch her adventure and that we would get some parallels with what was happening in the other world in the mean time. But it was the other way round. Apart from a few snippets of almost original Wonderland texts there was not much Wonderland present.
Of course, the theme of Alice in Wonderland was clearly there. Our heroine is named Alice, there is an Alice themed sleepover party and the play where it all started was Alice in Wonderland too. But it's actually at its core a story about friendship, bullying, betrayal and fights gone wrong. Just like it's a story about guilt, truth, love and being jealous of others and what they do or don't have. It's a very human and for children maybe even quite heavy story.
However, it's also an interesting story because of that. Although things escalate in this book and go really wrong, the overall events are happening to kids all around the globe. But, I'm still doubting whether or not I would have wanted to read a story like this at the time I was bullied. I don't think so. Although the ending is nice and forgiveness is noble, I don't think I would have felt understood or seen as a hurting and lonely kid.
I have to admit that after reading the story I was a little disappointed with how little Wonderland there was in this book. For some reason I had the impression that we were gonna see our heroine in Wonderland, that we were gonna watch her adventure and that we would get some parallels with what was happening in the other world in the mean time. But it was the other way round. Apart from a few snippets of almost original Wonderland texts there was not much Wonderland present.
Of course, the theme of Alice in Wonderland was clearly there. Our heroine is named Alice, there is an Alice themed sleepover party and the play where it all started was Alice in Wonderland too. But it's actually at its core a story about friendship, bullying, betrayal and fights gone wrong. Just like it's a story about guilt, truth, love and being jealous of others and what they do or don't have. It's a very human and for children maybe even quite heavy story.
However, it's also an interesting story because of that. Although things escalate in this book and go really wrong, the overall events are happening to kids all around the globe. But, I'm still doubting whether or not I would have wanted to read a story like this at the time I was bullied. I don't think so. Although the ending is nice and forgiveness is noble, I don't think I would have felt understood or seen as a hurting and lonely kid.
October 18, 2018
Rating: 4.75
This was my second time reading this book and my second time loving it.
Lainey or Elaine whichever you want to call her, is a bitch throughout the book and pissed me off so much but I guess in every book you've got to either hate a character or have a problem with them and Elaine or Lainey was that character.
Yaz was ok but she wasn't really in the book much and never really spoke much and I would of loved to have had more of her.
Erin i really liked and not because we have the same name XD, it's because of how honest she is and she always speaks her mind even if hurts someone but again she didn't have a big part in the book and I think Erin and Yaz definitely deserve it.
Savannah or Savvy again whichever you want to call her was an amazing character i think her character development through out the book was amazing and I can't say much more because I will end up spoil the book.
Alice was a great main character/narrator but I think she should have stood up for herself because it wasn't until the end of the book that she finally stood up for herself but I think she should have done it earlier but I suppose better late than never.
Luke i don't like as much as he's the love interest and he never really helped the story at all he was just a character who was in the story to basically do nothing apart from be a love interest.
Dex had like no part except be a love interest for a different character.
Josh was another character who had no part except for being a love interest for a different character.
Robbie was her again another love interest.
Kamil the last boy i actually found funny because he kept trying to flirt with the girls and I just wasn't working for him and then he started having rants about football XD but again he is also a love interest.
This book has a recurring cycle, present - wonderland - past but there was barely any wonderland at all i with there was more because I thought it fitted into the story really well.
This was my second time reading this book and my second time loving it.
Lainey or Elaine whichever you want to call her, is a bitch throughout the book and pissed me off so much but I guess in every book you've got to either hate a character or have a problem with them and Elaine or Lainey was that character.
Yaz was ok but she wasn't really in the book much and never really spoke much and I would of loved to have had more of her.
Erin i really liked and not because we have the same name XD, it's because of how honest she is and she always speaks her mind even if hurts someone but again she didn't have a big part in the book and I think Erin and Yaz definitely deserve it.
Savannah or Savvy again whichever you want to call her was an amazing character i think her character development through out the book was amazing and I can't say much more because I will end up spoil the book.
Alice was a great main character/narrator but I think she should have stood up for herself because it wasn't until the end of the book that she finally stood up for herself but I think she should have done it earlier but I suppose better late than never.
Luke i don't like as much as he's the love interest and he never really helped the story at all he was just a character who was in the story to basically do nothing apart from be a love interest.
Dex had like no part except be a love interest for a different character.
Josh was another character who had no part except for being a love interest for a different character.
Robbie was her again another love interest.
Kamil the last boy i actually found funny because he kept trying to flirt with the girls and I just wasn't working for him and then he started having rants about football XD but again he is also a love interest.
This book has a recurring cycle, present - wonderland - past but there was barely any wonderland at all i with there was more because I thought it fitted into the story really well.
May 29, 2017
This is a young adult novel that I have been putting off (and yet simultaneously pining to read) for a long time. This being largely due to the alluding to Alice in Wonderland in the title. I'm never usually a big fan of adaptations of Wonderland. I feel too often they take one aspect and push it until it breaks. For instance, madness or fairytale. The point is that the text is just believable enough that we are there with Alice and that cannot be achieved if the boundaries are explained. Wonderland has no boundaries - it just exists.
I was pleasantly surprised by this story. It is an adaptation that I wouldn't call an adaptation because it has so much in its own right. Namely, Wonderland here is a subplot to help develop a highly original and thought provoking plot that will allow the next generation of Wonderland lovers to find a gate way into the original classic if they have not already read it before. With dark themes and also with the element of growing up, this is a book which for any teenage girl will show there is solace and hope at the end of a dark journey. A realistic tale with just a touch of magic that can allow us to return from the pages of the bleak with hope that even in our own reality, there is a little bit of magic that will always allow good to triumph over evil.
I was pleasantly surprised by this story. It is an adaptation that I wouldn't call an adaptation because it has so much in its own right. Namely, Wonderland here is a subplot to help develop a highly original and thought provoking plot that will allow the next generation of Wonderland lovers to find a gate way into the original classic if they have not already read it before. With dark themes and also with the element of growing up, this is a book which for any teenage girl will show there is solace and hope at the end of a dark journey. A realistic tale with just a touch of magic that can allow us to return from the pages of the bleak with hope that even in our own reality, there is a little bit of magic that will always allow good to triumph over evil.
November 8, 2016
So this was a cute, easy read. Probably only took about an hour (or an hour and a half, somewhere between the two for sure). I didn't go in expecting much, since it's a middle grade, contemporary fiction (actually I think I went in expecting the worst, even though I've read some of the author's books before when I was younger, and really enjoyed them). Thankfully it's actually quite pleasant, and not the worst.
That aside, I think the first thing that needs to be established is this is NOT a retelling of Alice in Wonderland as the book claims to be, it's actually just a simple (and somewhat stereotypical and predictable) story with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Still, it was sweet, even if the story has no twists or turns what so ever.
What I did like, however, was the way it was set out. Switching from the present day, in present, third person, to the past, in past, first person, and the snippets of what Alice heard during her coma, and in her dreams. It was a really interesting dynamic. Also, credit to Cassidy for making her thirteen year old characters actually good. Most YA authors struggle with writing good characters, which is why MG can be really refreshing once in a while.
Anyway, a recommended read for anyone who likes Alice, and doesn't mind middle grade fiction
That aside, I think the first thing that needs to be established is this is NOT a retelling of Alice in Wonderland as the book claims to be, it's actually just a simple (and somewhat stereotypical and predictable) story with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Still, it was sweet, even if the story has no twists or turns what so ever.
What I did like, however, was the way it was set out. Switching from the present day, in present, third person, to the past, in past, first person, and the snippets of what Alice heard during her coma, and in her dreams. It was a really interesting dynamic. Also, credit to Cassidy for making her thirteen year old characters actually good. Most YA authors struggle with writing good characters, which is why MG can be really refreshing once in a while.
Anyway, a recommended read for anyone who likes Alice, and doesn't mind middle grade fiction
January 1, 2020
Would definately recommend!
I really enjoyed reading this book which is aimed at young teenage girls, so likely would be for readers in years 5 and 6 rather than the younger years. The story focuses on a teenage girl called Alice who has problems with bullying and being lonely. Children may be able to relate to this story themselves or people who carry out bullying may see what it does to people and may therefore change and try harder with children who struggle to make friends or get bullied.
Throughout the book events that led to Alice being in a coma are described which i found very effective as although we found out about the coma early on, the reader is left wanting to find out exactly what happened. This will encourage readers to carry on with the book until they find an answer.
Whilst Alice is in her coma, there are references to Alice in Wonderland being made. This is a well known book and therefore a text-to-text connection is being made. This is similar to a modern day version of Alice in Wonderland.
I found myself unable to put the book down once I started reading it. Therefore, I would definitely use it in a class or at least recommend it to children in my class or in years 5 and 6.
I really enjoyed reading this book which is aimed at young teenage girls, so likely would be for readers in years 5 and 6 rather than the younger years. The story focuses on a teenage girl called Alice who has problems with bullying and being lonely. Children may be able to relate to this story themselves or people who carry out bullying may see what it does to people and may therefore change and try harder with children who struggle to make friends or get bullied.
Throughout the book events that led to Alice being in a coma are described which i found very effective as although we found out about the coma early on, the reader is left wanting to find out exactly what happened. This will encourage readers to carry on with the book until they find an answer.
Whilst Alice is in her coma, there are references to Alice in Wonderland being made. This is a well known book and therefore a text-to-text connection is being made. This is similar to a modern day version of Alice in Wonderland.
I found myself unable to put the book down once I started reading it. Therefore, I would definitely use it in a class or at least recommend it to children in my class or in years 5 and 6.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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