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Meditations in Wonderland
FOLLOW ELIZABETH DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE-AND MEET A WHOLE NEW ALICE. Elizabeth, a twenty-four-year-old interior designer living in Brooklyn, New York, encounters a little more than mental static when she sits down for her morning meditation, feeling disconnected from herself and her reality. As she meditates, she forces herself to confront her inner demons head on-including the darker parts that she would rather keep hidden from others, like her boyfriend, Adam. Her inner conflict leads her down a rabbit hole that is far different from the one she remembers from her favorite childhood story. When Elizabeth reaches the bottom of the rabbit hole, she follows a shadowy figure in a familiar blue dress who taunts her and coaxes her deeper into Wonderland. Unable to release herself from her meditation, Elizabeth chases Alice through Wonderland, guided by clues left by Alice, as well as the dark and strangely familiar characters she meets, like the Cheshire Cat, the Tweedle twins, and the Mad Hatter. In Wonderland, Elizabeth comes face to face with her inner light and darkness, and, finally, Alice-and discovers that Alice's secret might be what she has been searching for all along.
- GenresFantasyRetellingsFiction
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2015
3 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Anna Patrick
6 books47 followersAnna Patrick is the author of the duology "Meditations in Wonderland" and "Midnight in Wonderland," the first of which she wrote after graduating from Boston College, having launched a popular Tumblr under the same title while still in school. Since then, she has worked as a book publicist, digital marketer, and storyteller—and an author by night. She lives in Northern Virginia wine country with her husband, children, and French bulldog.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 17, 2015
This innovative debut novel from Anna Patrick lulls the reader into thinking they know how it will develop, before descending into the depths of Anna's vivid imagination. Dark and often surreal, I found myself drawn into the half-familiar world of Wonderland.
A journey of self-discovery for the lead character Elizabeth, I liked the parallels with the original Alice in Wonderland and was intrigued to discover a page on Wikipedia which lists such a wealth of re-tellings, adaptations and even computer games one could be forgiven for thinking it has all been done before.
Anna Patrick has shown there is still plenty of mileage in the original story to inspire new works which bring fresh and contemporary perspectives to this timeless classic.
A journey of self-discovery for the lead character Elizabeth, I liked the parallels with the original Alice in Wonderland and was intrigued to discover a page on Wikipedia which lists such a wealth of re-tellings, adaptations and even computer games one could be forgiven for thinking it has all been done before.
Anna Patrick has shown there is still plenty of mileage in the original story to inspire new works which bring fresh and contemporary perspectives to this timeless classic.
August 10, 2025
A relatable internal struggle on the journey to self awareness with nostalgic relations to the Alice in Wonderland characters. The imagery really made the descriptions come alive for an enjoyable read. Looking forward to the sequel!
July 31, 2025
Can't wait for the sequel! I love the imagery Anna writes with and at multiple points, especially while in Alice's house, I felt truly immersed like I was there myself. It's dark and twisty in the best ways.
October 8, 2015
I received a copy of this book in return for leaving an honest review.
I have always loved the story of Alice in Wonderland. It is a complete head trip and Meditations in Wonderland was no different. I feel this book closely resembles the truth about what happens when we sit down and completely figure out who we are. The light, the dark, and the shades of gray. I love how this went beyond the mask and bits and pieces that we show the world. The way that Anna wove this and Wonderland together was top notch. The only con for me is that it did seem to drag in places. But don't make to much of that, because my life is crazy right now ,so it was just probably me.
I have always loved the story of Alice in Wonderland. It is a complete head trip and Meditations in Wonderland was no different. I feel this book closely resembles the truth about what happens when we sit down and completely figure out who we are. The light, the dark, and the shades of gray. I love how this went beyond the mask and bits and pieces that we show the world. The way that Anna wove this and Wonderland together was top notch. The only con for me is that it did seem to drag in places. But don't make to much of that, because my life is crazy right now ,so it was just probably me.
October 14, 2015
Full disclosure, I think Anna is an artistic genius and Alice and Wonderland has always been one of my favorite novels.
With my deep seeded love for the original, I can be wary of spinoffs. But Anna's novel did not disappoint at all! In her own wonderful style she added another layer of depth to Alice and shows us a darker, deeper side of our own subconscious. Anna's novel is thought provoking without being overly heavy, it has some dark twists and a little bit of a psychological thrill.
It's a quick and ridiculously fun read. I will return to this novel over and over again.
With my deep seeded love for the original, I can be wary of spinoffs. But Anna's novel did not disappoint at all! In her own wonderful style she added another layer of depth to Alice and shows us a darker, deeper side of our own subconscious. Anna's novel is thought provoking without being overly heavy, it has some dark twists and a little bit of a psychological thrill.
It's a quick and ridiculously fun read. I will return to this novel over and over again.
November 10, 2015
A good read.
The interview I did with the author is here: http://blogcritics.org/an-interview-w...
Reading this and interviewing the author for an email interview. I've known the author, Anna, for several years as a publicist for a major publisher. So when she asked me to give her own book a read I said sure.
stay tuned
The interview I did with the author is here: http://blogcritics.org/an-interview-w...
Reading this and interviewing the author for an email interview. I've known the author, Anna, for several years as a publicist for a major publisher. So when she asked me to give her own book a read I said sure.
stay tuned
October 24, 2015
Everyone here is mad - the rumors are true. Very thought provoking tale that has many many topics one could discuss. Great weekend read! Full review at http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/
May 27, 2025
A lesson that inner demons aren't there to beat so much as bring along for the ride
At the beginning, there was some skepticism. I am not one for the metaphysical when it comes to my reading. Supernatural, sure, but always rooted in current reality. Which I mention because, to the author's credit, that skepticism was overcome the further I read. By the time we meet the Tweedle twins, I was invested.
At the beginning, there was some skepticism. I am not one for the metaphysical when it comes to my reading. Supernatural, sure, but always rooted in current reality. Which I mention because, to the author's credit, that skepticism was overcome the further I read. By the time we meet the Tweedle twins, I was invested.
July 28, 2025
This book was a hauntingly beautiful blend of nostalgia and depth. Think Alice in Wonderland meets Coraline, with a dash of self-help woven into a dark, whimsical journey. It explores modern struggles like addiction and mental health in a surreal, yet deeply relatable way. Strange, lyrical, and quietly healing—I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to fall down the rabbit hole again in the second book!
November 29, 2022
Fabulous! The author takes you on a winding journey exploring some of the deepest thoughts, wisdoms, fears we all hold onto. Hoping you find the light within with this read.
November 29, 2015
*I received a complimentary review copy, in exchange for an honest review of the book. Originally published on A Bibliophile's Reverie.
Meditations in Wonderland by Anna Patrick follows Elizabeth who struggles looking herself in the mirror, not wanting to see the darkness in her soul. She takes ‘recreations drugs’ to deal with the anxiety, a blue pill and orange pill depending on how bad it is. Her boyfriend since high school doesn’t know this and she tries to just see the light in his eyes as her reflection. They get in a fight about her anxiety and when she goes to meditate and falls down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. There, she must find Alice and face the consequences of hiding from one’s self.
This is an interesting take on finding one’s self. As she goes through Wonderland, she finds out different things about herself. There were still some things that were unanswered, like why her boyfriend has a raven tattoo. It sounded like she did something to him or did something that caused him pain, but I’m not sure as to what that was. It was also unclear why she couldn’t look at herself in the mirror in the first place, and how she came upon the pills with her friend that her boyfriend knows nothing about.
The scenery of Wonderland was quite entertaining, playing off the original story but Patrick added her own little twists to it. I loved the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter was quite interesting as a character and was my favorite out of all of them (although, he always is). Patrick also did a good job with the characters of the original story and twisting them into her own creation. I wished we got to see even more characters, but those that were there were still quite interesting.
For the ending, I wished it it ended a few pages early. I don’t want to give it away, but I just felt it could have ended a little bit earlier to get more of a dramatic effect. With the stuff that was added, I didn’t really have much interest in and felt like it didn’t really draw to a close with it.
All in all, I give this novel a 4/5, as it captured my attention, as any Wonderland book should, and I was left wanting to fall down the rabbit hole myself. I wished I knew a little more about the main characters, but they were still very interesting.
Meditations in Wonderland by Anna Patrick follows Elizabeth who struggles looking herself in the mirror, not wanting to see the darkness in her soul. She takes ‘recreations drugs’ to deal with the anxiety, a blue pill and orange pill depending on how bad it is. Her boyfriend since high school doesn’t know this and she tries to just see the light in his eyes as her reflection. They get in a fight about her anxiety and when she goes to meditate and falls down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. There, she must find Alice and face the consequences of hiding from one’s self.
This is an interesting take on finding one’s self. As she goes through Wonderland, she finds out different things about herself. There were still some things that were unanswered, like why her boyfriend has a raven tattoo. It sounded like she did something to him or did something that caused him pain, but I’m not sure as to what that was. It was also unclear why she couldn’t look at herself in the mirror in the first place, and how she came upon the pills with her friend that her boyfriend knows nothing about.
The scenery of Wonderland was quite entertaining, playing off the original story but Patrick added her own little twists to it. I loved the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter was quite interesting as a character and was my favorite out of all of them (although, he always is). Patrick also did a good job with the characters of the original story and twisting them into her own creation. I wished we got to see even more characters, but those that were there were still quite interesting.
For the ending, I wished it it ended a few pages early. I don’t want to give it away, but I just felt it could have ended a little bit earlier to get more of a dramatic effect. With the stuff that was added, I didn’t really have much interest in and felt like it didn’t really draw to a close with it.
All in all, I give this novel a 4/5, as it captured my attention, as any Wonderland book should, and I was left wanting to fall down the rabbit hole myself. I wished I knew a little more about the main characters, but they were still very interesting.
October 16, 2015
Where to begin with this book? It's a little difficult to fully express how spot on this story is to exploring ones own deepest self. I don't think I ever really stopped to consider how much Alice in Wonderland actually mirrors that kind of journey. Which is originally why I was so excited to dive into Anna Patrick's intriguing Meditations in Wonderland. I couldn't wait to follow Elizabeth down the rabbit hole.
I was introduced to a woman who was afraid of her own reflection. One who, on the surface, had a life filled with all the things she could want. A loving relationship, a happy home, the kind of support that we all dream of. Inside though, was a terrified Elizabeth. One who relied on uppers to get her through. Meeting her was jarring at first, but soon I began to understand the type of person that she was. Someone clinging to the good, and trying desperately to forget the darkness underneath.
Which is why I was fully prepared for the "Wonderland" that she sank into to be dark. Surprisingly, it wasn't as dark as I'd thought it would be. However I can say that Anna Patrick does a stellar job of bringing Elizabeth's inner Wonderland to life. The writing here was beautiful. Peppered with just the right amount of description, to lead you through the desolate and sometimes worrying landscape. I felt for Elizabeth. I wanted her to succeed. Despite some slow parts through this narrative, I still wanted to keep reading on, just to make sure she was okay.
Really my one biggest gripe was Alice herself. I can't say too much, for fear of spoiling anything, but I wanted to the showdown between these two to be much more than it was. I appreciated the relationship between these two. Loved the dichotomy between light and dark. All the nods to the original Wonderland were brilliant. I just wanted more action, and perhaps a little more tension.
Overall, this is an extremely interesting look at the parallels between Alice in Wonderland and our own minds! It's a solid story, and one that I think you'll enjoy getting lost in. Just mind that you don't also get sucked down the rabbit hole.
I was introduced to a woman who was afraid of her own reflection. One who, on the surface, had a life filled with all the things she could want. A loving relationship, a happy home, the kind of support that we all dream of. Inside though, was a terrified Elizabeth. One who relied on uppers to get her through. Meeting her was jarring at first, but soon I began to understand the type of person that she was. Someone clinging to the good, and trying desperately to forget the darkness underneath.
Which is why I was fully prepared for the "Wonderland" that she sank into to be dark. Surprisingly, it wasn't as dark as I'd thought it would be. However I can say that Anna Patrick does a stellar job of bringing Elizabeth's inner Wonderland to life. The writing here was beautiful. Peppered with just the right amount of description, to lead you through the desolate and sometimes worrying landscape. I felt for Elizabeth. I wanted her to succeed. Despite some slow parts through this narrative, I still wanted to keep reading on, just to make sure she was okay.
Really my one biggest gripe was Alice herself. I can't say too much, for fear of spoiling anything, but I wanted to the showdown between these two to be much more than it was. I appreciated the relationship between these two. Loved the dichotomy between light and dark. All the nods to the original Wonderland were brilliant. I just wanted more action, and perhaps a little more tension.
Overall, this is an extremely interesting look at the parallels between Alice in Wonderland and our own minds! It's a solid story, and one that I think you'll enjoy getting lost in. Just mind that you don't also get sucked down the rabbit hole.
Read
January 4, 2016This review will be posted on bellasbrightbookshelf.wordpress.com on February 1
Meditations in Wonderland
My debut review! I hope you guys enjoy!
Author Anna Patrick
Pages 225
Price $13.28-Paperback-Amazon
Summary
When Elizabeth meditates, she wakes up in a new world, Wonderland. She doesn't know where she is, until Alice meets her. Alice threatens her and sends "A-like" (Pretty Little Liars) messages. When Elizabeth tries to find Alice, all the creatures metioned Alice being Elizabeth's twin. Elizabeth goes on a wild mission that helps her discover her inner self.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed Meditations inWonderland, but I got bored and confused a few times. As soon as I saw the first letter from Alice I got excited because I knew it was going to get good. The beginning is a little difficult to understand. Which is also a down for me. I liked how the characters in the original book are some much like the characters in this book. My favorite character is the Chestire Cat, because he's so unpredictable. He's sneaky, he's mysterious. He draws your attention. I did get bored with the book a few times, having to force myself to go on, but interesting things came in eventually. Anna Patrick did a great job describing the settings, every time I could imagine Elizabeth in a different place.
Meditations in Wonderland
My debut review! I hope you guys enjoy!
Author Anna Patrick
Pages 225
Price $13.28-Paperback-Amazon
Summary
When Elizabeth meditates, she wakes up in a new world, Wonderland. She doesn't know where she is, until Alice meets her. Alice threatens her and sends "A-like" (Pretty Little Liars) messages. When Elizabeth tries to find Alice, all the creatures metioned Alice being Elizabeth's twin. Elizabeth goes on a wild mission that helps her discover her inner self.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed Meditations inWonderland, but I got bored and confused a few times. As soon as I saw the first letter from Alice I got excited because I knew it was going to get good. The beginning is a little difficult to understand. Which is also a down for me. I liked how the characters in the original book are some much like the characters in this book. My favorite character is the Chestire Cat, because he's so unpredictable. He's sneaky, he's mysterious. He draws your attention. I did get bored with the book a few times, having to force myself to go on, but interesting things came in eventually. Anna Patrick did a great job describing the settings, every time I could imagine Elizabeth in a different place.
November 23, 2015
I love plays on familiar fairy tales. Alice in Wonderland is always a favorite. There are so many ways for an author to take liberties with the story and make it their own. That is exactly what Anna Patrick did, yet the original story is recognizable.
Elizabeth is taking time before work to meditate and ends up down the rabbit hole. She chases Alice through Wonderland, meeting all of the expected Alice in Wonderland characters. Really, she is looking at herself. She is seeing herself and Wonderland through her own eyes but does not realize it. This is a story of finding one’s self, seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes, and learning how others perceive you. All of it told through Elizabeth’s journey into Wonderland.
There were points where I skimmed paragraphs, the story seemed to drag. Don’t take that as that I did not enjoy the book. I did. I finished it two days ago and I am still thinking about it. I will be looking for more from Anna Patrick.
November 12, 2015
A whimsical self-discovery journey.
A woman uses meditation to learn about herself. The meditation is a compilation of characters from Wonderland, including Alice. Their riddles and run-around's have Elizabeth looking deeper into herself. A highly prophetic journey to the end.
This was a fascinating read for me, being an Alice in Wonderland fan. This story took everything I knew and loved, and darkened it. Oh, how I liked that. Twisted and dark tales are my thing. Mix it with a retelling of sorts, and you have a winner. At least in my opinion.
The only part I didn't care for was the slut part. I'm all for name calling and swearing in stories, if it fits, but while reading the slut thing in this story I asked myself if that was really necessary. I just wasn't feeling it here. It didn't ruin the story though, it was one word at one point.
Great job on the debut, Anna! Can't wait to see what you come up with next!
A woman uses meditation to learn about herself. The meditation is a compilation of characters from Wonderland, including Alice. Their riddles and run-around's have Elizabeth looking deeper into herself. A highly prophetic journey to the end.
This was a fascinating read for me, being an Alice in Wonderland fan. This story took everything I knew and loved, and darkened it. Oh, how I liked that. Twisted and dark tales are my thing. Mix it with a retelling of sorts, and you have a winner. At least in my opinion.
The only part I didn't care for was the slut part. I'm all for name calling and swearing in stories, if it fits, but while reading the slut thing in this story I asked myself if that was really necessary. I just wasn't feeling it here. It didn't ruin the story though, it was one word at one point.
Great job on the debut, Anna! Can't wait to see what you come up with next!
December 11, 2015
I'm a huge Alice freak, but this book did not sit well with me. SORRY! I think it's just a matter of personal taste, but I didn't like the characters at all, especially Alice. Actually, I did like the Tweedles and Ches. I also felt I was reading the same thing over and over again. I expected more from the big showdown with Alice and figured out "Alice's secret" quite early on in Elizabeth's journey through Wonderland which might have dampened the tension/build up towards the end for me. There are some beautiful descriptions and metaphors throughout the book, but overall it just wasn't my cup of tea.
October 3, 2020
Some nice writing, but sooooo boring. It's based on a pretty self-aware protagonist apparently being not self-aware? Relationship with boyfriend too messy-perfect. Dialogue just lame. Bleh. I feel bad for dragging my students through this book. Only nice thing is it's only 200 pages.
April 12, 2016
The worst 'retelling' of Alice in Wonderland ever created. What a waste. It's only 201 pages long, but it felt like 1,000. Don't waste your time if you love Alice. This book is total garbage.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews