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Steampunk Fairy Tales #1
Curiouser and Curiouser: Steampunk Alice in Wonderland
To save the Hatter, Alice must work with the one man she despises so much that she might still love him.
Alice thought she’d turned over a new leaf. No more working for Jabberwocky. No more making deals with the ruthless Queen of Hearts. No more hanging around The Mushroom with tinkers, tarts, scoundrels, and thieves in London's criminal underbelly. But she’d been bonkers to dream.
Hatter’s reckless behavior leads Alice back to the one person she never wanted to see again, Caterpillar. Pulled into Caterpillar's mad schemes, Alice must steal a very big diamond from a very royal lady. The heist is no problem for this Bandersnatch. But protecting her heart from the man she once loved? Impossible.
Sometimes love is mad.
See how NY Times bestselling author Melanie Karsak reimagines Lewis Carroll's classic fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland, with a steampunk twist! Join us at The Mushroom in gaslamp Victorian London.
Alice thought she’d turned over a new leaf. No more working for Jabberwocky. No more making deals with the ruthless Queen of Hearts. No more hanging around The Mushroom with tinkers, tarts, scoundrels, and thieves in London's criminal underbelly. But she’d been bonkers to dream.
Hatter’s reckless behavior leads Alice back to the one person she never wanted to see again, Caterpillar. Pulled into Caterpillar's mad schemes, Alice must steal a very big diamond from a very royal lady. The heist is no problem for this Bandersnatch. But protecting her heart from the man she once loved? Impossible.
Sometimes love is mad.
See how NY Times bestselling author Melanie Karsak reimagines Lewis Carroll's classic fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland, with a steampunk twist! Join us at The Mushroom in gaslamp Victorian London.
216 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2017
602 people are currently reading
4789 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Karsak
92 books1,702 followersNew York Times and USA Today best-selling historical fantasy author Melanie Karsak is the author of the Celtic Blood series, Steampunk Red Riding Hood, Steampunk Fairy Tales, the Road to Valhalla Series, and other works of fantasy and fiction. The author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
February 21, 2019
I love Alice in Wonderland, and I came across this steampunk version quite unexpectedly, and I became rather curious. I mean, a steampunk Alice? This has to be read to be believed. You definitely get the feel of the original story, but this one includes other scenes, and really, it kind of goes off the beaten track.
I love that the Jabberwocky is a pretty prominent character. As a child, my parents used to read me The Jabberwocky as a bedtime treat, so it holds much history for me. The Jabberwocky karsak describes in her story is rather different to the version I know, though.
The steampunk atmosphere was grand. We had airships, clockwork soldiers and even the famous Chesire cat was clockwork!
I enjoyed Alice's character. She was strong, courageous and fiesty, just as expected! However, her love interest, William, I just couldn't stand. Pompous, pig-headed and basically, a waste of oxygen, I think the book would have been better without his dreadful input.
As much as I enjoyed this, I didn't enjoy the ending. It was abrupt, and I wasn't completely satisfied. However, this won't stop me wanting to read more from Karsak in the near future.
I love that the Jabberwocky is a pretty prominent character. As a child, my parents used to read me The Jabberwocky as a bedtime treat, so it holds much history for me. The Jabberwocky karsak describes in her story is rather different to the version I know, though.
The steampunk atmosphere was grand. We had airships, clockwork soldiers and even the famous Chesire cat was clockwork!
I enjoyed Alice's character. She was strong, courageous and fiesty, just as expected! However, her love interest, William, I just couldn't stand. Pompous, pig-headed and basically, a waste of oxygen, I think the book would have been better without his dreadful input.
As much as I enjoyed this, I didn't enjoy the ending. It was abrupt, and I wasn't completely satisfied. However, this won't stop me wanting to read more from Karsak in the near future.
March 13, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. If you feel anything in my review is a spoiler and is not already hidden in spoiler brackets please let me know. Thank you.
I love retellings. So when I saw this steampunk retelling series. I was so excited and thought I was going to love it. I was wrong. It was ok. It was a quick read and had a lot of references to the original tale. It also was definitely steampunk, but still, I just didn't love it. Which really is sad cause I thought for sure I would.
I might continue the series. I guess I'll see if I find any interest later on. It's on Kindle Unlimited which is a huge plus, plus the books are short so makes for a pretty quick read. It had a romance added to it that I thought would make it even better, but really I could have gone without it. It didn't spark any of the happy feelings I get with a good romance story.
All in all, I am a little disappointed. I think that this could have gone a whole different way and been so much better. But to each their own. If nothing else, at least I gave it a shot.
I love retellings. So when I saw this steampunk retelling series. I was so excited and thought I was going to love it. I was wrong. It was ok. It was a quick read and had a lot of references to the original tale. It also was definitely steampunk, but still, I just didn't love it. Which really is sad cause I thought for sure I would.
I might continue the series. I guess I'll see if I find any interest later on. It's on Kindle Unlimited which is a huge plus, plus the books are short so makes for a pretty quick read. It had a romance added to it that I thought would make it even better, but really I could have gone without it. It didn't spark any of the happy feelings I get with a good romance story.
All in all, I am a little disappointed. I think that this could have gone a whole different way and been so much better. But to each their own. If nothing else, at least I gave it a shot.
How I choose my rating:
1* Hated it. I had to force myself to finish it.
2** Didn't like it. I didn't hate it but not sure why I finished it other than for some closure.
3*** I liked it. I had some issues with it, but as a whole it was good. I probably won't reread ever, but there is a chance I might finish the series. (If part of one) But if not it's not a huge loss.
4**** I really liked this book. Maybe not a work of genius, but highly entertaining. I might reread this, and I will finish the series. (If part of one) I would recommend to those I know hold interest in this book's content.
5***** I loved this book. I found little to no issues with it at all. I will be rereading this and probably more than once. I will finish the series and reread it multiple times. (If part of one) I will recommend this book to EVERYONE!!!!
August 27, 2017
I received this book in a subscription box, and I am so glad that I did! Not only is the cover gorgeous, but the story itself was also well worth it! The only issue I took was the constant back and forth from past and present, as well as the repetitiveness that happened; while it was important for us to know all those details, I would have preferred more moments in the present, getting to see things develop between Alice and William. Those moments between them, however, are so well done that I still had to give this book four stars. There were a lot of instances where we get the same information fed back to us more than once, which was a bit jarring. Then there were also a few grammatical errors, but nothing major, and certainly nothing that really bothered me too much. The details were great and made it really easy to picture, and as a huge fan of the original Alice in Wonderland, I appreciated all the nuances of this story subtly connecting it to the original. I read this in one sitting, so it was a fun, quick read that keeps your interest so you don't want to put it down.
Definitely recommend, and I plan on continuing with this series!
Definitely recommend, and I plan on continuing with this series!
August 10, 2019
I was hooked from the start! This book is a true delight.
Melanie Karsak paints a beautiful and engaging world in her novel Curiouser and Curiouser. This steampunk fairytale retelling of Alice in Wonderland is riveting and beautifully told. The blend between original and reimagined is fantastic. This new colorful world of mechanical creatures and airships is peppered with dialogue from the original story to create an endearing connection between old and new. Instead of a trip down a rabbit hole into a strange land, this story takes you on an adventure through steampunk London. Part fairytale, part heist story, Curiouser and Curiouser will take you on an action-packed adventure filled with airship pirates, clockwork cats, black magic, honorable thieves, and a villainous sanguinarian. This story has it all; mystery, adventure, and plenty of romance.
She is able to bring her world alive with only a few sentences. Her brilliant descriptions feel neither forced nor out of place, and paint a world so vibrant I saw everything I was reading almost as if it were a movie. The lush background is filled with such detailed descriptions, you could almost believe yourself right alongside Alice on her adventure. You'll find your senses immersed in her rich and vibrant storytelling; from the breathtaking sight of the crystal palace, the scents of jasmine and sandalwood, the sounds of airship captains barking orders and the boom of a cannon announcing the start of a race, to the taste of strawberry frosted, vanilla-sweetened, and raspberry-and-crème-filled cake. And all of this in only the first three chapters.
This story is filled with well-developed characters full of life and complex emotions. All of the characters you know from the original Alice in Wonderland are here but in completely new incarnations. Each is recognizable as their original counterpart but reworked into new and interesting characters all their own. Alice, who is exactly the kind of heroine I want to read about, is smart, strong-willed, and full of heart.
This incarnation of Alice in Wonderland is my new favorite version. I can't wait to read more of Melanie Karsak's steampunk fairy tales and have my fingers crossed for an Alice sequel. Through the Looking Glass is just begging to be written!
If you're a fan of any of the following: steampunk, fantasy, fairy tales, strong female characters, and adventure, I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of this book.
Melanie Karsak paints a beautiful and engaging world in her novel Curiouser and Curiouser. This steampunk fairytale retelling of Alice in Wonderland is riveting and beautifully told. The blend between original and reimagined is fantastic. This new colorful world of mechanical creatures and airships is peppered with dialogue from the original story to create an endearing connection between old and new. Instead of a trip down a rabbit hole into a strange land, this story takes you on an adventure through steampunk London. Part fairytale, part heist story, Curiouser and Curiouser will take you on an action-packed adventure filled with airship pirates, clockwork cats, black magic, honorable thieves, and a villainous sanguinarian. This story has it all; mystery, adventure, and plenty of romance.
She is able to bring her world alive with only a few sentences. Her brilliant descriptions feel neither forced nor out of place, and paint a world so vibrant I saw everything I was reading almost as if it were a movie. The lush background is filled with such detailed descriptions, you could almost believe yourself right alongside Alice on her adventure. You'll find your senses immersed in her rich and vibrant storytelling; from the breathtaking sight of the crystal palace, the scents of jasmine and sandalwood, the sounds of airship captains barking orders and the boom of a cannon announcing the start of a race, to the taste of strawberry frosted, vanilla-sweetened, and raspberry-and-crème-filled cake. And all of this in only the first three chapters.
This story is filled with well-developed characters full of life and complex emotions. All of the characters you know from the original Alice in Wonderland are here but in completely new incarnations. Each is recognizable as their original counterpart but reworked into new and interesting characters all their own. Alice, who is exactly the kind of heroine I want to read about, is smart, strong-willed, and full of heart.
This incarnation of Alice in Wonderland is my new favorite version. I can't wait to read more of Melanie Karsak's steampunk fairy tales and have my fingers crossed for an Alice sequel. Through the Looking Glass is just begging to be written!
If you're a fan of any of the following: steampunk, fantasy, fairy tales, strong female characters, and adventure, I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of this book.
December 24, 2018
Instead of "STEAMPUNK ALICE IN WONDERLAND", the tag-line for this book should be "AN ALICE IN WONDERLAND/STEAMPUNK THEMED ROMANCE".
I have a soft spot for Alice in Wonderland retellings. I've read every single one I have found and was excited to pick up Melanie Karsak's Curiouser and Curiouser despite knowing full well the risk I was taking. With this book being both an Alice in Wonderland retelling and a steampunk Alice in Wonderland retelling, I had a feeling that, more likely than not, this book would be bad. But I knew it couldn't be worse than my last trip down the rabbit hole, which was in Alice by Christina Henry. Christina Henry's book is not just the worst retelling I've ever read, but the worst book I've ever read in my life. I was hoping with every ounce of hope in my body that Curiouser and Curiouser would be good. Not great, just good.
Unfortunately, it is not good at all. I've been trying to be more positive in my reviews, but goddamn it, I'm letting my wretched Grinch-heart take over from here.
Curiouser and Curiouser doesn't retell the story of Alice in Wonderland. It is a totally original story by Melanie Karsak that uses the names from Alice in Wonderland to tell what is basically a romance. I'm pretty sure the author is just writing and self-publishing her own fantasies, and that is totally fine. However, I can't help feel that Karsak is misleading the reader by stamping STEAMPUNK ALICE IN WONDERLAND in all-caps on the top of her book. The steampunk elements in this book are minimal and the Alice elements are minimal so... why? Just why? She has a total of four "steampunk fairy tales" books, and I'm sure the other three are similar to this one.
Let's be real for a moment. I'm kind of impressed with Karsak. If she has the means to publish her little steampunk-themed fantasies, then more power to her. From the little bit of research I did, she uses small companies for her book design, cover design, editing, and proofreading. Like, you go girl for supporting independent businesses! I kinda creeped on her Facebook and Instagram a little, and it looks like she does some cosplay and is proud of her books. She should be! I'm not kidding that I kind of admire her for what she has accomplished. I just wish this had been a good book. But seriously, the work she has done is impressive.
Also, this book is beautiful. From the pictures on her website, ALL Karsak's books are beautiful. Not only do we have an amazing cover on Curiouser and Curiouser, but we also have bold roses on each chapter heading and John Tenniel's illustrations from the original Alice in Wonderland throughout the book (which are public domain along with Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, so no copyright issues here for those who are, uh, curious LOL).
I wanted so badly to love this book, but just couldn't get over how boring and shallow it was.
So what went wrong?
This book is only 219 pages. And, I have to say, it is a very loooong 219 pages. It should have either been a short story or should have had more content. I think I would have enjoyed this if it wasn't so bloated with nonsense. It reads like a YA book. I might have liked this book when I was 13, but, as an adult, it just made me frustrated.
The synopsis on the back of the book tells you EVERYTHING BUT THE ENDING. Can we stop this nonsense please? It is like how trailers for superhero movies are these days. They show you ALL the good parts before you even see the movie. Why are books doing the same thing?
Not only is the synopsis a problem, but the way this story is told is also problematic. It switches between present tense and flash backs. Unfortunately, these flash backs don't move the story forward and just tell us, in a more lengthy fashion, what the synopsis on the back of the book has already spoiled. It is super frustrating!
So the back of the book will tell you that Curiouser and Curiouser is about Alice, or Bandersnatch, who has "turned over a new leaf" and has quit working for Jabberwocky, who seems to have been a mob-boss type of guy. Alice's ex-boyfriend, Caterpillar, or William, is now in charge of Jabberwocky's shady business and has tricked Alice into helping him steal a diamond for the Queen of Hearts. And yeah, the book is kinda about that. But it is mostly about how Alice still has feelings for William, who she grew up with and has loved her whole life or whatever and should she or shouldn't she be with him. Yuck. Why isn't this marketed as a romance then??
This books spends the first 154 pages describing what we already know from the back of the book. That leaves a whopping 65 pages left for our protagonists to steal a diamond and confront the Queen. And, here's the kicker, that 65 pages still manages to feel stretched out! I mean, the pace of this book is SO slow. I had such a hard time reading it. It should have only taken me a day or two to read, but it ended up taking me almost a week! I just didn't care about Alice, William, Bess, the Queen or anything in this book.
I hated Alice. She is your stereotypical "badass chick" trope. Bandersnatch is her name as a thief and she has a stupid knife she calls White Queen. It's silly. If I read one more book with a "badass chick" who hates dresses but is "forced" to wear a dress for some arbitrary reason I think I will just rip the book up on the spot. Library book or not, I'm just going to rip it up and stomp on it like Godzilla.
"The bulge of fabric on my backside made my lower back itch, and my corset was too tight. A proper ladies gown indeed, but I wondered how anyone dressed in proper fashion got anything done." (p. 88)
YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A BADASS ALICE, SO STOP BEING A BABY!! I'm so frustrated with protagonists like this. I see them all the time in YA and didn't think I would see it here. Why do all these protagonists have to hate wearing dresses? And why do they always end up in a situation where they *have* to wear a dress? I don't get it. I would love for someone to recommend me a book where the badass chick doesn't whine about her femininity, but, instead, embraces it. Like, where are all the chicks that can throw knives and kick ass and also like looking fabulous every once in a while in a sexy dress?
Not only did I hate Alice, but her romance with William was... well... it was stupid and shallow just like this book as a whole. This passage, which is in a flash-back section, sums their relationship up succinctly:
"William grinned. "Well, it wasn't exactly a kiss that came to mind," he said. His eyes met mine. William and I had been friends since we had been children. Somewhere along the way, we'd fallen in love. But the transition had been smooth. As of yet, we'd never quite crossed the line into a more physical relationship. It wasn't that I didn't want him. It was just that the timing had never felt quite right." (p.115)
I'm left wondering if the sentence "but the transition had been smooth" is meant to read "but the transition hadn't been smooth". Either way, it does't really make sense to me. Also, they live together. How they hell have they not found the "timing" to get it on? And why not? How does that serve the story? It is only a detriment to the believe-ability of their relationship. So why? I don't even like romance. Why am I advocating for it? Because it would have made their relationship better, that's why. Just a little bit of sexual tension would have added another level to their dynamic. Instead, their interactions are cheesy and boring and predictable.
Btw, I found several typos in this book. The biggest being on page 67, which reads:
"The main in the turban took her by the arm."
...it's supposed to say man... maybe going with a small editing company wasn't a good choice after all...
But anyway. The writing in this book isn't good. In all honesty, the story wasn't terrible. It was just written terribly. Take this paragraph for example:
"Without another word, William and I climbed down the ladder. We stood in the grassy space to the side of the Queen's abbey. From the inside, I saw a flash of lamplight. I felt the strange sensation that we were being watched. A moment later, we heard an odd clicking sound. I heard the clank of metal coming from the garden. A moment later, three sets of red lights appeared in the darkness." (p.144)
This is so bad!
First of all, the phrase "the grassy spot" is repeated from the previous paragraph, which wouldn't really be an issue if the phrase "a moment later" wasn't also repeated twice in such a short excerpt. And I'm not quite sure what "from the inside" means. Shouldn't it read "I saw a flash of lamplight from the inside [of the abbey]"? At first, I thought it meant they were already inside the abbey, but it says right there that they are in the grass on the side of the abbey... so maybe it means they are inside the property? I honestly don't know.
Second of all, wouldn't the the last three sentences sound better if written as "we heard an odd metallic clicking and clanking as red lights appeared in the darkness". Boom. I could be an editor. Feel free to contact me Ms. Karsak.
Unfortunately this excerpt is exemplary of the whole book. Despite the simple sentences and writing style, I found myself confused over little things in this book constantly.
Going back to the excerpt with the typo, I was so confused by the word "main". I was like 95% sure it was a typo that should have been "man", but I had to go back a whole two pages to find a where it mentioned "the man with the turban". There were a lot of incidental side characters in this book who were not given names. Instead they were called things like "the guard" or "the tall man" or "the Frenchman". Defining them by one very general quality is just bad writing. It was really frustrating! These characters were so forgettable that I would forget them, like, immediately. That's why I was so confused by the typo! I didn't remember a man in a turban!
Let's talk a bit about the end of this book.
:SPOILERS:
Like I said, we trudge through 150+ pages of Alice and William basically getting back together because they never stopped loving each other and blah blah blah. We know the Queen is crazy from a flashback and she wants this big diamond, which happens to be on display at a museum or something. Alice, aka Bandersnatch, has the skills to SNATCH the diamond (hardy har har), but the big point of contention between Alice and William is that he won't tell her why the Queen is making him get this diamond. It turns out that William, the ignorant puss, didn't know he had people working on a deal with the Queen to procure a bunch of sacrificial virgins she needed. But the sale was botched on his end anyway and now the Queen is pissed. So William *needs* to wrap up this deal with the diamond so HE can get out of "the business" to be with Alice. Oh, and the Queen needs the diamond to perform an ancient Egyptian immortality ritual of course. Why else would anyone need a big diamond sacrificial virgins?
WTF?? COULD THIS BE ANY STUPIDER?? Also, why does William, who is in a shady business, have to be ignorant of the procuring of virgins scheme? Wouldn't it be more interesting if he knew he was doing something bad to be with the woman he loved? That would have been much more interesting considering both our protagonists are basically flawless and have no character arcs to speak of. I honestly can't think of anything about either Alice or William that could be considered character flaws. I guess Alice isn't totally honest with her sister a few times, but all that is just petty stuff.
And if you were wondering the answer to my question about whether or not this book could be any stupider, the answer is yes. Yes, it gets much stupider. And remember, this is all happening in the last 60ish pages of the book. After 150 pages of dull, boring, backstory and romance setup, the shit hits the fan real quick.
The last part of Curiouser and Curiouser was so different and detached from the beginning that it felt like the ending to a totally different book. Again, this is bad writing. I didn't mind the craziness of the story, but I minded a whole lot that none of this pedal-to-the-metal insanity was set up or foreshadowed. Like, all of a sudden there is blood and dead virgins and executions and ancient Egyptian rituals and magic and I didn't even know such things existed in the world of this book. So William and Alice finally go to see the queen and:
"Against my better judgement, I looked. The Queen grinned at me while she sat in her bath of blood holding a human heart in her hands." (p. 150)
WTF?! Also, how does Alice know these are human hearts???? Has she seen any before?
Fast forward to the end (because everything in between is, yeah, you guessed it, BORING). Alice found a fake diamond instead of stealing the real diamond. The Queen made everyone play Cricket with dead flamingos as mallets and said "off with your head!" a bunch and had her foreign visitors executed. She uses the foreigners' blood, the heads of some Japanese women, and the crushed up fake diamond to prepare the potion for the immortality ritual. The Queen uses an ancient book to "do as the Priest of Sekhmet described". A storm rolls in to get the atmosphere right. Then the Queen drinks the potion, and, I didn't make this up, BEGINS TO FLOAT OFF THE FLOOR because apparently magic exists in this steampunk flavored world all of a sudden. And how could the magic even start to work when Alice gave the Queen a fake diamond?
Then, here comes the best part...
"And then the Queen exploded.
"Alice," William shouted, pulling me close, shielding me. Blood and bits of the Queen of Hearts sprayed around the room." (p.211)
BAhhahABBAhahahAHA!!!! If this was a movie, it would be "so bad that it's good"!! I couldn't believe how crazy everything got at the end. It was ridiculous!
Also, shouldn't there be an exclamation point after "Alice" to indicate that she shouted? Also, wouldn't it be cool if we were shown the blood and bits spraying around the room instead of just being told? This whole book has a serious lack of "showing" instead of "telling", so I guess I would be silly to expect it here, at the climax of the book, where all the important things happen...
So in the epilogue, we see William and Alice happily together as if I didn't see that coming from, like, page one. There are some eye-rolling references to Snow White. And now Alice has written a manuscript where the first story in her "...collection was none other than the tale of the Snow Queen." (p.219) Karsak's next installment in her Steampunk Fairy Tales is, in fact, none other than "STEAMPUNK SNOW QUEEN". So basically, Alice is just a steampunk-skinned version of Melanie Karsak. I would be fine with that if Alice had ever mentioned wanting to be a writer, but I don't recall it ever coming up. Like I said before, I don't have a problem with Karsak writing and publishing her self-indulgent fairy tale fantasies. But goddamn, do I wish it was written better.
In case you were wondering about the steampunk elements in this book... they are minimal like I said. Our characters travel in airships and there are some automatons at the end. There is also this stupid mechanical cat that doesn't add to the plot or anything. It is only there so that they could name it Cheshire and call it "steampunk". Ugh. So basically, this book has a steampunk skin (meaning that the steampunk elements are only skin deep). I'm tired of books like this that call themselves "steampunk", but really only have the most stereotypical steampunk aesthetics like corsets, automatons, goggles, parasols, etc.
I just can't even with this book. There is so much potential here for a good story that it makes my heart sad at how poorly executed this was. I mean, if the plot hadn't been so watered-down and boring and the writing hadn't been simplistic and confusing, this really could have been a fun, interesting book.
So I rated this 1 out of 5 stars. I'm actually thinking it is closer to a 1.5. The cover is beautiful and I like the author. I just wish this book had been good.
I have a soft spot for Alice in Wonderland retellings. I've read every single one I have found and was excited to pick up Melanie Karsak's Curiouser and Curiouser despite knowing full well the risk I was taking. With this book being both an Alice in Wonderland retelling and a steampunk Alice in Wonderland retelling, I had a feeling that, more likely than not, this book would be bad. But I knew it couldn't be worse than my last trip down the rabbit hole, which was in Alice by Christina Henry. Christina Henry's book is not just the worst retelling I've ever read, but the worst book I've ever read in my life. I was hoping with every ounce of hope in my body that Curiouser and Curiouser would be good. Not great, just good.
Unfortunately, it is not good at all. I've been trying to be more positive in my reviews, but goddamn it, I'm letting my wretched Grinch-heart take over from here.
Curiouser and Curiouser doesn't retell the story of Alice in Wonderland. It is a totally original story by Melanie Karsak that uses the names from Alice in Wonderland to tell what is basically a romance. I'm pretty sure the author is just writing and self-publishing her own fantasies, and that is totally fine. However, I can't help feel that Karsak is misleading the reader by stamping STEAMPUNK ALICE IN WONDERLAND in all-caps on the top of her book. The steampunk elements in this book are minimal and the Alice elements are minimal so... why? Just why? She has a total of four "steampunk fairy tales" books, and I'm sure the other three are similar to this one.
Let's be real for a moment. I'm kind of impressed with Karsak. If she has the means to publish her little steampunk-themed fantasies, then more power to her. From the little bit of research I did, she uses small companies for her book design, cover design, editing, and proofreading. Like, you go girl for supporting independent businesses! I kinda creeped on her Facebook and Instagram a little, and it looks like she does some cosplay and is proud of her books. She should be! I'm not kidding that I kind of admire her for what she has accomplished. I just wish this had been a good book. But seriously, the work she has done is impressive.
Also, this book is beautiful. From the pictures on her website, ALL Karsak's books are beautiful. Not only do we have an amazing cover on Curiouser and Curiouser, but we also have bold roses on each chapter heading and John Tenniel's illustrations from the original Alice in Wonderland throughout the book (which are public domain along with Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, so no copyright issues here for those who are, uh, curious LOL).
I wanted so badly to love this book, but just couldn't get over how boring and shallow it was.
So what went wrong?
This book is only 219 pages. And, I have to say, it is a very loooong 219 pages. It should have either been a short story or should have had more content. I think I would have enjoyed this if it wasn't so bloated with nonsense. It reads like a YA book. I might have liked this book when I was 13, but, as an adult, it just made me frustrated.
The synopsis on the back of the book tells you EVERYTHING BUT THE ENDING. Can we stop this nonsense please? It is like how trailers for superhero movies are these days. They show you ALL the good parts before you even see the movie. Why are books doing the same thing?
Not only is the synopsis a problem, but the way this story is told is also problematic. It switches between present tense and flash backs. Unfortunately, these flash backs don't move the story forward and just tell us, in a more lengthy fashion, what the synopsis on the back of the book has already spoiled. It is super frustrating!
So the back of the book will tell you that Curiouser and Curiouser is about Alice, or Bandersnatch, who has "turned over a new leaf" and has quit working for Jabberwocky, who seems to have been a mob-boss type of guy. Alice's ex-boyfriend, Caterpillar, or William, is now in charge of Jabberwocky's shady business and has tricked Alice into helping him steal a diamond for the Queen of Hearts. And yeah, the book is kinda about that. But it is mostly about how Alice still has feelings for William, who she grew up with and has loved her whole life or whatever and should she or shouldn't she be with him. Yuck. Why isn't this marketed as a romance then??
This books spends the first 154 pages describing what we already know from the back of the book. That leaves a whopping 65 pages left for our protagonists to steal a diamond and confront the Queen. And, here's the kicker, that 65 pages still manages to feel stretched out! I mean, the pace of this book is SO slow. I had such a hard time reading it. It should have only taken me a day or two to read, but it ended up taking me almost a week! I just didn't care about Alice, William, Bess, the Queen or anything in this book.
I hated Alice. She is your stereotypical "badass chick" trope. Bandersnatch is her name as a thief and she has a stupid knife she calls White Queen. It's silly. If I read one more book with a "badass chick" who hates dresses but is "forced" to wear a dress for some arbitrary reason I think I will just rip the book up on the spot. Library book or not, I'm just going to rip it up and stomp on it like Godzilla.
"The bulge of fabric on my backside made my lower back itch, and my corset was too tight. A proper ladies gown indeed, but I wondered how anyone dressed in proper fashion got anything done." (p. 88)
YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A BADASS ALICE, SO STOP BEING A BABY!! I'm so frustrated with protagonists like this. I see them all the time in YA and didn't think I would see it here. Why do all these protagonists have to hate wearing dresses? And why do they always end up in a situation where they *have* to wear a dress? I don't get it. I would love for someone to recommend me a book where the badass chick doesn't whine about her femininity, but, instead, embraces it. Like, where are all the chicks that can throw knives and kick ass and also like looking fabulous every once in a while in a sexy dress?
Not only did I hate Alice, but her romance with William was... well... it was stupid and shallow just like this book as a whole. This passage, which is in a flash-back section, sums their relationship up succinctly:
"William grinned. "Well, it wasn't exactly a kiss that came to mind," he said. His eyes met mine. William and I had been friends since we had been children. Somewhere along the way, we'd fallen in love. But the transition had been smooth. As of yet, we'd never quite crossed the line into a more physical relationship. It wasn't that I didn't want him. It was just that the timing had never felt quite right." (p.115)
I'm left wondering if the sentence "but the transition had been smooth" is meant to read "but the transition hadn't been smooth". Either way, it does't really make sense to me. Also, they live together. How they hell have they not found the "timing" to get it on? And why not? How does that serve the story? It is only a detriment to the believe-ability of their relationship. So why? I don't even like romance. Why am I advocating for it? Because it would have made their relationship better, that's why. Just a little bit of sexual tension would have added another level to their dynamic. Instead, their interactions are cheesy and boring and predictable.
Btw, I found several typos in this book. The biggest being on page 67, which reads:
"The main in the turban took her by the arm."
...it's supposed to say man... maybe going with a small editing company wasn't a good choice after all...
But anyway. The writing in this book isn't good. In all honesty, the story wasn't terrible. It was just written terribly. Take this paragraph for example:
"Without another word, William and I climbed down the ladder. We stood in the grassy space to the side of the Queen's abbey. From the inside, I saw a flash of lamplight. I felt the strange sensation that we were being watched. A moment later, we heard an odd clicking sound. I heard the clank of metal coming from the garden. A moment later, three sets of red lights appeared in the darkness." (p.144)
This is so bad!
First of all, the phrase "the grassy spot" is repeated from the previous paragraph, which wouldn't really be an issue if the phrase "a moment later" wasn't also repeated twice in such a short excerpt. And I'm not quite sure what "from the inside" means. Shouldn't it read "I saw a flash of lamplight from the inside [of the abbey]"? At first, I thought it meant they were already inside the abbey, but it says right there that they are in the grass on the side of the abbey... so maybe it means they are inside the property? I honestly don't know.
Second of all, wouldn't the the last three sentences sound better if written as "we heard an odd metallic clicking and clanking as red lights appeared in the darkness". Boom. I could be an editor. Feel free to contact me Ms. Karsak.
Unfortunately this excerpt is exemplary of the whole book. Despite the simple sentences and writing style, I found myself confused over little things in this book constantly.
Going back to the excerpt with the typo, I was so confused by the word "main". I was like 95% sure it was a typo that should have been "man", but I had to go back a whole two pages to find a where it mentioned "the man with the turban". There were a lot of incidental side characters in this book who were not given names. Instead they were called things like "the guard" or "the tall man" or "the Frenchman". Defining them by one very general quality is just bad writing. It was really frustrating! These characters were so forgettable that I would forget them, like, immediately. That's why I was so confused by the typo! I didn't remember a man in a turban!
Let's talk a bit about the end of this book.
:SPOILERS:
Like I said, we trudge through 150+ pages of Alice and William basically getting back together because they never stopped loving each other and blah blah blah. We know the Queen is crazy from a flashback and she wants this big diamond, which happens to be on display at a museum or something. Alice, aka Bandersnatch, has the skills to SNATCH the diamond (hardy har har), but the big point of contention between Alice and William is that he won't tell her why the Queen is making him get this diamond. It turns out that William, the ignorant puss, didn't know he had people working on a deal with the Queen to procure a bunch of sacrificial virgins she needed. But the sale was botched on his end anyway and now the Queen is pissed. So William *needs* to wrap up this deal with the diamond so HE can get out of "the business" to be with Alice. Oh, and the Queen needs the diamond to perform an ancient Egyptian immortality ritual of course. Why else would anyone need a big diamond sacrificial virgins?
WTF?? COULD THIS BE ANY STUPIDER?? Also, why does William, who is in a shady business, have to be ignorant of the procuring of virgins scheme? Wouldn't it be more interesting if he knew he was doing something bad to be with the woman he loved? That would have been much more interesting considering both our protagonists are basically flawless and have no character arcs to speak of. I honestly can't think of anything about either Alice or William that could be considered character flaws. I guess Alice isn't totally honest with her sister a few times, but all that is just petty stuff.
And if you were wondering the answer to my question about whether or not this book could be any stupider, the answer is yes. Yes, it gets much stupider. And remember, this is all happening in the last 60ish pages of the book. After 150 pages of dull, boring, backstory and romance setup, the shit hits the fan real quick.
The last part of Curiouser and Curiouser was so different and detached from the beginning that it felt like the ending to a totally different book. Again, this is bad writing. I didn't mind the craziness of the story, but I minded a whole lot that none of this pedal-to-the-metal insanity was set up or foreshadowed. Like, all of a sudden there is blood and dead virgins and executions and ancient Egyptian rituals and magic and I didn't even know such things existed in the world of this book. So William and Alice finally go to see the queen and:
"Against my better judgement, I looked. The Queen grinned at me while she sat in her bath of blood holding a human heart in her hands." (p. 150)
WTF?! Also, how does Alice know these are human hearts???? Has she seen any before?
Fast forward to the end (because everything in between is, yeah, you guessed it, BORING). Alice found a fake diamond instead of stealing the real diamond. The Queen made everyone play Cricket with dead flamingos as mallets and said "off with your head!" a bunch and had her foreign visitors executed. She uses the foreigners' blood, the heads of some Japanese women, and the crushed up fake diamond to prepare the potion for the immortality ritual. The Queen uses an ancient book to "do as the Priest of Sekhmet described". A storm rolls in to get the atmosphere right. Then the Queen drinks the potion, and, I didn't make this up, BEGINS TO FLOAT OFF THE FLOOR because apparently magic exists in this steampunk flavored world all of a sudden. And how could the magic even start to work when Alice gave the Queen a fake diamond?
Then, here comes the best part...
"And then the Queen exploded.
"Alice," William shouted, pulling me close, shielding me. Blood and bits of the Queen of Hearts sprayed around the room." (p.211)
BAhhahABBAhahahAHA!!!! If this was a movie, it would be "so bad that it's good"!! I couldn't believe how crazy everything got at the end. It was ridiculous!
Also, shouldn't there be an exclamation point after "Alice" to indicate that she shouted? Also, wouldn't it be cool if we were shown the blood and bits spraying around the room instead of just being told? This whole book has a serious lack of "showing" instead of "telling", so I guess I would be silly to expect it here, at the climax of the book, where all the important things happen...
So in the epilogue, we see William and Alice happily together as if I didn't see that coming from, like, page one. There are some eye-rolling references to Snow White. And now Alice has written a manuscript where the first story in her "...collection was none other than the tale of the Snow Queen." (p.219) Karsak's next installment in her Steampunk Fairy Tales is, in fact, none other than "STEAMPUNK SNOW QUEEN". So basically, Alice is just a steampunk-skinned version of Melanie Karsak. I would be fine with that if Alice had ever mentioned wanting to be a writer, but I don't recall it ever coming up. Like I said before, I don't have a problem with Karsak writing and publishing her self-indulgent fairy tale fantasies. But goddamn, do I wish it was written better.
In case you were wondering about the steampunk elements in this book... they are minimal like I said. Our characters travel in airships and there are some automatons at the end. There is also this stupid mechanical cat that doesn't add to the plot or anything. It is only there so that they could name it Cheshire and call it "steampunk". Ugh. So basically, this book has a steampunk skin (meaning that the steampunk elements are only skin deep). I'm tired of books like this that call themselves "steampunk", but really only have the most stereotypical steampunk aesthetics like corsets, automatons, goggles, parasols, etc.
I just can't even with this book. There is so much potential here for a good story that it makes my heart sad at how poorly executed this was. I mean, if the plot hadn't been so watered-down and boring and the writing hadn't been simplistic and confusing, this really could have been a fun, interesting book.
So I rated this 1 out of 5 stars. I'm actually thinking it is closer to a 1.5. The cover is beautiful and I like the author. I just wish this book had been good.
March 11, 2018
This book was so good and added that amazing extra atmosphere to the original tale of Alice in Wonderland.
January 19, 2023
Buddy read. 4 stars
I liked this new “Steampunk Alice” version. But, I might be a little prejudiced as I am a fan of steampunk.
The descriptions of the scenery are incredible. I swear I walked through that awesome steampunk exhibition, ran down those streets, visited the Queen of hearts, and had a drink in the Mushroom.
Excellent remake of a great story.
I liked this new “Steampunk Alice” version. But, I might be a little prejudiced as I am a fan of steampunk.
The descriptions of the scenery are incredible. I swear I walked through that awesome steampunk exhibition, ran down those streets, visited the Queen of hearts, and had a drink in the Mushroom.
Excellent remake of a great story.
April 29, 2020
I loved this retelling of Alice in Wonderland. We've got Jabberwocky, Caterpillar, Alice, a mechanical Cheshire cat, and of course the Queen of Hearts (who turns out to drink blood). In the first scene we meet her she's chopping off dead people's heads. Great story especially if you like steampunk fairy tales!
March 22, 2025
I am a sucker for all things wonderland. I saw this and had to buy it. I absolutely loved this! The characters, the world, the atmosphere was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the Steampunk element, that was a nice touch. If you love books inspired by Alice in Wonderland I would definitely say give this a try.
April 5, 2024
Curiouser and curiouser?? More like confusion and frustration .
I was extremely intrigued by the idea of a steampunk Alice and had such high hopes for this, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed, confused and frustrated. From page 1, I felt as if I had no clue what was happening and it seemed to get worse and worse. It’s like I was missing an entire previous novel and had to check several times that this was a standalone.
I eventually ended up DNF’g. I just could get past how bewildered I was. I literally felt I was Alice in the woods when all her paths were wiped away.
I was extremely intrigued by the idea of a steampunk Alice and had such high hopes for this, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed, confused and frustrated. From page 1, I felt as if I had no clue what was happening and it seemed to get worse and worse. It’s like I was missing an entire previous novel and had to check several times that this was a standalone.
I eventually ended up DNF’g. I just could get past how bewildered I was. I literally felt I was Alice in the woods when all her paths were wiped away.
November 25, 2017
4.5 Stars
Curiouser and Curiouser is yet another hit from Melaine Karsak, one of my favorite authors. In this she takes the story of Alice in Wonderland and turns it on its head, adding something altogether new to a story very familiar with retellings.
Most readers are familiar with Alice in Wonderland, and it’s tale of whimsy. It’s off the charts strange at times, and full of characters that fit the definition of unique. Curiouser and Curiouser actually turn that tale of fantasy into something a bit more contemporary. Instead of journeying into a dream world we are treated to a story that stays in Victorian London. There are still some fantastical elements that I think were really well done. The world building is light but rich enough that I fell in love with the steampunk additions and the world of back-alley deals. I never knew an I needed a heist novel version of Alice until now, and it really makes me thirsty for even more unique retellings like this.
Alice is a young woman with a checkered past but desperately wishes to build a life outside of her former life of crime. She’s walked away from all that she knew to prove a safer life for her sister but finds herself pulled back in to protect dear friends. I love the clever way that our favorite Wonderland characters are portrayed in Curiouser, from a clockwork smiling cat to a mysterious and cruel woman obsessed with remaining young. I think James did an excellent job of paving her own way through the Wonderland mythos without losing her own style in the process. I loved that despite having the backdrop be London full of steam engines there is still a touch of the unusual in the story, which turns it darker and a tad more dire.
I have listened to Lesley Parkin in one other audio, Highland Raven, also a Melaine Karsak book and loved her work then. Curiouser and Curiouser is no exception. She does a plethora of accents and different pitches for the assortment of characters and reads through smoothly. As someone who frequently hits the 2x speed option to move things along, I am always surprised to find narrators that I simply want to enjoy. I will certainly be adding more of her work to my TBR in the future.
If you enjoy retellings, especially Alice In Wonderland ones, then this is a novel for you! In fact, this is just the start of a series of steampunk retellings with the next one being Beauty and the Beast! I’m super excited to see what Karsak has planned for my favorite tale!
I recieved this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Curiouser and Curiouser is yet another hit from Melaine Karsak, one of my favorite authors. In this she takes the story of Alice in Wonderland and turns it on its head, adding something altogether new to a story very familiar with retellings.
Most readers are familiar with Alice in Wonderland, and it’s tale of whimsy. It’s off the charts strange at times, and full of characters that fit the definition of unique. Curiouser and Curiouser actually turn that tale of fantasy into something a bit more contemporary. Instead of journeying into a dream world we are treated to a story that stays in Victorian London. There are still some fantastical elements that I think were really well done. The world building is light but rich enough that I fell in love with the steampunk additions and the world of back-alley deals. I never knew an I needed a heist novel version of Alice until now, and it really makes me thirsty for even more unique retellings like this.
Alice is a young woman with a checkered past but desperately wishes to build a life outside of her former life of crime. She’s walked away from all that she knew to prove a safer life for her sister but finds herself pulled back in to protect dear friends. I love the clever way that our favorite Wonderland characters are portrayed in Curiouser, from a clockwork smiling cat to a mysterious and cruel woman obsessed with remaining young. I think James did an excellent job of paving her own way through the Wonderland mythos without losing her own style in the process. I loved that despite having the backdrop be London full of steam engines there is still a touch of the unusual in the story, which turns it darker and a tad more dire.
I have listened to Lesley Parkin in one other audio, Highland Raven, also a Melaine Karsak book and loved her work then. Curiouser and Curiouser is no exception. She does a plethora of accents and different pitches for the assortment of characters and reads through smoothly. As someone who frequently hits the 2x speed option to move things along, I am always surprised to find narrators that I simply want to enjoy. I will certainly be adding more of her work to my TBR in the future.
If you enjoy retellings, especially Alice In Wonderland ones, then this is a novel for you! In fact, this is just the start of a series of steampunk retellings with the next one being Beauty and the Beast! I’m super excited to see what Karsak has planned for my favorite tale!
I recieved this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 3, 2017
I have always wanted a Steampunk Alice, this book isn't quite what I had in mind but WOW, this was so much better and so unique! The story doesn't exactly follow the Alice in Wonderland story but it does. You get the feel of the story but it's just done so different. The people in the story are all from Alice. You have the Caterpillar, Hatter, Ellie, The Queen of Hearts, The White Queen, Cheshire, Dinah, Jack and a few more. I just loved how this was done and it's an awesome love story with a really bad ass Alice.
Caterpillar and Alice used to be lovers and they worked for the Jabberwocky. When the Jabberwocky was killed Alice took the chance to escape that life style but she had to leave Caterpillar behind. A few years later, Alice is called on again by the Caterpillar to help her with a task he needs done in exchange for not harming the Hatter. Alice wants to help but realizes the only way to succeed is to get rid of the Queen of Hearts.
I loved the characters, Alice was such a strong character and I enjoyed following her on this adventure. I wasn't sure about the Caterpillar at first but as the story progresses I found myself liking him a lot more. I did not, however, like the Queen of Hearts, talk about an evil villain, she was not sugar-coated at all in this book and I think that is what I liked the most. She was pure evil and it jumped off the pages. She gave me anxiety. I enjoyed the side characters also, Alice's sister and the Hatter. I also like how the White Queen was used. The story was so easy to read and flowed beautifully. I loved devouring every word and the world build was rich and detailed. I loved everything about this book.
I can't recommend this book enough, I am looking forward to reading more in Melanie Karsak's fairytale Steampunk books. I HIGHLY recommend! A must read for Alice Fans! Even if you aren't a fan of Alice you will be a fan of this book for sure. SOOOOOO GOOD!!!
Caterpillar and Alice used to be lovers and they worked for the Jabberwocky. When the Jabberwocky was killed Alice took the chance to escape that life style but she had to leave Caterpillar behind. A few years later, Alice is called on again by the Caterpillar to help her with a task he needs done in exchange for not harming the Hatter. Alice wants to help but realizes the only way to succeed is to get rid of the Queen of Hearts.
I loved the characters, Alice was such a strong character and I enjoyed following her on this adventure. I wasn't sure about the Caterpillar at first but as the story progresses I found myself liking him a lot more. I did not, however, like the Queen of Hearts, talk about an evil villain, she was not sugar-coated at all in this book and I think that is what I liked the most. She was pure evil and it jumped off the pages. She gave me anxiety. I enjoyed the side characters also, Alice's sister and the Hatter. I also like how the White Queen was used. The story was so easy to read and flowed beautifully. I loved devouring every word and the world build was rich and detailed. I loved everything about this book.
I can't recommend this book enough, I am looking forward to reading more in Melanie Karsak's fairytale Steampunk books. I HIGHLY recommend! A must read for Alice Fans! Even if you aren't a fan of Alice you will be a fan of this book for sure. SOOOOOO GOOD!!!
Thanks for stopping by to check out my review.
Have a great day and Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life
June 4, 2017
Love, love, love it!!!! Wonderful smashup of Alice the Bandersnatch, a criminal in recovery! Love, intrigue, intrepid heroine, clockwork cat, airship pirates, and a nasty villain.
June 5, 2018
Really enjoyed it. Highly creative and great characters.
April 26, 2020
An interesting retelling.
Alice and William.
No cheating.
No intimate scenes.
HEA.
Epilogue.
Alice and William.
No cheating.
No intimate scenes.
HEA.
Epilogue.
September 6, 2020
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/curiouser-a...
Karsak does particularly well with her world-building, to the extent that this feels like an established universe. The timeline bounces back and forth, between the present and the various incidents which brought Alice to where she is. It’s an approach which could easily be disruptive, but I felt this was admirably pulled off, and balanced nicely.
I was, however, a bit disappointed that much of the book seems to be directed towards a final-act heist, to which I was quite looking forward. Only, the plot makes a left-turn in the later stages, which renders the heist superfluous. This sends the book onto somewhat thin ice in terms of believability on a couple of aspects, and an alternate method of resolution might have worked better.
Karsak does particularly well with her world-building, to the extent that this feels like an established universe. The timeline bounces back and forth, between the present and the various incidents which brought Alice to where she is. It’s an approach which could easily be disruptive, but I felt this was admirably pulled off, and balanced nicely.
I was, however, a bit disappointed that much of the book seems to be directed towards a final-act heist, to which I was quite looking forward. Only, the plot makes a left-turn in the later stages, which renders the heist superfluous. This sends the book onto somewhat thin ice in terms of believability on a couple of aspects, and an alternate method of resolution might have worked better.
August 27, 2017
3 1/2 von 5 Sternen. Alice im Wunderland als phantasievolles Steampunk-Abenteuer
Der Verlobte von Alice Schwester, der verrückte Hutmacher, hat Wettschulden. Um ihm zu helfen lässt sich Alice (Bandersnatch), eine geschickte Diebin zu einem letzten Coup überreden. Der Fluch belastete Blutdiamant von Königin Victoria soll gestohlen werden. Ihr Komplize ist ihre große Liebe Caterpillar...
Alice, Mad Hatter, das weiße Kaninchen, die Herzogin..., alle bekannten Figuren haben kleinere und größere Rollen. Man erfährt, wie das weiße Kaninchen zu seiner Taschenuhr kommt und nimmt an der berühmten Gartenparty der Herzkönigin teil, mit Flamingos und rollenden Köpfen.
Keine Geschichte für Kinder und weit entfernt von dem zuckersüßen Walt Disney Zeichentrickfilm. Diese Herzkönigin auf der Suche nach ewiger Schönheit ist sogar ziemlich gruselig.
Das Ende war rasant aber zu gehetzt und ziemlich blutig.
Gute Unterhaltung, aber es macht mehr Spaß, wenn man das Original Alice Buch gelesen hat. Man sollte auch den Namen Lord Dodgson gehört haben.
Der Verlobte von Alice Schwester, der verrückte Hutmacher, hat Wettschulden. Um ihm zu helfen lässt sich Alice (Bandersnatch), eine geschickte Diebin zu einem letzten Coup überreden. Der Fluch belastete Blutdiamant von Königin Victoria soll gestohlen werden. Ihr Komplize ist ihre große Liebe Caterpillar...
Alice, Mad Hatter, das weiße Kaninchen, die Herzogin..., alle bekannten Figuren haben kleinere und größere Rollen. Man erfährt, wie das weiße Kaninchen zu seiner Taschenuhr kommt und nimmt an der berühmten Gartenparty der Herzkönigin teil, mit Flamingos und rollenden Köpfen.
Keine Geschichte für Kinder und weit entfernt von dem zuckersüßen Walt Disney Zeichentrickfilm. Diese Herzkönigin auf der Suche nach ewiger Schönheit ist sogar ziemlich gruselig.
Das Ende war rasant aber zu gehetzt und ziemlich blutig.
Gute Unterhaltung, aber es macht mehr Spaß, wenn man das Original Alice Buch gelesen hat. Man sollte auch den Namen Lord Dodgson gehört haben.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2020
*This review can also be found on my blog, The Never-Ending TBR Pile: https://wendylohr.wordpress.com/2019/...
Teapots, flamingos, whimsy, and chaos... it's all in this book that is a kind of retelling of the classic Alice in Wonderland but with many differences that assist in making it it's own story. All of the beloved characters make an appearance in some form or fashion and Alice is recreated to be a strong heroine that is intelligent and resourceful, but makes mistakes.
This is a story of adventure, love lost, hope, redemption, love found, and of course, madness. And it's backdrop is that of steampunk London. I loved that the elements of steampunk were woven throughout without being the focal point. And the wonderland that was created was just as whimsical as the original telling yet given many realism's that made me feel as if I could step right into that world and feel at home.
The only reason I wasn't able to give this a full 5-star treatment was the style of writing this story was told in. It was too jarring for me and actually detracted from the flow of the narrative. This might turn some people off and others may not have a problem with it. But I believe I would have enjoyed this even more if the flow of narration had been a lot smoother.
Overall, a great book for fans of the classic as there are a lot of nods to the Lewis Carroll original (including a lot of head rolling thanks to the villainous Queen ;)). But it's also a great read for those that love a good steampunk setting and a bit of whimsy in their fantasy worlds!
Teapots, flamingos, whimsy, and chaos... it's all in this book that is a kind of retelling of the classic Alice in Wonderland but with many differences that assist in making it it's own story. All of the beloved characters make an appearance in some form or fashion and Alice is recreated to be a strong heroine that is intelligent and resourceful, but makes mistakes.
This is a story of adventure, love lost, hope, redemption, love found, and of course, madness. And it's backdrop is that of steampunk London. I loved that the elements of steampunk were woven throughout without being the focal point. And the wonderland that was created was just as whimsical as the original telling yet given many realism's that made me feel as if I could step right into that world and feel at home.
The only reason I wasn't able to give this a full 5-star treatment was the style of writing this story was told in. It was too jarring for me and actually detracted from the flow of the narrative. This might turn some people off and others may not have a problem with it. But I believe I would have enjoyed this even more if the flow of narration had been a lot smoother.
Overall, a great book for fans of the classic as there are a lot of nods to the Lewis Carroll original (including a lot of head rolling thanks to the villainous Queen ;)). But it's also a great read for those that love a good steampunk setting and a bit of whimsy in their fantasy worlds!
July 21, 2017
Curious indeed, and a fantastic read. Imagine a fusion between Alice in Wonderland and Oliver Twist. It's that compelling. And witty, adventurous and clever.
As I was reading about the characters, I had the impression that there might have been another book before this one. Whatever the case, the facts that linked them in the past and how those affected their present situation were being clearly described so there was no detriment to the flow of the story and I quickly became engrossed. Then I realized that what seemed missing was revealed in glimpses into the past in the form of chapters interspersed within the current events, and everything was linked in very interesting ways.
A London steeped in the Victorian era, rich with Dickensian orphans and clockwork machinery, airships and the glorious Crystal Palace as the beacon of all criminal plans. Among thieves and lords, I found fascinating the juxtaposition of Lewis' madeningly creative world and the familiar sights and times of London. A smart, decisive Alice has escaped her life as a thief for a crime lord who's been kind to her and her sister as children. However, her broken heart obliges her to save a friend and also a lost love who are caught in the middle of foul business with the most disturbing Queen of Hearts I've ever encountered in any book or TV show.
With a gripping plot and a clear, witty writing style, the author has given new, sparkling life to much-beloved characters such as a totally reimagined Caterpillar, the colourful Mad Hatter, the chaming Knave, a surprising Cheshire cat, and Alice herself, a woman of brain and bravery.
I loved the subtle yet strong romance, the convoluted business deals conducted in this delinquent trade that leads Alice and William to a final job that could cost them their lives and souls. I loved the steampunk aura that touched the city of London and its inhabitants, all enchanted with the Great Exhibition. This book is a great story full of creativity, with a clever plot and an increasingly terrifying Queen of Hearts. I'm in love with what could be the first in a series of stand-alones based on other other popular stories we never want to part with. I hope they keep coming. This one is unforgettable.
As I was reading about the characters, I had the impression that there might have been another book before this one. Whatever the case, the facts that linked them in the past and how those affected their present situation were being clearly described so there was no detriment to the flow of the story and I quickly became engrossed. Then I realized that what seemed missing was revealed in glimpses into the past in the form of chapters interspersed within the current events, and everything was linked in very interesting ways.
A London steeped in the Victorian era, rich with Dickensian orphans and clockwork machinery, airships and the glorious Crystal Palace as the beacon of all criminal plans. Among thieves and lords, I found fascinating the juxtaposition of Lewis' madeningly creative world and the familiar sights and times of London. A smart, decisive Alice has escaped her life as a thief for a crime lord who's been kind to her and her sister as children. However, her broken heart obliges her to save a friend and also a lost love who are caught in the middle of foul business with the most disturbing Queen of Hearts I've ever encountered in any book or TV show.
With a gripping plot and a clear, witty writing style, the author has given new, sparkling life to much-beloved characters such as a totally reimagined Caterpillar, the colourful Mad Hatter, the chaming Knave, a surprising Cheshire cat, and Alice herself, a woman of brain and bravery.
I loved the subtle yet strong romance, the convoluted business deals conducted in this delinquent trade that leads Alice and William to a final job that could cost them their lives and souls. I loved the steampunk aura that touched the city of London and its inhabitants, all enchanted with the Great Exhibition. This book is a great story full of creativity, with a clever plot and an increasingly terrifying Queen of Hearts. I'm in love with what could be the first in a series of stand-alones based on other other popular stories we never want to part with. I hope they keep coming. This one is unforgettable.
May 6, 2018
A fantastically dark Alice with a steam punk flare!
William chuckled. “Shall we take it all in?”
Barely able to breathe, I nodded.
“Now, there is my Alice,” he said softly. “Her curious eyes open wide.”
I smiled. “It’s a wonderland.”
As soon as I saw the cover for Curiouser and Curiouser by Melanie Karsak, I knew I had to read it! Imaginative fractured fairy tales are one of my favorite genres and I have loved Alice in Wonderland tales since my childhood. I’d never previously picked up anything by this author – but, after inhaling this superb tale set in Victorian England, I want to read everything she’s written! This book is not for young children. It should be fine for older teens to adult. Just know that there are some horror scenes that could forever taint Alice for younger readers. That said, I absolutely loved this fantastically dark Alice with a strong steam punk flare!
This retelling features a slew of familiar, but twisted, characters that share many characteristics with the much-loved childhood version – but, in a totally new setting. There’s Alice, of course. In Curiouser and Curiouser, she and her sister are left orphaned at a young age. Alice quickly develops a knack for lifting valuables so the two sisters can survive. William, the Caterpillar, returns as Alice’s past love interest and her childhood partner in crime. Alice, now in her twenties, walked away from her life in the city’s seedy underworld and now works as an elderly man’s companion.
As the story opens, William desperately needs to complete a task for the Queen of Hearts, a shockingly evil queen of horror herein. He needs Alice’s unparalleled petty thief skills to successfully pull it off. To present his proposal to Alice, William has the rabbit lift the valuable watch of Alice’s employer which Alice dutifuly vows to retrieve. William uses Alice’s love for her fragile sister and her sister’s fiancé, The Hatter, to ensure that Alice will cooperate.
The story alternates between present day and flashbacks into Alice’s past filling in details about her and William’s history. Alice is, hands down, the consummate heroine. She’s smart, skilled and caring. While I didn’t care for Williams’ tactics at first, it wasn’t long before I was pulling for the two. The result is a vivid masterpiece of rich storytelling that I did not want to end!
Following please find a couple of teaser quotes from Curiouser and Curiouser:
“If you say it again, I’ll stab you.” I said.
“All I said was that you look lovely. I hardly think that’s a stabbing offense.”
“Shows what you know,” I replied.
---
I heard feet rushing quickly down the cobblestone toward us. The sound of it set my nerves on edge, and my old instincts kicked in. The runner didn’t slow as the footsteps approached. I moved to grab the knife hidden out of sight under my apron, but my hands were all tied up with Lord Dodgson. If I let go, he would fall.
“Watch yourself, boy. What? Hey,” the footman called.
A boy with a mop of striking white hair, wearing an expensive but oversized waistcoat, slipped between us and was gone again in a flash.
“My pocket watch! My grandfather’s pocket watch,” Lord Dodgson cried, clutching his vest where he always kept his pocket watch. “Stop that boy. He stole my pocket watch. Alice!”
I glanced up the street to see the boy dangle the pocket watch teasingly before us.
“Rabbit,” I hissed.
“Your Grace…I need to—”
“Go, Alice. Go.”
The footman held tightly onto Lord Dodgson so I could let go. I turned and faced the boy. Rabbit, the little albino street rat, was grinning at me. Sneaky little pickpocket. What was he doing in my part of town? He’d grabbed the watch so deftly. Not bad. Some people said he was almost as good as I used to be.
Almost.
Lesley Parkin provides the outstanding narration of Curiouser and Curiouser. This is the first time I’ve ever listened to her. Sometimes I have a learning curve with a new narrator, but I experienced no issues following her performance from the get-go. Her voice is clear and easy to understand. Her pacing is spot-on. She expresses all the expected emotions and the voices she used for the characters are ideal fits. Her south London accent made listening to this audio book a pure pleasure. I can’t wait to listen to her again soon!
The author’s writing is addictive and I didn’t want to put it down once I’d started. I found myself squeezing in listening time because I couldn’t stop thinking about the story. The author made me feel that I was experiencing everything with Alice from the wonder at the steam punk characters to feeling the horror that Alice saw and smelled when in the Queen’s castle. There is a romantic element, but, if you are looking for a true romance, I would look elsewhere as this relationship works as a complement to the story. If you enjoy powerful and ingeniously plotted gloriously dark fantasies, highly original steampunk tales, or just crave a fun, well-told story featuring a whole new Alice, I’d highly recommend checking out Curiouser and Curiouser!
My review is published at Reading Between the Wines Book Club. Please check it out there!
William chuckled. “Shall we take it all in?”
Barely able to breathe, I nodded.
“Now, there is my Alice,” he said softly. “Her curious eyes open wide.”
I smiled. “It’s a wonderland.”
As soon as I saw the cover for Curiouser and Curiouser by Melanie Karsak, I knew I had to read it! Imaginative fractured fairy tales are one of my favorite genres and I have loved Alice in Wonderland tales since my childhood. I’d never previously picked up anything by this author – but, after inhaling this superb tale set in Victorian England, I want to read everything she’s written! This book is not for young children. It should be fine for older teens to adult. Just know that there are some horror scenes that could forever taint Alice for younger readers. That said, I absolutely loved this fantastically dark Alice with a strong steam punk flare!
This retelling features a slew of familiar, but twisted, characters that share many characteristics with the much-loved childhood version – but, in a totally new setting. There’s Alice, of course. In Curiouser and Curiouser, she and her sister are left orphaned at a young age. Alice quickly develops a knack for lifting valuables so the two sisters can survive. William, the Caterpillar, returns as Alice’s past love interest and her childhood partner in crime. Alice, now in her twenties, walked away from her life in the city’s seedy underworld and now works as an elderly man’s companion.
As the story opens, William desperately needs to complete a task for the Queen of Hearts, a shockingly evil queen of horror herein. He needs Alice’s unparalleled petty thief skills to successfully pull it off. To present his proposal to Alice, William has the rabbit lift the valuable watch of Alice’s employer which Alice dutifuly vows to retrieve. William uses Alice’s love for her fragile sister and her sister’s fiancé, The Hatter, to ensure that Alice will cooperate.
The story alternates between present day and flashbacks into Alice’s past filling in details about her and William’s history. Alice is, hands down, the consummate heroine. She’s smart, skilled and caring. While I didn’t care for Williams’ tactics at first, it wasn’t long before I was pulling for the two. The result is a vivid masterpiece of rich storytelling that I did not want to end!
Following please find a couple of teaser quotes from Curiouser and Curiouser:
“If you say it again, I’ll stab you.” I said.
“All I said was that you look lovely. I hardly think that’s a stabbing offense.”
“Shows what you know,” I replied.
---
I heard feet rushing quickly down the cobblestone toward us. The sound of it set my nerves on edge, and my old instincts kicked in. The runner didn’t slow as the footsteps approached. I moved to grab the knife hidden out of sight under my apron, but my hands were all tied up with Lord Dodgson. If I let go, he would fall.
“Watch yourself, boy. What? Hey,” the footman called.
A boy with a mop of striking white hair, wearing an expensive but oversized waistcoat, slipped between us and was gone again in a flash.
“My pocket watch! My grandfather’s pocket watch,” Lord Dodgson cried, clutching his vest where he always kept his pocket watch. “Stop that boy. He stole my pocket watch. Alice!”
I glanced up the street to see the boy dangle the pocket watch teasingly before us.
“Rabbit,” I hissed.
“Your Grace…I need to—”
“Go, Alice. Go.”
The footman held tightly onto Lord Dodgson so I could let go. I turned and faced the boy. Rabbit, the little albino street rat, was grinning at me. Sneaky little pickpocket. What was he doing in my part of town? He’d grabbed the watch so deftly. Not bad. Some people said he was almost as good as I used to be.
Almost.
Lesley Parkin provides the outstanding narration of Curiouser and Curiouser. This is the first time I’ve ever listened to her. Sometimes I have a learning curve with a new narrator, but I experienced no issues following her performance from the get-go. Her voice is clear and easy to understand. Her pacing is spot-on. She expresses all the expected emotions and the voices she used for the characters are ideal fits. Her south London accent made listening to this audio book a pure pleasure. I can’t wait to listen to her again soon!
The author’s writing is addictive and I didn’t want to put it down once I’d started. I found myself squeezing in listening time because I couldn’t stop thinking about the story. The author made me feel that I was experiencing everything with Alice from the wonder at the steam punk characters to feeling the horror that Alice saw and smelled when in the Queen’s castle. There is a romantic element, but, if you are looking for a true romance, I would look elsewhere as this relationship works as a complement to the story. If you enjoy powerful and ingeniously plotted gloriously dark fantasies, highly original steampunk tales, or just crave a fun, well-told story featuring a whole new Alice, I’d highly recommend checking out Curiouser and Curiouser!
My review is published at Reading Between the Wines Book Club. Please check it out there!
October 14, 2020
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Steampunk Fairy Tales. There are five books in this series. I borrowed this through Kindle Unlimited.
Story (5/5): This is a steampunk retelling of Alice in Wonderland. It mainly follows Alice (aka Bandersnatch) who has decided to leave her life of crime and make an honest living as a maid. Unfortunately, her childhood friend, Caterpillar (aka William), is in trouble with the Queen of Hearts. Alice gets drawn back into nefarious activities that only she has the skills to defuse in order to save those she loves.
There is a lot of action, mystery, and some romance in here. I loved the steampunk elements and all the clever references to the original Alice in Wonderland story. This was incredibly fun and I just found the story very endearing. It was great to go back and read this, it filled in a bit of what I was missing when I read the first Steampunk Red Riding Hood book.
Characters (5/5): I loved the characters here. Alice tries so far to do her best to live an honest living but her skills are much more suited to other pursuits. She is loyal to those she cares for and smart and capable. She was fun to read about and very engaging. I really enjoyed William/Caterpillar as well; he comes across as a trouble-maker at first, but as the story unfolds you find out he has very particular reasons for what he does. The clockwork cat, Chess, is delightful...as are a number of the side characters. The Queen of Hearts is incredibly well done, vicious and creepy with strange biomechanical steampunk tendencies. I just really enjoyed every single character here.
Setting (4/5): This whole world is well done, it’s a steampunk London and the story stays in the city. The particulars about how this steampunk London is run with the airships and layout are very well done. This was a creative and fun setting that was easy to picture.
Writing Style (4/5): This was well written and easy to read. We hear from Alice’s perspective mainly. The story moves along at a good pace, I loved the characters and the action. This was a quick read and was entertaining and engaging, no complaints!
My Summary (4.5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. I would recommend to those who enjoy Alice in Wonderland retellings. I enjoyed the setting and the action and loved the story and the characters. I definitely plan on continuing this series. I am eager to see if the other steampunk fairy retellings are as much fun as this one was!
Story (5/5): This is a steampunk retelling of Alice in Wonderland. It mainly follows Alice (aka Bandersnatch) who has decided to leave her life of crime and make an honest living as a maid. Unfortunately, her childhood friend, Caterpillar (aka William), is in trouble with the Queen of Hearts. Alice gets drawn back into nefarious activities that only she has the skills to defuse in order to save those she loves.
There is a lot of action, mystery, and some romance in here. I loved the steampunk elements and all the clever references to the original Alice in Wonderland story. This was incredibly fun and I just found the story very endearing. It was great to go back and read this, it filled in a bit of what I was missing when I read the first Steampunk Red Riding Hood book.
Characters (5/5): I loved the characters here. Alice tries so far to do her best to live an honest living but her skills are much more suited to other pursuits. She is loyal to those she cares for and smart and capable. She was fun to read about and very engaging. I really enjoyed William/Caterpillar as well; he comes across as a trouble-maker at first, but as the story unfolds you find out he has very particular reasons for what he does. The clockwork cat, Chess, is delightful...as are a number of the side characters. The Queen of Hearts is incredibly well done, vicious and creepy with strange biomechanical steampunk tendencies. I just really enjoyed every single character here.
Setting (4/5): This whole world is well done, it’s a steampunk London and the story stays in the city. The particulars about how this steampunk London is run with the airships and layout are very well done. This was a creative and fun setting that was easy to picture.
Writing Style (4/5): This was well written and easy to read. We hear from Alice’s perspective mainly. The story moves along at a good pace, I loved the characters and the action. This was a quick read and was entertaining and engaging, no complaints!
My Summary (4.5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. I would recommend to those who enjoy Alice in Wonderland retellings. I enjoyed the setting and the action and loved the story and the characters. I definitely plan on continuing this series. I am eager to see if the other steampunk fairy retellings are as much fun as this one was!
September 3, 2019
Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories ever. Or better said: It's one of my favorite worlds and concepts ever. I've read a lot of retellings during the last few years, some better than others, but I don't think I came across a Steampunk one yet. Let me start this review with the fact that I'm not that into Steampunk and don't know that much about it, but I was curious anyway.
And although the book is totally not bad, it's written quite well and especially Alice is very clearly recognisable as such, I discovered that this book was not really the book for me. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it was, it's more a feeling, a feeling that something was missing, that something lacked, that it didn't give me the Wonderland feeling that I usually get when I read the original tale or a retelling.
I think that the answer lies in the fact that the story and especially the world, for my taste, isn't weird enough, or mad enough, or twisted enough. One of the things that makes Alice in Wonderland so amazing, is the absurdity of it, the extremes, the unimaginable, the weirdness. In a lot of cases it would be a compliment to have your plot called sane and logical, but in this case it's maybe not. The plot, the world, everything that was going on, it made too much sense. There were a few weird and odd elements, but for me it wasn't enough.
On top of that, this plot focusses a lot on crime life and I've never really had a click with that either. I can totally appreciate a clever plot (which is one of the reasons that I ended up liking Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom), but the plot in this book felt a little too simple to be really called clever. Too many things were an accident instead of planned, there was not enough outsmarting, plotting, planning and executing to impress me much.
I think that there are totally people out there who will love this book to pieces, because my issues with the book are mostly a matter of personal taste, so if the blurb appeals to you, just give it a try. It's a nice and easy read, so you have not much to lose!
And although the book is totally not bad, it's written quite well and especially Alice is very clearly recognisable as such, I discovered that this book was not really the book for me. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it was, it's more a feeling, a feeling that something was missing, that something lacked, that it didn't give me the Wonderland feeling that I usually get when I read the original tale or a retelling.
I think that the answer lies in the fact that the story and especially the world, for my taste, isn't weird enough, or mad enough, or twisted enough. One of the things that makes Alice in Wonderland so amazing, is the absurdity of it, the extremes, the unimaginable, the weirdness. In a lot of cases it would be a compliment to have your plot called sane and logical, but in this case it's maybe not. The plot, the world, everything that was going on, it made too much sense. There were a few weird and odd elements, but for me it wasn't enough.
On top of that, this plot focusses a lot on crime life and I've never really had a click with that either. I can totally appreciate a clever plot (which is one of the reasons that I ended up liking Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom), but the plot in this book felt a little too simple to be really called clever. Too many things were an accident instead of planned, there was not enough outsmarting, plotting, planning and executing to impress me much.
I think that there are totally people out there who will love this book to pieces, because my issues with the book are mostly a matter of personal taste, so if the blurb appeals to you, just give it a try. It's a nice and easy read, so you have not much to lose!
June 9, 2017
I received this from the author for a review.
I loved it. I wish it had been longer, but I still enjoyed it.
Alice has got away from a life of crime and is working for a Lord. When her sisters suitor is beaten up for gambling Alice ends up doing a job to save him, which puts her back in the fold with her true love. She ends up doing one last job for the man she loves .
The story starts with the theft of a pocket watch and Alice finds herself once again down the rabbit hole. From start to finish this book just kept coming. It never let up once.
Alice is conflicted through most of the book and you feel for her. She walked away from the life of crime and the man she loved only to be dragged back in. All the feelings she tries to hide just burst out. I liked Alice. She was a strong female lead who, has much has she loved William, she didn't need him either.
William was a scoundrel that you have to love. Gets himself in trouble, has men do and is saved by Alice.
I really liked how the characters from Alice in wonderland are portrayed has everyday people and how well it worked. Most retellings take Alice back to wonderland, this one didn't and it worked great.
I do wish the steampunk elements had been in depth. They were only hinted at in small doses. Maybe if the book had been longer then more could have been explored.
My final thoughts are great book and I hope there's a book two
I loved it. I wish it had been longer, but I still enjoyed it.
Alice has got away from a life of crime and is working for a Lord. When her sisters suitor is beaten up for gambling Alice ends up doing a job to save him, which puts her back in the fold with her true love. She ends up doing one last job for the man she loves .
The story starts with the theft of a pocket watch and Alice finds herself once again down the rabbit hole. From start to finish this book just kept coming. It never let up once.
Alice is conflicted through most of the book and you feel for her. She walked away from the life of crime and the man she loved only to be dragged back in. All the feelings she tries to hide just burst out. I liked Alice. She was a strong female lead who, has much has she loved William, she didn't need him either.
William was a scoundrel that you have to love. Gets himself in trouble, has men do and is saved by Alice.
I really liked how the characters from Alice in wonderland are portrayed has everyday people and how well it worked. Most retellings take Alice back to wonderland, this one didn't and it worked great.
I do wish the steampunk elements had been in depth. They were only hinted at in small doses. Maybe if the book had been longer then more could have been explored.
My final thoughts are great book and I hope there's a book two
November 17, 2017
I received this complimentary audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Retellings are typically hit or miss for me and Curiouser and Curiouser was a hit. It was short, so it didn't get overwhelming with the crazy worldbuilding that it certainly could have been, as a steampunk retelling of Alice in Wonderland. But, it was just enough to enjoy the characters and enjoy the spin on the story.
The story takes place in basically Victorian London, in a steampunk fashion. There were airships (and an airship pirate!) as well as creepy clockwork soldiers, and even the Cheshire cat was clockwork! But, like I said, it wasn't overly steampunked up and the story didn't get caught up in details and descriptions. Instead, the story was funky characters with Alice in Wonderland nicknames and personalities, but basically regular humans. Though we do have some black magic worked in, the world itself wasn't the fantastical Wonderland.
I really liked the audio narration. Typically I struggle with accents but this one was just right to keep it engaging and keep my attention. I enjoyed the voices, especially the sweet little voice given to Alice's sister.
Most of all, I enjoyed Alice being a strong, determined woman to protect those she cares about and using her wit to get into and out of trouble.
Retellings are typically hit or miss for me and Curiouser and Curiouser was a hit. It was short, so it didn't get overwhelming with the crazy worldbuilding that it certainly could have been, as a steampunk retelling of Alice in Wonderland. But, it was just enough to enjoy the characters and enjoy the spin on the story.
The story takes place in basically Victorian London, in a steampunk fashion. There were airships (and an airship pirate!) as well as creepy clockwork soldiers, and even the Cheshire cat was clockwork! But, like I said, it wasn't overly steampunked up and the story didn't get caught up in details and descriptions. Instead, the story was funky characters with Alice in Wonderland nicknames and personalities, but basically regular humans. Though we do have some black magic worked in, the world itself wasn't the fantastical Wonderland.
I really liked the audio narration. Typically I struggle with accents but this one was just right to keep it engaging and keep my attention. I enjoyed the voices, especially the sweet little voice given to Alice's sister.
Most of all, I enjoyed Alice being a strong, determined woman to protect those she cares about and using her wit to get into and out of trouble.
December 22, 2020
**3.5 Stars**
I really enjoyed this version of the Alice and Wonderland fairytale, with Alice escaping her life of crime just to be brought back in. All the characters from the original story were involved in the story in some way or another, but as humans. And there were tons of fun references to all the other Wonderland elements which made it fun to find the subtle clues. The world was fun with all kinds of steampunk gadgets, transportations and even a mechanical grinning cat- as well as some terrifying human alterations as well.
The one thing I was not a fan of was the memory flashbacks. The story was already very quick (about 5 hours listening) and half the story was memories that Alice had of previous capers or romantic moments that helped to fill in her past but did not move the story forward in my opinion. I am personally not a big fan of flashbacks anyway, and at least half the book was flashbacks, whereas the current storyline took place over a day or two. I wanted more of the present and less of the past.
The narrator did a good job, she gave Alice personality and made her personable, I liked her and rooted for her. She did a pretty good job for other character voices as well, but her Alice was the best. Keep in mind that I listened to the book at 1.8x speed which was perfect for this read.
I really enjoyed this version of the Alice and Wonderland fairytale, with Alice escaping her life of crime just to be brought back in. All the characters from the original story were involved in the story in some way or another, but as humans. And there were tons of fun references to all the other Wonderland elements which made it fun to find the subtle clues. The world was fun with all kinds of steampunk gadgets, transportations and even a mechanical grinning cat- as well as some terrifying human alterations as well.
The one thing I was not a fan of was the memory flashbacks. The story was already very quick (about 5 hours listening) and half the story was memories that Alice had of previous capers or romantic moments that helped to fill in her past but did not move the story forward in my opinion. I am personally not a big fan of flashbacks anyway, and at least half the book was flashbacks, whereas the current storyline took place over a day or two. I wanted more of the present and less of the past.
The narrator did a good job, she gave Alice personality and made her personable, I liked her and rooted for her. She did a pretty good job for other character voices as well, but her Alice was the best. Keep in mind that I listened to the book at 1.8x speed which was perfect for this read.
October 9, 2017
Alice made a clean break from a life of crime. In the process she lost the love of her life. Something happened and Alice got sucked back into the life she tried to get away from. I liked the organized crime part of the story. It was an interesting twist. There were a few flashback scenes that explained why Alice chose a different path in life. Her reasons for leaving were solid ones. The romance was good. I liked Alice and William together. It definitely had a YA vibe because they loved each other but never did anything more than kiss a few times. It was fine but not highly realistic. Their ages were never specified, but most people when in love do not have that kind of restraint. Being around William after not having been with him for a year had an unexpected effect on her. I liked it that Alice analyzed her role in things, but it annoyed me that William wasn't more supportive when things went bad. The steampunk elements were fairly minimal. There were some automatons and dirigibles, but none of it was central to the plot.
June 6, 2017
What a wild ride! I'm new to steampunk and also to Melanie Karsak, but it didn't take long to get into the thick of the plot. Ms Karsak took a classic story and turned it on it's side, then ran with it. In this story, she has turned Alice into a reformed thief who turned from the dark life to a respectable assistant to a wealthy man. She still misses the love of her life, who she left when she left her dark past behind her. But she soon is drawn back into his ways, unwillingly made part of a grand scheme to steal a prized diamond to satisfy a debt owed to the Queen of Hearts. Ms Karsak made this story fun for those who love steampunk and an adult version of a childhood classic. I give it a rousing 5+!
June 14, 2018
I was so ready to be blown away by this! I am always looking for Alice In Wonderland retellings and a steampunk version of Alice sounded just perfect! Alas, I was a bit disappointed. Right from the beginning, this is so full of spelling errors, I can't believe someone even proofread this... The plot also feels rushed and everything is so easily resolved, it lacks depth.
However, the characters are likeable and the brutality of the Queen of Hearts was one of my favourite things.
One of the best parts of this is the brilliant connections to other Victorian texts and authors, like clever easter eggs.
It was good enough to make want to read the other Steampunk retellings, but it definitely isn't perfect.
However, the characters are likeable and the brutality of the Queen of Hearts was one of my favourite things.
One of the best parts of this is the brilliant connections to other Victorian texts and authors, like clever easter eggs.
It was good enough to make want to read the other Steampunk retellings, but it definitely isn't perfect.
January 29, 2018
3.25 stars
This was a steampunk retelling of Alice in Wonderland in which Alice Lewis, a bit of a Mary Sue "guttersnipe," is drawn back from a life she had hoped she had left behind. The story starts out smashingly, with the good-hearted Alice, aka "The Bandersnatch" rescuing her sister Bess's beloved Hatter from a horrible fate due to unpaid gambling debts by agreeing to use her skill set to commit an audacious crime. The characters redrawn from Carroll's Alice were interesting but the romance angle got a bit repetitive for my taste. An amusing read for the most part, but possibly not enough to satisfy serious Wonderland fans.
This was a steampunk retelling of Alice in Wonderland in which Alice Lewis, a bit of a Mary Sue "guttersnipe," is drawn back from a life she had hoped she had left behind. The story starts out smashingly, with the good-hearted Alice, aka "The Bandersnatch" rescuing her sister Bess's beloved Hatter from a horrible fate due to unpaid gambling debts by agreeing to use her skill set to commit an audacious crime. The characters redrawn from Carroll's Alice were interesting but the romance angle got a bit repetitive for my taste. An amusing read for the most part, but possibly not enough to satisfy serious Wonderland fans.
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