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Alex in Wonderland
In the town of Newsands, painfully shy Alex is abandoned by his two best friends for the summer. But he unexpectedly lands a part-time job at Wonderland, a run-down amusement arcade on the seafront, where he gets to know the other teen misfits who work there. Alex starts to come out of his shell, and even starts to develop feelings for co-worker Ben... who, as Alex's bad luck would have it, has a girlfriend.
Then as debtors close in on Wonderland and mysterious, threatening notes start to appear, Alex and his new friends take it on themselves to save their declining employer. But, like everything in Wonderland, nothing is quite what it seems...
Then as debtors close in on Wonderland and mysterious, threatening notes start to appear, Alex and his new friends take it on themselves to save their declining employer. But, like everything in Wonderland, nothing is quite what it seems...
391 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2019
145 people are currently reading
7111 people want to read
About the author
Simon James Green
22 books770 followersSimon James Green grew up in a small town in Lincolnshire that definitely wasn’t the inspiration for Little Fobbing – so no-one from there can be mad with him, OK? He enjoyed a classic British education of assorted humiliations and barbaric PE lessons before reading Law at Queens’ College, Cambridge, where he further embarrassed himself by accidentally joining the rowing team despite having no upper body strength and not being able swim. When it turned out that being a lawyer was nothing like how it looks in Suits or The Good Wife, and buoyed by the success of his late night comedy show that involved an inflatable sheep, he travelled to London to pursue a glamorous career in show business. Within weeks he was working in a call centre, had been mugged, and had racked up thousands of pounds worth of debt. Finding strength and inspiration in the lyrics of "Tubthumping" by Chumbawumba, he eventually ended up working on a range of West End shows and UK tours, co-wrote a feature-length rom-com for the BBC and directed Hollyoaks for C4 / Lime Pictures. After trying really, really hard, he also managed to write Noah Can’t Even. If you are interested in stalking him, he still lives in London, where he spends a lot of time telling people that Noah Can’t Even is only partly autobiographical, and his mum has definitely never done a Beyoncé tribute act.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews
May 18, 2019
Simon James Green's books always seem to arrive in my life exactly when I need them! ALEX IN WONDERLAND took me right out of my head and made me forget about the real world for a little while. Funny and silly and lovely and awkward. I wished this book would never end.
July 25, 2019
5 stars
Absolutely wonderful!!!
This had everything I love the most in a YA romance ... it was funny, sweet and romantic, all in a very slow burn sort of way. I especially adored Alex. He was so incredibly awkward and shy and I just wanted to hug him over and over again. Okay, his love interest was pretty freaking adorable too.
Absolutely wonderful!!!
This had everything I love the most in a YA romance ... it was funny, sweet and romantic, all in a very slow burn sort of way. I especially adored Alex. He was so incredibly awkward and shy and I just wanted to hug him over and over again. Okay, his love interest was pretty freaking adorable too.
May 17, 2022
Simon James Green is the king of queer ya as far as i’m concerned. loved this so much!
July 1, 2019
Warning: This book is full of cute smoosh and adorably awkward boys. If that's your thing, you've hit the jackpot (also: hmu, you've obviously got excellent reading taste and I'm always in need of more sickeningly sweet gay romance stories).
Alex in Wonderland is the perfect summer YA read: it's got a slow-burn romance (the best kind of romance - disagree? fight me), a hopelessly awkward protagonist, a lovably diverse and three-dimensional supporting cast, a compelling mystery, and bucket-loads of comedy.
Having trudged my way through my last book and finding myself in a bit of a reading slump, Alex in Wonderland came at just the right time. For me, reading this book was like eating a box of expensive chocolates (you know the ones where they use words like "oozing" and "decadent" and "sensuous"): you tell yourself it's a treat and you're just going to have one or two and make them last. And then next thing you know you've scoffed the whole box and you're ugly crying because why are you such a mess, like seriously? That was me with this book: I wanted to savour it and take my time but I couldn't help myself. One more chapter turned into five and the next thing I knew I'd made it to the acknowledgments. Oops.
Now the way I determine whether a book is good is if it embarrasses me in public (like the time I cried on the bus reading Onjali Q. Rauf's The Boy At the Back of the Class). Alex in Wonderland passed the test (yay for Simon James Green, boo for me). I read most of this book in my bookshop's café during my lunch breaks and every time (and I mean EVERY. GOD. DAMN. TIME.) I found myself laughing out loud at some ridiculous scene. Let me tell you, I got a lot of strange looks from customers. I'm also pretty sure that an elderly couple moved to a different table just so they could get away from me. Great. But the book genuinely is that funny. And what's so great about the humour is that it is British humour. So much of the LGBTQ+ YA I read is published in America, and I love those books with all my heart, but there's something distinctive about British humour that Americans just don't get so it was so refreshing to find that in Alex in Wonderland.
So anyway, a random assortment of things I liked about Alex in Wonderland:
Homophobia - there's none of it! I get that homophobia exists but it's nice to read an LGBTQ+ book where abuse and violence isn't the focus and where characters can live their best gay lives authentically without fear of persecution (yaaaas!)
Representation - not every character is white (hooray!) and "G" isn't the only letter in LGBTQ+ getting repped in this book. (As a side note: why is it so hard to find LGBTQ+ books with multiple queer characters? What is that about?!)
Mystery - a huge part of this book centres on the mystery of who is trying to sabotage the Wonderland arcade. The Scooby-Doo-esque mystery was great fun and I genuinely didn't predict the outcome (THAT END SCENE WAS PERFECT!). I can totally just imagine Alex being like, "Okay gang, let's split up and look for clues! Ben you're with me… 😏😏😏".
I would love to see a sequel for this book. I hope you're listening Simon! I need to know what happens next and I'd love to see it from Ben's perspective. Ben is one of my favourite characters and it would be great to see how he handles *things* and comes to terms with *stuff* (being vague and mysterious because of spoilers and all) so a book from his viewpoint would be amazing. I'd also love to see this book adapted. It would make the perfect Netflix series and with so many YA contemporaries getting picked up for television, I think Alex would do wonderfully.
So to summarise, this book is pretty darn great. If you're looking for a good summer read, you absolutely need to pick it up. You'll definitely not regret it. Though you may become a little bit too emotionally attached to two fictional boys. But hey, you win some you lose some.
Alex in Wonderland is the perfect summer YA read: it's got a slow-burn romance (the best kind of romance - disagree? fight me), a hopelessly awkward protagonist, a lovably diverse and three-dimensional supporting cast, a compelling mystery, and bucket-loads of comedy.
Having trudged my way through my last book and finding myself in a bit of a reading slump, Alex in Wonderland came at just the right time. For me, reading this book was like eating a box of expensive chocolates (you know the ones where they use words like "oozing" and "decadent" and "sensuous"): you tell yourself it's a treat and you're just going to have one or two and make them last. And then next thing you know you've scoffed the whole box and you're ugly crying because why are you such a mess, like seriously? That was me with this book: I wanted to savour it and take my time but I couldn't help myself. One more chapter turned into five and the next thing I knew I'd made it to the acknowledgments. Oops.
Now the way I determine whether a book is good is if it embarrasses me in public (like the time I cried on the bus reading Onjali Q. Rauf's The Boy At the Back of the Class). Alex in Wonderland passed the test (yay for Simon James Green, boo for me). I read most of this book in my bookshop's café during my lunch breaks and every time (and I mean EVERY. GOD. DAMN. TIME.) I found myself laughing out loud at some ridiculous scene. Let me tell you, I got a lot of strange looks from customers. I'm also pretty sure that an elderly couple moved to a different table just so they could get away from me. Great. But the book genuinely is that funny. And what's so great about the humour is that it is British humour. So much of the LGBTQ+ YA I read is published in America, and I love those books with all my heart, but there's something distinctive about British humour that Americans just don't get so it was so refreshing to find that in Alex in Wonderland.
So anyway, a random assortment of things I liked about Alex in Wonderland:
Homophobia - there's none of it! I get that homophobia exists but it's nice to read an LGBTQ+ book where abuse and violence isn't the focus and where characters can live their best gay lives authentically without fear of persecution (yaaaas!)
Representation - not every character is white (hooray!) and "G" isn't the only letter in LGBTQ+ getting repped in this book. (As a side note: why is it so hard to find LGBTQ+ books with multiple queer characters? What is that about?!)
Mystery - a huge part of this book centres on the mystery of who is trying to sabotage the Wonderland arcade. The Scooby-Doo-esque mystery was great fun and I genuinely didn't predict the outcome (THAT END SCENE WAS PERFECT!). I can totally just imagine Alex being like, "Okay gang, let's split up and look for clues! Ben you're with me… 😏😏😏".
I would love to see a sequel for this book. I hope you're listening Simon! I need to know what happens next and I'd love to see it from Ben's perspective. Ben is one of my favourite characters and it would be great to see how he handles *things* and comes to terms with *stuff* (being vague and mysterious because of spoilers and all) so a book from his viewpoint would be amazing. I'd also love to see this book adapted. It would make the perfect Netflix series and with so many YA contemporaries getting picked up for television, I think Alex would do wonderfully.
So to summarise, this book is pretty darn great. If you're looking for a good summer read, you absolutely need to pick it up. You'll definitely not regret it. Though you may become a little bit too emotionally attached to two fictional boys. But hey, you win some you lose some.
June 17, 2020
This was a fun read, but nothing more really. I was very interested in the main characters's lives, but other than that it all fell a bit flat to me. The supporting characters didn't have a distinctive voice and they kind of all blended together.
The mystery surrounding the threats that Wonderland was receiving didn't really spark my interest. I think it could have been given more space, but instead it was used as a background tool to drive the story forward and to give it a plot not revolving around Alex's personal life.
The ending was a bit anticlimactic in my opinion, I expected something more.
If you're looking for a quick Summer read, it might be a good read, but other than that to me this book was nothing special.
The mystery surrounding the threats that Wonderland was receiving didn't really spark my interest. I think it could have been given more space, but instead it was used as a background tool to drive the story forward and to give it a plot not revolving around Alex's personal life.
The ending was a bit anticlimactic in my opinion, I expected something more.
If you're looking for a quick Summer read, it might be a good read, but other than that to me this book was nothing special.
June 17, 2019
Just an absolute charming young adult story. Slow burn, sweet, romantic, fun and funny.
Very easy reading, this author shows SO much skill and talent. I have loved everything I have read so far, and am super excited for his next romantic pairing.
Such a great voice.
I hope Simon James Green has a stab at a New Adult romance sometime. I'd love to read about characters in their twenties. This author's voice would be fantastic for it. ;-)
Very easy reading, this author shows SO much skill and talent. I have loved everything I have read so far, and am super excited for his next romantic pairing.
Such a great voice.
I hope Simon James Green has a stab at a New Adult romance sometime. I'd love to read about characters in their twenties. This author's voice would be fantastic for it. ;-)
March 29, 2021
I needed some distraction. I got it. I needed something cute. I got it. And I needed some fun. And yes, I got it!
This is probably one of the shortest reviews I’ve written lately, but the above perfectly sums up my thoughts about Alex and Ben, and I’m up for the next Simon James Green 🥰!
This is probably one of the shortest reviews I’ve written lately, but the above perfectly sums up my thoughts about Alex and Ben, and I’m up for the next Simon James Green 🥰!
July 28, 2020
CW: Sexual references
Well that was an excellent book! It had quite a few laugh out loud moments with the most adorably awkward main character, Alex. The romance between Alex and Ben was gorgeous and as Efia repeatedly says in the book, "I shipped 'Bex' so hard". It was also a book dedicated to the strength of friendships. The group of teens at Wonderland unite to save the place that has given them all a sense of belonging. Fabulous book. I loved everything about it.
Well that was an excellent book! It had quite a few laugh out loud moments with the most adorably awkward main character, Alex. The romance between Alex and Ben was gorgeous and as Efia repeatedly says in the book, "I shipped 'Bex' so hard". It was also a book dedicated to the strength of friendships. The group of teens at Wonderland unite to save the place that has given them all a sense of belonging. Fabulous book. I loved everything about it.
March 21, 2020
this was so adorably adorable I cannot EVEN BEGIN. I just LOVED ALEX BUTTON a precious cinnamon bun baby who deserves the world.
January 20, 2024
When the new Simon James Green appears (electronically or otherwise), one puts Naipaul and Forster aside - and one is richly rewarded. This new story about 16 year old Alex and his social clumsiness is deftly plotted, weaving a love story with a bit of a mystery. Others can summarise the narrative more extensively; I focus on the fun of the novel.
It is as funny as Green's books about the hapless Noah, with moments causing loud belly laughs. The mystery about the threat to Wonderland, the town's games arcade, is interesting enough to keep the attention, but not so dramatic that it overshadows the romantic aspects of the story. Speaking of romance: that scene at the lake! Beautiful, timely, pleasing - spot on!
If one says that this story suggests a more mature (yet age-appropriate) approach from the author, it sounds like such an old-person perspective. But it is there, and it predicts a growing and enriching oeuvre for this young author. I hope, in time to come, he will be able to portray characters in more advanced decades of their lives, characters that are as endearing and humorous as his teenagers from this early stage of his career. His ability to observe people closely and find the fun in their lives will ensure success in such ventures. I will be reading every single last book from Simon James Green's pen.
Alex se storie is effens meer kompleks as Noah s'n, maar dit maak dit nie minder snaaks of vermaaklik nie. Die manier waarop die sosiaal-lompe Alex maats maak met sy medewerknemers by die plaaslike speletjiesarkade word uitstekend uitgebeeld, veral die manier waarop hy verlief raak. Daardie toneel by die meer is kostelik en kosbaar! Intussen bedreig iemand die arkade, wat 'n spanningselement in die storie inbring, sonder om die warmte van die mense te oorskadu. Ek sal alles lees wat Simon James Green publiseer: hy is ná drie romans duidelik 'n fyn waarnemer en 'n gedugte komediant.
It is as funny as Green's books about the hapless Noah, with moments causing loud belly laughs. The mystery about the threat to Wonderland, the town's games arcade, is interesting enough to keep the attention, but not so dramatic that it overshadows the romantic aspects of the story. Speaking of romance: that scene at the lake! Beautiful, timely, pleasing - spot on!
If one says that this story suggests a more mature (yet age-appropriate) approach from the author, it sounds like such an old-person perspective. But it is there, and it predicts a growing and enriching oeuvre for this young author. I hope, in time to come, he will be able to portray characters in more advanced decades of their lives, characters that are as endearing and humorous as his teenagers from this early stage of his career. His ability to observe people closely and find the fun in their lives will ensure success in such ventures. I will be reading every single last book from Simon James Green's pen.
Alex se storie is effens meer kompleks as Noah s'n, maar dit maak dit nie minder snaaks of vermaaklik nie. Die manier waarop die sosiaal-lompe Alex maats maak met sy medewerknemers by die plaaslike speletjiesarkade word uitstekend uitgebeeld, veral die manier waarop hy verlief raak. Daardie toneel by die meer is kostelik en kosbaar! Intussen bedreig iemand die arkade, wat 'n spanningselement in die storie inbring, sonder om die warmte van die mense te oorskadu. Ek sal alles lees wat Simon James Green publiseer: hy is ná drie romans duidelik 'n fyn waarnemer en 'n gedugte komediant.
June 13, 2019
A Scooby sized mystery for socially awkward Alex and his new friends Ben and Efia to solve means great fun reading for me!
This was as good, maybe better, than the author’s Noah books were, and just as awkward and touching. Green can really write.
Alex gets a summer job at a game/fun house in a pier type resort town and it is being sabotaged by a mysterious person who leaves ominous notes. Amongst this there is an interesting cast of characters who could all be guilty. And of course, there’s perfect Ben, who we want to win so badly. The meet cute and the budding will they won’t they is sweet and fun and rewarding.
I figured out the guilty party, but not too early as for it to be easy or overly predictable, and there were great twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. It worked out well, but that wasn’t really the best part of the book. Ben and Alex were the real focus and that hit all the right notes.
I’d love to see a sequel.
This was as good, maybe better, than the author’s Noah books were, and just as awkward and touching. Green can really write.
Alex gets a summer job at a game/fun house in a pier type resort town and it is being sabotaged by a mysterious person who leaves ominous notes. Amongst this there is an interesting cast of characters who could all be guilty. And of course, there’s perfect Ben, who we want to win so badly. The meet cute and the budding will they won’t they is sweet and fun and rewarding.
I figured out the guilty party, but not too early as for it to be easy or overly predictable, and there were great twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. It worked out well, but that wasn’t really the best part of the book. Ben and Alex were the real focus and that hit all the right notes.
I’d love to see a sequel.
December 9, 2020
Actual rating: 4,5 - 5 stars
This book is 487 pages of second-hand embarrassment, cringy moments and Alex being 100% awkward.
In other words: it was absolutely hilarious and I pissed myself laughing! 😂
Alex is all alone for the summer break, because his friends are all away on holiday.
His dads girlfriend is pestering him about getting a summer job.
Also Alex is 16 and a whirlwind of hormones...looking for a boyfriend.
It’s a book about friendship, finding yourself and accepting who you are...but it’s put in such an awesomely funny story! There’s also some kind of crime mystery going on and we get two soft, gay boys constantly crying over being overwhelmed by their feelings.
I loved it, it was super thrilling and I read it within 3 days! 😂❤️
This book is 487 pages of second-hand embarrassment, cringy moments and Alex being 100% awkward.
In other words: it was absolutely hilarious and I pissed myself laughing! 😂
Alex is all alone for the summer break, because his friends are all away on holiday.
His dads girlfriend is pestering him about getting a summer job.
Also Alex is 16 and a whirlwind of hormones...looking for a boyfriend.
It’s a book about friendship, finding yourself and accepting who you are...but it’s put in such an awesomely funny story! There’s also some kind of crime mystery going on and we get two soft, gay boys constantly crying over being overwhelmed by their feelings.
I loved it, it was super thrilling and I read it within 3 days! 😂❤️
August 13, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! I bought this in London and read it in one sitting on the train ride home. It's adorably hilarious with a great and fun gay protagonist and an amazing cast of characters surrounding him. I enjoyed the blooming friendship and romances, the whole plot... basically everything! The only tiny thing were a few pages towards the end, but it didn't make me like the book any less! I don't even know what to say, as always with books I absolutely adored.
August 20, 2019
Cute and funny. Not overly exciting, tho, bc it was pretty slow, sometimes too slow.
Also, that stepmonster pissed me off (esp. that blanket 'fight'... ugh, what a cow), I wish Alex would've stood up for himself more.
Also, that stepmonster pissed me off (esp. that blanket 'fight'... ugh, what a cow), I wish Alex would've stood up for himself more.
April 2, 2020
This one of the funniest books i've read. It had me literally laughing out loud and screaming (in enjoyment), throughout the story.
Honestly, it was difficult to read and hold the physical book when it had me like this:
It didn't just have the laughs. All the characters were really well realised. The friend group Alex finds when he starts working at Wonderland is amazing. The relationship between Alex and his love interest was ICONIC.
Just do yourself a favour and read Alex in Wonderland!!!
brb need to go and buy all of Simon James Green's other books.
Honestly, it was difficult to read and hold the physical book when it had me like this:
It didn't just have the laughs. All the characters were really well realised. The friend group Alex finds when he starts working at Wonderland is amazing. The relationship between Alex and his love interest was ICONIC.
Just do yourself a favour and read Alex in Wonderland!!!
brb need to go and buy all of Simon James Green's other books.
June 30, 2020
2.75 stars.
I think Alex in Wonderland is a quick and cute read, perfect for summer, but unfortunately it didn't completely meet my taste. I found the story to be a nice one, but nothing more.
I wasn't a fan of the humour used in this novel. It all seemed quite irrealistic and sometimes 'too much'. I think the only part I actually laughed was at the end thanks just to a sentence a character said.
Apart from that, I found Alex's love life interesting to read about, even if sometimes I didn't understand why he made some choices. There was also a character that I couldn't really stand, I found him/her really annoying and inappropriate at times.
The mystery surrounding Wonderland was a thing that didn't involve me a lot, I was more interested in other things.
However, if you're looking for a fluffy novel to read during summer, I guess this one will the right one for you!
I think Alex in Wonderland is a quick and cute read, perfect for summer, but unfortunately it didn't completely meet my taste. I found the story to be a nice one, but nothing more.
I wasn't a fan of the humour used in this novel. It all seemed quite irrealistic and sometimes 'too much'. I think the only part I actually laughed was at the end thanks just to a sentence a character said.
Apart from that, I found Alex's love life interesting to read about, even if sometimes I didn't understand why he made some choices. There was also a character that I couldn't really stand, I found him/her really annoying and inappropriate at times.
The mystery surrounding Wonderland was a thing that didn't involve me a lot, I was more interested in other things.
However, if you're looking for a fluffy novel to read during summer, I guess this one will the right one for you!
June 16, 2019
This book was the dose of summer joy THAT. I. NEEDED. AND. YOU. NEED. TOO! That is basically my review! Buy the book. Now. Read it. Love it. Enjoy it and wait for the Netflix film, because this is the perfect project for a Netflix film, I can see it now and am available for cameos. I have a lot of arcade experience as per below!
This book was a joy in so many ways. I used to go to the beach every summer with my mother and whether it would be Blackpool or Brighton I would always bring a bag of 1ps and 2ps for the arcade. I love the noise and the colour, the vibes and the sounds and would pour all my money into the machines trying aimlessly to get more than I put in or enough tickets to win an amazing prize. This isn't something that has left me only last week i did the same thing on a night out (see picture). But this isn't about me it's about Alex and Wonderland.
It was very easy to fall in love with Alex's character. Like Noah he has this charm to him, an insecurity, that I think a lot of felt like at his age and after a drink he gets messy! Yes Alex. He's also unlucky in love. Alex keeps falling for people that are 'unobtainable' a theme that he keeps coming back to throughout the book. I felt this hard and it was one of the many ways that this book spoke to me. This is what really makes a book. When you can see yourself within a character it makes it all feel a little more like I'm not the only one.
We all know the trials and tribulations of having to go out into the world and get a first job and, by chance and a bruised head Alex manages to get a job off Maggie at Wonderland. I think we all have or meet a Maggie in our lives. This hardheaded, independent woman so gives no f's and we love her for it, because there's a heart underneath and she is the pole that prods Alex to unwind and break out of his shell more. THANK YOU MAGGIE!
At Wonderland we meet a great cast of characters in Efia and Ben who take Alex under their win and a summer of drama ensues. Efia has this sass and this boss attitude that I loved she's that strong headed friend that you want and need. and then there was Ben....Oh Ben! When a character like Ben is introduced to a book I think we all instantly relate to a Ben we've had and create a picture in our head of our own Ben (Or in my case Ben's ..there have been so many Ben's) and you create this idea of who you Ben is, which helps this Ben come to life. I loved the softness to Ben here, he was funny and caring and this is where you really wanted something to happen for them. Even if he has a GF.
It's funny because Efia calls Ben out on this supposed gf (who spoiler alert we do meet) but it reminded me of having to create that persona of the fake girlfriend...'My Girlfriend who lives in Canada' Avenue Q vibes. It was something I did to detract from the hate and to build up a pretence and I think its something a lot of us do, so reading it you feel a deeper connection to the story and you then start double and triple guessing whats going to happen and end up shouting OMG JUST KISS ALREADY when you're on public transport.
This is helped in large by this great, naturally flowing writing style that's full of humour "I'm shipping you so hard Bex aubergine emoji, banana emoji, winking tongue man" that i was flying through the book. I think I finished it within 24 hours and I really didn't want it to be over at the end.
Talking of shipping Bex (which I did and you will too) l lets talk about the restaurant scenes because there's so much to pick apart there! On the one hand it was a super cute date, it was beautiful slow moment in the book, very atmospheric and how we would all love a date to go. The bit with the foreheads I nearly died! I also need to give a special shout out to the waitress. I LIVED FOR HER! She was only in two scenes, but like they say i drag race, make every moment count and boy did she! I was on a date one and person at mini golf said to us in jest if you need me to save you just shout Pineapple and it was very much this in the book. She was funny and came for the jokes and it added this next layer to the moment.
Within all this goodness there were moments in these scenes that are very much relevant issues that LGBTQ+ people still face in public. There was a moment of hands touching and not being able to feel comfortable to show that emotion in public, or having to create the distance when someone comes over. Its something a lot of people face and this adds the grit to the book. Or even having people make eyes at you like you're a baby panda doing something cute like just holding hands and its a spectacle. Its something a lot of us still feel and I'm glad it was given light here. It was these small moments that brought up issues that LGBTQ+ youths face that really elevated this book and made it a relate-able reading experience mixed in with all the humour and drama.
I was sad when I'd finished, but had this warmth in me because of everything this book had made me feel, the ups and downs the laughter and the tears, and I'll continue the story in my mind in the way I want it to play forward.
I had so much fun not only reading the book but writing this review, and I hope you did to! Get on it and let me know what you think!
This book was a joy in so many ways. I used to go to the beach every summer with my mother and whether it would be Blackpool or Brighton I would always bring a bag of 1ps and 2ps for the arcade. I love the noise and the colour, the vibes and the sounds and would pour all my money into the machines trying aimlessly to get more than I put in or enough tickets to win an amazing prize. This isn't something that has left me only last week i did the same thing on a night out (see picture). But this isn't about me it's about Alex and Wonderland.
It was very easy to fall in love with Alex's character. Like Noah he has this charm to him, an insecurity, that I think a lot of felt like at his age and after a drink he gets messy! Yes Alex. He's also unlucky in love. Alex keeps falling for people that are 'unobtainable' a theme that he keeps coming back to throughout the book. I felt this hard and it was one of the many ways that this book spoke to me. This is what really makes a book. When you can see yourself within a character it makes it all feel a little more like I'm not the only one.
We all know the trials and tribulations of having to go out into the world and get a first job and, by chance and a bruised head Alex manages to get a job off Maggie at Wonderland. I think we all have or meet a Maggie in our lives. This hardheaded, independent woman so gives no f's and we love her for it, because there's a heart underneath and she is the pole that prods Alex to unwind and break out of his shell more. THANK YOU MAGGIE!
At Wonderland we meet a great cast of characters in Efia and Ben who take Alex under their win and a summer of drama ensues. Efia has this sass and this boss attitude that I loved she's that strong headed friend that you want and need. and then there was Ben....Oh Ben! When a character like Ben is introduced to a book I think we all instantly relate to a Ben we've had and create a picture in our head of our own Ben (Or in my case Ben's ..there have been so many Ben's) and you create this idea of who you Ben is, which helps this Ben come to life. I loved the softness to Ben here, he was funny and caring and this is where you really wanted something to happen for them. Even if he has a GF.
It's funny because Efia calls Ben out on this supposed gf (who spoiler alert we do meet) but it reminded me of having to create that persona of the fake girlfriend...'My Girlfriend who lives in Canada' Avenue Q vibes. It was something I did to detract from the hate and to build up a pretence and I think its something a lot of us do, so reading it you feel a deeper connection to the story and you then start double and triple guessing whats going to happen and end up shouting OMG JUST KISS ALREADY when you're on public transport.
This is helped in large by this great, naturally flowing writing style that's full of humour "I'm shipping you so hard Bex aubergine emoji, banana emoji, winking tongue man" that i was flying through the book. I think I finished it within 24 hours and I really didn't want it to be over at the end.
Talking of shipping Bex (which I did and you will too) l lets talk about the restaurant scenes because there's so much to pick apart there! On the one hand it was a super cute date, it was beautiful slow moment in the book, very atmospheric and how we would all love a date to go. The bit with the foreheads I nearly died! I also need to give a special shout out to the waitress. I LIVED FOR HER! She was only in two scenes, but like they say i drag race, make every moment count and boy did she! I was on a date one and person at mini golf said to us in jest if you need me to save you just shout Pineapple and it was very much this in the book. She was funny and came for the jokes and it added this next layer to the moment.
Within all this goodness there were moments in these scenes that are very much relevant issues that LGBTQ+ people still face in public. There was a moment of hands touching and not being able to feel comfortable to show that emotion in public, or having to create the distance when someone comes over. Its something a lot of people face and this adds the grit to the book. Or even having people make eyes at you like you're a baby panda doing something cute like just holding hands and its a spectacle. Its something a lot of us still feel and I'm glad it was given light here. It was these small moments that brought up issues that LGBTQ+ youths face that really elevated this book and made it a relate-able reading experience mixed in with all the humour and drama.
I was sad when I'd finished, but had this warmth in me because of everything this book had made me feel, the ups and downs the laughter and the tears, and I'll continue the story in my mind in the way I want it to play forward.
I had so much fun not only reading the book but writing this review, and I hope you did to! Get on it and let me know what you think!
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November 5, 2019How do you rate a book that you know you were definitely too old for? As in, I like me some YA, but some just definitely are 100% written for people who aren't older than 16. Nothing wrong with that, but how do you approach rating & reviewing something like that? Sigh.
December 22, 2024
Such a cute book!
Alex is adorably awkward, Ben is the sweetest, the mystery and the slow burn romance go hand in hand, the funny scenes and the cute ones follow one another!
This book has the perfect summer romance/adventure feel!
Edit: Still my favourite of Simon's books, Alex and Ben are the absolute cutest!
Alex is adorably awkward, Ben is the sweetest, the mystery and the slow burn romance go hand in hand, the funny scenes and the cute ones follow one another!
This book has the perfect summer romance/adventure feel!
Edit: Still my favourite of Simon's books, Alex and Ben are the absolute cutest!
December 14, 2019
This book made me laugh, cry and cringe all at the same time 😂 wowza. I already want to read it again, really sent my emotions off on a rollercoaster. And the eNdIng holY shizzels! 😂😂 I really want more though omg why do books end?!?!
December 16, 2019
This was so good and funny that I read it in one day xD (I regret nothing!). Great characters, witty, laugh out loud narration, a nice mystery and a summer teenage romance. Absolutely perfect, lifted my mood instantly!
March 15, 2023
This was wonderfully sweet and funny and it's a rare gay YA novel where everyone acts like a teenager with all the awkwardness, miscommunications, and inexperience that that implies. I love me some gay YA but they do often feature jaded thirtysomethings who just happen to be in high school.
June 12, 2020
This is such a funny, refreshing summer read! I actually laughed out loud quite a few times. This book is all kinds of ridiculous, but in the best way possible.
December 27, 2022
Wer hätte gedacht, dass ich vier Tage vor Jahresende noch ein absolutes Highlight beende? Ich sicher nicht.
Dieses Buch hatte einfach alles, was ich in meinem Leben brauche: Humor, liebenswerte Charaktere, eine zuckersüße Liebesgeschichte und einen spannenden Sideplot.
Alex und Ben waren so CUTE zusammen, ich habe jeden klitzekleinen Moment der beiden genossen. Immer wenn ich dachte: "Es wäre jetzt mega cool, wenn XY passiert", ist GENAU DAS passiert. Es war wie für mich geschrieben. Ganz große Liebe.
Hach Leute, ich bin so gerne queer. 😍🌈
Dieses Buch hatte einfach alles, was ich in meinem Leben brauche: Humor, liebenswerte Charaktere, eine zuckersüße Liebesgeschichte und einen spannenden Sideplot.
Alex und Ben waren so CUTE zusammen, ich habe jeden klitzekleinen Moment der beiden genossen. Immer wenn ich dachte: "Es wäre jetzt mega cool, wenn XY passiert", ist GENAU DAS passiert. Es war wie für mich geschrieben. Ganz große Liebe.
Hach Leute, ich bin so gerne queer. 😍🌈
January 30, 2023
This book is soo cute! Seriously, go read it. Simon James Green truly is a magician, his talent for writing these kinds of stories is uncanny.
November 5, 2019
Alex in Wonderland
By Simon James Green
Scholastic, 2019
Four stars
If Simon James Green is the voice of the YA author who can get past mainstream prejudice in regard to LGBT content, then we could do a helluva lot worse.
I loved Green’s two “Noah” books, and liked his new anti-hero, Alex Button, just as much. I think the overall story in this one – an awkward, shy, unhappy gay teen looks for romance in a run-down amusement arcade in his one-horse English seaside town – is less powerful than Noah’s tale, but the quick wit and carefully calibrated teenage idiocy is both convincing and touching.
What makes this book particularly interesting is the whodunnit mystery wrapped up inside Alex’s lonely quest for love. There is some slightly heavy-handed villainy here, in the person of Kendra, Alex’s evil stepmother. Then again, the heavy-handedness might come entirely from Alex’s rather comical persecution complex. I did feel it was a little too easy to dislike Kendra, who could have been a more subtle personification of a type. On that same note, Alex’s father should have had a little more to do, because his presence is weaker than I think Green intended.
Alex’s new-found group of friends at Wonderland, however, is as charming and interesting as one could want. They are really the focus of this story, as they encourage and support Alex to help him see his own potential and let go of his “woe is me” approach to life.
It’s important for writers like Green to keep producing books like this. These books will reach bigger audiences and keep making things better.
By Simon James Green
Scholastic, 2019
Four stars
If Simon James Green is the voice of the YA author who can get past mainstream prejudice in regard to LGBT content, then we could do a helluva lot worse.
I loved Green’s two “Noah” books, and liked his new anti-hero, Alex Button, just as much. I think the overall story in this one – an awkward, shy, unhappy gay teen looks for romance in a run-down amusement arcade in his one-horse English seaside town – is less powerful than Noah’s tale, but the quick wit and carefully calibrated teenage idiocy is both convincing and touching.
What makes this book particularly interesting is the whodunnit mystery wrapped up inside Alex’s lonely quest for love. There is some slightly heavy-handed villainy here, in the person of Kendra, Alex’s evil stepmother. Then again, the heavy-handedness might come entirely from Alex’s rather comical persecution complex. I did feel it was a little too easy to dislike Kendra, who could have been a more subtle personification of a type. On that same note, Alex’s father should have had a little more to do, because his presence is weaker than I think Green intended.
Alex’s new-found group of friends at Wonderland, however, is as charming and interesting as one could want. They are really the focus of this story, as they encourage and support Alex to help him see his own potential and let go of his “woe is me” approach to life.
It’s important for writers like Green to keep producing books like this. These books will reach bigger audiences and keep making things better.
June 26, 2023
There was a point when I was reading this where my husband asked why I was laughing, and I couldn’t stop for long enough to explain. I laughed so hard I was crying. Crying. (A lack of sleep may have played into it, but I stand by my response) and I was maybe two chapters in. Just thinking about it now has me with a huge grin, so I probably still can’t explain it. Just read it, it’s so good.
Reread 26/6/2023
I still teared up laughing at this book within 15 pages. It will forever be a favourite.
It’s got a very British sense of humour (which I freaking love) and everything is outlandish and ridiculous in a way that makes you instantly addicted and brings on those endorphins as you float away to your happy place. It’s full of awkward teenage boy and is honestly Simon James Green at his finest (though Life Of Riley: Beginner's Luck is a very close second).
Reread 26/6/2023
I still teared up laughing at this book within 15 pages. It will forever be a favourite.
It’s got a very British sense of humour (which I freaking love) and everything is outlandish and ridiculous in a way that makes you instantly addicted and brings on those endorphins as you float away to your happy place. It’s full of awkward teenage boy and is honestly Simon James Green at his finest (though Life Of Riley: Beginner's Luck is a very close second).
June 18, 2019
Simon James Green delivers again. A funny, mysterious YA tale of an awkward boy just trying to have the best summer he can after his best friends abandon him. Alex gets a job at the local arcade, Wonderland, that is slowly dying in a town that is being gentrified. He quickly makes friends with his two coworkers Ben and Efia. He has sworn to himself to never fall for a straight guy again but the moment he lays eyes on Ben he know he is ruined. What's worse is Ben has a girlfriend.
The story follows Alex, Ben and Efia as they try to find out who is sending threatening letters to Wonderland and sabotaging them. There are ups and down, laughs and crying. It's an all around good time.
I highly suggest any of Simon James Green's books. He never fails to make you laugh and fall in love with his painfully awkward characters.
The story follows Alex, Ben and Efia as they try to find out who is sending threatening letters to Wonderland and sabotaging them. There are ups and down, laughs and crying. It's an all around good time.
I highly suggest any of Simon James Green's books. He never fails to make you laugh and fall in love with his painfully awkward characters.
August 15, 2020
“I was wishing like hell that two boys being affectionate didn’t have to always attract knowing looks and little winks, like automatically had to be front-page news. and I resented the fact we’d both snatched our hands away, like we’d been caught doing something dirty and wrong, when all it had been was letting someone I cared about know I was there for them. and even if it had been something other than that, I should be able to hold a boy’s hand and not feel guilty about it, or like someone is going to say something nasty. I should be able to.”
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this book has been such a nice summer read, I totally suggest you to read during summer because it’s fresh and funny! I feel like I can always find a little of myself in Simon’s books, his characters are so relatable!
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this book has been such a nice summer read, I totally suggest you to read during summer because it’s fresh and funny! I feel like I can always find a little of myself in Simon’s books, his characters are so relatable!
June 29, 2019
I adore how wonderfully ridiculous Simon's books are, and Alex in Wonderland doesn't disappoint. If you've read the Noah series, you pretty much know exactly what to expect here, there's just a new awkward teenager to meet, as well as a troop of adorable friends.
I loved the seaside setting, it was the perfect summery garden read. There is nothing too serious here, and just a bunch of awkward hilarity. I laughed outloud a couple of times, and did feel very sorry for poor Alex.
I loved the seaside setting, it was the perfect summery garden read. There is nothing too serious here, and just a bunch of awkward hilarity. I laughed outloud a couple of times, and did feel very sorry for poor Alex.
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