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Wonderland: An Anthology
From the greatest names in fantasy and horror comes an anthology of stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland, in an anthology that bends the traditional notions of Lewis Carroll's classic novel. Contributors include the bestselling M.R. Carey, Genevieve Cogman, Catriona Ward, Rio Youers and L.L. McKinney.
Within these pages you'll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical. There's even a Wild West tale from Angela Slatter, poetry, and a story by Laura Mauro which presents us with a Japanese folklore-inspired Wonderland.
Alison Littlewood, Cavan Scott and Catriona Ward make the more outlandish elements their own, while James Lovegrove instead draws on the supernatural. Cat Rambo takes us to a part of Wonderland we haven't seen before and Lilith Saintcrow gives the legend a science-fiction spin. The nightmarish reaches of the imagination are the breeding ground for M.R. Carey's visions, while Robert Shearman, George Mann, Rio Youers and Mark Chadbourn's tales have a deep-seated emotional core which will shock, surprise and tug on the heart-strings.
So, it's time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or... But no, wait. By picking up this book and starting to read it you're already there, can't you see?
Contents:
Alice in Armor by Jane Yolen
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman
Where Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey
The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green
About Time by George Mann
Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em by Angela Slatter
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney
The White Queen's Dictum by James Lovegrove
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood
How I Comes to Be the Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen
Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland, in an anthology that bends the traditional notions of Lewis Carroll's classic novel. Contributors include the bestselling M.R. Carey, Genevieve Cogman, Catriona Ward, Rio Youers and L.L. McKinney.
Within these pages you'll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical. There's even a Wild West tale from Angela Slatter, poetry, and a story by Laura Mauro which presents us with a Japanese folklore-inspired Wonderland.
Alison Littlewood, Cavan Scott and Catriona Ward make the more outlandish elements their own, while James Lovegrove instead draws on the supernatural. Cat Rambo takes us to a part of Wonderland we haven't seen before and Lilith Saintcrow gives the legend a science-fiction spin. The nightmarish reaches of the imagination are the breeding ground for M.R. Carey's visions, while Robert Shearman, George Mann, Rio Youers and Mark Chadbourn's tales have a deep-seated emotional core which will shock, surprise and tug on the heart-strings.
So, it's time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or... But no, wait. By picking up this book and starting to read it you're already there, can't you see?
Contents:
Alice in Armor by Jane Yolen
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman
Where Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey
The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green
About Time by George Mann
Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em by Angela Slatter
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney
The White Queen's Dictum by James Lovegrove
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood
How I Comes to Be the Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2019
174 people are currently reading
2648 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
February 17, 2023
Review as I go.
Alice in Armour - 3 ⭐️
A short poem. from what I could gather it was Alice using Wonderland to escape an abuser then returning to wreak revenge.
Wonders never cease - 3 ⭐️
Odd. Didn’t really get this one. It kept telling us something and then in the next paragraph saying “the story didn’t go like that”. Alice seemed to just be living life over and over with seemingly no end as she was forever falling down the rabbit hole and never landing anywhere.
There were no birds to fly - 2 ⭐️
Even weirder. Post apocalyptic, aliens have reached earth and after being treated badly by humans, they are punishing them. Cannot see any link to Wonderland or Alice at all.
The White Queens Pawn - 3.5 ⭐️
This was better. A unique twist on a woman who worked as a spy, but is actually working for the white queen. I liked it.
Dream Girl - 4 ⭐️
Wonderland goes Sci fi and I was here for it! Don’t want to give much away, our characters are in Wonderland but characters are disappearing? The Mad Hatter is the last to disappear and find out what has happened. Really enjoyed this one!
Good Dog, Alice! - 5 ⭐️
Loved this one! Dorothea lives with her Uncle Bart and receives a puppy as an 11th birthday present from her cousin. Her Uncle’s only rule - do not go through the blue door. But why? What is behind it? And is there something there that can help Dorothea with the horrible Master Frederick.
The Hunting of the Jabberwock - 4 ⭐️
A man called Nobody visits a town planning to slay the Jabberwock that is causing havoc, and to claim the reward money. When he teams up with an old knight they uncover something much more than just one monster. Really enjoyed!
About Time - 4 ⭐️
Lucy loves going to her grandmothers house. Ever since she found the entrance to Wonderland in her back garden. But Lucy is older now, too old for all those childish things right? But maybe she should go back for old times sake? When she does she sees Wonderland has been overrun by a tyrant. Why has this happened, and is there anything Lucy can do. I liked this one a lot.
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em - 3 ⭐️
A kind of Wild West vibe. Wonderland is not the safe haven we think it is. Children we stolen, and now a man calling himself Jack Hart has taken his children stealing business to our world. Alice has managed to escape Wonderland and is determined to bring him to justice. Would have liked more on this one.
Vanished Summer Glory - 3 ⭐️
Told through a series of letters. A woman described the deteriorating of her husbands mind after meeting a man called Mr Rabbit. Rosemarie’s husband David has never been the same since his sister Alice’s passing. He was a psychologist, and his regular meetings with a Mr Rabbit who Rosemarie has never met. Again, not much in here really - would have liked a bit more.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward - 3.5 ⭐️
I liked the premise but I needed more. Kitty and her twin sister Snowdrop live in a world controlled by the game. Where people die and then come back only to be killed again. To avoid a forced marriage Snowdrop plans for them to escape through their mothers old mirror.
The Night Parade - 3.5 ⭐️
Was going along really well, a woman sees a young child walk into a park but not come out. She follows and end up in another world of monsters. She must save the child and take her back to her family, but how? Great premise and started well but the ending was rather abrupt and not clear.
What Makes a Monster - 2 ⭐️
Not clear. I didn’t really understand who the two main characters were and what the ‘nightmare’ they ended up fighting was.
The White Queen’s Dictum - 3.5 ⭐️
A great short story but I cannot see any link within it to Wonderland or it’s characters. A man visits the motorway service station where his wife and daughter were previously killed in a car crash and strikes up a conversation with a man running a YouTube channel on ghostly hauntings.
Temp Work - 3 ⭐️
Another Sci fi one but more confusing than the other one. A lot of words that didn’t mean anything to me. Alise disguised herself as a maid to get into a corporate tea party where she plans to bring down the rich.
Eat Me, Drink Me - 3 ⭐️
A kind of fever dream. Most likely the closest of all the stories to the original tale.
How I comes to be the Treacle Queen - 3 ⭐️
Women working down a treacle mine, Alice appears and changes things. Might be losing interest in these now…
Six Impossible Things - 4 ⭐️
Ah this was better! Alice and the Cheshire Cat open several different doors leading to different times in Alice’s life. I enjoyed reading this one.
Alice in Armour - 3 ⭐️
A short poem. from what I could gather it was Alice using Wonderland to escape an abuser then returning to wreak revenge.
Wonders never cease - 3 ⭐️
Odd. Didn’t really get this one. It kept telling us something and then in the next paragraph saying “the story didn’t go like that”. Alice seemed to just be living life over and over with seemingly no end as she was forever falling down the rabbit hole and never landing anywhere.
There were no birds to fly - 2 ⭐️
Even weirder. Post apocalyptic, aliens have reached earth and after being treated badly by humans, they are punishing them. Cannot see any link to Wonderland or Alice at all.
The White Queens Pawn - 3.5 ⭐️
This was better. A unique twist on a woman who worked as a spy, but is actually working for the white queen. I liked it.
Dream Girl - 4 ⭐️
Wonderland goes Sci fi and I was here for it! Don’t want to give much away, our characters are in Wonderland but characters are disappearing? The Mad Hatter is the last to disappear and find out what has happened. Really enjoyed this one!
Good Dog, Alice! - 5 ⭐️
Loved this one! Dorothea lives with her Uncle Bart and receives a puppy as an 11th birthday present from her cousin. Her Uncle’s only rule - do not go through the blue door. But why? What is behind it? And is there something there that can help Dorothea with the horrible Master Frederick.
The Hunting of the Jabberwock - 4 ⭐️
A man called Nobody visits a town planning to slay the Jabberwock that is causing havoc, and to claim the reward money. When he teams up with an old knight they uncover something much more than just one monster. Really enjoyed!
About Time - 4 ⭐️
Lucy loves going to her grandmothers house. Ever since she found the entrance to Wonderland in her back garden. But Lucy is older now, too old for all those childish things right? But maybe she should go back for old times sake? When she does she sees Wonderland has been overrun by a tyrant. Why has this happened, and is there anything Lucy can do. I liked this one a lot.
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em - 3 ⭐️
A kind of Wild West vibe. Wonderland is not the safe haven we think it is. Children we stolen, and now a man calling himself Jack Hart has taken his children stealing business to our world. Alice has managed to escape Wonderland and is determined to bring him to justice. Would have liked more on this one.
Vanished Summer Glory - 3 ⭐️
Told through a series of letters. A woman described the deteriorating of her husbands mind after meeting a man called Mr Rabbit. Rosemarie’s husband David has never been the same since his sister Alice’s passing. He was a psychologist, and his regular meetings with a Mr Rabbit who Rosemarie has never met. Again, not much in here really - would have liked a bit more.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward - 3.5 ⭐️
I liked the premise but I needed more. Kitty and her twin sister Snowdrop live in a world controlled by the game. Where people die and then come back only to be killed again. To avoid a forced marriage Snowdrop plans for them to escape through their mothers old mirror.
The Night Parade - 3.5 ⭐️
Was going along really well, a woman sees a young child walk into a park but not come out. She follows and end up in another world of monsters. She must save the child and take her back to her family, but how? Great premise and started well but the ending was rather abrupt and not clear.
What Makes a Monster - 2 ⭐️
Not clear. I didn’t really understand who the two main characters were and what the ‘nightmare’ they ended up fighting was.
The White Queen’s Dictum - 3.5 ⭐️
A great short story but I cannot see any link within it to Wonderland or it’s characters. A man visits the motorway service station where his wife and daughter were previously killed in a car crash and strikes up a conversation with a man running a YouTube channel on ghostly hauntings.
Temp Work - 3 ⭐️
Another Sci fi one but more confusing than the other one. A lot of words that didn’t mean anything to me. Alise disguised herself as a maid to get into a corporate tea party where she plans to bring down the rich.
Eat Me, Drink Me - 3 ⭐️
A kind of fever dream. Most likely the closest of all the stories to the original tale.
How I comes to be the Treacle Queen - 3 ⭐️
Women working down a treacle mine, Alice appears and changes things. Might be losing interest in these now…
Six Impossible Things - 4 ⭐️
Ah this was better! Alice and the Cheshire Cat open several different doors leading to different times in Alice’s life. I enjoyed reading this one.
June 28, 2023
While I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been the biggest fan of the original source material, there’s something about the world of Wonderland that draws me in over and over again through retellings; I can never seem to get enough, so when I heard an entire anthology was being released of dark fantasy and horror stories themed around Alice and her adventures, I couldn’t get my hands on a copy soon enough! I’m so pleased to say that it was everything I hoped it would be. Many anthologies are full of hit-and-miss pieces, but Wonderland is a genuinely solid collection of stories — I really don’t think the average Wonderland lover will be disappointed by hardly any of these tales.
While I definitely have a few stand-out favorites, I haven’t broken down a full anthology review piece-by-piece in a long time (though long-time friends and followers will know it used to be one of my review trademarks!), and this seems like the perfect excuse to dive back into one of those long, thorough reviews! If you'd like to see my full review, check it out here on my blog! Otherwise, keep reading for my favorites (snipped from the full review):
→ The White Queen’s Pawn — Genevieve Cogman ★★★★★
Ahhh. This story was the moment when I knew this anthology was going to be an out-and-out success for me, because Cogman totally blew me away with how fun and fleshed-out this tiny little tale was. In this piece, a group tries to blackmail an elderly woman (who was an assassin in her younger years) into training new assassins, but there’s more to her story than they realize. I don’t know why, but I am a tremendous sucker for elderly women being badass protagonists, and this one didn’t let me down in the slightest. I would read an entire novel set in this world that Cogman’s created without hesitation.
———
→ Good Dog, Alice! — Juliet Marillier ★★★★★
This one hurt my heart in the process. Little Dorothea is given a puppy for her birthday, and she names her Alice. The two go on adventures, but accidentally end up in another world, in which Dorothea’s given some unexpected help with a terrible situation she’s living through in the real world. While I’ll mention all of the trigger warnings and their respective stories below, I do want to specifically state that this story features implied child sexual abuse, and like I said… even though it isn’t graphic, it pained me a fair amount to read, but I promise it’s worth it.
———
→ Vanished Summer Glory — Rio Youers ★★★★★
This is a really odd one that I’d be curious to see what other reviewers think of. It alternates between a “before” and “after” of a man going missing; the “before”s detail his descent into apparent madness, while the “after”s chronicle his poor wife’s musings over what might have happened to him and where she thinks it all went wrong. There are some really tragic details here and the whole thing is left open to your interpretations, but most of all, I liked the way Wonderland is woven in so that it’s hard to tell if it’s an actual place, or something this poor man has dreamed up in his grief.
Thank you so much to Titan Books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content warnings: Wonders Never Cease: cancer, depression; There Were No Birds to Fly: cannibalism; Dream Girl: body horror; Good Dog, Alice!: pedophilia, sexual assault, grooming; The Hunting of the Jabberwock: animal death; Smoke ’em if You Got ’em: implied rape and child abuse; Vanished Summer Glory: cancer; Eat Me, Drink Me: animal death; general anthology warnings: gore, gratuitous violence, murder, death.
Diversity: Alice is black in both Dream Girl and What Makes a Monster.
TL;DR: If you’re any sort of fan of Alice in Wonderland, whether it’s the original source material or retellings, this is right up your alley. With a solid mixture of dark fantasy and horror, there’s sure to be something to please everyone.
While I definitely have a few stand-out favorites, I haven’t broken down a full anthology review piece-by-piece in a long time (though long-time friends and followers will know it used to be one of my review trademarks!), and this seems like the perfect excuse to dive back into one of those long, thorough reviews! If you'd like to see my full review, check it out here on my blog! Otherwise, keep reading for my favorites (snipped from the full review):
→ The White Queen’s Pawn — Genevieve Cogman ★★★★★
Ahhh. This story was the moment when I knew this anthology was going to be an out-and-out success for me, because Cogman totally blew me away with how fun and fleshed-out this tiny little tale was. In this piece, a group tries to blackmail an elderly woman (who was an assassin in her younger years) into training new assassins, but there’s more to her story than they realize. I don’t know why, but I am a tremendous sucker for elderly women being badass protagonists, and this one didn’t let me down in the slightest. I would read an entire novel set in this world that Cogman’s created without hesitation.
———
→ Good Dog, Alice! — Juliet Marillier ★★★★★
This one hurt my heart in the process. Little Dorothea is given a puppy for her birthday, and she names her Alice. The two go on adventures, but accidentally end up in another world, in which Dorothea’s given some unexpected help with a terrible situation she’s living through in the real world. While I’ll mention all of the trigger warnings and their respective stories below, I do want to specifically state that this story features implied child sexual abuse, and like I said… even though it isn’t graphic, it pained me a fair amount to read, but I promise it’s worth it.
———
→ Vanished Summer Glory — Rio Youers ★★★★★
This is a really odd one that I’d be curious to see what other reviewers think of. It alternates between a “before” and “after” of a man going missing; the “before”s detail his descent into apparent madness, while the “after”s chronicle his poor wife’s musings over what might have happened to him and where she thinks it all went wrong. There are some really tragic details here and the whole thing is left open to your interpretations, but most of all, I liked the way Wonderland is woven in so that it’s hard to tell if it’s an actual place, or something this poor man has dreamed up in his grief.
Thank you so much to Titan Books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content warnings: Wonders Never Cease: cancer, depression; There Were No Birds to Fly: cannibalism; Dream Girl: body horror; Good Dog, Alice!: pedophilia, sexual assault, grooming; The Hunting of the Jabberwock: animal death; Smoke ’em if You Got ’em: implied rape and child abuse; Vanished Summer Glory: cancer; Eat Me, Drink Me: animal death; general anthology warnings: gore, gratuitous violence, murder, death.
Diversity: Alice is black in both Dream Girl and What Makes a Monster.
TL;DR: If you’re any sort of fan of Alice in Wonderland, whether it’s the original source material or retellings, this is right up your alley. With a solid mixture of dark fantasy and horror, there’s sure to be something to please everyone.
April 13, 2020
Anything Alice inspired always has a place in my heart, regardless, but I thoroughly enjoyed the contents of this anthology of Alice inspired short stories. I don't believe any of the authors were ones I had previously read from, so this had the dual appeal of providing me with a sample of their work and a list of future authors to read from. Not all of the contents appealed, as is to be expected with an anthology of such disparate authors and genres, but the majority did and I appreciated the unique spin on the infamous Alice tale that each provided.
Alice in Armour by Jane Yolen - 3/5 stars
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman - 4/5 stars
There Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey - 4/5 stars
The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman - 5/5 stars
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott - 4.5/5 stars
Good Dog, Alice by Juliet Marillier - 4/5 stars
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green - 4/5 stars
About Time by George Mann - 4.5/5 stars
Smoke 'Em if you got 'Em by Angela Slatter - 3.5/5 stars
Vanished Summer City by Rio Youers - 2/5 stars
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward - 3.5/5 stars
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro- 4/5 stars
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney - 3.5/5 stars
The White Queen's Dictum by James Lovegrove - 2.5/5 stars
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow - 2/5 stars
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood - 2/5 stars
How I Comes to be the Treacle Tart by Cat Rambo - 2.75/5 stars
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn - 5/5 stars
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen - 3.5/5 stars
Alice in Armour by Jane Yolen - 3/5 stars
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman - 4/5 stars
There Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey - 4/5 stars
The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman - 5/5 stars
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott - 4.5/5 stars
Good Dog, Alice by Juliet Marillier - 4/5 stars
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green - 4/5 stars
About Time by George Mann - 4.5/5 stars
Smoke 'Em if you got 'Em by Angela Slatter - 3.5/5 stars
Vanished Summer City by Rio Youers - 2/5 stars
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward - 3.5/5 stars
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro- 4/5 stars
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney - 3.5/5 stars
The White Queen's Dictum by James Lovegrove - 2.5/5 stars
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow - 2/5 stars
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood - 2/5 stars
How I Comes to be the Treacle Tart by Cat Rambo - 2.75/5 stars
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn - 5/5 stars
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen - 3.5/5 stars
September 18, 2019
Overall Rating: 3.75 stars
Wonderland was a magical anthology full of short stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. All the stories managed to capture the wondrous yet morbid whimsy of Wonderland as they were full of imagination and followed no rules. It was a mixed bag- some were amazing and some not so much. Here's a brief summary of the stories and my thoughts on them:
This was an amusing poem which I liked but it didn't greatly impress me.
This story was about life, love and death and even though I understood it was trying to convey a deep message I thought the writing was confused and just generally muddled and I didn't enjoy it.
This was so wonderfully creepy and mysterious and I did not see the ending coming. I liked how the narrator of the story was clearly hiding something and their intentions were gradually revealed. Also, it gave me very strong Birdbox vibes so if you liked that book/ movie you will probably like this.
The White Queen's Pawn was quite short and not much happened but it still had an impact. I loved how it slowly went from a seemingly normal situation to something scary and macabre!
This one started off in Wonderland, from the perspective of the Hatter, and ended on a very unexpected and refreshing plot twist. I loved it! Furthermore, I appreciated how the 'Alice character' didn't fit the visual stereotypes surrounding her.
When a girl called Dorothea calls her dog 'Alice', she doesn't realise how useful her pet will become. This was another short story with an ending that came out of the blue but it was also quite satisfying.
As the title suggests, this story was inspired by the 'Jabberwocky' poem and was about a young man trying to slay the Jabberwocky to earn his glory but comes to some unsettling realisations. I liked how the story included the whimsical nonsense language from the 'Jabberwocky' poem.
This story was about how our fears can affect our realities and the power of believing that something is real. It also had quite a sweet ending.
This one took Alice to the Wild West and while I liked the ideas behind it and the direct writing style it just didn't create much of an impact on me.
Vanished Summer Glory was a poignant story about grief, loss and love and it was really touching and quite saddening to read.
It was quite weird and I still don't quite understand what on Earth went on in this one but I guess it gets credit for creativity!
This one was inspired by Japanese mythology which was intriguing and original. I also liked how the ending left me with so many theories and thoughts about all the implied things that could have caused the things that happened.
What Makes a Monster was set in the author's A Blade so Black universe and it was about some rather cool monster hunters. At the start I thought I was going to enjoy this story very much but it didn't impress me as much as I thought it would although it was still good.
This one had a lovely hint of supernatural and while I saw the plot twist coming I enjoyed the dramatic irony of it. It was based on the idea that 'impossible things' can sometimes be more real than you first think.
Temp Work was heavily based on sci-fi but I didn't enjoy it because the plot didn't interest me.
An utterly weird and confusing story and my least favourite in the anthology.
This story was extremely imaginative with a strong narrative voice and I was satisfied with the way it ended. I also liked how it explored previously uncharted territory in Wonderland.
It was quite touching and nostalgic tale and I liked how it included the history behind the original 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' book.
Another humorous, clever poem which concluded the anthology nicely!
Overall, this was a really interesting read and I liked reading all of the different takes on Wonderland. I'm not going to lie- I hate Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the animated Disney adaptation gave me nightmares as a child. However, this anthology makes me feel like giving the books (and the movies) another chance!
Thank you to Titan Books for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wonderland was a magical anthology full of short stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. All the stories managed to capture the wondrous yet morbid whimsy of Wonderland as they were full of imagination and followed no rules. It was a mixed bag- some were amazing and some not so much. Here's a brief summary of the stories and my thoughts on them:
Alice in Armour by Jane Yolen- 3 stars:
This was an amusing poem which I liked but it didn't greatly impress me.
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman- 2.5 stars:
"Just because love dies, it doesn't mean you can't go on."
This story was about life, love and death and even though I understood it was trying to convey a deep message I thought the writing was confused and just generally muddled and I didn't enjoy it.
There Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey- 5 stars:
"If you follow the rules... you'll live a whole lot longer"
This was so wonderfully creepy and mysterious and I did not see the ending coming. I liked how the narrator of the story was clearly hiding something and their intentions were gradually revealed. Also, it gave me very strong Birdbox vibes so if you liked that book/ movie you will probably like this.
The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman- 4 stars:
The White Queen's Pawn was quite short and not much happened but it still had an impact. I loved how it slowly went from a seemingly normal situation to something scary and macabre!
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott- 5 stars:
This one started off in Wonderland, from the perspective of the Hatter, and ended on a very unexpected and refreshing plot twist. I loved it! Furthermore, I appreciated how the 'Alice character' didn't fit the visual stereotypes surrounding her.
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier- 4.5 stars:
When a girl called Dorothea calls her dog 'Alice', she doesn't realise how useful her pet will become. This was another short story with an ending that came out of the blue but it was also quite satisfying.
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green- 4 stars:
As the title suggests, this story was inspired by the 'Jabberwocky' poem and was about a young man trying to slay the Jabberwocky to earn his glory but comes to some unsettling realisations. I liked how the story included the whimsical nonsense language from the 'Jabberwocky' poem.
About Time by George Mann- 3.5 stars:
This story was about how our fears can affect our realities and the power of believing that something is real. It also had quite a sweet ending.
Smoke 'em if You Got 'em by Angela Slatter- 3 stars:
This one took Alice to the Wild West and while I liked the ideas behind it and the direct writing style it just didn't create much of an impact on me.
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers- 4 stars:
Vanished Summer Glory was a poignant story about grief, loss and love and it was really touching and quite saddening to read.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward- 3 stars:
It was quite weird and I still don't quite understand what on Earth went on in this one but I guess it gets credit for creativity!
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro- 4.5 stars:
This one was inspired by Japanese mythology which was intriguing and original. I also liked how the ending left me with so many theories and thoughts about all the implied things that could have caused the things that happened.
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney- 3 stars:
What Makes a Monster was set in the author's A Blade so Black universe and it was about some rather cool monster hunters. At the start I thought I was going to enjoy this story very much but it didn't impress me as much as I thought it would although it was still good.
The White Queen's Dictum by James Lovegrove- 4.5 stars:
This one had a lovely hint of supernatural and while I saw the plot twist coming I enjoyed the dramatic irony of it. It was based on the idea that 'impossible things' can sometimes be more real than you first think.
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow- 2.5 stars:
Temp Work was heavily based on sci-fi but I didn't enjoy it because the plot didn't interest me.
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood- 2 stars:
An utterly weird and confusing story and my least favourite in the anthology.
How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo- 3.5 stars:
This story was extremely imaginative with a strong narrative voice and I was satisfied with the way it ended. I also liked how it explored previously uncharted territory in Wonderland.
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn- 3 stars:
It was quite touching and nostalgic tale and I liked how it included the history behind the original 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' book.
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen- 3.5 stars:
Another humorous, clever poem which concluded the anthology nicely!
Overall, this was a really interesting read and I liked reading all of the different takes on Wonderland. I'm not going to lie- I hate Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the animated Disney adaptation gave me nightmares as a child. However, this anthology makes me feel like giving the books (and the movies) another chance!
Thank you to Titan Books for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 27, 2025
DNFing for the moment (audiobook, ~60%).
The only thing keeping me interested in this book is the Audible book.
The narrators do fantastic work here. I'm blown away by their reading!
The stories they read, though...
I don't know.
I'm not sure they are what I expected from a Wonderland anthology. I mean, would you really expect child rape or forced marriage? I'm sorry, I know these are dramatic matters and shedding a veil of silence over them won't help at all.
But...
It's supposed to be a tribute to Alice in Wonderland. In the end, I didn't want this specific book to be about anything else. Or I would have chosen something else.
The only thing keeping me interested in this book is the Audible book.
The narrators do fantastic work here. I'm blown away by their reading!
The stories they read, though...
I don't know.
I'm not sure they are what I expected from a Wonderland anthology. I mean, would you really expect child rape or forced marriage? I'm sorry, I know these are dramatic matters and shedding a veil of silence over them won't help at all.
But...
It's supposed to be a tribute to Alice in Wonderland. In the end, I didn't want this specific book to be about anything else. Or I would have chosen something else.
March 2, 2020
3.5 ⭐ Let's go down the rabbit hole to my Wonderland review! Whilst I absolutely loved a few of the stories in Wonderland, some just weren't for me. Some of the stories were a definite 5 star for me but others weren't. I could only give this Anthology a 3.5 rating max. My particular favourites from Wonderland were: There were no Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey, The White Queen's Dictum by James Lovegrove and About Time by George Mann. These stories are full of Monsters, horror, twists and turns and a pure ghoulish atmosphere.*Thank you to Titan books for my review copy in exchange for an honest review* Full review to come on my blog.
September 19, 2019
Review Originally Posted On The Sassy Book Geek
**** Huge thank you to Titan Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review as well as allowing me to participate in the blog tour! ****
As soon as I read the description for this one I was pretty excited! I’m a big fan of retellings, especially Alice in Wonderland retellings, and horror. So an anthology of horror based Alice re-imaginings sounded fantastic! I was pleased with a good majority of the stories and I had a blast reading this, horror and ‘Alice’ were definitely a great combination.
I would definitely recommend this if you are a fan of Alice in Wonderland and horror!
I will be reviewing and rating each story individually and any trigger warnings I have for this book will be placed with the story that the trigger is in, so you may skip those if you need to!
Alice in Armor by Jane Yolen (Poem) – ★★★★
I’m not quite sure how to review a single poem but I enjoyed it. Yolen is a talented writer and of course I liked it because it’s ‘Alice’ themed.
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman – ★
Trigger Warnings: Character Passes from Cancer (Some bizarre happenings with babies but not graphic or violent in nature)
Honestly, I don’t know why this story was put into the book first because it was my least favorite, it was just plain bad. For me, there wasn’t anything salvageable here and I spent the entire time reading it wondering “What the hell is this?”. There is no plot to speak of and the characters were like the author was slapping a name down on paper and just adding it here and there instead of having actual characters.
It was bizarre and confusing. We were being told about a “character” called Alice and something about her just randomly having 20+ babies and her shoving them into a (rabbit?) hole in her garden and then keeping one eventually. Then we were told about her getting a typing job and marrying a man and right after divorcing him etc etc. Like, what the hell is going on here? It was all a random mess and I usually don’t like to toss the word “hate” around because usually there’s always SOMETHING good to say but this story was bad and I hated it.
There Were No Birds To Fly by M.R. Carey – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story has a dystopian/post-apocalyptic setting in which people’s worst nightmares come to life, stalk, and kill them. I thought this was an interesting concept especially with how it was executed. I also really liked how horrific and eerie the atmosphere was and the monsters themselves were terrifying and gruesome. However, I didn’t quite care enough about the characters because there was next to zero development at all. And when the plot is all about characters getting picked off it’s hard to get really invested when I feel I don’t know them. Also for some reason the main character whose POV the story is told from didn’t speak with quotations which made it hard to discern what they were saying or thinking.
I did like the twist at the end even if it was a bit strange and a little confusing. I didn’t quite get what the ‘Alice’ twist was with this story either.
The White Queen’s Pawn by Genevieve Cogman – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story has a bit more of a vague plot, they bring in our “Alice” who used to do some assassination work and they wish her to teach new students. It is set in Britain and overall had a very sinister “Bond” feel to it. It also had some character development, finally! I loved the Alice character in this one too, what a badass. Also liked how the connection to “Alice in Wonderland” was a bit more clear here too, made it more fun. I’m always up for a Cheshire Cat appearance! And the horror element of the story was very present at the end and it was deliciously creepy.
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
I enjoyed that this story actually took place in a Wonderland setting and it was a darker version. Wonderland is falling apart and the ‘Dream Girl’ is responsible, a group of Wonderland characters are tasked with capturing her. I liked that there were some horror moments squeezed in and those bits were wonderfully creepy. Also the Alice character in this story is dark-skinned, fun tidbit! I especially enjoyed the sci-fi twist at the end, very unexpected and honestly makes me want a continuation of this story!
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier – ★★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Implied Child Molestation, Bit of Gore
I hadn’t read anything by Marillier yet though I have heard tons of good things about her, so I was pretty excited for her story in this anthology. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed and this was actually one of my favorite stories. It’s about a young girl who lives with her Uncle in a large manor and receives a new puppy as a birthday gift. She discovers a small blue door that leads to another world and she must enter it in order to save her dog.
I LOVED how this had a very “Narnia” feel to it though it was also very different. I felt very attached to the protagonist and her dog, Alice, by the end of the story and the world building was fantastic for such a short story. The “Alice” connections were subtle but very present. As mentioned in the trigger warning there is implied child molestation but I will say that justice is most definitely served and the ending was fantastic and satisfying, it’s also where the horror bits came in!
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story tells the tale of a character named Nobody who is seeking out the Jabberwock to become a monster slayer and claim a reward. The “Alice” references here are very clear and I have to say I really enjoyed this one for the characters, plot, and writing. It’s got action and even a few twists, which for such a short story was definitely a nice surprise! The ending was one of those twists and while one was pretty satisfying the other was a little bleak but this is horror after all. Overall a creative and entertaining story!
About Time by George Mann – ★★★★
Another fantastic story, I liked how this one was a little softer and the horror was toned down. It was a nice break! This is contemporary and is about a girl becoming a teenager and neglecting Wonderland and its inhabitants. However, she returns to find that Wonderland has been taken over by a monster and she must save it.
I liked the more traditional Wonderland setting and characters and I would love to discuss the plot more but I don’t want to spoil it! I would have to say the ending was my absolute favorite part of the story and it was a very pleasant surprise, it was also a happy one!
Smoke ’em if You Got ’em by Angela Slatter – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore, Violence, Mention of Suicide, Showing of Stillborns & Fetuses, Kidnapping, & Implied Rape and Child Rape (I felt that it was implied, personally)
This was one of the heavier and darker stories that’s a Western about Alice hunting the Rabbit across America. I did like how intriguing the plot and characters were and the protagonist was definitely one to root for. I wish the world building was explained a little more because it was intriguing but left me wanting to know more. The ending left something to be desired because one chapter closed, so to speak, but the overall goal was not achieved. Overall though it was a creative tell and written well.
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Cancer Related Death
This story was a bit strange and is about a man whose sister gets cancer and passes away, he then starts speaking with a “Mr. Rabbit” and then disappears. Like I said it was a bit strange and I’m not sure what was going on really and it was a little on the slow side. Not a whole lot happening. I will say that it was written beautifully though because it was very touching and emotional.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Death & Violence
This was another story that was a bit odd but it’s about a pair of twins that live in a fantasy world and try and escape. The world building had some interesting aspects but overall I was a little disappointed with it because it isn’t expanded on much. There also didn’t seem to be a lot going on plot wise either, we were being TOLD what was happening but not much beyond that and it was hard to follow. I would say the best part of this one was the ending because that’s where the “Alice” related bits came into play and it was subtle but clever. Also cats!
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro – ★★★★★
I loved this one, another favorite story in the collection! This is set in Japan and tells of a young woman who sees a small child alone and goes to help only to find herself entering another world via a hole in some bushes. The Wonderland connection with this story is very strong and I loved how creative it was. The supernatural Japanese creatures, yokai, are added into the mix and they were horrifying but added a lot of suspense to the story as our protagonist could not be caught by them.
I think my favorite part was that the Cheshire Cat is added in as a shapeshifting yokai called a bakenenko (essentially a cat) and he was done very well from his mannerisms to his dialogue it was very Cheshire-esque but also unique on its own. I was a little confused by the ending because I didn’t “get” it but overall this was a fantastic story and I honestly wish I could read it as an entire novel!
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story proves that you can do masterful world building in a short story! It’s about monsters called Nightmares that escape from Wonderland into the human world and only people from Wonderland and special humans can hunt them. This was written well and had great action scenes, I also came to love the characters as well. Also the main protagonist is black! The Nightmares themselves were also pretty terrifying which is always what I’m looking for in a horror story. I liked the very Victorian era London setting too and overall this was just a great addition to the collection and is another story I wouldn’t mind reading as a book!
The White Queen’s Dictum by James Lovegrove – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Death & Mention of Suicide
This was a very unique story about an internet paranormal investigator having a conversation with our POV character at a diner. I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t say much more than that! I loved how there were a bunch of “mini” ghost stories told in this one and the “Alice” link with the “six impossible things” that the investigator believes in. I did predict the ending after a bit but it was still a good twist.
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow – ★★
Trigger Warnings: Violence
This one was not really interesting to me, it was still told well though. It’s about a futuristic post apocalyptic world where Alice is…..sort of a spy I would say. She’s sneaky! It’s a plague apocalypse so that’s mentioned but overall not really discussed and I would have liked to have known a bit more about that. However, I can always get behind a plot where people take down people who abuse their power so there’s that!
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood – ★★
Another story that wasn’t great for me, this one is about an Alice who is being forced to marry someone and runs off into a sort of “fever dream” almost. She believes she is hallucinating but goes down the rabbit hole and to tell you the truth I’m still not quite sure myself what was going on. It’s a very confusing story and not really that interesting either.
How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo – ★★★
This is about a group of children that are sisters who run into Alice as she comes down into their Treacle mine. They follow her out on a journey and one of them becomes the “Treacle Queen”. This one was enjoyable enough to read but didn’t have a lot of depth, it was “meh”. Also as you can probably tell from the title the POV character doesn’t speak with perfect English and that became a little tiresome for me to read by the end.
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn – ★★★
I’m not quite sure how to describe this story but it’s about an Alice who uses doors in another world to watch the happenings of another Alice in another world. I always love the inclusion of the Cheshire Cat so that’s a plus and I thought he was done well in this story. I also loved the mention and use of Peter Pan and Neverland with Wonderland. The ending was very emotional and touching and I have to admit I teared up a bit! Overall this story was the PERFECT ending to the collection.
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen (Poem) – ★★★★
Another poem I’m still not sure how to review but it’s well written and the Wonderland connection is there as well as the horror elements!
**** Huge thank you to Titan Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review as well as allowing me to participate in the blog tour! ****
As soon as I read the description for this one I was pretty excited! I’m a big fan of retellings, especially Alice in Wonderland retellings, and horror. So an anthology of horror based Alice re-imaginings sounded fantastic! I was pleased with a good majority of the stories and I had a blast reading this, horror and ‘Alice’ were definitely a great combination.
I would definitely recommend this if you are a fan of Alice in Wonderland and horror!
I will be reviewing and rating each story individually and any trigger warnings I have for this book will be placed with the story that the trigger is in, so you may skip those if you need to!
Alice in Armor by Jane Yolen (Poem) – ★★★★
I’m not quite sure how to review a single poem but I enjoyed it. Yolen is a talented writer and of course I liked it because it’s ‘Alice’ themed.
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman – ★
Trigger Warnings: Character Passes from Cancer (Some bizarre happenings with babies but not graphic or violent in nature)
Honestly, I don’t know why this story was put into the book first because it was my least favorite, it was just plain bad. For me, there wasn’t anything salvageable here and I spent the entire time reading it wondering “What the hell is this?”. There is no plot to speak of and the characters were like the author was slapping a name down on paper and just adding it here and there instead of having actual characters.
It was bizarre and confusing. We were being told about a “character” called Alice and something about her just randomly having 20+ babies and her shoving them into a (rabbit?) hole in her garden and then keeping one eventually. Then we were told about her getting a typing job and marrying a man and right after divorcing him etc etc. Like, what the hell is going on here? It was all a random mess and I usually don’t like to toss the word “hate” around because usually there’s always SOMETHING good to say but this story was bad and I hated it.
There Were No Birds To Fly by M.R. Carey – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story has a dystopian/post-apocalyptic setting in which people’s worst nightmares come to life, stalk, and kill them. I thought this was an interesting concept especially with how it was executed. I also really liked how horrific and eerie the atmosphere was and the monsters themselves were terrifying and gruesome. However, I didn’t quite care enough about the characters because there was next to zero development at all. And when the plot is all about characters getting picked off it’s hard to get really invested when I feel I don’t know them. Also for some reason the main character whose POV the story is told from didn’t speak with quotations which made it hard to discern what they were saying or thinking.
I did like the twist at the end even if it was a bit strange and a little confusing. I didn’t quite get what the ‘Alice’ twist was with this story either.
The White Queen’s Pawn by Genevieve Cogman – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story has a bit more of a vague plot, they bring in our “Alice” who used to do some assassination work and they wish her to teach new students. It is set in Britain and overall had a very sinister “Bond” feel to it. It also had some character development, finally! I loved the Alice character in this one too, what a badass. Also liked how the connection to “Alice in Wonderland” was a bit more clear here too, made it more fun. I’m always up for a Cheshire Cat appearance! And the horror element of the story was very present at the end and it was deliciously creepy.
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
I enjoyed that this story actually took place in a Wonderland setting and it was a darker version. Wonderland is falling apart and the ‘Dream Girl’ is responsible, a group of Wonderland characters are tasked with capturing her. I liked that there were some horror moments squeezed in and those bits were wonderfully creepy. Also the Alice character in this story is dark-skinned, fun tidbit! I especially enjoyed the sci-fi twist at the end, very unexpected and honestly makes me want a continuation of this story!
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier – ★★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Implied Child Molestation, Bit of Gore
I hadn’t read anything by Marillier yet though I have heard tons of good things about her, so I was pretty excited for her story in this anthology. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed and this was actually one of my favorite stories. It’s about a young girl who lives with her Uncle in a large manor and receives a new puppy as a birthday gift. She discovers a small blue door that leads to another world and she must enter it in order to save her dog.
I LOVED how this had a very “Narnia” feel to it though it was also very different. I felt very attached to the protagonist and her dog, Alice, by the end of the story and the world building was fantastic for such a short story. The “Alice” connections were subtle but very present. As mentioned in the trigger warning there is implied child molestation but I will say that justice is most definitely served and the ending was fantastic and satisfying, it’s also where the horror bits came in!
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story tells the tale of a character named Nobody who is seeking out the Jabberwock to become a monster slayer and claim a reward. The “Alice” references here are very clear and I have to say I really enjoyed this one for the characters, plot, and writing. It’s got action and even a few twists, which for such a short story was definitely a nice surprise! The ending was one of those twists and while one was pretty satisfying the other was a little bleak but this is horror after all. Overall a creative and entertaining story!
About Time by George Mann – ★★★★
Another fantastic story, I liked how this one was a little softer and the horror was toned down. It was a nice break! This is contemporary and is about a girl becoming a teenager and neglecting Wonderland and its inhabitants. However, she returns to find that Wonderland has been taken over by a monster and she must save it.
I liked the more traditional Wonderland setting and characters and I would love to discuss the plot more but I don’t want to spoil it! I would have to say the ending was my absolute favorite part of the story and it was a very pleasant surprise, it was also a happy one!
Smoke ’em if You Got ’em by Angela Slatter – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore, Violence, Mention of Suicide, Showing of Stillborns & Fetuses, Kidnapping, & Implied Rape and Child Rape (I felt that it was implied, personally)
This was one of the heavier and darker stories that’s a Western about Alice hunting the Rabbit across America. I did like how intriguing the plot and characters were and the protagonist was definitely one to root for. I wish the world building was explained a little more because it was intriguing but left me wanting to know more. The ending left something to be desired because one chapter closed, so to speak, but the overall goal was not achieved. Overall though it was a creative tell and written well.
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Cancer Related Death
This story was a bit strange and is about a man whose sister gets cancer and passes away, he then starts speaking with a “Mr. Rabbit” and then disappears. Like I said it was a bit strange and I’m not sure what was going on really and it was a little on the slow side. Not a whole lot happening. I will say that it was written beautifully though because it was very touching and emotional.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward – ★★★
Trigger Warnings: Death & Violence
This was another story that was a bit odd but it’s about a pair of twins that live in a fantasy world and try and escape. The world building had some interesting aspects but overall I was a little disappointed with it because it isn’t expanded on much. There also didn’t seem to be a lot going on plot wise either, we were being TOLD what was happening but not much beyond that and it was hard to follow. I would say the best part of this one was the ending because that’s where the “Alice” related bits came into play and it was subtle but clever. Also cats!
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro – ★★★★★
I loved this one, another favorite story in the collection! This is set in Japan and tells of a young woman who sees a small child alone and goes to help only to find herself entering another world via a hole in some bushes. The Wonderland connection with this story is very strong and I loved how creative it was. The supernatural Japanese creatures, yokai, are added into the mix and they were horrifying but added a lot of suspense to the story as our protagonist could not be caught by them.
I think my favorite part was that the Cheshire Cat is added in as a shapeshifting yokai called a bakenenko (essentially a cat) and he was done very well from his mannerisms to his dialogue it was very Cheshire-esque but also unique on its own. I was a little confused by the ending because I didn’t “get” it but overall this was a fantastic story and I honestly wish I could read it as an entire novel!
What Makes a Monster by L.L. McKinney – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Gore & Violence
This story proves that you can do masterful world building in a short story! It’s about monsters called Nightmares that escape from Wonderland into the human world and only people from Wonderland and special humans can hunt them. This was written well and had great action scenes, I also came to love the characters as well. Also the main protagonist is black! The Nightmares themselves were also pretty terrifying which is always what I’m looking for in a horror story. I liked the very Victorian era London setting too and overall this was just a great addition to the collection and is another story I wouldn’t mind reading as a book!
The White Queen’s Dictum by James Lovegrove – ★★★★
Trigger Warnings: Death & Mention of Suicide
This was a very unique story about an internet paranormal investigator having a conversation with our POV character at a diner. I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t say much more than that! I loved how there were a bunch of “mini” ghost stories told in this one and the “Alice” link with the “six impossible things” that the investigator believes in. I did predict the ending after a bit but it was still a good twist.
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow – ★★
Trigger Warnings: Violence
This one was not really interesting to me, it was still told well though. It’s about a futuristic post apocalyptic world where Alice is…..sort of a spy I would say. She’s sneaky! It’s a plague apocalypse so that’s mentioned but overall not really discussed and I would have liked to have known a bit more about that. However, I can always get behind a plot where people take down people who abuse their power so there’s that!
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood – ★★
Another story that wasn’t great for me, this one is about an Alice who is being forced to marry someone and runs off into a sort of “fever dream” almost. She believes she is hallucinating but goes down the rabbit hole and to tell you the truth I’m still not quite sure myself what was going on. It’s a very confusing story and not really that interesting either.
How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo – ★★★
This is about a group of children that are sisters who run into Alice as she comes down into their Treacle mine. They follow her out on a journey and one of them becomes the “Treacle Queen”. This one was enjoyable enough to read but didn’t have a lot of depth, it was “meh”. Also as you can probably tell from the title the POV character doesn’t speak with perfect English and that became a little tiresome for me to read by the end.
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn – ★★★
I’m not quite sure how to describe this story but it’s about an Alice who uses doors in another world to watch the happenings of another Alice in another world. I always love the inclusion of the Cheshire Cat so that’s a plus and I thought he was done well in this story. I also loved the mention and use of Peter Pan and Neverland with Wonderland. The ending was very emotional and touching and I have to admit I teared up a bit! Overall this story was the PERFECT ending to the collection.
Revolution in Wonder by Jane Yolen (Poem) – ★★★★
Another poem I’m still not sure how to review but it’s well written and the Wonderland connection is there as well as the horror elements!
September 23, 2019
An anthology of stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland already jumps straight to the top of my wish list but then you tell me it includes stories from authors like Juliet Marillier & L.L. McKinney and I just get even more excited about it! This book includes a collection of 17 short stories and 2 poems that were all inspired by Alice and her adventures and written by some very well known writers: Jane Yolen, Robert Shearman, M.R. Carey, Genevieve Cogman, Cavan Scott, Juliet Marillier, Jonathan Green, George Mann, Angela Slatter, Rio Youers, Catriona Ward, Laura Mauro, L.L. McKinney, James Lovegrove, Lilith Saintcrow, Alison Littlewood, Cat Rambo and Mark Chadbourn.
All of these stories are linked to Alice in different ways, be it through a familiar character: Alice herself, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter or perhaps even the Cheshire Cat; or a familiar place: falling down a rabbit hole or stepping through a looking glass maybe. Perhaps the link is just a throwaway phrase or a chance to visit a part of Wonderland that you've never explored before. I love how different each of the stories are, some are spooky, others are introspective but most of them are as weird as the tales they're based on.
As with any anthology there were some stories I loved and a few that didn't resonate quite so well but overall I thought the quality of the stories was very high and a few particular highlights were The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman, Dream Girl by Cavan Scott, Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier (my favourite of the collection), The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green and Smoke 'em if You Got 'em by Angela Slatter.
This is the perfect collection for Alice in Wonderland fans, there really is something for everyone and it's a great book for dipping in and out of when you want something quick to read.
All of these stories are linked to Alice in different ways, be it through a familiar character: Alice herself, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter or perhaps even the Cheshire Cat; or a familiar place: falling down a rabbit hole or stepping through a looking glass maybe. Perhaps the link is just a throwaway phrase or a chance to visit a part of Wonderland that you've never explored before. I love how different each of the stories are, some are spooky, others are introspective but most of them are as weird as the tales they're based on.
As with any anthology there were some stories I loved and a few that didn't resonate quite so well but overall I thought the quality of the stories was very high and a few particular highlights were The White Queen's Pawn by Genevieve Cogman, Dream Girl by Cavan Scott, Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier (my favourite of the collection), The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green and Smoke 'em if You Got 'em by Angela Slatter.
This is the perfect collection for Alice in Wonderland fans, there really is something for everyone and it's a great book for dipping in and out of when you want something quick to read.
August 26, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Carolyn Percy
Featuring short stories from M.R. Carey, Mark Chadbourn, Genevieve Cogman, Jonathan Green, Alison Littlewood, James Lovegrove, L.L. McKinney, George Mann, Juliet Marillier, Laura Mauro, Cat Rambo, Lilith Saintcrow, Cavan Scott, Robert Shearman, Angela Slatter, Catriona Ward, Jane Yolen, and Rio Youers. Edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane.
You think you know Alice in Wonderland? Think again. The stories within these pages will take you on journey through all the different facets of Lewis Carroll’s famous creation, from the historical, the horrific, the contemporary to the spiritual. Get ready to fall down the rabbit hole – or step through the looking glass, whichever you prefer – and prepare to see Wonderland, and indeed Alice, as you’ve likely not seen them before.
Originally published in 1865, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (known first as Alice’s Adventures Under Ground) and his follow-up, Through the Looking-Glass, and what Alice Found There (published 1871), has been inspiring people for over 150 years. The first literary spin-offs began appearing as early as 1895 and have carried on to this day with titles such as Christina Henry’s The Chronicles of Alice. And of course the works inspired by it aren’t confined just to literature. Film adaptations started with the silent films of the early 1900s and have grown to include Disney’s beloved 1951 animated adaptation, Jan Svankmajer’s surrealist masterpiece, Alice (1988), and, most recently, Tim Burton’s interpretations. Alice-inspired media has even moved beyond film and literature, with American McGee’s brilliantly dark and twisted video games, Alice and its sequel Madness Returns, and many other references across the spectrum of pop-culture.
Now Titan Books have released Wonderland, an anthology of 18 never before seen stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, brought together by award-winning writer and editors Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan, from some of the best names in fantasy and horror.
We begin with Robert Shearman’s ‘Wonders Never Cease’, a story about change, beginning with the idea that “If Alice wouldn’t change, then something else would have to change in her place” before linking Alice’s journey to the journey we all share. ‘There Were No Birds to Fly’ by M.R. Carey portrays a sci-fi/horror tinged look at two of Wonderland’s more famous residents. ‘The White Queen’s Pawn’ by Genevieve Cogman adds elements of the spy genre before revealing a supernatural sting in the tail. Cavan Scott’s occasionally gory ‘Dream Girl’ sees Wonderland and its residents slowly disappearing. The Dream Girl is apparently to blame, but is everything as it seems?
In Juliet Marillier’s tale, ‘Good Dog, Alice!’, Dorothea’s Great Uncle Bartholomew doesn’t want her to name her new dog Alice as, according to him, all those named Alice are prone to “all manner of wild escapades.” But, for Dorothea, Alice the dog’s curiosity may turn out to be a good thing. Jonathan Green’s ‘The Hunting of the Jabberwock’ sees a knight arrive to hunt the titular beast, only to uncover a nefarious scheme. In George Mann’s ‘About Time’, Lucy found Wonderland as a child and it became her haven. Now she’s a teenager however, she feels it’s time to put childish things behind her but soon finds that this is not as easy as it seems. In ‘Smoke ‘em if You Got ‘em’, Angela Slatter transports Alice to the Wild West.
Rio Youers’ ‘Vanished Summer Glory’ is a poignant tale that looks at grief and its effect on the imagination. Catriona Ward’s ‘Black Kitty’ is a wonderfully peculiar, and surprisingly emotional, “tail” of a pair of twin sisters, a magic mirror and a certain cat. Laura Mauro’s ‘Night Parade’ takes influence from Japanese folklore. L.L. McKinney has already released a contemporary Alice retelling in the form of her debut novel A Blade So Black, and her story, ‘What Makes a Monster’, is set within this same world, bringing an even darker twist to mythology surrounding Jack the Ripper. In ‘The White Queen’s Dictum’ by James Lovegrove, two strangers meet in a motorway service station, one of whom is an investigator of the paranormal, only the paranormal may turn out to be closer than he thinks.
‘Temp Work’ by Lilith Saintcrow adds flavours of science-fiction – particularly cyberpunk – and corporate intrigue. ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ by Alison Littlewood is an unnervingly woozy tale of a young woman about to be married, who thinks how much easier it would be to be her pet rabbit. ‘How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen’ by Cat Rambo has prose as poetically viscous as the treacle being mined. And ‘Six Impossible Things’ by Mark Chadbourn looks at the creation of imaginary worlds and the effects this can have on those who inspire them. The collection is bookended by Jane Yolen’s two poems, ‘Alice in Armour’ and ‘Revolution in Wonder’, acting as an opening and closing curtain.
As with any short-story collection, particularly those where the stories are all written by different authors, there is a wide variety of genres and styles, and not all of them will have the same impact (though of course your mileage may vary as to which ones). But these are all written by solid names within the genre and the quality is consistently high. An interesting addition to the canon of Alice inspired literature as well as an appealing short story collection in its own right.
Featuring short stories from M.R. Carey, Mark Chadbourn, Genevieve Cogman, Jonathan Green, Alison Littlewood, James Lovegrove, L.L. McKinney, George Mann, Juliet Marillier, Laura Mauro, Cat Rambo, Lilith Saintcrow, Cavan Scott, Robert Shearman, Angela Slatter, Catriona Ward, Jane Yolen, and Rio Youers. Edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane.
You think you know Alice in Wonderland? Think again. The stories within these pages will take you on journey through all the different facets of Lewis Carroll’s famous creation, from the historical, the horrific, the contemporary to the spiritual. Get ready to fall down the rabbit hole – or step through the looking glass, whichever you prefer – and prepare to see Wonderland, and indeed Alice, as you’ve likely not seen them before.
Originally published in 1865, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (known first as Alice’s Adventures Under Ground) and his follow-up, Through the Looking-Glass, and what Alice Found There (published 1871), has been inspiring people for over 150 years. The first literary spin-offs began appearing as early as 1895 and have carried on to this day with titles such as Christina Henry’s The Chronicles of Alice. And of course the works inspired by it aren’t confined just to literature. Film adaptations started with the silent films of the early 1900s and have grown to include Disney’s beloved 1951 animated adaptation, Jan Svankmajer’s surrealist masterpiece, Alice (1988), and, most recently, Tim Burton’s interpretations. Alice-inspired media has even moved beyond film and literature, with American McGee’s brilliantly dark and twisted video games, Alice and its sequel Madness Returns, and many other references across the spectrum of pop-culture.
Now Titan Books have released Wonderland, an anthology of 18 never before seen stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, brought together by award-winning writer and editors Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan, from some of the best names in fantasy and horror.
We begin with Robert Shearman’s ‘Wonders Never Cease’, a story about change, beginning with the idea that “If Alice wouldn’t change, then something else would have to change in her place” before linking Alice’s journey to the journey we all share. ‘There Were No Birds to Fly’ by M.R. Carey portrays a sci-fi/horror tinged look at two of Wonderland’s more famous residents. ‘The White Queen’s Pawn’ by Genevieve Cogman adds elements of the spy genre before revealing a supernatural sting in the tail. Cavan Scott’s occasionally gory ‘Dream Girl’ sees Wonderland and its residents slowly disappearing. The Dream Girl is apparently to blame, but is everything as it seems?
In Juliet Marillier’s tale, ‘Good Dog, Alice!’, Dorothea’s Great Uncle Bartholomew doesn’t want her to name her new dog Alice as, according to him, all those named Alice are prone to “all manner of wild escapades.” But, for Dorothea, Alice the dog’s curiosity may turn out to be a good thing. Jonathan Green’s ‘The Hunting of the Jabberwock’ sees a knight arrive to hunt the titular beast, only to uncover a nefarious scheme. In George Mann’s ‘About Time’, Lucy found Wonderland as a child and it became her haven. Now she’s a teenager however, she feels it’s time to put childish things behind her but soon finds that this is not as easy as it seems. In ‘Smoke ‘em if You Got ‘em’, Angela Slatter transports Alice to the Wild West.
Rio Youers’ ‘Vanished Summer Glory’ is a poignant tale that looks at grief and its effect on the imagination. Catriona Ward’s ‘Black Kitty’ is a wonderfully peculiar, and surprisingly emotional, “tail” of a pair of twin sisters, a magic mirror and a certain cat. Laura Mauro’s ‘Night Parade’ takes influence from Japanese folklore. L.L. McKinney has already released a contemporary Alice retelling in the form of her debut novel A Blade So Black, and her story, ‘What Makes a Monster’, is set within this same world, bringing an even darker twist to mythology surrounding Jack the Ripper. In ‘The White Queen’s Dictum’ by James Lovegrove, two strangers meet in a motorway service station, one of whom is an investigator of the paranormal, only the paranormal may turn out to be closer than he thinks.
‘Temp Work’ by Lilith Saintcrow adds flavours of science-fiction – particularly cyberpunk – and corporate intrigue. ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ by Alison Littlewood is an unnervingly woozy tale of a young woman about to be married, who thinks how much easier it would be to be her pet rabbit. ‘How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen’ by Cat Rambo has prose as poetically viscous as the treacle being mined. And ‘Six Impossible Things’ by Mark Chadbourn looks at the creation of imaginary worlds and the effects this can have on those who inspire them. The collection is bookended by Jane Yolen’s two poems, ‘Alice in Armour’ and ‘Revolution in Wonder’, acting as an opening and closing curtain.
As with any short-story collection, particularly those where the stories are all written by different authors, there is a wide variety of genres and styles, and not all of them will have the same impact (though of course your mileage may vary as to which ones). But these are all written by solid names within the genre and the quality is consistently high. An interesting addition to the canon of Alice inspired literature as well as an appealing short story collection in its own right.
January 5, 2020
Beyond the world of mortal man lies a place called Wonderland. A place of visions both delightful and dark, where marvels ride the winds and evils claim the shadows.
It's a wonder that Alice in Wonderland continues to have an impact on modern writing and literature. There is something completely captivating about the young girl who falls down a rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland. Who has tea with mice and hares, and chases a white rabbit all the way to the Red Queen. From the absurdity of it all, to the language, to the impossible; there seems like such a world left to explore.
This collection of short stories are all inspired by Alice and her adventures, and cover both fantasy and science fiction. Some focus on Alice, others give attention to different characters, or simply use the world itself as a backdrop for their tails. And I have to say, there are a lot more hits than misses in this collection.
Alice felt as light as a feather. Like she was ten years old again, before summer faded. Somehow she was standing at the end of the bed, and the golden glow of an early July afternoon flooded through the open door.
"Come along, little girl," the Cat said, dancing ahead of her. "Wonderland beckons, and there's an awfully big adventure waiting for the both of us."
The best story (no surprise), There Were No Birds to Fly, is by M. R. Carey, who wrote the fantastic The Girl with all the Gifts. His dystopian tale doesn't focus on Alice herself, but another nightmare from that world, and was like a breeze of fresh air. Other notable mentions were Cavan Scott's Dream Girl, which has more of a sci-fi flare, Catriona Ward's absurd Black Kitty, and Jonathan Green's pure fantasy tale The Hunting of the Jabberwock .
There were one or two stories that didn't quite get the formula right, or tried to do too much in such a small space. But these were few and far between.
Considering I picked this book up out of the blue, and recognised a few of the authors, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the stories, and the use of similar language to that of Lewis Carroll, especially with reference to the absurd and strange. There can be new life breathed into Wonderland if this collection is any indication, and after all these decades, Alice and her adventures are still impacting writers and the genre as a whole.
It's a wonder that Alice in Wonderland continues to have an impact on modern writing and literature. There is something completely captivating about the young girl who falls down a rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland. Who has tea with mice and hares, and chases a white rabbit all the way to the Red Queen. From the absurdity of it all, to the language, to the impossible; there seems like such a world left to explore.
This collection of short stories are all inspired by Alice and her adventures, and cover both fantasy and science fiction. Some focus on Alice, others give attention to different characters, or simply use the world itself as a backdrop for their tails. And I have to say, there are a lot more hits than misses in this collection.
Alice felt as light as a feather. Like she was ten years old again, before summer faded. Somehow she was standing at the end of the bed, and the golden glow of an early July afternoon flooded through the open door.
"Come along, little girl," the Cat said, dancing ahead of her. "Wonderland beckons, and there's an awfully big adventure waiting for the both of us."
The best story (no surprise), There Were No Birds to Fly, is by M. R. Carey, who wrote the fantastic The Girl with all the Gifts. His dystopian tale doesn't focus on Alice herself, but another nightmare from that world, and was like a breeze of fresh air. Other notable mentions were Cavan Scott's Dream Girl, which has more of a sci-fi flare, Catriona Ward's absurd Black Kitty, and Jonathan Green's pure fantasy tale The Hunting of the Jabberwock .
There were one or two stories that didn't quite get the formula right, or tried to do too much in such a small space. But these were few and far between.
Considering I picked this book up out of the blue, and recognised a few of the authors, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the stories, and the use of similar language to that of Lewis Carroll, especially with reference to the absurd and strange. There can be new life breathed into Wonderland if this collection is any indication, and after all these decades, Alice and her adventures are still impacting writers and the genre as a whole.
December 10, 2019
Anthologies are really tough to rate! With different stories from different authors, it's really difficult to figure out what to rate the actual collection.
This book is, as the title implies, a collection of stories based on Alice in Wonderland. Some of the stories are continuations of the original book, some are inspired by Alice's adventures, and some are very loosely connected to the ideas of Wonderland. There were some hits and some misses in this book, as to be expected. My favourite was one called 'About Time', in which a 14 year old girl feels she is finally ready to grow up and goes down the rabbit hole to say goodbye to her friends in Wonderland.
If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland, it's definitely worth skimming through this book and seeing if anything jumps out at you!
This book is, as the title implies, a collection of stories based on Alice in Wonderland. Some of the stories are continuations of the original book, some are inspired by Alice's adventures, and some are very loosely connected to the ideas of Wonderland. There were some hits and some misses in this book, as to be expected. My favourite was one called 'About Time', in which a 14 year old girl feels she is finally ready to grow up and goes down the rabbit hole to say goodbye to her friends in Wonderland.
If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland, it's definitely worth skimming through this book and seeing if anything jumps out at you!
December 1, 2019
As with most anthologies, this was quite a mixed bag but taking the collection as a whole, it was a fun reading experience.
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman
This was an interesting opening story that initially felt quite true to the spirit of the original Alice story. I liked the dry wit but there were some genuinely awful images that I wasn’t sure how to take. I guess this story is quite open to interpretation which I appreciate but ultimately it was a bit too weird for my taste.
There Were No Birds To Fly by M. R. Carey
This story was slightly confusing at first as it kind of just throws you into the middle of the action. I found it to be an interesting horror concept but I didn’t really connect with it and the Alice connection was very tenuous.
The White Queen’s Pawn by Genevieve Cogman
Hooray, this was the first story in the collection that I really liked! It was creepy and unsettling, and the perfect length. I’m interested in reading more of Cogman’s work now.
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott
This was another excellent offering. The story was ticking along quite nicely, I didn’t really have any strong feelings or think it was anything special and then BAM – plot twist! The ending definitely made this one.
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier
I enjoyed Marillier’s writing style and would be interested in reading more from her. This was a horror story of a much more human nature; I found the resolution incredibly satisfying.
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green
I liked that this story focused on a different angle than those previously but something about the writing style didn’t click for me. The second half was mildly better but it never felt very high-stakes; I found it fairly dull and unoriginal in the end.
About Time by George Mann
This was a surprisingly sweet story about monsters and magic. I really enjoyed it, though it felt a bit jarring in comparison to those that had come before. Maybe just because I wasn’t expecting it?
Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em by Angela Slatter
I didn’t completely love the Western vibe of this one but the horror spin was interesting. I don’t know, it felt a little incomplete?
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers
After being introduced to Youers’ writing earlier in the year, I was excited to see what he would do here. And I wasn’t disappointed. This was one of the most unique stories in the anthology. I loved the psychiatry angle.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward
I don’t have a lot to say on this one, other than that it was weird and I didn’t like it very much. Oops.
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro
This was one of my favourite stories in the anthology. I really liked the writing and thought the whole thing was so atmospheric. I would happily read more stories or a longer novel set in this world!
What Makes A Monster by L. L. McKinney
I liked the opening of this one; it reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I also liked the Jack the Ripper connection that was made. However, the time jumps between paragraphs were sometimes confusing and the Alice link was almost non-existent. I’m not sure it was a good idea to include a story set in an already-existing literary world.
The White Queen’s Dictum by James Lovegrove
This story had more of an Alice connection than the previous one which I appreciated. It was decent! Though I did guess VERY quickly where it was going.
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow
This was the only story in the anthology that I couldn’t finish. I wasn’t a fan of the sci-fi concept (the genre is hit and miss for me anyway) and I found the writing convoluted.
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood
Honestly? I pretty much forgot this one as soon as it finished. I have no real thoughts to share; it just didn’t make much of an impact on me.
How I Comes To Be The Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo
This was another slightly weird story and sadly, another one I didn’t connect much with due to the style.
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn
Thankfully, this was a stronger story to end the anthology. I enjoyed the ones which took this darker emotional slant.
The anthology was also book-ended by two poems by author Jane Yolen, both of which were very good.
I feel like the thoughts I’ve shared on these stories come across as quite negative but I really did have fun reading this anthology and would happily recommend it to fans of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale!
Wonders Never Cease by Robert Shearman
This was an interesting opening story that initially felt quite true to the spirit of the original Alice story. I liked the dry wit but there were some genuinely awful images that I wasn’t sure how to take. I guess this story is quite open to interpretation which I appreciate but ultimately it was a bit too weird for my taste.
There Were No Birds To Fly by M. R. Carey
This story was slightly confusing at first as it kind of just throws you into the middle of the action. I found it to be an interesting horror concept but I didn’t really connect with it and the Alice connection was very tenuous.
The White Queen’s Pawn by Genevieve Cogman
Hooray, this was the first story in the collection that I really liked! It was creepy and unsettling, and the perfect length. I’m interested in reading more of Cogman’s work now.
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott
This was another excellent offering. The story was ticking along quite nicely, I didn’t really have any strong feelings or think it was anything special and then BAM – plot twist! The ending definitely made this one.
Good Dog, Alice! by Juliet Marillier
I enjoyed Marillier’s writing style and would be interested in reading more from her. This was a horror story of a much more human nature; I found the resolution incredibly satisfying.
The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green
I liked that this story focused on a different angle than those previously but something about the writing style didn’t click for me. The second half was mildly better but it never felt very high-stakes; I found it fairly dull and unoriginal in the end.
About Time by George Mann
This was a surprisingly sweet story about monsters and magic. I really enjoyed it, though it felt a bit jarring in comparison to those that had come before. Maybe just because I wasn’t expecting it?
Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em by Angela Slatter
I didn’t completely love the Western vibe of this one but the horror spin was interesting. I don’t know, it felt a little incomplete?
Vanished Summer Glory by Rio Youers
After being introduced to Youers’ writing earlier in the year, I was excited to see what he would do here. And I wasn’t disappointed. This was one of the most unique stories in the anthology. I loved the psychiatry angle.
Black Kitty by Catriona Ward
I don’t have a lot to say on this one, other than that it was weird and I didn’t like it very much. Oops.
The Night Parade by Laura Mauro
This was one of my favourite stories in the anthology. I really liked the writing and thought the whole thing was so atmospheric. I would happily read more stories or a longer novel set in this world!
What Makes A Monster by L. L. McKinney
I liked the opening of this one; it reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I also liked the Jack the Ripper connection that was made. However, the time jumps between paragraphs were sometimes confusing and the Alice link was almost non-existent. I’m not sure it was a good idea to include a story set in an already-existing literary world.
The White Queen’s Dictum by James Lovegrove
This story had more of an Alice connection than the previous one which I appreciated. It was decent! Though I did guess VERY quickly where it was going.
Temp Work by Lilith Saintcrow
This was the only story in the anthology that I couldn’t finish. I wasn’t a fan of the sci-fi concept (the genre is hit and miss for me anyway) and I found the writing convoluted.
Eat Me, Drink Me by Alison Littlewood
Honestly? I pretty much forgot this one as soon as it finished. I have no real thoughts to share; it just didn’t make much of an impact on me.
How I Comes To Be The Treacle Queen by Cat Rambo
This was another slightly weird story and sadly, another one I didn’t connect much with due to the style.
Six Impossible Things by Mark Chadbourn
Thankfully, this was a stronger story to end the anthology. I enjoyed the ones which took this darker emotional slant.
The anthology was also book-ended by two poems by author Jane Yolen, both of which were very good.
I feel like the thoughts I’ve shared on these stories come across as quite negative but I really did have fun reading this anthology and would happily recommend it to fans of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale!
March 6, 2024
DNF.
these stories are super bleak and mostly do not take place in Wonderland (though they are "riffs," I suppose), and a disturbing lot of them are about child abuse.
I'm not saying they are badly written or that it's a bad collection. It just is not at all what I want to read right now.
these stories are super bleak and mostly do not take place in Wonderland (though they are "riffs," I suppose), and a disturbing lot of them are about child abuse.
I'm not saying they are badly written or that it's a bad collection. It just is not at all what I want to read right now.
August 15, 2019
This is an interesting collection of short stories and some poetry but unfortunately it just missed the mark for me.
There was some really interesting stories in here. Some I really liked, one of my favourites being the first story, it was hilarious.
However, there were no stories which I loved. Saying that, there were also no stories that I hated. They were all just pretty average.
I found that as the book went on, the stories started to merge into each other. Which became confusing. Maybe it's best to read like one a day and not half the book in one sitting.
I liked the idea of this, but as with all short story collections, there will be some I like and some I don't.
Ratings for each story:
3,4,2,3,4,4,4,3,2,2,2,3,3,4,2,3,2,3,3
Overall average rating: 2.9 (rounded to 3)
TW: cancer, abuse, car crash, suicide
There was some really interesting stories in here. Some I really liked, one of my favourites being the first story, it was hilarious.
However, there were no stories which I loved. Saying that, there were also no stories that I hated. They were all just pretty average.
I found that as the book went on, the stories started to merge into each other. Which became confusing. Maybe it's best to read like one a day and not half the book in one sitting.
I liked the idea of this, but as with all short story collections, there will be some I like and some I don't.
Ratings for each story:
3,4,2,3,4,4,4,3,2,2,2,3,3,4,2,3,2,3,3
Overall average rating: 2.9 (rounded to 3)
TW: cancer, abuse, car crash, suicide
June 20, 2024
some were absolute bangers; favorites include: wonders never cease, the white queen’s pawn, good dog alice, black kitty, the night parade
pages: 301
pages: 301
October 5, 2019
The best story anthologies take a theme and make you totally reappraise what it can do. I really dislike the original Alice tea but this collection does amazingly wonderful things with it
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
September 27, 2022
First half of the book had fantastic short stories, and I was really invested! But the second half took a massive dive into dullness. Shame
October 11, 2019
The moment I discovered this anthology, I just had to have it. The more Wonderland I read, the more Wonderland I crave. It's a weird phenomenon. You'd expect that at some point I'd seen enough versions of Wonderland and met enough Cheshire Cat's, but nope. I want and need more.
And just like with every story collection there were stories I liked better and stories that didn't really speak to me at all. The stories in this book are incredibly diverse and there's something in almost every genre I can think of. I think it's very hard to find a person who likes all those stories equally. They are simply too different for that.
I personally love the more Wonderland-centred stories. For me Wonderland has always been the true heart of the Alice story, the true wonder and miracle. It's a Land where everything is possible, where rules are broken and upside down, where your fantasy can go wild and then even wilder. So, the more twisted, not so logical and insane stories absolutely were my favourites.
But, all stories were well written, had their own style and their own atmosphere. It's remarkable and amazingly impressive how one children's book can inspire so many different writers to write so many different, unique and original things.
And just like with every story collection there were stories I liked better and stories that didn't really speak to me at all. The stories in this book are incredibly diverse and there's something in almost every genre I can think of. I think it's very hard to find a person who likes all those stories equally. They are simply too different for that.
I personally love the more Wonderland-centred stories. For me Wonderland has always been the true heart of the Alice story, the true wonder and miracle. It's a Land where everything is possible, where rules are broken and upside down, where your fantasy can go wild and then even wilder. So, the more twisted, not so logical and insane stories absolutely were my favourites.
But, all stories were well written, had their own style and their own atmosphere. It's remarkable and amazingly impressive how one children's book can inspire so many different writers to write so many different, unique and original things.
November 8, 2023
2.5 stars
I found that quite a few of these stories are unrelated to Alice, Wonderland or themes of the original story. There are also others that try to be on theme by simply name-dropping Alice, Queen of Hearts and Jabberwock in random stories. There are a few solid stories in here, but overall I feel a little disappointed.
I wonder if the essence of Alice in Wonderland is also better captured in longer stories, as fever dreams that eventually mean something because we fall in love with the characters through their trials and tribulations in full adventures.
I found that quite a few of these stories are unrelated to Alice, Wonderland or themes of the original story. There are also others that try to be on theme by simply name-dropping Alice, Queen of Hearts and Jabberwock in random stories. There are a few solid stories in here, but overall I feel a little disappointed.
I wonder if the essence of Alice in Wonderland is also better captured in longer stories, as fever dreams that eventually mean something because we fall in love with the characters through their trials and tribulations in full adventures.
October 28, 2019
From classic quests to speculative sci-fi, this collection reimagines the Alice in Wonderland world in such a contrarywise way. While I loved some stories more than others, that’s the curse of any anthology. It was entertaining and fun!
April 19, 2022
I love all things Alice in Wonderland. This anthology presented a great mix of intriguing stories, all with a unique twist. There were several stories that I wish could be fleshed out into whole books and some that had me scratching my head wondering what the heck I just read. Though since the inspiration for them was Alice in Wonderland that makes sense. The White Queen's Pawn , Smoke 'en If You Got 'em , and Six Impossible Things were my favorites.
September 21, 2019
I was kindly gifted a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for review.
Anthologies can be little bit hit or miss for me. Either I really enjoy most of the stories or the majority end up being a bit too lyrical and metaphorical for me and end up going over my head. This collection was a little bit of a both, I really enjoyed some stories but others I just didn't really gel with.
As you can probably tell from the title of this anthology it is a collection of stories inspired by Alice in Wonderland. There are a large variety of stories in here, some from fairly well known authors, that range from direct retellings or continuations of the original to stories with a tenuous link such as a characters name.
This started off really promising, I really enjoyed most of the stories in the first half. However, there were a few in the second half that I didn't really gel with which was a shame. Some of my favourite stories included...
There Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey - I really enjoy M.R. Carey's writing style, its atmospheric and a little bit creepy and I liked that this story took its inspiration from a less familiar part of the story.
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott - This one I particularly enjoyed. I loved the sci-fi twist at the end.
Good Dog, Alice! - This one was just super fun.
What Makes a Monster by L.L McKinney - I've previously read A Blade so Black and actually quite enjoyed it and this story was based in the same world as that book. I enjoyed getting back into that world again.
Overall, if your an Alice in Wonderland fan though I would recommend this one as there are some really interesting takes on the tale.
Anthologies can be little bit hit or miss for me. Either I really enjoy most of the stories or the majority end up being a bit too lyrical and metaphorical for me and end up going over my head. This collection was a little bit of a both, I really enjoyed some stories but others I just didn't really gel with.
As you can probably tell from the title of this anthology it is a collection of stories inspired by Alice in Wonderland. There are a large variety of stories in here, some from fairly well known authors, that range from direct retellings or continuations of the original to stories with a tenuous link such as a characters name.
This started off really promising, I really enjoyed most of the stories in the first half. However, there were a few in the second half that I didn't really gel with which was a shame. Some of my favourite stories included...
There Were No Birds to Fly by M.R. Carey - I really enjoy M.R. Carey's writing style, its atmospheric and a little bit creepy and I liked that this story took its inspiration from a less familiar part of the story.
Dream Girl by Cavan Scott - This one I particularly enjoyed. I loved the sci-fi twist at the end.
Good Dog, Alice! - This one was just super fun.
What Makes a Monster by L.L McKinney - I've previously read A Blade so Black and actually quite enjoyed it and this story was based in the same world as that book. I enjoyed getting back into that world again.
Overall, if your an Alice in Wonderland fan though I would recommend this one as there are some really interesting takes on the tale.
November 24, 2021
Within these pages you'll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical. There's even a Wild West tale from Angela Slatter, poetry, and a story by Laura Mauro which presents us with a Japanese folklore-inspired Wonderland.
Like most Anthologies you have a collection of stories by different authors all focused around a main theme, and in this book the main theme is, "Alice & wonderland" and also like most anthology books, the beginning few stories are solid to really pull you in, a sub par middle and then the end is interesting/good enough to make you feel like you haven't wasted your time with the middle slog. And some of the stories here are good, they are dark, scary, funny, some deal with dark subjects like physical abuse and drug use, it was all a little shock to the system for me at first, but this is not my first rodeo into a dark and twisted take on alice so i quickly was able to adjust. So overall I feel this is an interesting collection of stories and i would be interested in reading another collection like this, two potential recommendations would be "peter pan or the chronicles of narnia" they would both be perfect for a dark and twisted take on there stories and could be interesting to see other people's dark versions of those classical tales. So i will sit in wait for them, but as this book stands it's interesting/good enough that i feel majority of people would enjoy these stories and i can happily recommend it.
3/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐
50/100 Biscuits & tea 🍵 🍪
Like most Anthologies you have a collection of stories by different authors all focused around a main theme, and in this book the main theme is, "Alice & wonderland" and also like most anthology books, the beginning few stories are solid to really pull you in, a sub par middle and then the end is interesting/good enough to make you feel like you haven't wasted your time with the middle slog. And some of the stories here are good, they are dark, scary, funny, some deal with dark subjects like physical abuse and drug use, it was all a little shock to the system for me at first, but this is not my first rodeo into a dark and twisted take on alice so i quickly was able to adjust. So overall I feel this is an interesting collection of stories and i would be interested in reading another collection like this, two potential recommendations would be "peter pan or the chronicles of narnia" they would both be perfect for a dark and twisted take on there stories and could be interesting to see other people's dark versions of those classical tales. So i will sit in wait for them, but as this book stands it's interesting/good enough that i feel majority of people would enjoy these stories and i can happily recommend it.
3/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐
50/100 Biscuits & tea 🍵 🍪
August 10, 2021
I didn’t enjoy MOST of the stories in this but I was so excited for it :/
September 26, 2019
I think most people are somewhat familiar with the original stories. My first introduction to Alice, I’m fairly sure, was via the Disney animated film, and to be honest I’m not convinced if I’ve even fully read the original stories. I really must rectify that soon (would love a MinaLima to design an edition btw). The genre bending children’s fantasy, has definite horrific aspects and many a joke has been made about what Carroll was on when he wrote these tales. They are a true classic, and have been a springboard for many a spin off or retelling both on film, and on the page.
The majority of the works in this anthology are short stories although these are bookended by two poems by Jane Yolen. The second of which I preferred. Some of the tales may be better appreciated by people who are familiar with the originals but despite this most can stand alone.
I was only familiar with 3 of the 20 names associated and so I had the pleasure of being introduced to other authors, some of whose other work I am now likely to seek out as a result.
There is something for everyone in here, but as with most short story collections perhaps not everything will be for everyone. Stories that although are well written, don’t quite make that connection. There’s historical, contemporary and futuristic tales in fantasy, science fiction, horror, historical and more. Topics such as capitalism and child abuse are discovered. Not be shelved in the children’s section next to the original. And most of the characters from Hatter to Cheshire, The Jabberwock, and even the more obscure Walrus, appear in one form or another across these tales. For me there were many more hits than misses and I will mention a few of the hits next.
First up is the author I was most familiar with - MR Carey with There were no birds to fly. The tonal similarity with his other works was apparent. That apocalyptic creepiness. Oddly this was the least recognisable in terms of its connection to the original, until the very end. Carey shows that being inspired by something can still lead to a highly original story.
Next was Genevieve Cogman. I was aware of her and have her Invisible Library series waiting on my TBR. Her tale The White Queen’s Pawn had a wry and dark humour, and a be careful what you wish for moral. I definitely plan to bump her tales up the list.
And the stand out for me was Cavan Scott’s Dream Girl. I won’t mention the genre as that is sort of a spoiler in itself but it was perfection. It reminded me of the Wizard of Oz/Wicked retelling and I would love to be able to read a longer work based on what this becomes at the end of the story.
Thank you to Titan for the gifted review copy and to editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane for bringing this together. Do check out the rest of the blog tour stops to see which stories stood out to everyone else.
Alice in Armor - poem - 4 stars
Wonders Never Cease - 3 stars (abstract)
There were no birds to fly - MR Carey - 4.5 creepy horror
The White Queen’s Pawn - 5 stars Genevieve Cogman
Dream Girl - 5 stars. Won’t tell you genre because it will spoil it
Good Girl, Alice - 5 stars (doggo)
The Hunting of the Jabberwock -
4.5 stars
About Time - 4.5 stars
Smoke ‘em if You Got ‘em - 4.5 stars
Vanished Summer Glory - 5 stars
Black Kitty - 4.5 stars
The Night Parade - 5 stars (Asian influenced)
What Makes a Monster - 5 stars. (Nightmare fuel. Jack the Ripper)
The White Queen’s Dictum - 5 stars paranormal
Temp Work - 4 stars
Eat Me, Drink Me - 3 stars
How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen - 3.5 stars
Six Impossible Things - 3.5 stars
Revolution in Wonder - poem - 4 stars
The majority of the works in this anthology are short stories although these are bookended by two poems by Jane Yolen. The second of which I preferred. Some of the tales may be better appreciated by people who are familiar with the originals but despite this most can stand alone.
I was only familiar with 3 of the 20 names associated and so I had the pleasure of being introduced to other authors, some of whose other work I am now likely to seek out as a result.
There is something for everyone in here, but as with most short story collections perhaps not everything will be for everyone. Stories that although are well written, don’t quite make that connection. There’s historical, contemporary and futuristic tales in fantasy, science fiction, horror, historical and more. Topics such as capitalism and child abuse are discovered. Not be shelved in the children’s section next to the original. And most of the characters from Hatter to Cheshire, The Jabberwock, and even the more obscure Walrus, appear in one form or another across these tales. For me there were many more hits than misses and I will mention a few of the hits next.
First up is the author I was most familiar with - MR Carey with There were no birds to fly. The tonal similarity with his other works was apparent. That apocalyptic creepiness. Oddly this was the least recognisable in terms of its connection to the original, until the very end. Carey shows that being inspired by something can still lead to a highly original story.
Next was Genevieve Cogman. I was aware of her and have her Invisible Library series waiting on my TBR. Her tale The White Queen’s Pawn had a wry and dark humour, and a be careful what you wish for moral. I definitely plan to bump her tales up the list.
And the stand out for me was Cavan Scott’s Dream Girl. I won’t mention the genre as that is sort of a spoiler in itself but it was perfection. It reminded me of the Wizard of Oz/Wicked retelling and I would love to be able to read a longer work based on what this becomes at the end of the story.
Thank you to Titan for the gifted review copy and to editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane for bringing this together. Do check out the rest of the blog tour stops to see which stories stood out to everyone else.
Alice in Armor - poem - 4 stars
Wonders Never Cease - 3 stars (abstract)
There were no birds to fly - MR Carey - 4.5 creepy horror
The White Queen’s Pawn - 5 stars Genevieve Cogman
Dream Girl - 5 stars. Won’t tell you genre because it will spoil it
Good Girl, Alice - 5 stars (doggo)
The Hunting of the Jabberwock -
4.5 stars
About Time - 4.5 stars
Smoke ‘em if You Got ‘em - 4.5 stars
Vanished Summer Glory - 5 stars
Black Kitty - 4.5 stars
The Night Parade - 5 stars (Asian influenced)
What Makes a Monster - 5 stars. (Nightmare fuel. Jack the Ripper)
The White Queen’s Dictum - 5 stars paranormal
Temp Work - 4 stars
Eat Me, Drink Me - 3 stars
How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen - 3.5 stars
Six Impossible Things - 3.5 stars
Revolution in Wonder - poem - 4 stars
October 6, 2019
3.5/5 Stars
*I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’m sure that the majority of us have read Alice in Wonderland at some point, or at least are familiar with the story. It has been a while though since I’ve read it, but it’s always been a story that fascinated me and I love the different interpretations of it in both book and film, so this anthology piqued my interest a lot. These stories were very original and were a very eclectic mix and it’s probably one of the most diverse anthologies I’ve read, most notably in the genres explored. As it’s such a mix of interpretations, writing styles and genres, everyone will probably respond to this anthology very differently from the next person. And as is probably expected, there were some stories that I enjoyed more than others.
Every single contribution in this anthology is of course, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. However, with some of the stories it is a bit harder to pinpoint the connection to Wonderland and so with a couple of them, although I enjoyed the story in itself, it was a bit disappointing to not be able to see a clear connection with Alice. I didn’t expect them to be an exact copy, I’m actually glad that none of them were, but it would’ve been nice if the Alice influence was a bit clearer. Some had elements of the original story in them like going down the rabbit hole, the growing and shrinking and the slaying of the Jabberwocky. Whereas some just had characters with similar names to the original characters, with one being spelt Alise. Others didn’t have connections that I could pinpoint as easily and I didn’t mind when the story in itself was interesting enough, but some of the concepts were harder to grasp and I just couldn’t get into them as much.
I wish I’d have taken my time with this, and stepped away after each story, because I feel like it would of allowed each story to fully make its mark on me, before I dived into another. Some of the stories have overlapped a bit in my memory because there are quite a few of them, and naturally, I remember the ones that I enjoyed more, compare to the ones I didn’t. There were quite a lot of stories that I did enjoy though and I found myself faced with one of the downsides to anthologies, where you read a good story and desperately want it to be a bit longer. For the most part, I felt that the author’s did a really good job with the length of their stories, they didn’t seem too long or too short, but when you’re enjoying something, you always want a bit more. There were actually also two poems in the book, one opened the anthology and another closed it, which was a quite nice use of structure. Both of the poems were done by the same author, but I really liked the last poem the best, it, paired with the last story, felt the perfect way to end the anthology. Both offerings seemed to jolt the reader back into the harsh realities of life, such as the fact that Alice couldn’t stay in Wonderland forever and in my opinion, the horrific truth of what would of happened to Wonderland had it been discovered by adults.
The ones that I wasn’t too fond of, like I said, didn’t really feel connected to Wonderland or just didn’t pull me in enough. I feel like some of the stories were too abstract in their connection and general plot, that I couldn’t enjoy them as much as the others. I completely love how weird and wacky the world of Wonderland is, but some of the stories just didn’t make sense to me and I was confused the whole time. I felt like I couldn’t find something to hold on to in those stories and so when that happened, I was searching for the connection to Alice instead and then when I didn’t find it, I was at a loss. Therefore, I couldn’t appreciate them as their own story or through their connection to Wonderland.
Lastly I want to just praise the ones that I loved. These tended to be the ones that had a more realistic approach to Wonderland, covered in magical realism. Magical realism tends to be a favourite of mine and so it doesn’t surprise me that these were my favourite type of stories. I’m not sure why, but I just found these more inventive than the others. There was one where Alice had come out of Wonderland, found the world a changed place and had to assimilate into everyday mundane life, it was sad but a really interesting read. There was another story that was a bit harder to swallow in terms of subject matter and looked at what Alice could of been escaping from by going to Wonderland. A lot of the stories had quite dark undertones, but one that was incredibly sweet was where Alice had to come to terms with the fact that the things from her childhood, such as Wonderland, were suffering due to her no longer paying attention to them and she made it her responsibility to fix it. One of my favourites and the last story, looked at Alice reflecting on her life and what happens to those who experienced so much magic as a child and the longing to go back instead of facing reality. It even incorporated Peter Pan, which I thought was a nice touch.
Overall, this was a unique anthology filled with inventive stories that I’ve never seen before as interpretations of Wonderland. Although some were more to my liking than others, I was able to appreciate the amount of creativity displayed, I mean we saw an injection of Japanese folklore, Alice hunting Mr. Rabbit and even consideration of the controversy surrounding Carroll. I would definitely recommend this as I’m sure that there’s something for everyone in this wide range of stories.
*I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’m sure that the majority of us have read Alice in Wonderland at some point, or at least are familiar with the story. It has been a while though since I’ve read it, but it’s always been a story that fascinated me and I love the different interpretations of it in both book and film, so this anthology piqued my interest a lot. These stories were very original and were a very eclectic mix and it’s probably one of the most diverse anthologies I’ve read, most notably in the genres explored. As it’s such a mix of interpretations, writing styles and genres, everyone will probably respond to this anthology very differently from the next person. And as is probably expected, there were some stories that I enjoyed more than others.
Every single contribution in this anthology is of course, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. However, with some of the stories it is a bit harder to pinpoint the connection to Wonderland and so with a couple of them, although I enjoyed the story in itself, it was a bit disappointing to not be able to see a clear connection with Alice. I didn’t expect them to be an exact copy, I’m actually glad that none of them were, but it would’ve been nice if the Alice influence was a bit clearer. Some had elements of the original story in them like going down the rabbit hole, the growing and shrinking and the slaying of the Jabberwocky. Whereas some just had characters with similar names to the original characters, with one being spelt Alise. Others didn’t have connections that I could pinpoint as easily and I didn’t mind when the story in itself was interesting enough, but some of the concepts were harder to grasp and I just couldn’t get into them as much.
I wish I’d have taken my time with this, and stepped away after each story, because I feel like it would of allowed each story to fully make its mark on me, before I dived into another. Some of the stories have overlapped a bit in my memory because there are quite a few of them, and naturally, I remember the ones that I enjoyed more, compare to the ones I didn’t. There were quite a lot of stories that I did enjoy though and I found myself faced with one of the downsides to anthologies, where you read a good story and desperately want it to be a bit longer. For the most part, I felt that the author’s did a really good job with the length of their stories, they didn’t seem too long or too short, but when you’re enjoying something, you always want a bit more. There were actually also two poems in the book, one opened the anthology and another closed it, which was a quite nice use of structure. Both of the poems were done by the same author, but I really liked the last poem the best, it, paired with the last story, felt the perfect way to end the anthology. Both offerings seemed to jolt the reader back into the harsh realities of life, such as the fact that Alice couldn’t stay in Wonderland forever and in my opinion, the horrific truth of what would of happened to Wonderland had it been discovered by adults.
The ones that I wasn’t too fond of, like I said, didn’t really feel connected to Wonderland or just didn’t pull me in enough. I feel like some of the stories were too abstract in their connection and general plot, that I couldn’t enjoy them as much as the others. I completely love how weird and wacky the world of Wonderland is, but some of the stories just didn’t make sense to me and I was confused the whole time. I felt like I couldn’t find something to hold on to in those stories and so when that happened, I was searching for the connection to Alice instead and then when I didn’t find it, I was at a loss. Therefore, I couldn’t appreciate them as their own story or through their connection to Wonderland.
Lastly I want to just praise the ones that I loved. These tended to be the ones that had a more realistic approach to Wonderland, covered in magical realism. Magical realism tends to be a favourite of mine and so it doesn’t surprise me that these were my favourite type of stories. I’m not sure why, but I just found these more inventive than the others. There was one where Alice had come out of Wonderland, found the world a changed place and had to assimilate into everyday mundane life, it was sad but a really interesting read. There was another story that was a bit harder to swallow in terms of subject matter and looked at what Alice could of been escaping from by going to Wonderland. A lot of the stories had quite dark undertones, but one that was incredibly sweet was where Alice had to come to terms with the fact that the things from her childhood, such as Wonderland, were suffering due to her no longer paying attention to them and she made it her responsibility to fix it. One of my favourites and the last story, looked at Alice reflecting on her life and what happens to those who experienced so much magic as a child and the longing to go back instead of facing reality. It even incorporated Peter Pan, which I thought was a nice touch.
Overall, this was a unique anthology filled with inventive stories that I’ve never seen before as interpretations of Wonderland. Although some were more to my liking than others, I was able to appreciate the amount of creativity displayed, I mean we saw an injection of Japanese folklore, Alice hunting Mr. Rabbit and even consideration of the controversy surrounding Carroll. I would definitely recommend this as I’m sure that there’s something for everyone in this wide range of stories.
January 17, 2020
This one was a 3 because unfortunately I only enjoyed approximately half of the stories and ended up skipping many of the others. However, I have to say, of the ones I enjoyed, there were some there that were truly fantastic and shone through at anywhere between a four to a five grade, making this a book well worth borrowing from the library.
The stories I did enjoy ranged from; an Alice on a mission in the Old West version of our world to track down the rabbit who is guilty of abducting children and collaborating to put in place systems of local oppression; an Alice as a cunning kickass old woman confronting both the rise of fascism in the UK between the wars and her deadly contract with the Queen; one that took the perspectives of the cats from Alice's story; Alice and her very good dog and her plan that sees her vanquish a real world peril of sexual abuse - there was so much sorrow but triumph wrapped in this one; And finally one eco dystopian scifi one that kept the names and some physical aspects but definitely and defiantly made it its own.
One other thing I did miss from this anthology, is that unlike some others, the stories do not come with author notes at the end of each, where inspiration or link ties are expanded on.
The stories I did enjoy ranged from; an Alice on a mission in the Old West version of our world to track down the rabbit who is guilty of abducting children and collaborating to put in place systems of local oppression; an Alice as a cunning kickass old woman confronting both the rise of fascism in the UK between the wars and her deadly contract with the Queen; one that took the perspectives of the cats from Alice's story; Alice and her very good dog and her plan that sees her vanquish a real world peril of sexual abuse - there was so much sorrow but triumph wrapped in this one; And finally one eco dystopian scifi one that kept the names and some physical aspects but definitely and defiantly made it its own.
One other thing I did miss from this anthology, is that unlike some others, the stories do not come with author notes at the end of each, where inspiration or link ties are expanded on.
November 10, 2024
Author: M.R. Carey
Page Count: 360 Pages
Published Date: 12th January 2021
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ⭐⭐
Synopsis:
Shortlisted for best anthology in the Shirley Jackson Awards. From the greatest names in fantasy and horror comes an anthology of stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland Within these pages you'll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical, taking us from the nightmarish reaches of the imagination to tales that will shock, surprise and tug on the heart-strings. So, it's time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or... But no, wait. By picking up this book and starting to read it you're already there, can't you see?
My Thoughts:
I thought that I would of liked this book because I like Alice in Wonderland but this book was so different to what I thought it was going to be. Some of this book has references and characters from Alice but the other times I had no idea what happened in the rest of the book. I have rated this book 2 out of 5 stars just because I didn't understand the storyline and what it was about.
Page Count: 360 Pages
Published Date: 12th January 2021
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ⭐⭐
Synopsis:
Shortlisted for best anthology in the Shirley Jackson Awards. From the greatest names in fantasy and horror comes an anthology of stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland Within these pages you'll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical, taking us from the nightmarish reaches of the imagination to tales that will shock, surprise and tug on the heart-strings. So, it's time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or... But no, wait. By picking up this book and starting to read it you're already there, can't you see?
My Thoughts:
I thought that I would of liked this book because I like Alice in Wonderland but this book was so different to what I thought it was going to be. Some of this book has references and characters from Alice but the other times I had no idea what happened in the rest of the book. I have rated this book 2 out of 5 stars just because I didn't understand the storyline and what it was about.
April 11, 2020
Firstly I'd like to say thank you to Titan Books for sending me a copy of Wonderland! I always enjoy receiving books that are slightly out of my comfort zone to try and find something new that I will love!
Sadly I just didn't enjoy this collection of stories; for me all the stories felt very negative and had what seemed to be a negative outlook on the Alice in Wonderland story and her creator. I'm not sure if I just missed the message with the stories...
There is only story that I really enjoyed in this book and that is one of the first ones, Wonders Never Cease, which just had quite a magical feel for me and I really felt sucked into the story; even though it was a dark story it was very gripping and i'd be interested in reading a longer story of this prompt.
Other than that I didn't really enjoy it. Not one for me.
Sadly I just didn't enjoy this collection of stories; for me all the stories felt very negative and had what seemed to be a negative outlook on the Alice in Wonderland story and her creator. I'm not sure if I just missed the message with the stories...
There is only story that I really enjoyed in this book and that is one of the first ones, Wonders Never Cease, which just had quite a magical feel for me and I really felt sucked into the story; even though it was a dark story it was very gripping and i'd be interested in reading a longer story of this prompt.
Other than that I didn't really enjoy it. Not one for me.
January 3, 2021
Esta antología curada por Marie O´Regan y Paul Kane nos invita a asomarnos de nuevo a la madriguera del conejo acompañado de las voces de 19 artistas que toman de inspiración las aventuras de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas. Son 2 poemas y 17 cuentos cortos. La conocí porque estuvo nominada en los Shirley Jackson Awards del año pasado en la categoría de mejor antología de cuentos. Como un fanático de todo lo que tenga que ver con Wonderland, le entré enseguida y no decepcionó, al contrario.
Lo que me atrapó fue la re interpretación que cada escritor hace de la obra más famosa de Lewis Carroll. Hay variedad de géneros, pero la mayoría se inclina por lo oscuro y lo inquietante. Ninguno de los cuentos decepciona, si no al contrario, es una agradable sorpresa poder re visitar Wonderland de la mano de estos artistas que modernizan el ya muchas veces tocado País de las maravillas.
No en todos los cuentos Alicia es la protagonista, sino el concepto del País de las Maravillas en general. Hay un cuento donde Alicia es una especie de entrenadora de asesinos que se acerca mucho al género de espionaje. Hay otro donde Wonderland es un país donde la vibra del “Viejo Oeste” reina y Alicia es la pistolera más letal del condado. Hay otro donde el tono y estilo es mucho más CiFi y gore donde Alicia trata de escapar, con un grupo de personas, de un Wonderland monstruoso y violento. Hay otro donde Alicia no recuerda conscientemente su viaje infantil, y ahora como adulta tiene que lidiar con el cáncer. Cada una de las 19 obras es una carta de amor al universo y personajes que Lewis Carrol nos regaló hace 165 años.
Como en casi todas las antologías hay cuentos que me gustaron más que otros, pero en general los disfrute todos. Los editores hicieron un excelente trabajo eligiendo los cuentos. Todos tienen una propuesta y enfoque único y están escritos de una manera fenomenal.
Si les gusta la obra original, esta antología es un regalo que tienen que hacerse.
Lo que me atrapó fue la re interpretación que cada escritor hace de la obra más famosa de Lewis Carroll. Hay variedad de géneros, pero la mayoría se inclina por lo oscuro y lo inquietante. Ninguno de los cuentos decepciona, si no al contrario, es una agradable sorpresa poder re visitar Wonderland de la mano de estos artistas que modernizan el ya muchas veces tocado País de las maravillas.
No en todos los cuentos Alicia es la protagonista, sino el concepto del País de las Maravillas en general. Hay un cuento donde Alicia es una especie de entrenadora de asesinos que se acerca mucho al género de espionaje. Hay otro donde Wonderland es un país donde la vibra del “Viejo Oeste” reina y Alicia es la pistolera más letal del condado. Hay otro donde el tono y estilo es mucho más CiFi y gore donde Alicia trata de escapar, con un grupo de personas, de un Wonderland monstruoso y violento. Hay otro donde Alicia no recuerda conscientemente su viaje infantil, y ahora como adulta tiene que lidiar con el cáncer. Cada una de las 19 obras es una carta de amor al universo y personajes que Lewis Carrol nos regaló hace 165 años.
Como en casi todas las antologías hay cuentos que me gustaron más que otros, pero en general los disfrute todos. Los editores hicieron un excelente trabajo eligiendo los cuentos. Todos tienen una propuesta y enfoque único y están escritos de una manera fenomenal.
Si les gusta la obra original, esta antología es un regalo que tienen que hacerse.
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