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Madness Solver in Wonderland 2
Madnes and his gang have split into groups, each team heading out to find one of the seven crystals that are driving the Terraforming spell—a spell that is destroying Oswick Island, annihilating the town, and replacing it with Wonderland soil for the Red King’s wicked purpose.
From the Floating Isles to the volcano gorf, to a shady circus and the Cave of Memories, and beyond—each group must succeed in their quest.
Will Oz’s mother finally be found, and the truth of the nymphs revealed? And when Madnes faces off against the Red King, will he meet the same tragic fate as all the Madness Solvers before him?
The battle to save both worlds now begins!
From the Floating Isles to the volcano gorf, to a shady circus and the Cave of Memories, and beyond—each group must succeed in their quest.
Will Oz’s mother finally be found, and the truth of the nymphs revealed? And when Madnes faces off against the Red King, will he meet the same tragic fate as all the Madness Solvers before him?
The battle to save both worlds now begins!
- GenresFantasy
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2021
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 15, 2021
A super fun conclusion to a delightful romp of a Wonderland tale!
See Book #1, Madness Solver in Wonderland, for my full review of the duology!
See Book #1, Madness Solver in Wonderland, for my full review of the duology!
June 15, 2021
My review is going to be encompassing both the first and second book as I read both of them and they honestly felt more like a part’s one and two. With that being said, Madnes Solver in Wonderland is now my favorite retelling of Alice in Wonderland! I might even be so bold as to say that it’s better than Disney’s remake. While I wasn’t too terribly captivated reading the first book, I was hooked on the second one and finished it in two days. There were so many cool little bits and pieces that Rawls put into the story that added either worked out as a pun or was a hint toward the original story while still being completely original.
One of my favorite things about these books was the dragon knights. I just found them to be totally awesome and if I had the chance to live in Wonderland, I would definitely be a dragon knight! Also, I enjoyed how Rawls incorporated a subtle thread of religion in the story without bogging down the plot or making it jarring to the reader. There was just enough humor and weirdness throughout the books (can we talk about the ninja bananas??) to make them and excellent sequel to Lewis Carroll’s original stories.
Overall, I think I’m a little obsessed with these books and they are now added to my favorites list!
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of both books for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
One of my favorite things about these books was the dragon knights. I just found them to be totally awesome and if I had the chance to live in Wonderland, I would definitely be a dragon knight! Also, I enjoyed how Rawls incorporated a subtle thread of religion in the story without bogging down the plot or making it jarring to the reader. There was just enough humor and weirdness throughout the books (can we talk about the ninja bananas??) to make them and excellent sequel to Lewis Carroll’s original stories.
Overall, I think I’m a little obsessed with these books and they are now added to my favorites list!
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of both books for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 28, 2021
I couldn't separate these two books into two separate reviews because they really are a single story. So I'm putting my review for book 1 here as well:
Rawls is back with her characteristic whimsical style, this time taking us from Earth into Wonderland (and back and forth between the two) on an exciting romp with Madnes Hatter and his friends.
Things I loved about Madness Solver in Wonderland:
THE CHARACTERS
Madnes Hatter - It would be nearly impossible not to love Madnes himself. While I was expecting (from my limited interactions with Wonderland) a rather strange, eccentric, and extremely quirky (if not downright insane) character, Madnes is actually none of these things. He is instead unswervingly loyal and steadfast and a true friend. He is courageous. He is decisive. And although he often doubts himself and isn’t extremely thrilled about his new job as the Madness Solver, he never hesitates to do what needs to be done and doesn’t stand around wasting time. I loved watching Madnes grow up throughout this story and really become who he was meant to be.
Alice - One of Madnes’ best friends, Alice definitely intrigued me from moment one. I was guessing early on that she knew more than she was saying, since she kept making cryptic comments and then passing them off with a smile and a little skip as if she was just that sort of person who makes more-than-insightful observations… but I had a feeling she was more than she seemed. She is a gentle soul, and one of the main places where Madnes can get actual encouragement early on in the story when he is still reeling from all the things that have suddenly become a part of his everyday existence.
Cosmic - Madnes’ uncle is just about the coolest character in the story. A bounty hunter with a heart of gold, this guy is every cool uncle combined into one… but there’s no hint of bad influence about this guy. He is there to help Madnes learn how to use his power in ways that won’t burn up his life-force, and he is there to protect Madnes in any way he can.
Oz - Madnes’ cousin and childhood friend (though I wasn’t sure at the end exactly how they were actually related…) I can’t say too much about Oz because all the spoilers but he is one of those characters that you kind of start out hating, but you are also drawn to them and hope they make better decisions at some point. He’s the quintessential moody, misunderstood bad boy character and while I don’t fall for them every time, when they’re well-done, I enjoy that type.
Cheshire - The talking cat who is of course a Wonderland staple. It is his job to help Madnes learn the ropes of his newfound power and job. This is not THE Cheshire, it’s more of a title handed down, you see. He may seem a little stuffy and particular, but he’s good at what he does and he truly does care about Madnes and Wonderland and Earth and keeping everything balanced.
Found Family Trope - There are also some orphans who show up and get sort of adopted into the group. Harrey (Madnes' best friend) sort of ends up acting as their crazy uncle/father figure, which was highly entertaining since Harrey himself is the immature one of the main group, but that also made his interactions with the twins all the more charming.
THE SETTING
Both Wonderland and Earth have very steampunk vibes in this story, and that was really fun to see. For example, Madnes’ best friend Harrey is an inventor of strange and interesting contraptions (that do not always work). From a spying mechanical frog to a bike/hang-glider, Harrey is the guy you want to have around if you need something mechanical…. but only if you don’t need said mechanical contraption to actually work too badly! Wonderland itself has airships and various other steampunk features as well, but it also contains magic and wizards and portals and dragon-knights. That is, knights that can take on dragon form… which is just cool. But then, the setting also felt very regular fantasy at times, with an underwater kingdom, a misty, murky, dangerous forest that will try to entrap you and make you part of itself if you stay longer than 24 hours, and a king trying to cast a spell to combine Earth and Wonderland and expand his kingdom and his reign.
THE PLOT
This is one of those stories where you kind of never know what’s going to happen next. While these two books are very much a single story (book one ends on a definite cliff-hanger… but the author released both books simultaneously, so you don’t have to wait or wonder what’s going to happen next), the two books contain very different kinds of plot. Book one is very much the coming-of-age sort of story. Book two is where all the action is, but is arranged almost in a series of vignettes as the group breaks up (SPLIT THE PARTY!) and comes back together and then goes off in small groups again trying to find and destroy all seven crystals. Each of these smaller stories introduces us to more of Wonderland, and some new characters, and deepens the overarching plot. At times the plot of book 2 felt a little more meandering, like a set of short stories stitched together, but it was enjoyable and the last few chapters definitely bring everything back together for the epic conclusion!
Things I didn’t love:
I probably would have preferred that this be all one book, honestly. The interruption in the middle pulled me straight out of the story and I found that it was a little difficult to get back into the wonder of it all when I had to track down book 2.
I feel horrible saying this, but I never really got to love Harrey, Madnes’ best friend and “sidekick.” His inventions were entertaining, and the fact that they didn’t always work well was amusing, but I never felt like his character really got fleshed out. This could be because he ended up with the other more secondary characters in book 2, so we don’t get to see him interacting with Madnes and Alice, but I just never felt like I got to know him well.
Overall
I enjoyed this story and give it a solid 4 dragon eggs. The story was an engaging read, full of Rawl’s characteristic style and her absolutely adorable characters and her fabulous world-building. This is a fantastic romp of a middle grade tale with danger, excitement, mystery, magic, dragons, and threads of a beautiful Christian message running throughout. I highly recommend for anyone who absolutely adores everything Wonderland related!
But even if you’re someone like me, who has never really understood the attraction of Alice in Wonderland (I mean, I’ve read it, I’ve seen the movies, I even read the sequel… but I never fell in love with it… sorry!) this story is super fun and will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happen next. On the whole, this is the most fun I’ve ever had exploring Wonderland.
Rawls is back with her characteristic whimsical style, this time taking us from Earth into Wonderland (and back and forth between the two) on an exciting romp with Madnes Hatter and his friends.
Things I loved about Madness Solver in Wonderland:
THE CHARACTERS
Madnes Hatter - It would be nearly impossible not to love Madnes himself. While I was expecting (from my limited interactions with Wonderland) a rather strange, eccentric, and extremely quirky (if not downright insane) character, Madnes is actually none of these things. He is instead unswervingly loyal and steadfast and a true friend. He is courageous. He is decisive. And although he often doubts himself and isn’t extremely thrilled about his new job as the Madness Solver, he never hesitates to do what needs to be done and doesn’t stand around wasting time. I loved watching Madnes grow up throughout this story and really become who he was meant to be.
Alice - One of Madnes’ best friends, Alice definitely intrigued me from moment one. I was guessing early on that she knew more than she was saying, since she kept making cryptic comments and then passing them off with a smile and a little skip as if she was just that sort of person who makes more-than-insightful observations… but I had a feeling she was more than she seemed. She is a gentle soul, and one of the main places where Madnes can get actual encouragement early on in the story when he is still reeling from all the things that have suddenly become a part of his everyday existence.
Cosmic - Madnes’ uncle is just about the coolest character in the story. A bounty hunter with a heart of gold, this guy is every cool uncle combined into one… but there’s no hint of bad influence about this guy. He is there to help Madnes learn how to use his power in ways that won’t burn up his life-force, and he is there to protect Madnes in any way he can.
Oz - Madnes’ cousin and childhood friend (though I wasn’t sure at the end exactly how they were actually related…) I can’t say too much about Oz because all the spoilers but he is one of those characters that you kind of start out hating, but you are also drawn to them and hope they make better decisions at some point. He’s the quintessential moody, misunderstood bad boy character and while I don’t fall for them every time, when they’re well-done, I enjoy that type.
Cheshire - The talking cat who is of course a Wonderland staple. It is his job to help Madnes learn the ropes of his newfound power and job. This is not THE Cheshire, it’s more of a title handed down, you see. He may seem a little stuffy and particular, but he’s good at what he does and he truly does care about Madnes and Wonderland and Earth and keeping everything balanced.
Found Family Trope - There are also some orphans who show up and get sort of adopted into the group. Harrey (Madnes' best friend) sort of ends up acting as their crazy uncle/father figure, which was highly entertaining since Harrey himself is the immature one of the main group, but that also made his interactions with the twins all the more charming.
THE SETTING
Both Wonderland and Earth have very steampunk vibes in this story, and that was really fun to see. For example, Madnes’ best friend Harrey is an inventor of strange and interesting contraptions (that do not always work). From a spying mechanical frog to a bike/hang-glider, Harrey is the guy you want to have around if you need something mechanical…. but only if you don’t need said mechanical contraption to actually work too badly! Wonderland itself has airships and various other steampunk features as well, but it also contains magic and wizards and portals and dragon-knights. That is, knights that can take on dragon form… which is just cool. But then, the setting also felt very regular fantasy at times, with an underwater kingdom, a misty, murky, dangerous forest that will try to entrap you and make you part of itself if you stay longer than 24 hours, and a king trying to cast a spell to combine Earth and Wonderland and expand his kingdom and his reign.
THE PLOT
This is one of those stories where you kind of never know what’s going to happen next. While these two books are very much a single story (book one ends on a definite cliff-hanger… but the author released both books simultaneously, so you don’t have to wait or wonder what’s going to happen next), the two books contain very different kinds of plot. Book one is very much the coming-of-age sort of story. Book two is where all the action is, but is arranged almost in a series of vignettes as the group breaks up (SPLIT THE PARTY!) and comes back together and then goes off in small groups again trying to find and destroy all seven crystals. Each of these smaller stories introduces us to more of Wonderland, and some new characters, and deepens the overarching plot. At times the plot of book 2 felt a little more meandering, like a set of short stories stitched together, but it was enjoyable and the last few chapters definitely bring everything back together for the epic conclusion!
Things I didn’t love:
I probably would have preferred that this be all one book, honestly. The interruption in the middle pulled me straight out of the story and I found that it was a little difficult to get back into the wonder of it all when I had to track down book 2.
I feel horrible saying this, but I never really got to love Harrey, Madnes’ best friend and “sidekick.” His inventions were entertaining, and the fact that they didn’t always work well was amusing, but I never felt like his character really got fleshed out. This could be because he ended up with the other more secondary characters in book 2, so we don’t get to see him interacting with Madnes and Alice, but I just never felt like I got to know him well.
Overall
I enjoyed this story and give it a solid 4 dragon eggs. The story was an engaging read, full of Rawl’s characteristic style and her absolutely adorable characters and her fabulous world-building. This is a fantastic romp of a middle grade tale with danger, excitement, mystery, magic, dragons, and threads of a beautiful Christian message running throughout. I highly recommend for anyone who absolutely adores everything Wonderland related!
But even if you’re someone like me, who has never really understood the attraction of Alice in Wonderland (I mean, I’ve read it, I’ve seen the movies, I even read the sequel… but I never fell in love with it… sorry!) this story is super fun and will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happen next. On the whole, this is the most fun I’ve ever had exploring Wonderland.
June 17, 2021
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review. (If you have not read book one, this review might spoil it for you, so proceed with caution.)
With Earth at stake, Madnes and friends split into teams to destroy the crystals. New friends and foes are introduced, secrets are revealed, and Madnes’s time continues to run out. Will they manage to stop Earth from turning into another Wonderland? And will Madnes save them all at the cost of his own life?
I enjoyed the first book a lot, but I enjoyed this one even more! The world-building here was spectacular! Many different parts on Wonderland are explored, and I loved all the unique settings and characters! It was also really interesting to follow each of the different teams as they searched for crystals. Madnes and the gang are such a fun group to read about! I honestly wanted to visit this version of Wonderland after reading this! Once again, I would highly recommend this to middle-grade readers as it is clean, fun, and easy-to-read! Also, readers who enjoy clean re-tellings would probably also enjoy this book!
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review. (If you have not read book one, this review might spoil it for you, so proceed with caution.)
With Earth at stake, Madnes and friends split into teams to destroy the crystals. New friends and foes are introduced, secrets are revealed, and Madnes’s time continues to run out. Will they manage to stop Earth from turning into another Wonderland? And will Madnes save them all at the cost of his own life?
I enjoyed the first book a lot, but I enjoyed this one even more! The world-building here was spectacular! Many different parts on Wonderland are explored, and I loved all the unique settings and characters! It was also really interesting to follow each of the different teams as they searched for crystals. Madnes and the gang are such a fun group to read about! I honestly wanted to visit this version of Wonderland after reading this! Once again, I would highly recommend this to middle-grade readers as it is clean, fun, and easy-to-read! Also, readers who enjoy clean re-tellings would probably also enjoy this book!
July 29, 2021
Madness Solver introduced this fun set of characters and the plot to destroy the separation of worlds, but book 2 is where all the magic really happens. Don't stop at book one!
Book 2 is full of madcap adventure, wacky and imaginative settings, a cast of interesting side characters, and lots of perilous fun along the way! There's some Wonderland inspiration but a whole lot of author creativity to be had!
I enjoyed this series and would definitely recommend it for ya and especially upper middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy, clean reads, some dark themes and elements, lots of humor, a little heart, and loads of great character and world building.
I bought book one but was able to get an ARC of book 2! Totally would buy it, though. Finishing out the duology is worth it, and I can't wait to have my daughter read these books. I know she'll love them. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Book 2 is full of madcap adventure, wacky and imaginative settings, a cast of interesting side characters, and lots of perilous fun along the way! There's some Wonderland inspiration but a whole lot of author creativity to be had!
I enjoyed this series and would definitely recommend it for ya and especially upper middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy, clean reads, some dark themes and elements, lots of humor, a little heart, and loads of great character and world building.
I bought book one but was able to get an ARC of book 2! Totally would buy it, though. Finishing out the duology is worth it, and I can't wait to have my daughter read these books. I know she'll love them. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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