Lewis Carroll butchered the story beyond recognition. There was no White Rabbit, a little girl did not fall through a hole while chasing said rabbit, and the little girl most certainly was NOT born in England. If that weren’t degrading enough, Carroll had the temerity to spell the girl’s name wrong.

Meet Alyss Heart, Princess to the queendom of Wonderland. A brutal attack drove the young princess and her bodyguard into exile, with no promise of return. Accustomed to the everyday wonders of her birthplace, and to her power of White Imagination, Alyss is forced into the mundane world of nineteenth-century London. She has been separated from her bodyguard and quickly relegated to the likes of orphaned street rats.

Adopted by a British family, Alyss hopes to find help in returning to Wonderland. She is crushed when no one believes her fantastic stories. After her trust is betrayed by Carroll, Alyss, now renamed Alice, despairs of returning to her reality.

As Alyss languishes in England, her dread aunt Redd has overtaken the queendom and doles out her brand of rule. Every day in the capital city, Wondertropolis, is worse than the day before.

It is up to a lost bodyguard and old friends to bring Alyss home. If they succeed, she will have to battle to take her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

With the style of a master-storyteller, Beddor details a more comprehensive and gritty view of our beloved Wonderland. Characters range from outlandish to deeply human; settings from thoroughly mundane London alleys to the extraordinary Heart Palace. The Looking Glass Wars is infused with the spirit of imagination brought to life. Lovers of Alice in Wonderland and fans of fantasy dare not miss this adventure. To do so would be to demonstrate a lack of imagination.

Note to Parents: While this book is rated for ages 10 and up, I feel that the violence portrayed in this novel may be too much for some ten- or eleven-year-old children. If you are unsure of your child’s readiness, don’t be afraid to read it first. This book will appeal to adults just as much as to kids—and you’ll know what your child is reading.

Update 9/5/2006: I think this is going to be a love-it or hate-it novel. I wrote this review on the date posted below, posted it in the Amazon discussion area, and will "officially" post it on Amazon when the book is released. In my opinion, I think this actually HONORS the spirit of Carroll's work, albiet in a dark way

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
8/21/2006

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