Cece is a neurodivergent high school student who doesn't feel like she fits anywhere: when she defends herself against her tormenters, she ends up in the principal's office. When she's overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of school, her teachers single her out and try to shame her. The final betrayal comes when her best friend insinuates that her other friends may think Cece is behind some missing money for a school fundraiser; Cece takes off and finds herself in the Byways, a world of the forgotten, full of alleys that change and confuse, with magic and dark figures with dark purposes. Desperate to find her way home, Cece meets some people who want to help her, and some who want to keep her for their own uses. A dark, urban reimagining of Alice in Wonderland, The Byways is full of familiar characters, but with a new spin. Themes of political unrest, bullying, homelessness, and drug abuse run throughout. A good additional purchase for collections where YA fairy tale reimaginings are popular.

Very interesting read! The book pulled me in from the start and I wanted to see how it ended. Try it and see if this book is for you!

Going in all I knew was “ A dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland meets Neverwhere“ I love Wonderland retellings and this one fits right into that whole unique, upside-down world.
My favorite part of this book is the world. The world is well round, someone who makes sense of all the weirdness that is in this world. It is one of a kind! I enjoyed this world the most and feel like it is the strongest part of this whole book. I love that the world is hidden in the ‘Norma world’. I like how that twists and turns in the world, the window where you can see from one side to the other side; felt different. The queen and the key plot were interesting. I do feel that the characters were the weaker part of this book. It’s more about what the characters are going through. There are many side characters some I like, and some that would give you the ick vibe.
The writing had both prose and cons but I still had fun while reading. I can’t put my finger on what feels off about parts of this book but it couldn’t just be the vibe that this book has. Pascual’s writing is Lush when writing about the world but then more simple when not. I feel like it is meant to shine a light on the can of odd, fantasy kind of world that it is. If you like the wonderland-themed worlds then you could like this.
I like that CeeCee knows what she wants and she’s willing to do and try anything to get back home. I like that she has a mission.
A quirky unique world of a girl fighting to get her way back home.

This book felt like a fever-dream, it is so strange. The Byways follows CeeCee, who is struggling with being labeled and her school and friends only seeing her as those labels. She is neurodivergent, has anger issues, and is seen as a troublemaker and so when things at school start going more out of her control she snaps and storms off, suddenly buying into the labels everyone has placed on her.

I found CeeCee to be difficult. Throughout the book she was really focused on what people thought about her. I know as a high school student, that is where your thoughts are often focused, but it ended up making her fairly unlikable. I found her to be a pretty problematic main character. She often asked the wrong questions and her desire to get out of the Byways was often interrupted by her being impulsive.

The world-building in this book is so strange and all over the place. Much like Wonderland, the Byways, are a strange in-between/a different world, but this one is not full of whimsical cute things, but creepy, sometimes scary ones. There is a worm-man, a girl that produces dirt from her mouth, and other creatures along the way. CeeCee has to learn about this strange realm in order to escape it. There is a Queen, much like Wonderland, and she is just as bipolar in her rage. The Byways are a place were people go to hide, flee, fall into if they are forgotten, or end up if they are unseen or want to be unseen. It is full of the odd, strange, and problematic. There were a number of drug users and addicted, and the whole place read like a homeless encampment.

When you are first introduced to the Byways, the author uses a lot of shock-value to pull you in, but after that it becomes more fantastical and I enjoyed it better once CeeCee understands that she is in another place and needs to leave it. It is only at the 50% mark that we get a really good explanation of the world and how it is there. There is also more explanation of how the people are there and what they are like. I was interested to learn how some of the nicer people ended up there and why they stayed in this situation. I felt like the book switched at this halfway point - from a dialogue around liking yourself to a romance of sorts and CeeCee was only able to like herself once other people told her that she could.

The overall story was an interesting one. It was grittier than I expected, creepy in the right ways, but the story lost me by the halfway mark. I finished the book and it was ok, but I think you will only enjoy this book if you really like the creepy-whimsy that it projects and don't mind waiting a bit for it to all come together.

On a completely seperate note, I do not think that this cover does it justice.

DNF at 35%.

This book was way more disturbing than I was expecting. Maybe it was wrong of me to except a middle grade book that dealt with some difficult subjects and had disability rep... But yeah this was not what I expected at all.
I'm sure some people would like a book like this tho!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book!

Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this book, namely because of the narrator. If you're super into Alice in Wonderland retellings, maybe this one will be for you.

Book Review of The Byways by Mary Pascual

Cover Story: Through the Looking … Keyhole
BFF Charm: Big Sister
Talky Talk: Gritty Reimagining
Bonus Factor: Outcasts
Anti-Bonus Factor: Creep Factor
Relationship Status: One and Done

Content Warning: The Byways includes a semi-graphic mention of child pornography and scenes of attempted assault, as well as mentions of infertility and suggested forced surrogacy.

Cover Story: Through the Looking … Keyhole
There’s a definite topsy-turvy feel to this cover, and something quite unusual about the shadow attached to that cat. Fitting, all, for a novel inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

The Deal:
CeeCee Harper doesn’t fit in. Her neurodivergence often manifests in disruptive ways, leading to most of her fellow students viewing her as strange. One particularly rough day at school culminates in CeeCee wandering into the Byways, a place outside of regular space and rules of physics where lost and strange people find a new life. After narrowly escaping a couple of terrifying situations, CeeCee finds some kind strangers and begins to feel comfortable—perhaps too comfortable—amongst the fantastical folks. She knows she doesn’t want to say there forever, but finding a way home might be harder than it seems.

BFF Charm: Big Sister
I feel for CeeCee. No one understands her, and not in a normal teen angst way. Her neurodivergence makes her too different for people to really “get”; they’d rather write her off as a bad seed who won’t amount to anything good. Very few people take the time to work with her or help her, so she has to learn to rely on herself. But that’s not easy when an internal voice tells you you’re useless. I’m no expert on how best to deal with someone like her, but I’d be willing to try. Or at the very least, give her a big hug.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4
CeeCee meets Jesse, an attractive (and seemingly sane) young man early on in the book, but it’s not until a bit later that the two form an attachment. It’s more than a little instalove, but I, too, have been drawn in by mysterious morally grey characters with secrets. (More than once.)

Talky Talk: Gritty Reimagining
Pascual’s done an interesting job of translating/transposing some of Alice in Wonderland‘s ideas and themes into a new world made up of the folks the “real” world has forgotten. It’s a smart idea, and the world-building of The Byways is well done. The characters left a little to be desired, however; I felt more pity for CeeCee and her myriad of issues than I connected with her, and Jesse’s very one-dimensional for all his MLD-ish tendencies. The villains were also pretty flat, but in a way that resonated with the Alice in Wonderland inspiration. (You can’t tell me that the Queen of Hearts was well-rounded.)

Bonus Factor: Outcasts
At first, The Byways seem filled with mostly unsavory characters, but as CeeCee discovers more about them, she realizes that there are a lot of different folks living there. Some are decidedly magical, a few are possibly cursed, and more than a handful are just down-on-their-luck folk who the “real” world forgot about or wrote off as unredeemable. There were some lovely moments with shades of Found Family to them. That said …

Anti-Bonus Factor: Creep Factor
There are a lot of unsettling things in the original Alice in Wonderland story, but The Byways kicks it up a notch—or, in the case of The Caterpillar, which in the book is a slovenly, obese pedophile worm/man hybrid, many, many notches. It doesn’t get worse than him, but there are other folks/creatures/situations that come close, giving the book a general ick factor that was at times more unpleasant than interesting. In fact, the scene with the Caterpillar guy was early on in the book, and I almost DNFed it right then and there.

Relationship Status: One and Done
You were equal parts intriguing and disquieting, Book, and although some folks might enjoy that in their lives on the regular, I have to call it now before either of us starts to catch feelings. In this situation, it’s very much me needing more cozy comfort in my life right now, rather than you.

NEVERWHERE is probably my favorite book by Neil Gaiman, so I was really intrigued by the description of this book. I can see the comparison in some ways. THE BYWAYS takes place in a city that has a sort of dark, twisted magical underbelly that CeeCee stumbles into by mistake.

The writing took me a while to get used to. While the content is more mature and intense, the early chapters reminded me a lot more of a middle grade book. The way CeeCee describes her peers and her experiences at school made me think she was maybe 14 or 15, so I kept forgetting that she was supposed to be in high school. Though I guess it’s possible to be 15 in high school, so maybe that makes sense? As the story progressed, I think the tone shifted to more of a YA style of writing.

Some of the imagery in the magical area was pretty disturbing to me. At one point, CeeCee meets a super creepy guy who shows her a screen that she realizes is showing child p*rn and asks her to play a game with him. She’s disgusted and flees, but the other people around her kind of just shrug their shoulders about it and agree that yeah, that guy should probably be avoided. I could have done without that whole thing, honestly.

The whole story feels very much like a bad fever dream– which I suppose makes sense as a retelling of ALICE IN WONDERLAND? It’s definitely dark and twisted.

At the beginning and end of the story, the scenes focus a lot on CeeCee’s neurodivergent experience and what she does to navigate challenges. I think the middle of the story is less focused on that, though.

All in all, THE BYWAYS wasn’t a big hit for me. I really didn’t care for some of the creepy stuff, and the winding, slower pace of the plot made it tough for me to get through. If you like darker, fever-dream-type stories, THE BYWAYS could be just what you’re looking for, though.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

The Byways is a world made up of alleys, some dark characters, and a main character who feels she never fits in. CeeCee makes a bad decision one day and finds herself in the byways and doesn't know how it happened or how to get back home. I enjoyed the writing style and most of the characters. I will say I was thrown off a bit by one of them being a pedophile and another a drug pusher. I think I was so engrossed in the world that the pedophile especially jolted me back to reality, so I didn't like that. I have always loved Alice in Wonderland and knowing this story was inspired by that made me excited to read it.

CeeCee just never feels like she fits in. Being neurodivergent, she sees and experiences things differently, and that makes her weird in the eyes of the other kids. After a particularly bad day at school, CeeCee gets lost on her way home...and ends up in the Byways. A stark, edgy place with other people who don't seem to fit in, CeeCee can't help but wonder if this is where she belongs...

What can I say, I'm a sucker for Alice in Wonderland retellings. In this one, the Byways feel dark and chilling, definitely not the colorful wacky Wonderland of my Disney childhood. I liked CeeCee and couldn't help rooting for her - this was an enjoyable read, and I'm curious to see if there might be a sequel?

I'm always interested in a different take on well known fairy tales, especially those that can be more dark and twisty. Alice in Wonderland always seems to be a perfect medium for that so I was eager to pick this one up.

I really enjoyed this unique take and while CeeCee wasn't always a likeable character, I found her to be genuine in her personality. I found the writing style to lend to the fantasy of the story but there were a few points where things felt a little inconsistent in the story because if felt like the overriding voice changed.

Overall this was a fun journey that I thoroughly enjoyed and I would definitely read from this author again.

This young adult fantasy had an intriguing premise where the left out and the left behind are pulled into the byways and back alleys of an alternate world existing right within our "normal" world. CeeCee is a teenager who I suppose would be considered neurodiverse, but is bullied as well as often in trouble in school, and her temper and alienation lead her inadvertently into the bizarre and often dark and scary Byways. When she discovers some people can get out, but the longer she stays, the less chance she'll have, and she is also being hunted by the powerful Doctor M, well, getting out becomes her sole focus. But CeeCee discovers not everyone is evil and strange. And despite what everyone used to say, maybe not even CeeCee.
The story is well written but takes a while to take hold. I had a hard time going back to it for the first half or so. But once Jesse arrived, the story seemed to spin along quite nicely. Cats. Things are always better with cats. CeeCee is a very well realized character, very complex with believable reactions to unexpected events. She may not be all that likable at first, but she has a lot of stuff to work out, and she does, really thrashes it out. Good job.

I love a fun Wonderland story, so when I was emailed about The Byways, I was curious enough to accept an e-arc of it. I was sent this a while ago, but it’s taken me until now to get to it due to timing. I’ll be honest, this wasn’t the most exciting Wonderland novel I’ve read, but it has a fascinating twist and still has recognisable characters.

CeeCee is a teenager with special needs who is tired of getting in trouble at school. After one bad day, she makes a mistake and winds up lost in the Byways or mysterious alleys filled with monsters, drugs and more dangerous than she ever expected. Will CeeCee ever get out? Or will she change like so many before her?

I really liked the idea of this book. The idea of these alleys is actually entertaining. No one likes darting through an alleyway as they can be dangerous, but these winding paths can be shortcuts in some places. So for CeeCee to wind up lost and these alleys to be a gritty magical world of their own? That’s really fascinating.

As well as the grossness of the location, a few dark topics are explored within the world as well. The caterpillar is clearly a paedophile, there’s a doctor pushing drugs, and people are struggling. Unlike Wonderland, this isn’t where you’d want to be lost. And you understand CeeCee’s need to escape.

The writing itself was okay. I wasn’t sure how I felt to start with, but I got along with it as I continued to read. It just… didn’t necessarily grab me. It was a book that I had to remind myself to pick up. Considering that I picked it up when experiencing Wonderland brainrot…I shouldn’t have been able to put it down. So that was disappointing.

If you’re hoping for romance, you will get some. It’s not my preferred Wonderland kind of ship, but what role he plays early on is very obvious. I appreciate how obvious the roles in this book are for characters and how dark some of these portrayals are.

I recommend this book to people looking for a gritty Wonderland retelling. Supporting books published by small presses is always lovely, so I’m happy to shout about this one. It wasn’t quite for me, but it’ll definitely appeal to the teenagers it’s targeted towards. So, if you’re curious about this book, check it out.

A fantasy journey into the byways, those passageways for people or maybe not people who don’t quite fit in. CeeCee the main character doesn’t fit in. She seems to be very much a loner and an undiagnosed neurodiverse teenager. That’s a pity because she gets no sympathy from her teachers or fellow students. As she runs from this people she finds herself slip into the byways. The problem is the Byways hold on to those that pass, and the populace that lives there are a strange, diverse and dangerous group. Maybe not the place CeeCee should stay. Thank you to Sparkpress and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

The Byways by Mary Pascual is a dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Instead of cute fairy-like creatures, this story is full of sometimes disgusting and weird characters. It won't give you sweat and sparkling Wonderland but a stinky, dark, and dirty Byways. This idea is interesting and quite refreshing.

The main character CeeCee is a neurodivergent high school student. She is complicated and sometimes unrelatable. To be completely honest - I didn't like her at all. Maybe I am too old.

This story is weird, drug-like, and sometimes somehow complicated to read. The Byways wasn't a good choice for me, but it could be a good choice for someone else, who is looking for some dark Alice in Wonderland.

Thank you NetGalley and SparkPress for the eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the arc!

I enjoy the concept, which is quirky and reminds me of Alice in Wonderland with a modern twist, but the execution, imo, is undercooked. I pushed through to the end because I was curious whether or not Ceecee returned home, and the ending was not what I expected. If there is a sequel, I might read it.

I really liked the first 60% of this book. I was intrigued by the concept and Charmed by the world building. It was dark and twisted and I loved the homages to Lewis Carroll. But round about when she finally met The Queen, things got weird in a way that I just couldn't fit with the story - and they only got weirder from there in a way that felt like it changed the tone and tenor of the book from edgy YA to something heavier (with harsher language) in a way that felt cognitively dissonant for me. I pushed through to the end, to see how it would end, but it felt oddly unfinished and unsatisfying. I suspect there will be more books set in this world, and that this is why it stopped rather than ended, but that plus the shift in tone dropped this one down to three stars for me and I'm honestly not sure that I would pick up another installment...

Cece manages to find her way in between places, a place called The Byways. It is a spin on Alice in Wonderland and the main character has a whole bunch of diagnoses. ADHD and scenery issues among those outright named.
What was meant to be inclusive of the Nero Spicy crowd, and a fun depiction of a previous childhood favorite, this author missed their mark. I did not enjoy this novel and found it lacking. This is a Two Star read for me.
Cece wasn't exactly relatable, and there certainly wasn't enough time to build an attachment to her. The whole beginning felt rushed, but once they were in The Byways it felt pointless. Almost like she was on a drug trip.
I don't recommend this book, but if you like Alice in Wonderland spinoffs and enjoy new takes, maybe this book is for you.

Thank you Mary Pascual, Netgalley and SparkPress for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

A solid fantasy adventure with a bit of thriller and a bit of whimsy. If there's a sequel, I'll read it.