I enjoyed that this was a Korean-inspired Alice in Wonderland retelling. The characters were an interesting choice. I was surprised that our Alice wasn't just named "Alice", and the characterizations for many of the characters made it hard to root for them--they were supposed to be morally ambiguous, grey, characters, but they ended up just really having no redeeming qualities that I could latch onto and root for.
Generally, I like the pacing that a novel has when we are moving quickly through time, but there was a lot that I feel we glossed over with all of the time-skipping. We never got a solid sense of the world or what was going on--even the character descriptions were often relegated to a line here and there about hair color.
I wasn't a huge fan of the fourth-wall breaking, especially in non-comedy fantasy/sci-fi stories. It's definitely a plot device that can work well in contemporary fiction or stories that are supposed to be casual and funny, but the "Dear reader" felt out of place here.

I don't know. I can see the bones of a really solid story in here, but the execution was just lacking a very needed depth and focus.
I absolutely adore the cover, though, and I would check out more from this author or in this world!

I was immediately taken by the premise of this book. However, It felt like a bit of bait and switch. It was hard to find the authentic Alice in Wonderland elements and it felt more like a riff on a theme than an inspiration. So that is probably marketings fault. Beyond that, the story itself did not capture my interest and I DNF'd it. I am writing the review here on NetGalley because I received it as an ARC, but I have no intention of finishing this book.

Please read the book. It may be exactly what you were hoping for... but if you were hoping for a futuristic Alice in Wonderland re-telling with Korean elements - this is not it.

But if you are looking for a fairly violent LGBTQ+ romance that pulls elements from Alice in Wonderland whilst twisting them into a genre bending book that is nebulously Korean - look no further. I know a few people who this book would be of interest.

While I normally love retellings of fairy tales and stories I grew up with, this just was not my cup of tea. I need a my characters to be at least understandable (if not likeable) and this was just...a lot of insane, terrifying mess.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for allowing me to read this ebook arc.

I fell in love with the cover, and I was really interested in seeing a Korean inspired Alice in wonderland, but sadly, this definitely was not my cup of tea.

First off I did not like the names Caro wasn’t bad, but the rest of the names were iffy for me except for Kai. I’m in agreement with other reviewer who said why could we call Alice Alice.

Also they were supposed to be morally ambiguous, but there was no redeeming qualities to these girls. I did not like them at the beginning and I did not like them at the end. There were no redeeming arcs. There were no major differences between them at the beginning, and the end.

The time skipping was a problem for me. It was hard to concentrate on what was going on in the book. I also did not like that there was no actual descriptions of anything. There was some hair color and a little bit of this and that, but it felt like there was a blank canvas as they were walking around and talking.

It was like an old time narration, where it had dear reader this and dear reader that as if somebody was verbally telling the story out loud. Many times in drew me out of the story all together.

I felt very confused through the entire story. I thought that getting through a third of it would give me some context, but that never happened.

Thank you again netGalley and Disney Hyperion for allowing me to have this book.

Off with Their Heads is a good fit for young adult readers who enjoy dark, thrilling retellings of classic fairytales with a focus on character development and growth.

It is super weird. I can't decide if I liked it or not, honestly, but it's definitely stuck with me. I think particularly brainy teenage girls would enjoy this, but to me, it's one sex scene away from being an adult book. The prose can be very difficult to parse.

*1.5 rounded down for Goodreads scoring system*
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for my egalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Off With Their Heads" by Zoe Hana Mikuta is a Korean-inspired "Alice in Wonderland" retelling that follows two girls and their obsession with eachother. In this retelling, Wonderland is a dark forest filled with monstrous "Saints" and the two young girls we follow are witches (and lovers) Caro Rabbit and Iccadora Alice Sickle. Sentenced to Wonderland for the a crime they did not commit, their friendship and love has fractured and years later, Caro and Icca regard eachother as enemies. Now, Caro follows the heels of the mad Red Queen and Icca has become a hardened hunter and witch, thirsty for Caro and the Red Queen's blood.

I don't know how I feel about this one. I was really drawn in by the description but the actual narrative is not really my cup of tea. I guess first and foremost, I just did not care for Caro and Icca. I know that they are supposed to be these morally grey characters but nothing about them was redeemable, likable, or even entertaining. I found both of them so SO exhausting. And their relationship was awful to read. I didn't get the sense that they even liked eachother so the idea that they're supposed to also be in love with one another was a wild reach to me. On top of all of that, the writing style and general narrative of this book was just all over the place. It was incredibly disorienting and I often found myself having to go back pages to try and reorient myself. Even now, after having finished it and sat with it, I still don't really know what was going on? And aside from the references to "Alice in Wonderland," this didn't feel like a retelling. It felt like the publisher (and hopefully not the author) wanted to use the IP to sell a book that they didn't believe would sell on its own merit and honestly...if that is the case, I can see why they chose to label it as a retelling. Aside from the references, maybe the nonsensical storytelling connects it to the story it's supposed to be retelling.

This book just wasn't for me. It really missed the mark in so many aspects and I don't think I'd recommend this to anybody.

A very unique take on the story of Alice in Wonderland... except make it a Korean-inspired one with some wicked sapphic morally grey girls and lots of betrayal and blood. Wonderland is a dark forest where monsters known as Saints lurk. Witches, Carousel "Caro" Rabbit and Iccadora "Icca" Alice Sickle are forced into the forest for a crime they didn't commit and now four years since then, they've broken each other's heart and are both willing to sacrifice each other for a chance at freedom. Now on opposing sides, the love and hate between them is constantly changing. Caro is the Saint-harvestor for the new Red Queen that she loves while Icca is steeped in hatred after Caro's betrayal and is determined to kill both Caro and the Red Queen. Yet the Red Queen hersef has her own secrets involving the Saints and what her plans for Icca and Caro are.... magic is unleashed, betrayal is awaiting, and old feelings might emerge. Reading this book felt as confusing as Alice felt when she first landed in Wonderland. The story was all over the place, I did not care for Icca and Caro's relationship at all, and honestly the writing style was not it. I forced myself to read this to the end and I can honestly tell you, I really got nothing from this book. It had all the elements to be a book I would love but it missed the mark at every single point. I felt so disappointed and honestly, I would describe this book as a way way way unique retelling of Alice in Wonderland and would be good for anyone who enjoys surrealist and strange stories. While it didn't work for me, I feel like some fans of the Alice in Wonderland strangeness aspect of the story might have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I am sorry to say that this was not my cup of tea. The description was highly intriguing, but I became easily lost in the split timeline when o began reading. I did a lot of backtracking to determine when things were happening and whose POV we were getting. While I enjoyed the horror vibes, the prose itself was too rich for my taste and I found myself skipping chunks of text to just get to the point.

This would definitely work for someone who loves horror and a complex text.

I was really excited for this book because I love an Allison Wonderland retelling and so many authors do really cool things with it. This book however I just could not do I read 70% of it and just did not care enough to finish it. It was too overdrawn. It was taking forever to get anywhere. It changed narrators constantly between, the author, and then, between the two main characters, and then, once in a while, was secondary character. I just couldn’t see where any of it was going, and quite honestly just didn’t care. I was super disappointed because I was really excited for this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It felt like the Mad Hatter himself wrote this! It’s an adventurous novel with lots of twists and turns! The language can be a bit convoluted along with the time jumps, but the characters are so intriguing they make you wanna stick along for the ride! I loved that Alice in Wonderland was inspiration for this book, you could see the clear influence! If you’re a fan of fantasy and world building, this is for you!

The formatting for the Kindle version was broken, so I was not able to read. Leaving five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney for the ARC.

Off With Their Heads is inspired, in a somewhat skewed fashion, by Alice in Wonderland, reenvisioned through a the lenses of sapphic romance and Korean inspiration. Caro and Icca are orphans, magic users in a world that eschews magic, as the Saints - once the saviors of their world, but now its bane - were also magic users. The two girls grew up together in an orphanage, and - also together - are banished to the Woods, now Jabberwockies, where they must hunt and kill Saints, four apiece, to atone for their actions and regain entry to their world.

It's an ambitious idea for a novel, and one I truly wanted to like. But it's also disjointed, jumping between timelines in a way that's hard to follow, and includes some truly violent and gruesome imagery. I understand why some people like it, and I truly tried to, but it's simply not to my taste. It's a little too angsty, a little too intent upon over-describing the main characters and their relationship to each other, and likewise telling, rather than showing, the characters to the reader. There are people who will love this novel and wait anxiously in the hope that there will be a sequel, but I am not one of them. I can recognize why others might like it without really liking it myself.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Off With Their Heads" by Zoe Hana Mikuta is a surreal and ambitious journey that plunges readers into a world of enchantment, madness, and twisted romance. Drawing inspiration from "Alice in Wonderland," Mikuta crafts a narrative that defies easy categorization, blending elements of horror, fantasy, and romance into a mesmerizing tapestry of storytelling. The premise of this book was so interesting and unique. And, just like “Alice in Wonderland,” the story is reminiscent of a fever dream with so many different elements and aspects of worldbuilding combining into an engaging (though sometimes confusing) story.

The book follows the story of Caro and Icca, two young protagonists whose relationship forms the heart of the narrative. Set against a backdrop of grief, trauma, and love, their journey unfolds in a world that feels both familiar and utterly bizarre. As they navigate through a landscape filled with dark secrets and hidden dangers, readers are taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and revelations.

At its core, "Off With Their Heads" is a story about identity, friendship, and the search for meaning in a world that seems to defy logic and reason. Mikuta's world-building is both intricate and captivating, drawing you into a realm where nothing is as it seems and reality itself is up for grabs. I will say that the worldbuilding and some of the different plot points was a bit confusing at times. I sometimes had to put the book down to digest what exactly was going on, and I sometimes lost track of what exactly was happening. This is definitely not a book you can read in one sitting. So, while the book's surreal and dreamlike quality may not be to everyone's taste, if you enjoy the unconventional narrative, you may find yourself immersed in a tale that is as thought-provoking as it is unsettling. Mikuta's prose is evocative and vivid, painting a vivid picture of a world teetering on the brink of chaos.

I enjoyed the character writing as well with their development of Caro and Icca throughout, especially since we get both of their perspectives. The focus on the protagonists' relationship was a bit excessive with the love-hate thing, though I know many readers are absolutely loving this troupe right now.

Overall, "Off With Their Heads" is a bold and daring novel that pushes the boundaries of young adult fiction. While it may not have the most linear storytelling, its ambition and creativity make it a compelling choice for readers looking for something out of the ordinary.

It is difficult to know exactly where to start with this one. I think by coming out on the other side of it, I've absorbed a little bit of the madness that the rest of the characters have been afflicted - or perhaps blessed - with.

This is an extremely surreal book. It's dreamlike in both setting and prose. It does an excellent job of using various framing elements such as the narrator and the "Saints Remaining" at the beginning of each chapter to stitch together a truly strange and altering story.

It's horror, it's fantasy, it's not really a romance but there also isn't a better word for what it is. It's not a story that I feel like I can encapsulate in a review, but one that I think truly just needs to be read. The summary of the book does nothing to capture the actual reality-bending experience it is, making it sound straightforward where it is not. It's a twisty thing that is difficult to pin down, but I feel as though I have gained something intangible by reading it. This is going to be the kind of book that splits opinions, and I think for that alone, for it daring to be as absolutely strange and weird as it is, that it's going to be an extremely important book.

Zoe Hana Mikuta's novel is too smart for me. I need to read it two more times to really understand the intricacies. I feel like a puppet in her universe, much like everyone in the Red Queen's kingdom. Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for an early read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book! I hate to say it, but I don't think this was my cup of tea. This book will appeal to you if you like the Locked Tomb series (Gideon, Harrow, Nona the Ninth). Jumping time lines plus perspectives along with an unreliable narrator made this hard for me to follow, but a little fun due to the characters.

The writing style of this book just didn't really work for me. The premise was so interesting, and I liked that it was a lot gorier than I had initially expected, but something about the worldbuilding, as well as the back-and-forth timelines, confused me. Each timeline switch would sort of break the immersion for me

This is one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write because I didn't particularly like the book, but I also couldn't stop reading.

What did work for me:
- a horror version of wonderland
- bleeding magic
- one off quotes
- lovers(ish) to enemies
- the duality of teen girls

What did not work for me:
- the writing style & skipping around in time
- the lack of anthropomorphic animals
- the names - I detested the names Icca and Tecca and Caro? Why aren't we just calling Alice Alice??
- Not learning enough about the saints

This is my first book by Mikuta and perhaps if I had picked up her debut duology I would've had a better idea of what to expect. Admittedly, she was also at a disadvantage due to my love of Alice and Wonderland as a piece of art to be interpolated. Combining characters, making animal characters human - it just didn't work for me. I was sure for a while Cheshire Cat would be the narrator and was bummed when he was just a dude (though I did like how his magic was used).

Additionally, I was so confused by the timelines at the beginning of the book. We jumped around so much in time I literally had to keep notes to figure out what was happening.

But there's also some real strengths in here. The prose has many gorgeous quotes that I highlighted and the lovers to enemies relationship between Caro and Icca was phenomenal. I love angry teenage girls and this did not disappoint. I felt like Mikuta really captured the tumultuous feelings that can grow between teenage girls - whether or not there is romance involved.

Overall, perhaps this was not the book for me but I think readers who gel more with the writing styles will have the propensity to like it a lot.

This is really a 3.5 rounded up to 4. For me personally, it's a 3, but I think if I were closer to the target audience, it would be a 4. I can see having been way more into it as an actual young adult as opposed to an almost-30 adult (although I do still enjoy YA novels)!

There were a lot of strengths to this book; the worldbuilding is an interesting twist on Alice in Wonderland, with clear inspiration that's not taken too directly or literally. I appreciated the darkness in that it would appeal to readers who are tired of fairy tales, syrupy romances, and tales without any real stakes. The history and lore of the world was the most interesting part of the book by far, and I especially enjoyed the history of Hattie and the royal family. I also appreciated the system of magic and divinity; I found it intuitive, creative, and relatable.

My struggle with this book is that there was just too much focus on the love/hate relationship between the two main characters, and I just did not care, which was a problem since it was supposed to be the foundation of the book. Neither were particularly likeable, and there was very little to convince me that I should care about their relationship. A lot of the prose seemed to be showing rather than telling; the author tells us in extreme detail exactly what each character is thinking and feeling. While this sometimes works, and there were some particularly well-crafted pieces of writing, it ended up feeling a little shoved in your face and repetitive. I was not shown enough to convince me to root for Caro and Icca, individually or together, but I was told constantly that they were terrible, twisted, messed up people who were also obsessed with each other. That being said, this may be an issue of me not being the target audience. If I were a young, angsty, queer teen, I'd probably be much more into the young, angsty, queer teens in this book, and I perhaps wouldn't be bothered as much by being told what's happening internally rather than being shown.

Off With Their Heads is ambitious and interesting, in short. While I ended up having some frustrations, especially with the amount and type of focus put on the characters and their relationship, the worldbuilding and lore was intriguing and clearly carefully developed. It wasn't quite the book for me, but I can see how it would really hit well for some people.