Member Reviews
Paula P, Reviewer
Christina Henry's *Alice* is a haunting, dark reimagining of the classic *Alice in Wonderland*, set in a grim world that is as twisted as it is intriguing. In this version, Alice isn't a curious child following a rabbit down a hole—she is a woman trapped in a dilapidated asylum, plagued by fragmented memories of her past and the remnants of a terrifying childhood encounter. Her hair, once blonde, now hangs in tangled clumps, symbolizing her fractured mind and the horrors she's endured.
The novel opens with Alice in the hospital of the Old City, a crumbling place filled with desperate souls. She has no memory of how she ended up there, only fragmented recollections of a tea party, long ears, and blood. It's a chilling beginning, one that immediately pulls the reader into a world that is anything but whimsical. A fire sets Alice free, but her escape unleashes more than just her own freedom. Along with her, she brings Hatcher, a mysterious and intense man who was her neighbor in the ward. Together, they begin the long and perilous journey to uncover the truth of Alice’s past, but they’re not alone. The Jabberwocky, a monstrous and malevolent force, is on the loose and its presence casts a dark shadow over everything.
The dark tone of the novel is amplified by the gritty setting, a city filled with decay and despair, where survival is an everyday battle. The twisted fairy tale elements from the original *Alice in Wonderland* are present but distorted into something far darker. The whimsical charm of the original story is replaced by violence, horror, and mystery. Characters like the Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat are no longer innocuous figures, but instead take on dangerous, monstrous forms that add to the overall feeling of unease.
The novel reminded me a lot of the Syfy TV series *Alice*, which I loved. Both share a similar dark, twisted reimagining of the classic tale, with their own unique take on the characters and the world they inhabit. *Alice* by Christina Henry is a must-read for fans of gritty fantasy and dark reimaginings. It takes the familiar elements of *Alice in Wonderland* and turns them into a thrilling, disturbing, and ultimately empowering story about survival, redemption, and the search for truth.
