Book Review
Title: Splintered (Splintered #1)
Author: A. G. Howard
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Retelling/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: So I am taking part in Dewey’s 24-hour reverse readathon and the first book I picked up was Splintered; a dark Alice in WonderIand retelling. I have read this series before and I can’t wait to see my sassy moth man and if you don’t get that reference then read the books. We are introduced to Alyssa, who is the descendant of Alice Liddell, from Alice in Wonderland but this isn’t a good thing as the women of the family are cursed to hear things like bugs and flowers talking which is the reason her mother Alison is locked up in Soul’s asylum. However, Alyssa tries to be a normal teenager throwing herself into her art and trying to get to London, but her father and best friend Jeb veto the idea which hurts Alyssa as Jeb is moving there anyway. Alyssa’s insecurities play a huge part in her life whether it’s about her mother, her looks or Jeb who she has a huge crush on and that makes her a very realistic main character. Alyssa learns through her mother that their family is cursed and begins looking for a way to break the curse, but she keeps hearing a mysterious voice guiding her, but she needs to get London.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Alyssa wants to find a way to prove her mother isn’t insane but that means finding Wonderland and breaking the use. Alison unknowingly give her a lot of clues, but she is also trying to stop someone or something from getting Alyssa, however, she remembers her childhood friend who had taught her about Wonderland and while her memories are slowly returning she knows she can trust him, and he shows her the entrance to her nightmare. However, the way to enter Wonderland means she has to want it with all her heart and she accidentally ends up bringing Jeb with her. While her guide isn’t happy with this he continues leading her, we soon learn this definitely isn’t the Wonderland Lewis Carroll wrote about as everything is much darker and slightly gruesome. So far, I am loving this series just as much as I did the first time I read it.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, Alyssa has managed to enter Wonderland, but she wasn’t expecting it to be like this. Together, Alyssa and Jeb face the first of Wonderland’s trials and she realises that a lot of her art is inspired by Wonderland, and she just didn’t remember. As her memories slowly return she manages to guide them through Wonderland until they find the lair of the wise one who happens to be Alyssa’s childhood friend; Morpheus. Instantly there is a rivalry between Morpheus and Jeb and Alyssa is torn between the one she cries for and the one she bled for. Now, that her memories have returned fully the true trials begins to undo all the damage Alice did to Wonderland. While I like Jeb as a love interest there is no denying the chemistry between Alyssa and Morpheus and I really want this to be the final outcomes – however, I also know what happens. Rereading this series gives me a lot of perspective and allows me to appreciate more about the characters and their relationships.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, I was really enjoying the rivalry between Jeb and Morpheus, but I am team Morpheus all the way, but I did feel they could have helped Alyssa more by working together. Alyssa is confused by her feeling which many people can relate to, she is anxious that Jeb has only shown feelings towards her since they came to Wonderland and has a girlfriend back home, however, while she is cautious of Morpheus she can’t deny their history together and the feelings that are surfacing with those memories. As she heads to wake the Hattington (the mad hatter), one of the last of Alice’s mistakes, she and Jeb are getting closer to their way home, but everything seems to be trying to stop them. In the battle to send them to the tea party, Morpheus lost both Alyssa’s wish and the Jabberlock box containing Queen Ivory so they have no choice but to go the Twid sister’s graveyard to retrieve the Cheshire cat’s head and take on the Red Queen.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Alyssa and Jeb are racing towards the hallowed cemetery of the netherlings closely pursued by the Red Queen’s army. She and Jeb get seperate, so she has to face the Twid sisters alone, but she learns many things while in their company. It seems that Morpheus made a barging with Sister One in order to return Alyssa to her rightful place he had to give up his moth spirits in return from half of Chessie. As she makes her way to the Red castle now conquered by the White army she plans to confront Morpheus with the truth and hopes that she is wrong but there is a large part of the puzzle missing and Alyssa is determined to find out what it is and why she is wrapped up in it all.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, everything explodes, and it literally has torn my heart out. While I am not going to go into much detail, the ending is devasting and beautiful and it will make you ugly cry. The way the sequel is set up is quite subtle and I can’t wait to dive into it but I am reading the entire series this time, so next, I will be reading the short novella before Unhinged called The Moth in the Mirror.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kommentare