Book Review // “Alice” by Christina Henry
“You’re only a mouse if you let them make you one.”
Warning: There May Be Spoilers Ahead!
Any long time fan of mine will know that Alice in Wonderland is one of my all time favorite books, and if you’re a really long time fan of mine you’ll know that I love Alice in Wonderland in all its forms, even the adaptations done by other fans. One of my top favorite video games is the American McGee’s Alice games (I can play those ad nauseum and still never get tired of them) and I own the big Barnes and Noble gilded-edged copy of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass that also has essays in it written about Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland in general, plus I think a bunch of his other writings. I even got an Alice in Wonderland tarot card deck!
Okay, how many times can a person say “Alice in Wonderland” in one post? Probably a lot, considering the topic, so buckle in!
It would stand to reason, then, that when I went to the store one day six or so years ago, sick as a dog and looking for something to read, I would pick up a book entitled Alice by Christina Henry. I sniffled when I picked it up, nose blocked almost completely, throat sore—or whatever was wrong with me, I can’t really remember—and thought hey, I might as well give it a shot.
And honestly? Didn’t care for it at first.
But then again, I was sick, so clearly I wasn’t in my right mind.
A few months later I tried the book again because I was hungry for something new to read, no longer sick, and found this one just sitting on my book shelf fresh as can be. I picked it up, tucked it in the bag I took with me to whatever job it was that I had at the time, and endeavored to read it during my lunch break.
That time I fell absolutely in love with it.
Completely smitten.
Head-over-heels.
“In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor souls inside. In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood… Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago. Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful. And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice.”
This is such an unusual adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. It was as if someone had combined American McGee’s Alice with Dishonored, so naturally it became one of my go-tos for when I can’t figure out what I want to read next. It’s written in a language that I, personally, think is very informal and simple but not so much that it detracts from the overall quality of the prose. Alice in this adaptation is the exact kind of heroine that I love seeing in fiction. She’s delicate and sweet and finds strength within her heart rather than through brute force or skill with a weapon. It was a nice change of pace from the common types of heroines you see in novels like this, which have a more masculine vibe to them that I feel detracts from showcasing that there are all kinds of strength in this world.
Henry’s take on the Mad Hatter, too, took me by surprise. His madness takes its form not in tea parties and rhymes, but in the wielding of a bloody axe. His name isn’t even “Hatter” in this, but “Hatcher” or “Hatch” in reference to his use of a hatchet. This is the one time in all of Alice in Wonderland history that I was rooting for the Mad Hatter and Alice to get together as a couple. The way Henry wrote Hatch, his brooding demeanor and absolute dedication to protecting Alice, spoke to me in the same way other characters like Daryl Dixon or Loki do. Namely, that I fell in love with him and he became my favorite character, even above our daring Alice.
Magic was cleverly used in this novel as well, and I loved how Henry made sure that each of the familiar characters from the original source material were present. And her representation of the Walrus from “The Walrus and the Carpenter”? Chills! Even Henry’s Cheshire Cat was absolutely perfect.
Overall, I give “Alice” by Christina Henry 10/10 stars. Loved it, loved the dark atmosphere, loved the interactions between characters. Even the pacing seemed on point! It’s a must-read for Alice in Wonderland fanatics!
Let me know in the comments if you plan to / did check out this book! What did you think of it?
