Description from Goodreads: “A mind-bending new novel inspired by the twisted and wondrous works of Lewis Carroll…
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…”
Christina Henry does an incredible job of mixing Lewis Carroll’s classic story with a horror-filled, new world of her own creation to produce a seamless blend of old and new. It’s fantastic. From the very first page, the reader is drawn into the mystery and terror of Alice’s nightmarish existence.
I picked up Alice for the mythological story elements, since horror isn’t really my “thing”, and it certainly had that. The hero’s quest in this is intense, very dark and terrifying. Speaking of which, if the reader has any issues with animal abuse, rape, physical violence, or sexual abuse, he or she may want to steer clear of Alice. I’m hard pressed to explain why the story is so awesome that it is able to transcend all of those things without spoiling any of the plot twists, so I won’t even attempt it here. Just believe me: this book is something else.
If you enjoyed Alice, you may want to read The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. It is also an incredibly dark, fantasy world with some rather disturbing story elements.
Thanks for reading! ~Heidi
The O'Fallon Public Library News 