Find The Place Where Nightmare And Fantasy Dance In "Alice"

23398606Title:  Alice
Author:  Christina Henry
Format:  ERC
Length:  304 pages
Publisher:  Ace
Rating: 4 Stars 

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…

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.-Goodreads

My Thoughts
There is so much to be said about the very dark and very adult Alice.
This trip down the rabbit hole sports an insane asylum, gangs, The Caterpillar, The Rabbit, and Cheshire as crime bosses, sex trafficking, and so much more.

The Alice that has been so lovingly crafted by authoress, Christina Henry, puts readers in that mind-bending place where fear and fantasy dare to dance to a melody of their own creation. The place where a broken woman with the mind of a girl, sets out on a quest of vengeance, while chasing the broken memories of her tarnished prince, Hatcher.

Surprisingly, there is little to romance to be had here. There is far to much going on in the 'trying to stay alive/trying to save the world department, for these two to waist time getting all mushy!

While the author is very careful in keeping the story familiar enough to jive with reader's recollection of the classic version; the combination of magical elements such as mermaids, giant rats, and weaponized roses, with rape, murder, and mayhem is definitely not your consummate classic.

The pacing of this novel is break-neck for the most part, with the intensity never letting up for a whopping 85% of the read.
The only negative to this read comes at its lack-luster ending.

Reviewer's Note: This literary work depicts incidences of rape and gratuitous violence. It may serve as a trigger for those who have experienced these acts in any capacity.

I received this book as part of Penguin's First To Read program.
The review found here is my honest opinion, and is in no way influenced by any outside entity. 

About Christina
Christina Henry Christina Henry is the author of the national bestselling BLACK WINGS series (BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING, Ace/Roc) and the forthcoming ALICE and RED QUEEN (Ace Trade). She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son

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