Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered
Author: A.G. Howard
Genre: Young-Adult, Fantasy
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 384 pages

Publication: January 1st 2013 by Amulet Books

 

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|AMAZON|BOOK DEPO|

Source: Publisher

|SUMMARY|

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now. When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

|REVIEW|

Splintered is a deliciously dark re-imagined story of the beloved tale of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Howard takes the original story, and expands on the idea of what happened after Alice Liddell grew up? Splintered is centered around Alyssa as she jumps down the rabbit hole into the Wonderland to break a curse on her and all the female descendents of Alice. Wonderland is not what most readers remember from the story by Lewis Carroll; it is far more sinister and perilous.

Howard’s debut novel blew me away! Splintered is so beautifully written and detailed that you can’t help but picture the book as a movie on the big screen (or in this case in your mind). I love all the twist and turns throughout the book as we follow Alyssa and her best friend Jeb through wonderland, Alyssa completing a series of eight ‘impossible’ tests to break the curse to free herself and her mother.  All the characters in the real world and wonderland were so realistic, each with their own set ‘baggage’ that enables readers to relate and identify with them to some level (example love and friendship). All the characters from the original novel and (new one) make an appearance, but they aren’t exactly as we remembered.  Like the overall twist on Wonderland, the characters are also twisted and dark but not all are without compassion. While some character’s motivations are questionable, they do what they do because they believe it’s the right thing to do.

The beginning of the book started out a bit slow, but once we entered Wonderland things started to really move and kept me captivated the entire time. This is an amazing debut novel that is beautifully written, and is beyond the most unique take on Wonderland I have ever read.  I loved everything about this book from the vividly dark world-building to the eccentric group of characters that make Wonderland, Wonderland. The last few chapters will have your mind reeling as secrets are revealed, and an ending that leaves a possibility for a sequel (please let there be another book!). I highly recommend this book to all urban fantasy, fantasy and YA fans. Splintered’s spin on the classic Alice novel is not to be missed, an extraordinary story that will linger long after you close the book.