 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Looking Glass Wars, Book 1
- By Frank Beddor
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
The violent "truth" behind Alice in Wonderland.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this isn't a quaint nonsense story like the classic book that inspired it: There are violent battles, deaths, and beheadings. The heroine's mother dies.
What's the story?
Forget what you thought you knew about Alice and Wonderland -- this book purports to tell the truth behind the fairy tale.
Alyss, princess of the Queendom of Wonderland, barely escapes with her life when her Aunt Redd kills her parents in a bloody coup. Pursued by The Cat, an assassin created by Redd (a witch-like practitioner of Black Imagination), Alyss jumps through the Pool of Tears and ends up in Victorian London, where, after living as a street urchin and in an orphanage, she's adopted by the Liddell family of Oxford.
Frustrated that no one will believe the story of her past, she's at first thrilled when family friend Charles Dodgson seems to believe her. But when he turns it into a fairy tale, she's devastated and resolves to forget Wonderland and assimilate as a normal British person. Eventually she grows up and forgets about Wonderland, or sees it only as a childish fantasy. But back in Wonderland her persecuted followers, the Alyssians, take up a guerrilla resistance to the harsh rule of Queen Redd.
Is it any good?
A sea-change is happening in children's book publishing, taking nearly a decade to come to its logical culmination in this book. Written by a movie producer, plotted and paced like a movie, and promoted like one too, THE LOOKING GLASS WARS is a book designed for one thing -- to grab kids by the seat of the pants and keep them excitedly turning the pages. It accomplishes its goal with verve and imagination.
Alice in Wonderland purists shouldn't even open the book -- this isn't for them. The Wonderland depicted here is both more horrific and more exciting than the surreal place Carroll imagined. Filled with monsters, magic, and a mixture of technologies, it's at once more fantastic and more grounded in the reality of war and totalitarian repression than its predecessor. Though The Looking Glass Wars is filled with topics for discussion (from literature to politics, history, and biography) and includes many parallels to events in today's world, this story is essentially fun -- well-written, well-constructed, lovingly thought-out and produced fun. It will do no harm at all to Carroll's classic -- which has always held more appeal for adults than children anyway -- and may interest a new generation of readers in the original.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how this book compares to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. How does the author derive his story from Carroll's very different book? Do his interpretations seem reasonable?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Boring. And dull.
IT WAS HORRIBLE!! The beginning doesn't suck you in. And once you get to the end, you're still bored.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
LOVED IT!!
A little slow at first, but when i got into it i just couldn't put it down. It was super awsome!!! There was some romance between alyce and dodge that will grow overtime and a little violence here and there but it was a GREAT BOOK!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Brilliant for all!
LOVE IT! SO AWESOME! THE BEST BOOK YOU WILL EVER READ!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
So awsome
it was really cool, w/ a bit of romance... but mostly action/adventure. really lovable characters...it's a series, u guys so be warned ur gonna hav to wait 4 the next ones!!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Better than the original Alice!
This is much better than the original story by L.C.! It completely re-imagines Alice in Wonderland into a fantastic, exciting story about the truth behind AiW. Parents need to know that there is almost non-stop violence in the book. At the beginning, many are killed and a certain character is beheaded. Also, a character who has 9 lives is killed 8 times in the book, all deaths brutally. Now to a happier note, there is a good amount of humor in the book. This is a solid buy!
This book gets 4 off with your heads! Out of 5
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
A must read book for kids the age og twelve
I think this book rocked my world if you havnt read this book why havnt you. Get this book now you wont regret it.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I want to live on emerald drive!
A fantastic book!! I love the plot,the description(don't look it up online you will see pictures and it will ruin your image of it)
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Anyone who remembers the original Alice in Wonderland will truly be in awe of Beddor's creativity and his interpretation of Alyss and Wondertropolis!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
perfect for teens and adults
personaly i love the book it is a wonderful world that i can escape into. there arent many book i like and this i one i own because when i find good book i buy them and im getting the hole series because i cant wait till what will happen next.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
BEST BOOK EVER! Totally beats stupid Twilight Saga. It is so imaginative, and its also easier to understand. Seeing Redd (the sequal) bored me slightly. This is a great book!
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Author: | Frank Beddor |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Penguin Group |
| Publication date: | September 26, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 384 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 14 |
| Read aloud: | 9 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
Review It
Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already read it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
