Splintered
User reviews
14 reviews
Overall rating
4.6
Plot
4.5(14)
Characters
4.6(14)
Writing Style
4.7(14)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A(0)
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Interesting spin on a classic
Overall rating
3.7
Plot
3.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Abrams and Netgalley.)
Alyssa is hiding a secret. For the past six years, ever since she got her first period she has been able to hear plants and bugs talking, sometimes to her and sometimes to each other. As mad as this sounds, what scares Alyssa most is that her mother has been in an asylum for years for exactly the same reason. That’s why she doesn’t let anyone know what she can hear for fear of being locked up too.
Alyssa has a legacy to uphold though, her ancestor was the real-life ‘Alice’ from the Alice in Wonderland story by Lewis Carroll, and now it seems that it is up to her to break the curse on her family, caused by the original Alice’s actions.
Desperate to save her mother more pain and unnecessary treatments, Alyssa searches desperately for a way back to Wonderland to break the curse, and eventually finds herself down the rabbit hole with her secret crush Jeb.
Alyssa doesn’t understand how things work in Wonderland though, and the man who guided her there – Morpheus may not be as trustworthy as he originally seemed.
Can Alyssa possibly break the curse? Can she right Alice’s wrongs and set Wonderland to rights? Or will she find herself tangled up in an even bigger mess?
This was a total fairy-tale, filled with evil queens and helpless flowers! Alyssa was a fantastic ‘Alice’, and Wonderland was just so utterly strange and intoxicating.
Wonderland was a work of art in its own right, with no attention to detail spared. I don’t remember ‘Alice in Wonderland’ all that well, but each event in this book seemed to echo Alice’s original adventures, just with the twist that Alyssa was trying to put Alice’s wrongs to rights. The world building was elaborate and imaginative, and the storyline was new. There were also plenty of extra little touches to take this story from a copy, to a complex story in its own right.
I really liked Alyssa, and her fashion sense made me an instant fan! Love the gothic fairy look! (Imagine the girl on the cover with a bit more black eye makeup and some blue dreds among the golden locks and that’s the Alyssa in the story). She obviously wanted to help her mom, but she wasn’t a martyr either, and she did make mistakes. She was sort-of unprepared for what Wonderland would throw at her, and there was an on-going theme throughout the book that in Wonderland nobody can be trusted, and nothing is what it seems.
Jeb was a welcome addition to the story, with his continuous jokes and name-calling at Morpheus’ expense, and a hidden alpha-male protectiveness of Alyssa. The little touch of romance was good too, although I wasn’t overly impressed by the Alyssa-Jeb-Morpheus love triangle.
On the negative side, I did get quite confused towards the end. I found all the different things that were going on, and all the different ideas and prophecy stuff hard to follow, and I’m still not sure I really get it now. The storyline was quite complex, especially towards the end, and trying to work out exactly who said what, when, where, and why and what effect that had upon Alyssa’s present day situation was a bit difficult to follow, I think I’d need a pen and paper to try and work it out.
Overall though, this was an interesting spin on the classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ story, with depth and character of its own, and if you like fairy tales, you’ll like this.
7 out of 10.
Alyssa is hiding a secret. For the past six years, ever since she got her first period she has been able to hear plants and bugs talking, sometimes to her and sometimes to each other. As mad as this sounds, what scares Alyssa most is that her mother has been in an asylum for years for exactly the same reason. That’s why she doesn’t let anyone know what she can hear for fear of being locked up too.
Alyssa has a legacy to uphold though, her ancestor was the real-life ‘Alice’ from the Alice in Wonderland story by Lewis Carroll, and now it seems that it is up to her to break the curse on her family, caused by the original Alice’s actions.
Desperate to save her mother more pain and unnecessary treatments, Alyssa searches desperately for a way back to Wonderland to break the curse, and eventually finds herself down the rabbit hole with her secret crush Jeb.
Alyssa doesn’t understand how things work in Wonderland though, and the man who guided her there – Morpheus may not be as trustworthy as he originally seemed.
Can Alyssa possibly break the curse? Can she right Alice’s wrongs and set Wonderland to rights? Or will she find herself tangled up in an even bigger mess?
This was a total fairy-tale, filled with evil queens and helpless flowers! Alyssa was a fantastic ‘Alice’, and Wonderland was just so utterly strange and intoxicating.
Wonderland was a work of art in its own right, with no attention to detail spared. I don’t remember ‘Alice in Wonderland’ all that well, but each event in this book seemed to echo Alice’s original adventures, just with the twist that Alyssa was trying to put Alice’s wrongs to rights. The world building was elaborate and imaginative, and the storyline was new. There were also plenty of extra little touches to take this story from a copy, to a complex story in its own right.
I really liked Alyssa, and her fashion sense made me an instant fan! Love the gothic fairy look! (Imagine the girl on the cover with a bit more black eye makeup and some blue dreds among the golden locks and that’s the Alyssa in the story). She obviously wanted to help her mom, but she wasn’t a martyr either, and she did make mistakes. She was sort-of unprepared for what Wonderland would throw at her, and there was an on-going theme throughout the book that in Wonderland nobody can be trusted, and nothing is what it seems.
Jeb was a welcome addition to the story, with his continuous jokes and name-calling at Morpheus’ expense, and a hidden alpha-male protectiveness of Alyssa. The little touch of romance was good too, although I wasn’t overly impressed by the Alyssa-Jeb-Morpheus love triangle.
On the negative side, I did get quite confused towards the end. I found all the different things that were going on, and all the different ideas and prophecy stuff hard to follow, and I’m still not sure I really get it now. The storyline was quite complex, especially towards the end, and trying to work out exactly who said what, when, where, and why and what effect that had upon Alyssa’s present day situation was a bit difficult to follow, I think I’d need a pen and paper to try and work it out.
Overall though, this was an interesting spin on the classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ story, with depth and character of its own, and if you like fairy tales, you’ll like this.
7 out of 10.
Splintered (A Room with Books review)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Splintered is officially my new favorite Alice in Wonderland spinoff/retelling. I loved the Tim Burton/Disney rendition and the Syfy Alice special and Splintered is kind of like an awesome mish-mash of both. The bright colors and creepy setting of the Burton retelling combine with the awesome story and characters of Alice to create one amazingly fantastic book.
Though I compare Splintered to other renditions, it completely stands on its own. The story is totally new while still drawing similarities from the original and putting a creepy twist on them. There are certainly no fluffy pocket-watch carrying rabbits here. There are, however, boys. Yes, plural, but I think it works (then again, I'm not an adamant love triangle hater). I'm not one to think romance makes everything better, but it really adds to the story. I certainly wouldn't have cried had there been no romance...
Alyssa reflects Alice with her stubbornness and curiosity, but is definitely her own character. She takes the fate of her life in her hands and literally jumps down the rabbit hole headfirst. And when she's faced with a tough decision (be it who to trust, what to do when a walrus-octopus wants to eat you, or which guy to choose) she makes one. Of course, she's not always right, but we wouldn't want it that way, now would we?
Shall we talk about the boys?
First we have Jeb, the cute, scruffy skater guy who happens to be Alyssa's best friend. He's pretty overprotective, but he always has Alyssa's best interests at heart. Jeb is my favorite of the two, hands down with his sweetness towards Alyssa and their teasing banter.
Then we have our bad boy: Morpheus. He's dark, obsessive, and mischievous. Of course, he also has an irresistible and romantic side, but only for Alyssa. The tortured soul thing does something going on for it, though which made me almost sway towards Team Morpheus a few times.
Part of the ending felt a little rushed to me, but not all of it. More like the intro the climax and ending. That's really the only negative thing I have to say, though.
The Nutshell: If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland retellings/spinoffs then I can almost guarantee you'll like Splintered. However, if you're not a fan of dark and creepy or simply refuse to read any love triangles at all it might not be the book for you. Splintered does a fantastic job of standing on its own and it kept me flipping pages as fast as I could right to the end.
Direct Hit
Though I compare Splintered to other renditions, it completely stands on its own. The story is totally new while still drawing similarities from the original and putting a creepy twist on them. There are certainly no fluffy pocket-watch carrying rabbits here. There are, however, boys. Yes, plural, but I think it works (then again, I'm not an adamant love triangle hater). I'm not one to think romance makes everything better, but it really adds to the story. I certainly wouldn't have cried had there been no romance...
Alyssa reflects Alice with her stubbornness and curiosity, but is definitely her own character. She takes the fate of her life in her hands and literally jumps down the rabbit hole headfirst. And when she's faced with a tough decision (be it who to trust, what to do when a walrus-octopus wants to eat you, or which guy to choose) she makes one. Of course, she's not always right, but we wouldn't want it that way, now would we?
Shall we talk about the boys?
First we have Jeb, the cute, scruffy skater guy who happens to be Alyssa's best friend. He's pretty overprotective, but he always has Alyssa's best interests at heart. Jeb is my favorite of the two, hands down with his sweetness towards Alyssa and their teasing banter.
Then we have our bad boy: Morpheus. He's dark, obsessive, and mischievous. Of course, he also has an irresistible and romantic side, but only for Alyssa. The tortured soul thing does something going on for it, though which made me almost sway towards Team Morpheus a few times.
Part of the ending felt a little rushed to me, but not all of it. More like the intro the climax and ending. That's really the only negative thing I have to say, though.
The Nutshell: If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland retellings/spinoffs then I can almost guarantee you'll like Splintered. However, if you're not a fan of dark and creepy or simply refuse to read any love triangles at all it might not be the book for you. Splintered does a fantastic job of standing on its own and it kept me flipping pages as fast as I could right to the end.
Direct Hit
I loved this book!!!!!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Splintered by AG Howard
eARC received by Amulet Books via Netgalley
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: Sinister, Surreal, and Seductive
I’m just going to go ahead and brand this one of the BEST OF 2013, before 2013 even starts! Splintered is that good! I’ve never before wanted to jump down a rabbit hole so whole-heartedly! A.G. Howard morphs Lewis Carrol’s classic into something new and deadly—a place where the macabre and morbid rule the world, where reality and fiction are juxtaposed in a tangle of webs, and where love and betrayal go hand in hand. So close your eyes and take a leap down the rabbit hole—when you open them again, you will be in a world of wonder and chaos.
“Now, stop thinking like a human Nethering logic resides in the hazy border between sense and nonsense.” ARC, location 1891-1892
I was never a huge fan of the original classic, but this re-telling just blew me away. I love how A.G. took parts of the old story and interwove them to create something new and modern. Her world was captivating and creepy—and I could just see this playing across the big screen. Seriously, if I had to choose any book to be a movie, this would be it! It’s got the madness that would make it part horror and the sexiness that would bring teeny-boppers, twenty-somethings, and older YA readers straight to the movie lines. A.G. took the setting of Wonderland and turned it into a macabre dance---the flowers have become killers, the white rabbit has become a humanoid/rabbit type skeleton, and the cards are vicious monsters. Take Carol’s Wonderland and throw it off kilter—somewhere between psychotic killer and mushroom hallucinations—and then you have A.G.’s world. Terrifying and beautiful sprinkled with a dash of insanity and a pinch of sex.
I really loved Alyssa—Alice’s great, great, great granddaughter. She is tasked with going down the rabbit hole to fix Alice’s mistakes. She’s strong and confident, with a morbid fascination with bugs. I loved the attention to her clothes—a punk style that fits the strangeness of Wonderland perfectly. She was always getting new “costumes,” and I really enjoyed seeing her personality show through each of them. Plus, they added to the setting and the surrealism of the world. Alyssa is smart and witty, and even those she is vulnerable in some aspects of her life, she doesn’t let that waiver her conviction. She presses forward, no matter how unnerving or creepy the creatures or her tasks may seem.
And
The
Guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh the guys! The guys in this one are great! There’s Jeb, Alyssa’s best friend from the mortal realm (who she has a complete crush on), and then there’s Morpheus, her estranged friend from her childhood who is now her guide through Wonderland. Jeb is your typical best friend with a crush—he is a little shy and doesn’t know how to say what he wants. That part of him is endearing, but unfortunately, I found him a bit boring. He was predictable and plain compared to Morpheus.
I think many readers will like Jeb better than me, but what can I say, I like the macabre Morpheus. He says it best himself: “Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible.” ARC, location 3982-3983 He hit the nail on the head with that one! Those are the YA guys I tend to fall head of heels for! A.G. describes Morpheus as similar to The Crow (you know the old 80s movie with the guy in leather and a white-painted face?)—and I loved The Crow!!! “He’s a contradiction: taut magic coiled to strike, gentleness at war with severity, a tongue as sharp as a whip’s edge, yet skin so soft he could be swathed in clouds.” ARC, location 1837-1838 Morpheus is full of charisma and is extremely skilled in seduction. I found myself wishing that Alyssa would just throw herself on him so they could have a hot and steamy, make you sweat scene. He is what happens when you make the macabre sexy. Long dark hair that falls into his face, dark smoky eyes that pierce your soul, black tipped wings that will sweep you off your feet, and the heart that is always too hard to read. Yum! I couldn’t get enough of Morpheus, and I am hoping beyond all belief that A.G will write a sequel just so I can have more of him.
This could be a stand-alone novel, but it was also left a little open where a sequel can be written if A.G. Howard decides to in the future. (Please, Please, Please!)
Splintered: Astounding. Morbid. Sexy. Unpredictable. Enchanting.
I could go on and on, but I won’t! Instead, I will urge you to buy this book when it comes out in January! If you’re looking for something different, and are a fan of dark, gothic-like novels, then this will be perfect for you!
I’ll leave you with a final quote I loved:
“He’ll come for you. He’ll step through your dreams. Or the looking glass…stay away from the glass, Allie!” ARC, location 481-482
eARC received by Amulet Books via Netgalley
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: Sinister, Surreal, and Seductive
I’m just going to go ahead and brand this one of the BEST OF 2013, before 2013 even starts! Splintered is that good! I’ve never before wanted to jump down a rabbit hole so whole-heartedly! A.G. Howard morphs Lewis Carrol’s classic into something new and deadly—a place where the macabre and morbid rule the world, where reality and fiction are juxtaposed in a tangle of webs, and where love and betrayal go hand in hand. So close your eyes and take a leap down the rabbit hole—when you open them again, you will be in a world of wonder and chaos.
“Now, stop thinking like a human Nethering logic resides in the hazy border between sense and nonsense.” ARC, location 1891-1892
I was never a huge fan of the original classic, but this re-telling just blew me away. I love how A.G. took parts of the old story and interwove them to create something new and modern. Her world was captivating and creepy—and I could just see this playing across the big screen. Seriously, if I had to choose any book to be a movie, this would be it! It’s got the madness that would make it part horror and the sexiness that would bring teeny-boppers, twenty-somethings, and older YA readers straight to the movie lines. A.G. took the setting of Wonderland and turned it into a macabre dance---the flowers have become killers, the white rabbit has become a humanoid/rabbit type skeleton, and the cards are vicious monsters. Take Carol’s Wonderland and throw it off kilter—somewhere between psychotic killer and mushroom hallucinations—and then you have A.G.’s world. Terrifying and beautiful sprinkled with a dash of insanity and a pinch of sex.
I really loved Alyssa—Alice’s great, great, great granddaughter. She is tasked with going down the rabbit hole to fix Alice’s mistakes. She’s strong and confident, with a morbid fascination with bugs. I loved the attention to her clothes—a punk style that fits the strangeness of Wonderland perfectly. She was always getting new “costumes,” and I really enjoyed seeing her personality show through each of them. Plus, they added to the setting and the surrealism of the world. Alyssa is smart and witty, and even those she is vulnerable in some aspects of her life, she doesn’t let that waiver her conviction. She presses forward, no matter how unnerving or creepy the creatures or her tasks may seem.
And
The
Guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh the guys! The guys in this one are great! There’s Jeb, Alyssa’s best friend from the mortal realm (who she has a complete crush on), and then there’s Morpheus, her estranged friend from her childhood who is now her guide through Wonderland. Jeb is your typical best friend with a crush—he is a little shy and doesn’t know how to say what he wants. That part of him is endearing, but unfortunately, I found him a bit boring. He was predictable and plain compared to Morpheus.
I think many readers will like Jeb better than me, but what can I say, I like the macabre Morpheus. He says it best himself: “Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible.” ARC, location 3982-3983 He hit the nail on the head with that one! Those are the YA guys I tend to fall head of heels for! A.G. describes Morpheus as similar to The Crow (you know the old 80s movie with the guy in leather and a white-painted face?)—and I loved The Crow!!! “He’s a contradiction: taut magic coiled to strike, gentleness at war with severity, a tongue as sharp as a whip’s edge, yet skin so soft he could be swathed in clouds.” ARC, location 1837-1838 Morpheus is full of charisma and is extremely skilled in seduction. I found myself wishing that Alyssa would just throw herself on him so they could have a hot and steamy, make you sweat scene. He is what happens when you make the macabre sexy. Long dark hair that falls into his face, dark smoky eyes that pierce your soul, black tipped wings that will sweep you off your feet, and the heart that is always too hard to read. Yum! I couldn’t get enough of Morpheus, and I am hoping beyond all belief that A.G will write a sequel just so I can have more of him.
This could be a stand-alone novel, but it was also left a little open where a sequel can be written if A.G. Howard decides to in the future. (Please, Please, Please!)
Splintered: Astounding. Morbid. Sexy. Unpredictable. Enchanting.
I could go on and on, but I won’t! Instead, I will urge you to buy this book when it comes out in January! If you’re looking for something different, and are a fan of dark, gothic-like novels, then this will be perfect for you!
I’ll leave you with a final quote I loved:
“He’ll come for you. He’ll step through your dreams. Or the looking glass…stay away from the glass, Allie!” ARC, location 481-482
A perfect and unique adaptation of Alice In Wonderland for the YA Group!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
To see my guest post with the author and to enter for a chance to win a signed hardcover + swag(INTL),follow this link: http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydreamer3.blogspot.com/2012/12/an-insight-of-characters-world-guest.html
Review also cross-posted at my blog: http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydreamer3.blogspot.com/
**I received an ARC (Uncorrected Proof) of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
SPLINTERED is probably one of my best 2012 reads.And I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say that.A.G. Howard's version of the world on the other side of the looking glass that Lewis Carroll had created for us so long ago is one that you'll keep wanting to relive over and over again until you have every nook and corner memorized in your head.I have read this book from the start to the finish THREE times and every time I read it,I still find new things that I haven't noticed or haven't thought of before.Remember when you look for a book to buy in hardcover that you'll re-read again and again whenever you've got spare time?Well SPLINTERED is definitely that type of book.It has the right amount of action,adventure,fantasy and yes,as I dare say it,romance.Though there is a slight love triangle alert.But then again,what YA novel is complete without a love triangle?Us teenagers devour those things along with hot guys. ;)
I also loved the author's new concepts of wonderland.The rabbit,the caterpillar,Cheshire Cat...all of the characters which we were familiar with from Alice In Wonderland are brought to a new light and given a new voice.It truly was absolutely fascinating getting to know them all over again.
And last,but not least,the best thing about SPLINTERED is probably its main characters which Carroll definitely should have included in his version of Wonderland.Their roles were set wonderfully to fit in with the story and all of their dialogues were really fun to read.Here's a bit more about them:
Alyssa: Descendant of Alice Liddell,the Alice from Alice In Wonderland.But she's totally different from the Alice we are familiar with.I bet Alice wouldn't dare step on a skateboard or get dreadlocks for her hair.*snickers* If Lewis Carroll was alive right now,he'd probably have a heart attack if he saw Alice's descendant.
"I have this character flaw?Called dignity?"
-Alyssa,Splintered
Jeb: Alyssa's long-time crush.Hot guy alert!This guy's absolutely awesome(and the first fictional crush I've ever had who ISN'T a bad boy) but he's got a piercing on his lip so I'm not sure if my mum would approve of him.But he's totally swoonworthy.He's protective of Alyssa and is an artist too. Alyssa's quite lucky to have a guy like that by her side.To be frank,I'm jealous!
“I go where Al goes, dances-with-bugs. And just so you know, if anything happens to her,
I'll pin you by your wings to a corkboard and use you for dart practice.”
-Jeb,Splintered
Morpheus: A mysterious character in Wonderland who gets Alyssa's heart racing.In other words,he's the bad boy of this story.Anything more than that would be counted as spoilers.
"Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible."
-Morpheus,Splintered
SPLINTERED is one book you definitely do not want to miss out on.It will make you see Alice In Wonderland from a whole new aspect and who knows?Maybe it might make you pick up the unabridged version all over again,and this time not because it is included in your school curriculum.
Review also cross-posted at my blog: http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydreamer3.blogspot.com/
**I received an ARC (Uncorrected Proof) of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
SPLINTERED is probably one of my best 2012 reads.And I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say that.A.G. Howard's version of the world on the other side of the looking glass that Lewis Carroll had created for us so long ago is one that you'll keep wanting to relive over and over again until you have every nook and corner memorized in your head.I have read this book from the start to the finish THREE times and every time I read it,I still find new things that I haven't noticed or haven't thought of before.Remember when you look for a book to buy in hardcover that you'll re-read again and again whenever you've got spare time?Well SPLINTERED is definitely that type of book.It has the right amount of action,adventure,fantasy and yes,as I dare say it,romance.Though there is a slight love triangle alert.But then again,what YA novel is complete without a love triangle?Us teenagers devour those things along with hot guys. ;)
I also loved the author's new concepts of wonderland.The rabbit,the caterpillar,Cheshire Cat...all of the characters which we were familiar with from Alice In Wonderland are brought to a new light and given a new voice.It truly was absolutely fascinating getting to know them all over again.
And last,but not least,the best thing about SPLINTERED is probably its main characters which Carroll definitely should have included in his version of Wonderland.Their roles were set wonderfully to fit in with the story and all of their dialogues were really fun to read.Here's a bit more about them:
Alyssa: Descendant of Alice Liddell,the Alice from Alice In Wonderland.But she's totally different from the Alice we are familiar with.I bet Alice wouldn't dare step on a skateboard or get dreadlocks for her hair.*snickers* If Lewis Carroll was alive right now,he'd probably have a heart attack if he saw Alice's descendant.
"I have this character flaw?Called dignity?"
-Alyssa,Splintered
Jeb: Alyssa's long-time crush.Hot guy alert!This guy's absolutely awesome(and the first fictional crush I've ever had who ISN'T a bad boy) but he's got a piercing on his lip so I'm not sure if my mum would approve of him.But he's totally swoonworthy.He's protective of Alyssa and is an artist too. Alyssa's quite lucky to have a guy like that by her side.To be frank,I'm jealous!
“I go where Al goes, dances-with-bugs. And just so you know, if anything happens to her,
I'll pin you by your wings to a corkboard and use you for dart practice.”
-Jeb,Splintered
Morpheus: A mysterious character in Wonderland who gets Alyssa's heart racing.In other words,he's the bad boy of this story.Anything more than that would be counted as spoilers.
"Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible."
-Morpheus,Splintered
SPLINTERED is one book you definitely do not want to miss out on.It will make you see Alice In Wonderland from a whole new aspect and who knows?Maybe it might make you pick up the unabridged version all over again,and this time not because it is included in your school curriculum.
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