Splintered by A. G. Howard (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Splintered by A. G. Howard
As Alice traveled through Wonderland, she left chaos in her wake, and generations of her female descendants have been cursed with madness until the damage is repaired. Desperate to save her mother and eventually herself from the asylum, sixteen-year-old Alyssa Gardner takes up the family quest, returning to Wonder-land to clean up Alice’s mess. Along for the ride is her long-time crush Jeb, who gamely takes up the role of knight-defender as he fights to get Alyssa home safely. Complicating everything from her mission to her feelings, though, is Morpheus, a gorgeous moth-winged netherling from Alyssa’s childhood dreams, who acts as a guide but whose ulterior motives and deceitful nature undermine her efforts. As Alyssa journeys through Wonderland, encountering creatures both terrifying and familiar, she takes on the tasks that will repair Wonderland, including saving clams from a hideous walrus-like monster and rescuing the Cheshire Cat’s headless body from the belly of the Bandersnatch. At the same time, she unlocks the secrets of [End Page 337] her own past and discovers that the curse, her quest, and even the story of Alice might mask a far more dangerous truth. Wonderfully dark, weird, and twisted, this richly drawn refashioning of Carroll’s classic fantasy provides readers with more than just an alternative vision of Wonderland. The book is equal parts thrilling fantasy adventure, poignant family drama, and journey of self-discovery, offering a distinctive and original story that remains faithful to the spirit of its source. Strong-willed but emotionally fragile, Alyssa is an engaging heroine who fears looming madness but learns to revel in her gradually emerging magical powers. Jeb and Morpheus are both intriguing matches for Alyssa, attractive in opposite ways that are sure to have readers taking sides as the young men fight for her affection. Fans of dark fantasy, as well as of Carroll’s Alice in all her revisionings (especially Tim Burton’s), will find a lot to love in this compelling and imaginative novel.
