Christina Henry, author of the Black Wings series of novels, has just published Alice - a take on Alice in Wonderland that is definitely not for children. Henry’s story is dark and deranged, a trip down a dark alley rather than a rabbit hole.
Many twists on Lewis Carroll’s classic have been written in recent years, but most are aimed at the Young Adult market. Henry’s novel is straight up adult horror. Her writing style keeps you engaged with the dark world she creates and though the characters are recognizable, it’s a brand new story.
Alice and her love interest escape from an asylum, only to find that the evil of the Jabberwocky has been released with them. The Jabberwocky has a magical tie to Hatcher, Alice’s cohort, and so they set off on a quest to stop the creature before he can destroy the world. Along the way, they each must confront their own pasts and traumatically repressed memories and decide if they belong together. To complete their quest, they must challenge the atrocities created by the bosses of the crime-ridden Old City and try to make it out alive.
Henry’s novel is unique in that Cheshire, the Caterpillar, the Walrus, and the Jabberwocky are human men as well as monsters. Their human side is perhaps the most terrifying. How can one human being do these horrible things to another? The story involves magic, murder, and rape; it’s not for the faint of heart.
The novel was a well written and interesting twist on a favorite classic. The characters felt alive, not flat, and it truly was a terrifying place to visit. I enjoyed the ride, but was happy to leave their world when it ended. It felt like there might be a forthcoming sequel to this book. If so, I hope that Alice and Hatcher can find a place to call home. Despite what they’ve become to survive, they are sympathetic characters who deserve a happy ending.
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