Status
Available
Collection
Series
Genres
Publication
Amulet Paperbacks (2014), Edition: Classic Edition, 400 pages
Description
A descendant of the inspiration for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, sixteen-year-old Alyssa Gardner fears she is mentally ill like her mother until she finds that Wonderland is real and, if she passes a series of tests to fix Alice's mistakes, she may save her family from their curse.
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
Young Adult Favorites Award (2014)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-01-01
Physical description
400 p.; 8.25 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member emmyson
*Many thanks to Amulet Books and NetGalley for allowing early access to this book*
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I knew it was some sort of Alice retelling, but that was it. I didn't expect to find the amount of awesome that I did. Really, this book is AWESOME.
I loved,
Alyssa is somehow connected to Wonderland. I thought I had the connection all neatly figured out, but nope. Just when you think you know a thing, it changes. Wonderland was going to be a mirror of Carroll's Wonderland. It wasn't. I hated Morpheus until I...didn't. It was all very topsy-turvy. I think thatt's pretty much perfect for a book about Wonderland, don't you?
As far as characters go, I really, truly ADORED Jeb. He was the knight in shining armor. I'm such a sucker for that guy in books. Jeb was fabulous. Level-headed, protective without being a complete jerk about it, loyal, and trustworthy. Can I please have a Jeb of my own? PLEASE?!
I also really liked Alyssa. She's SO far from what I'm used to reading in YA lit. She has such an edge to her - I mean, she makes mosaics out of dead bugs and has eels for pets. She was really cool in a rocker kind of way. She had qualities that I'd like to have, like more courage to change her course. Not that I'm going to start making dead bug mosaics or run out and buy pet eels or anything. A girl has to have her limits. I will definitely take her courage and change my own course to follow my own dreams.
I love that this book had a very grown-up feel to it. I'd almost rather call it New Adult than Young Adult. It's not the kind of book I'd give a young teen. It's definitely the kind of book I'd give an older teen though. Or an adult. It's the kind that will appeal to more than the target audience.
One of my favorite things is that this is a stand-alone. As I finished, my first thought was that I was SO glad I didn't have to wait for another book to tie it all together. It doesn't NEED another book. It's awesome as it is. We get just the right amount of everything. It FEELS complete. Also, it pretty much has the perfect ending, so how could you possibly mess that up with another book?!
Okay, I'm going to start rambling any second now. Just trust me on this one and read it. It's amazing. I'm definitely buying a finished copy. 4.5 Eiffel Towers.
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I knew it was some sort of Alice retelling, but that was it. I didn't expect to find the amount of awesome that I did. Really, this book is AWESOME.
I loved,
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loved, loved that the creep factor is seriously amped up here, but not in a gross way. It's eerie in how twisted it is. And really, it's TWISTED. Twisted in a really awesome way.Alyssa is somehow connected to Wonderland. I thought I had the connection all neatly figured out, but nope. Just when you think you know a thing, it changes. Wonderland was going to be a mirror of Carroll's Wonderland. It wasn't. I hated Morpheus until I...didn't. It was all very topsy-turvy. I think thatt's pretty much perfect for a book about Wonderland, don't you?
As far as characters go, I really, truly ADORED Jeb. He was the knight in shining armor. I'm such a sucker for that guy in books. Jeb was fabulous. Level-headed, protective without being a complete jerk about it, loyal, and trustworthy. Can I please have a Jeb of my own? PLEASE?!
I also really liked Alyssa. She's SO far from what I'm used to reading in YA lit. She has such an edge to her - I mean, she makes mosaics out of dead bugs and has eels for pets. She was really cool in a rocker kind of way. She had qualities that I'd like to have, like more courage to change her course. Not that I'm going to start making dead bug mosaics or run out and buy pet eels or anything. A girl has to have her limits. I will definitely take her courage and change my own course to follow my own dreams.
I love that this book had a very grown-up feel to it. I'd almost rather call it New Adult than Young Adult. It's not the kind of book I'd give a young teen. It's definitely the kind of book I'd give an older teen though. Or an adult. It's the kind that will appeal to more than the target audience.
One of my favorite things is that this is a stand-alone. As I finished, my first thought was that I was SO glad I didn't have to wait for another book to tie it all together. It doesn't NEED another book. It's awesome as it is. We get just the right amount of everything. It FEELS complete. Also, it pretty much has the perfect ending, so how could you possibly mess that up with another book?!
Okay, I'm going to start rambling any second now. Just trust me on this one and read it. It's amazing. I'm definitely buying a finished copy. 4.5 Eiffel Towers.
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LibraryThing member ahandfulofconfetti
First off, let me get the superficial things out of the way. Splintered is a gorgeous book. The cover is amazing, and I especially liked the fact that the publisher chose to use purple ink for the pages. There are interesting designs at the start of each chapter, and you can just really tell that
(NOTE: I apologize for the overuse of ALL CAPS in this review. Sometimes it's just the only way to properly express one's feelings!)
It's never a good sign when you spend most of the reading experience frustrated with at least one character. It's really not good when you also spend most of the book actively disliking another. But such was the case with Splintered. This book just really annoyed me, which was a shame because the whole idea behind it - a retelling of sorts of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - should have been right up my alley. I wanted to know why the women in Alyssa's family seemingly all suffered from some form of mental illness. I was curious about what kind of mistakes Alice made that needed to be fixed. And I really wanted to root for Alyssa, who seemed to be fighting against so much. Instead, I spent every second she was in Wonderland wanting to reach through the pages and strangle her, because she was just. So. FRUSTRATING.
We all know those stupid females in horror movies who run upstairs to get away from the baddie instead of out the door, right? Well, that was Alyssa to a tee; instead of trusting HERSELF (or at least listening to Jeb, who was the voice of reason here, even though he definitely had his own faults), Alyssa kept diving headfirst into situations put in her path by Morpheus, who was CLEARLY using her for his own gains. For me personally, after walking blind into the first problem because of his misinformation, I would stop taking his word on things, you know? But this was not what Alyssa did, and it just really made me want to pull my hair out.
Now, to be fair, I don't think people were really supposed to like Morpheus. Or at least, you weren't supposed to like his actions or reasons for them (I think we were supposed to find the man himself quite sexy, which, no). The thing I really hated was the fact that, if he'd just been straight with her, she probably would have done what was necessary ANYWAY because of the ridiculous bond they seemed to have. Even after everything came out, there wasn't anything mentioned that said he couldn't tell her, unless I just skipped over that accidentally during my eye-rolling (it's possible, because I did quite a lot of eye-rolling). I HATE when a book is built on misinformation and manipulation, and that's precisely what the ENTIRE STORY of Splintered revolved around.
Plus: A love triangle? REALLY? AND it's the first in a series? I personally loved the ending, the sort of open-endedness of it, which allowed the reader to think about things. But now there's going to be a book two, which is probably going to have even MORE love triangle junk, and, seriously, publishers, STOP IT. Sometimes one book really is enough!
Here's what I did like: Alyssa's journey from a scared girl to a strong heroine. The twisting of Carroll's tale into something much more sinister and dark. The way you could still tell who the characters were, even if they didn't precisely look like the ones you're familiar with (whether from the book itself or the Disney film). Alyssa's dad, who loved her unconditionally. The creepy factor. The twist regarding Alice and her descendants. Alyssa's actual trip through Wonderland and everything she encounters.
As far as the actual retelling part, Splintered is pretty sound, annoying characters excluded. Even though I came away from this book more frustrated than anything else, I still found some things enjoyable. Much of the ratings drop is due solely to my feelings for Morpheus and Alyssa's inability to realize he was manipulating her, so feel free to take the rating itself - and this entire review - with a grain of salt. After all, reading is probably one of the most subjective hobbies out there, so your mileage may vary!
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presentation was important to everyone involved when it came to this book. Unfortunately, for me, that amazing detail and artistic presence didn't translate to the story text itself.(NOTE: I apologize for the overuse of ALL CAPS in this review. Sometimes it's just the only way to properly express one's feelings!)
It's never a good sign when you spend most of the reading experience frustrated with at least one character. It's really not good when you also spend most of the book actively disliking another. But such was the case with Splintered. This book just really annoyed me, which was a shame because the whole idea behind it - a retelling of sorts of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - should have been right up my alley. I wanted to know why the women in Alyssa's family seemingly all suffered from some form of mental illness. I was curious about what kind of mistakes Alice made that needed to be fixed. And I really wanted to root for Alyssa, who seemed to be fighting against so much. Instead, I spent every second she was in Wonderland wanting to reach through the pages and strangle her, because she was just. So. FRUSTRATING.
We all know those stupid females in horror movies who run upstairs to get away from the baddie instead of out the door, right? Well, that was Alyssa to a tee; instead of trusting HERSELF (or at least listening to Jeb, who was the voice of reason here, even though he definitely had his own faults), Alyssa kept diving headfirst into situations put in her path by Morpheus, who was CLEARLY using her for his own gains. For me personally, after walking blind into the first problem because of his misinformation, I would stop taking his word on things, you know? But this was not what Alyssa did, and it just really made me want to pull my hair out.
Now, to be fair, I don't think people were really supposed to like Morpheus. Or at least, you weren't supposed to like his actions or reasons for them (I think we were supposed to find the man himself quite sexy, which, no). The thing I really hated was the fact that, if he'd just been straight with her, she probably would have done what was necessary ANYWAY because of the ridiculous bond they seemed to have. Even after everything came out, there wasn't anything mentioned that said he couldn't tell her, unless I just skipped over that accidentally during my eye-rolling (it's possible, because I did quite a lot of eye-rolling). I HATE when a book is built on misinformation and manipulation, and that's precisely what the ENTIRE STORY of Splintered revolved around.
Plus: A love triangle? REALLY? AND it's the first in a series? I personally loved the ending, the sort of open-endedness of it, which allowed the reader to think about things. But now there's going to be a book two, which is probably going to have even MORE love triangle junk, and, seriously, publishers, STOP IT. Sometimes one book really is enough!
Here's what I did like: Alyssa's journey from a scared girl to a strong heroine. The twisting of Carroll's tale into something much more sinister and dark. The way you could still tell who the characters were, even if they didn't precisely look like the ones you're familiar with (whether from the book itself or the Disney film). Alyssa's dad, who loved her unconditionally. The creepy factor. The twist regarding Alice and her descendants. Alyssa's actual trip through Wonderland and everything she encounters.
As far as the actual retelling part, Splintered is pretty sound, annoying characters excluded. Even though I came away from this book more frustrated than anything else, I still found some things enjoyable. Much of the ratings drop is due solely to my feelings for Morpheus and Alyssa's inability to realize he was manipulating her, so feel free to take the rating itself - and this entire review - with a grain of salt. After all, reading is probably one of the most subjective hobbies out there, so your mileage may vary!
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LibraryThing member MartyAllen
This title is a delectably twisted take on the Alice in Wonderland story. From the very beginning, Howard establishes a new world. Stories based on others run the risk of breaking from the intent of the original, but Howard's tale remains true. It's the story of Alice for grown-ups, one that will
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thrill and keep readers on the edge of their seats until the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com, so thanks to NetGalley and Amulet books for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I am a huge Alice in Wonderland fan and was super excited to read this book. It was a very good retelling of Alice in Wonderland with a dark feel
The females of Alyssa’s family have been cursed for generations to go mad when they hit puberty. Alyssa herself has heard flowers and bugs talking to her for years and does her best to ignore them. But when her institutionalized mother gets worse than ever Alyssa is determined to put together the clues and break this curse. Little does she know the twisted plot that awaits her in Wonderland.
This is an excellent and dark retelling of Alice and Wonderland. I love how everything from the original Lewis Carroll story is reflected in this story, but darker and a bit twisted. Many aspects of this story reminded me a lot of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie. Even down to the fact that the Bandersnatch guards the vorpal blade. There are more elements of faerie in this story than in Burton’s reimagining. The story also reflects some of American McGee’s Alice in Wonderland video game; the white rabid is a truly McGee worthy character in the story.
Alyssa is a believable and engaging character and Jeb is an excellent partner in her journey through Wonderland. Alyssa is dealing with some heavy stuff, yet she is a strong character and does her best to get done what she needs to get done. Jeb supports and respects her, and has that slightly dangerous vibe that a lot of readers will really enjoy.
The story is well done and has some intriguing twists and turns. It was very engaging and kept me guessing. It’s a dark retelling, but it never gets too dark as to be disturbing.
Overall I really enjoyed this retelling, it was well written and very well done. Alyssa is a plucky and fun heroine that is dealing with the tough circumstances, but she deals well. Jeb is an excellent support character, a bit dangerous but always supportive of Alyssa. Definitely recommended for anyone who is a fan of Alice in Wonderland...also great for fans of YA novels about dark faerie-type realms.
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to it. Think a cross between American McGee’s Alice and Tim Burton’s movie. The females of Alyssa’s family have been cursed for generations to go mad when they hit puberty. Alyssa herself has heard flowers and bugs talking to her for years and does her best to ignore them. But when her institutionalized mother gets worse than ever Alyssa is determined to put together the clues and break this curse. Little does she know the twisted plot that awaits her in Wonderland.
This is an excellent and dark retelling of Alice and Wonderland. I love how everything from the original Lewis Carroll story is reflected in this story, but darker and a bit twisted. Many aspects of this story reminded me a lot of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie. Even down to the fact that the Bandersnatch guards the vorpal blade. There are more elements of faerie in this story than in Burton’s reimagining. The story also reflects some of American McGee’s Alice in Wonderland video game; the white rabid is a truly McGee worthy character in the story.
Alyssa is a believable and engaging character and Jeb is an excellent partner in her journey through Wonderland. Alyssa is dealing with some heavy stuff, yet she is a strong character and does her best to get done what she needs to get done. Jeb supports and respects her, and has that slightly dangerous vibe that a lot of readers will really enjoy.
The story is well done and has some intriguing twists and turns. It was very engaging and kept me guessing. It’s a dark retelling, but it never gets too dark as to be disturbing.
Overall I really enjoyed this retelling, it was well written and very well done. Alyssa is a plucky and fun heroine that is dealing with the tough circumstances, but she deals well. Jeb is an excellent support character, a bit dangerous but always supportive of Alyssa. Definitely recommended for anyone who is a fan of Alice in Wonderland...also great for fans of YA novels about dark faerie-type realms.
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Beautiful, epic retelling of the classic Alice in Wonderland story, and it is amazing!
Opening Sentence: I’ve been collecting bugs since I was ten; it’s the only way I can stop their whispers,
The Review:
Alyssa Gardner is a 17 year old girl and
Alyssa is a girl with a lot of spunk and style. She likes to skate and she loves to paint. She has always been a little different, but she deals great with what she has been given in life. She was a really easy character to connect with and I totally loved her. Once she enters into Wonderland you get to see her transform into this strong, capable woman that goes after what she wants. She doesn’t end up going to Wonderland alone her neighbor and best friend Jeb accidentally comes with her.
Jeb Holt had been Alyssa neighbor since the 6th grade and they have pretty much been best friends ever since. He is a skater punk/artist with a little bit of a bad boy streak in him, but underneath all of that he really is a sweet guy. Honestly, just talking about him is making my heart pound a little faster. He is a total heartthrob. Alyssa has always had a secret crush on him, but she never said anything to him because she didn’t want to drag him into her crazy life. They have really great chemistry, and some of my favorite moments in the book are between these two.
While they are in Wonderland they go on a crazy adventure to try and break the curse. Alyssa has a mysterious guide that has been trying to help her succeed in her quest. His name is Morpheus and he is the caterpillar from the original story, but he has now turned into a moth. There is something so familiar about Morpheus and Alyssa realizes he is one of her childhood friends. When she was a little girl he would enter into her dreams and bring her to Wonderland, but she hasn’t seen him in years. He is her only ally in Wonderland, but he seems to have other motivations behind helping her. She just doesn’t know what it is. Alyssa needs his help so she decides to trust him. Alyssa has a dark side to her personality that is undeniably attracted to Morpheus. He is beautiful, mysterious, and there are little moments that show he really does care about Alyssa.
This book was really an amazing read. A.G. Howard takes the world already created and she puts her own twist on it, and it is magical and fascinating. The characters are well developed and very creative. It is action packed with has a great romance. This is a standalone book that has a perfect ending, leaving you very satisfied. I loved this book so much. I will defiantly be reading anything else that A.G. Howard writes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fantasy or retellings. I think that you will really enjoy the book.
Notable Scene:
A fiery knot tightens in my chest and I take a step back. “Control’? Over What? My Life? Reality check, Mr. Oblivious: I’m not your ‘kid sister’ anymore. I’m done being shelved with all you other responsibilities-somewhere between clipping toenails and changing dirty socks.” I shove him aside and start toward the glass chair, determined to wait there for Morpheus.
Without warning, Jeb snags one of the rings in my belt and spins me around. In one smooth motion, he lifts me onto the narrow, crescent-shaped table. My skin trembles beneath his touch as he scoots me all the way against the wall, his hips wedged between my thighs. We’re level-face-to-face. The fluttery feeling fells my head-and in the shadow of my darker side, a rush of satisfaction wells up, a perverse thrill that I can stoke his emotions to this gut-deep reaction.
I brace my hands against his shoulders to maintain space between us, but it’s only for show. My bluff fades to weak-kneed enthusiasm the instant he snags my wrists and pulls them down, leaning in so our noses almost touch.
“Reality check right back at ya,” He says, his breath a hot rush in the chilly room. “I know you’re not a kid anymore. You think I’m blind?” His fingers lace through mine, pinning my arms against the cold, smooth mirrors so our heartbeats pound against each other. “You’re the one who’s oblivious. Because there’s nothing brotherly about the way you make me feel.”
FTC Advisory: Amulet Books/Abrams provided me with a copy of Splintered. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Beautiful, epic retelling of the classic Alice in Wonderland story, and it is amazing!
Opening Sentence: I’ve been collecting bugs since I was ten; it’s the only way I can stop their whispers,
The Review:
Alyssa Gardner is a 17 year old girl and
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her life has never really been normal. When she was 5 years old there was an accident, where her mother ended up hurting her. Her mother ended up in an asylum for the mentally disturbed. When Alyssa was in the 5th grade she had her first period and she started to hear bugs and plants talk. Turns out Alyssa’s great-great-great grandmother is the girl that inspired Lewis Carroll to write the classic story of Alice in Wonderland. Well it’s not just a story, Alice actually did visit Wonderland and while she was there she disturbed the balance of things. Because the balance was never restored there was a curse placed upon all the females in Alice’s family. All of the female descendents have ended up going crazy at some point in their life. The only way for Alyssa to have a normal life and to save her mother from electric shock treatments is to break the curse. So down the white rabbit hole and on to Wonderland she must go.Alyssa is a girl with a lot of spunk and style. She likes to skate and she loves to paint. She has always been a little different, but she deals great with what she has been given in life. She was a really easy character to connect with and I totally loved her. Once she enters into Wonderland you get to see her transform into this strong, capable woman that goes after what she wants. She doesn’t end up going to Wonderland alone her neighbor and best friend Jeb accidentally comes with her.
Jeb Holt had been Alyssa neighbor since the 6th grade and they have pretty much been best friends ever since. He is a skater punk/artist with a little bit of a bad boy streak in him, but underneath all of that he really is a sweet guy. Honestly, just talking about him is making my heart pound a little faster. He is a total heartthrob. Alyssa has always had a secret crush on him, but she never said anything to him because she didn’t want to drag him into her crazy life. They have really great chemistry, and some of my favorite moments in the book are between these two.
While they are in Wonderland they go on a crazy adventure to try and break the curse. Alyssa has a mysterious guide that has been trying to help her succeed in her quest. His name is Morpheus and he is the caterpillar from the original story, but he has now turned into a moth. There is something so familiar about Morpheus and Alyssa realizes he is one of her childhood friends. When she was a little girl he would enter into her dreams and bring her to Wonderland, but she hasn’t seen him in years. He is her only ally in Wonderland, but he seems to have other motivations behind helping her. She just doesn’t know what it is. Alyssa needs his help so she decides to trust him. Alyssa has a dark side to her personality that is undeniably attracted to Morpheus. He is beautiful, mysterious, and there are little moments that show he really does care about Alyssa.
This book was really an amazing read. A.G. Howard takes the world already created and she puts her own twist on it, and it is magical and fascinating. The characters are well developed and very creative. It is action packed with has a great romance. This is a standalone book that has a perfect ending, leaving you very satisfied. I loved this book so much. I will defiantly be reading anything else that A.G. Howard writes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fantasy or retellings. I think that you will really enjoy the book.
Notable Scene:
A fiery knot tightens in my chest and I take a step back. “Control’? Over What? My Life? Reality check, Mr. Oblivious: I’m not your ‘kid sister’ anymore. I’m done being shelved with all you other responsibilities-somewhere between clipping toenails and changing dirty socks.” I shove him aside and start toward the glass chair, determined to wait there for Morpheus.
Without warning, Jeb snags one of the rings in my belt and spins me around. In one smooth motion, he lifts me onto the narrow, crescent-shaped table. My skin trembles beneath his touch as he scoots me all the way against the wall, his hips wedged between my thighs. We’re level-face-to-face. The fluttery feeling fells my head-and in the shadow of my darker side, a rush of satisfaction wells up, a perverse thrill that I can stoke his emotions to this gut-deep reaction.
I brace my hands against his shoulders to maintain space between us, but it’s only for show. My bluff fades to weak-kneed enthusiasm the instant he snags my wrists and pulls them down, leaning in so our noses almost touch.
“Reality check right back at ya,” He says, his breath a hot rush in the chilly room. “I know you’re not a kid anymore. You think I’m blind?” His fingers lace through mine, pinning my arms against the cold, smooth mirrors so our heartbeats pound against each other. “You’re the one who’s oblivious. Because there’s nothing brotherly about the way you make me feel.”
FTC Advisory: Amulet Books/Abrams provided me with a copy of Splintered. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member Rigfield
Such GREAT potential - a dark, moody, gothic, modern take on the Lewis Carrol Alice in Wonderland tale. But goes no where. Slow. I was bored half-way through and struggled to finish. The author seems too intent on describing every little detail of clothing and hair styles rather than advance her
Potential wasted. Just like the time I spent reading it.
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plot - like she's secretly hoping someone will make the movie so she can see it on the big screen. I mean seriously - the author explains EVERYTHING! Also, there where spelling and grammatical errors, which makes me think even the publisher's couldn't get into reading it to catch these glaring mistakes. (Seriously, even Spell Check knows you don't spell it "theif"!) Potential wasted. Just like the time I spent reading it.
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LibraryThing member ToxicMasquerade
Because I love everything 'Alice in Wonderland,' I decided to read 'Splintered' when I was putting up new books at work. I saw the cover and thought it was absolutely beautiful. After reading the inside cover, I knew I had to read the book. I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it. I
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didn't want to put it down. It has been awhile since I've been able to see every detail of a book so clearly. But, it came so easily to me while reading 'Splintered.' It was a great twist on 'Alice in Wonderland.' Something I may reread one day. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmberFIB
Wow. Splintered is one of the best debuts I've read all year. It seriously blew me away. I was scared to read it because it had such a gorgeous cover, and I've heard such great things about it, so I had really high expectations. I was not disappointed. Howard is a fantastic edition to the talented
The thing that stood out the most in this book was the world-building. Howard did an outstanding job at painting the landscape of Wonderland. I felt like I was actually there. I could easily picture the craziness that constituted Wonderland, and the insanity that surrounded Alyssa's life before she went to Wonderland. Even though I have never (thankfully) had bugs or plants talk to me, I still felt like I could relate to Alyssa because Howard made things so easy to imagine. I haven't had a reading experience like that in a long time.
The characters were unbelievably well-developed and unique, especially the Wonderland characters. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, even though no one was what they seemed. Howard kept me guessing about everyone, even Alyssa. I trusted Alyssa as a narrator, but she didn't even know who or what she was... other than kick-ass. Okay, well she didn't realize she was kick-ass, but I did, She was a strong and independent lead. She wasn't bratty, emo, or selfish, even though she had a tough life. She grew even stronger over the course of the novel, too, which I liked. Jeb was a terrific love interest, and for once, I was on the side of the nice guy. Morpheus grew on me, but I still liked Jeb better. Jeb was also unique, and was a bit of a "rebel," but he was still sweet. Morpheus was extremely selfish for a good part of the book. However, both Jeb and Morpheus evolved throughout the course of the novel, too. You don't see the love interests growing in most books, so this was a pleasant surprise. The other secondary characters, from both Wonderland and the mortal realm, stood out, too. There were no filler characters in this book.
The plot itself was non-stop suspense, but not a whole lot of action. There was tons of adventure, but not many "fight scenes" or anything like that. It was still impossible to put this book down, and the pacing was perfect. While there was a bit of love triangle, there was no insta-love, and there never was really any choice. Basically one guy served as a temptation while the other was the one Alyssa actually wanted. However, things got a bit complicated, and I'm curious to see if this will be a standalone novel or part of a series. The ending tied things up nicely, but there is room for a sequel if Howard and Amulet so choose.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone, especially if they loved Alice in Wonderland. The world Howard created is a bit darker than Carroll's, but I liked it more because of that. I don't know what else to say other than this book is amazing. Give it a try. You won't be sorry.
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ranks of YA authors. The world-buliding was amazing, the characters were all unique and well-developed, and the plot was insane (in a good way). I'd recommend this book to anyone, and I know I will re-read it a billion times. Splintered cannot be missed. The thing that stood out the most in this book was the world-building. Howard did an outstanding job at painting the landscape of Wonderland. I felt like I was actually there. I could easily picture the craziness that constituted Wonderland, and the insanity that surrounded Alyssa's life before she went to Wonderland. Even though I have never (thankfully) had bugs or plants talk to me, I still felt like I could relate to Alyssa because Howard made things so easy to imagine. I haven't had a reading experience like that in a long time.
The characters were unbelievably well-developed and unique, especially the Wonderland characters. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, even though no one was what they seemed. Howard kept me guessing about everyone, even Alyssa. I trusted Alyssa as a narrator, but she didn't even know who or what she was... other than kick-ass. Okay, well she didn't realize she was kick-ass, but I did, She was a strong and independent lead. She wasn't bratty, emo, or selfish, even though she had a tough life. She grew even stronger over the course of the novel, too, which I liked. Jeb was a terrific love interest, and for once, I was on the side of the nice guy. Morpheus grew on me, but I still liked Jeb better. Jeb was also unique, and was a bit of a "rebel," but he was still sweet. Morpheus was extremely selfish for a good part of the book. However, both Jeb and Morpheus evolved throughout the course of the novel, too. You don't see the love interests growing in most books, so this was a pleasant surprise. The other secondary characters, from both Wonderland and the mortal realm, stood out, too. There were no filler characters in this book.
The plot itself was non-stop suspense, but not a whole lot of action. There was tons of adventure, but not many "fight scenes" or anything like that. It was still impossible to put this book down, and the pacing was perfect. While there was a bit of love triangle, there was no insta-love, and there never was really any choice. Basically one guy served as a temptation while the other was the one Alyssa actually wanted. However, things got a bit complicated, and I'm curious to see if this will be a standalone novel or part of a series. The ending tied things up nicely, but there is room for a sequel if Howard and Amulet so choose.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone, especially if they loved Alice in Wonderland. The world Howard created is a bit darker than Carroll's, but I liked it more because of that. I don't know what else to say other than this book is amazing. Give it a try. You won't be sorry.
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LibraryThing member Pamelaaune
I can't believe this is this authors first book. It was well thought out; all the different story lines. The twists and turns, the fun and nonsense. Tea parties (um...Wow) and feasts, Moth and Mortal. I hope there's a second book in the works. I'm up for another trip to Wonderland.
LibraryThing member AyleeArgh
In short: Splintered by A.G. Howard is an excellent re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland, but the plot needed a bit more structure to maintain my interest.
What a cool concept - a spinoff of Alice in Wonderland in which Alice's great-great-great-granddaughter, Alyssa, must return to Wonderland to get
Interestingly - and unfortunately - the thing that I liked most about Splintered (that is, that it did a remarkable job of capturing the strangeness and randomness of the original story) was also the thing I disliked most about Splintered. I prefer a bit more structure and reason in my plots and Splintered was a bit too much on the zany and random side to maintain my interest. Again, I do believe the zany-ness was absolutely necessary in an Alice in Wonderland spinoff, but I just need a bit more realness to feel invested in a story and that is purely my personal taste.
And I can't say I was a fan of the love triangle either - let's see, a choice between a controlling and demeaning guy or a creepy and manipulative guy? No thanks. And by extension, I was pretty annoyed with our protagonist, Alyssa, who falls easily for both guys despite their unappealing qualities - otherwise I would have really liked her, I think, as she seemed to be an independent-minded and strong-willed soul at the beginning of the novel.
While Splintered wasn't completely the book for me, I would recommend it to fans of Lewis Carroll's original story as it is a truly fascinating and impressive take on Alice in Wonderland. And while I wasn't completely enchanted with all aspects of Splintered, I was at least taken in by A.G. Howard's writing and creepily demented imagination, and I would definitely read another book of hers.
What a cool concept - a spinoff of Alice in Wonderland in which Alice's great-great-great-granddaughter, Alyssa, must return to Wonderland to get
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rid of the curse that has been placed on her family. In Splintered, the Wonderland we know from Lewis Carroll's classic is much darker and demented. Debut author A.G. Howard does an excellent job of re-imagining the world and story we know so well into an edgier and scarier version, while still maintaining the scattered and strange tone of the original story.Interestingly - and unfortunately - the thing that I liked most about Splintered (that is, that it did a remarkable job of capturing the strangeness and randomness of the original story) was also the thing I disliked most about Splintered. I prefer a bit more structure and reason in my plots and Splintered was a bit too much on the zany and random side to maintain my interest. Again, I do believe the zany-ness was absolutely necessary in an Alice in Wonderland spinoff, but I just need a bit more realness to feel invested in a story and that is purely my personal taste.
And I can't say I was a fan of the love triangle either - let's see, a choice between a controlling and demeaning guy or a creepy and manipulative guy? No thanks. And by extension, I was pretty annoyed with our protagonist, Alyssa, who falls easily for both guys despite their unappealing qualities - otherwise I would have really liked her, I think, as she seemed to be an independent-minded and strong-willed soul at the beginning of the novel.
While Splintered wasn't completely the book for me, I would recommend it to fans of Lewis Carroll's original story as it is a truly fascinating and impressive take on Alice in Wonderland. And while I wasn't completely enchanted with all aspects of Splintered, I was at least taken in by A.G. Howard's writing and creepily demented imagination, and I would definitely read another book of hers.
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LibraryThing member WetheReaders
If you love romance and a unique teen voice, you'll love this book. I expected more of an adventure than a romance, which is part of why I rated it 3 stars. I also wished the main character had taken more of an active part in her trip to wonderland instead of letting the love interest save her. The
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descriptions are lush, but the MC is unpredictable and changeable. I loved the references to the original Alice in Wonderland sprinkled throughout. There will be a sequel to this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cathy_Keaton
This take on the Alice in Wonderland tale is so unique, it makes me wonder how nobody else ever thought of it before. Wonderland, in Splintered, is rather an underworld of the dead than a bizarre playground for children. Isn't that fantastic?
The protagonist, Alyssa, is the descendant of Alice
But, Alyssa discovers a way to break this so-called family curse of craziness by going into Wonderland, and she sets out to save her mother from her own mad mind and electroshock "therapy" that will likely lobotomize her. Her best guy friend and next-door-neighbor Jeb ends up tagging along, accidentally, and they are in for the adventure of a lifetime with the dead.
Alyssa struggles with her existing feelings for Jeb, who already has a girlfriend, plus her very old and now much more mature feelings for Morpheus, the Wonderland moth boy she spent time with in her dreams as a child, who is now all grown up and hot like Edward Scissorhands. It makes for a nice love triangle that feels realistic and not just there to create romantic drama. Although, Alyssa's chemistry is far better with Jeb than Morpheus, in my opinion.
I see a lot of reviewers saying they don't like the characters in the novel, but what are they all smoking? I loved the characters more than I normally love the characters in the YA books I read. They are great, even if not perfect, but they are so realistic and fun to read about. So what if Morpheus lies to Alyssa a lot for his own agenda. Does he have to be perfect in order to be lovable? No. And, Jeb behaves rather possessively of Alyssa while in Wonderland, but he's used to treating her like a sister, so I get that. Plus, he changes his tune in the end, anyway.
This books is super fun and unpredictable without a boring part in sight. For those already enamored of Alice in Wonderland and love YA fiction, this is the perfect fit. It's so much better than the Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland movie that came out a few years ago, which was good, but not great. I think this story would make a much better film.
*Thanks go to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The protagonist, Alyssa, is the descendant of Alice
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Liddell, the girl who inspired Lewis Carol's original novel. She has a set of strange powers that she inherited from Alice and her mother, Allison, who is living in a psychiatric hospital. She fears she will eventually end up in the hospital with her mother, just as all the other Alice descendents have. But, Alyssa discovers a way to break this so-called family curse of craziness by going into Wonderland, and she sets out to save her mother from her own mad mind and electroshock "therapy" that will likely lobotomize her. Her best guy friend and next-door-neighbor Jeb ends up tagging along, accidentally, and they are in for the adventure of a lifetime with the dead.
Alyssa struggles with her existing feelings for Jeb, who already has a girlfriend, plus her very old and now much more mature feelings for Morpheus, the Wonderland moth boy she spent time with in her dreams as a child, who is now all grown up and hot like Edward Scissorhands. It makes for a nice love triangle that feels realistic and not just there to create romantic drama. Although, Alyssa's chemistry is far better with Jeb than Morpheus, in my opinion.
I see a lot of reviewers saying they don't like the characters in the novel, but what are they all smoking? I loved the characters more than I normally love the characters in the YA books I read. They are great, even if not perfect, but they are so realistic and fun to read about. So what if Morpheus lies to Alyssa a lot for his own agenda. Does he have to be perfect in order to be lovable? No. And, Jeb behaves rather possessively of Alyssa while in Wonderland, but he's used to treating her like a sister, so I get that. Plus, he changes his tune in the end, anyway.
This books is super fun and unpredictable without a boring part in sight. For those already enamored of Alice in Wonderland and love YA fiction, this is the perfect fit. It's so much better than the Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland movie that came out a few years ago, which was good, but not great. I think this story would make a much better film.
*Thanks go to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member usagijihen
Whoa. Definitely a solid five stars on this one, guys. One of the most breathtaking debuts I've read in the last few years to be sure. "Splintered" does a whole new take on the "Alice" tale, though there are some definite tips of the hat to American McGee's "Alice to be sure. If you love "Alice" as
Okay, where do I start? Um. Morpheus. I don't really usually 'do' book boyfriends/girlfriends (no pun intended, seriously), but uh, he ranks up there with Leigh Bardugo's Darkling from her "Grisha" trilogy and Hannah Moskowitz's Teeth from "Teeth" as a book boyfriend I'd totally have. Morpheus is just one of the absolutely awesomely crafted characters in this book - which makes me all the more sad it's a standalone. Or it seems to be for now. More on that later. The character building in this debut was nothing short of amazing - beautifully polished, and everyone got their own character growth/journey arc (one of my personal benchmarks for good character building). Even Morpheus, even though he was the semi-antagonist for most of the book. Alyssa is also kind of a badass - especially with the opening pages on how she deals with "The Alice Curse" that her family has had for the last three generations. Jeb...well, I feel like he was the weakest character of the bunch, but he was still well-built enough for me to enjoy. If there had to be any last-minute fixes, it'd be building Jeb up just a bit more. But the fact that even he gets his own journey arc was really nice, so that kind of made up for the bits of weakness wherever the character building itself was concerned. Everyone got to take their own personal journey within the larger story as a whole, and when you're tackling something as hard as redoing "Alice"...well, anyone who can do that, to you I tip my hat.
There's a lot of pain in this book - real life pain. Dealing with parents that are far from perfect (and one that's most likely mad), having a crush on your childhood friend and not having that requited, and dealing with the possibility that you, yourself, may inherit said one parent's mental illness. That's pretty heavy stuff. But instead of couching it in depression, Howard couches it in adventure and magical realism, which can be very hard to do correctly. But because she tortures the hell out of her characters and kills her darlings with glee, she pulls it off. While she doesn't offer any solid answers aside from keeping communication lines open with one's parents and friends during times of need, she does show that this pain will make you grow, though you yourself have to determine in which direction that growth will go - good or bad, right or wrong, forward or backward in your own life. I thought that was a very cleverly whittled bit of wisdom, and it's not really there on the surface. You'll have to get to the last page to figure that one out. But the fact that it's in there at all and not as a "moral of the story" was great.
Even the love triangle. Yes, I said it. I didn't mind the love triangle here, because both boys represent Alyssa's future paths. Much like in books that I've loved this year so far like "The Madman's Daughter", the love triangle here is Alyssa's fork in the road in terms of her future. Will she take her rightful place in Wonderland at Morpheus' side? Or will she stay in reality with Jeb? Choosing Morpheus means choosing the fate of her mother - madness/mental illness, and Jeb means stability and working toward avoiding her mother's fate. So, when an author does that - making characters actual potential routes that the character can take - with a love triangle? I'm down with that. And it wasn't too annoying.
Finally, the worldbuilding. I absolutely love the idea of "netherlings" and how this version of Wonderland is very, very dark. Here's where the homage to McGee comes in - I felt that a lot of the darker parts of this book that happened within Wonderland as a setting were tributes to him. Like the White Rabbit, the most obvious example. But the sensory language and imagery is enough to make one drool, it's so detailed. It felt painstakingly built, and it generally felt like one of the most original versions of Wonderland I've seen so far in terms of retellings. It was that lovely.
Final verdict? If you're an "Alice" fan, you simply must give this book a whirl. If not, still give it a try - you might find that you like it quite a bit! "Splintered" is out now from Abrams in North America, so definitely check this book out when you get the chance. It's definitely one of the best of 2013 so far.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
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much as I do (both the original and McGee's versions), you simply must, must, must check out "Splintered".Okay, where do I start? Um. Morpheus. I don't really usually 'do' book boyfriends/girlfriends (no pun intended, seriously), but uh, he ranks up there with Leigh Bardugo's Darkling from her "Grisha" trilogy and Hannah Moskowitz's Teeth from "Teeth" as a book boyfriend I'd totally have. Morpheus is just one of the absolutely awesomely crafted characters in this book - which makes me all the more sad it's a standalone. Or it seems to be for now. More on that later. The character building in this debut was nothing short of amazing - beautifully polished, and everyone got their own character growth/journey arc (one of my personal benchmarks for good character building). Even Morpheus, even though he was the semi-antagonist for most of the book. Alyssa is also kind of a badass - especially with the opening pages on how she deals with "The Alice Curse" that her family has had for the last three generations. Jeb...well, I feel like he was the weakest character of the bunch, but he was still well-built enough for me to enjoy. If there had to be any last-minute fixes, it'd be building Jeb up just a bit more. But the fact that even he gets his own journey arc was really nice, so that kind of made up for the bits of weakness wherever the character building itself was concerned. Everyone got to take their own personal journey within the larger story as a whole, and when you're tackling something as hard as redoing "Alice"...well, anyone who can do that, to you I tip my hat.
There's a lot of pain in this book - real life pain. Dealing with parents that are far from perfect (and one that's most likely mad), having a crush on your childhood friend and not having that requited, and dealing with the possibility that you, yourself, may inherit said one parent's mental illness. That's pretty heavy stuff. But instead of couching it in depression, Howard couches it in adventure and magical realism, which can be very hard to do correctly. But because she tortures the hell out of her characters and kills her darlings with glee, she pulls it off. While she doesn't offer any solid answers aside from keeping communication lines open with one's parents and friends during times of need, she does show that this pain will make you grow, though you yourself have to determine in which direction that growth will go - good or bad, right or wrong, forward or backward in your own life. I thought that was a very cleverly whittled bit of wisdom, and it's not really there on the surface. You'll have to get to the last page to figure that one out. But the fact that it's in there at all and not as a "moral of the story" was great.
Even the love triangle. Yes, I said it. I didn't mind the love triangle here, because both boys represent Alyssa's future paths. Much like in books that I've loved this year so far like "The Madman's Daughter", the love triangle here is Alyssa's fork in the road in terms of her future. Will she take her rightful place in Wonderland at Morpheus' side? Or will she stay in reality with Jeb? Choosing Morpheus means choosing the fate of her mother - madness/mental illness, and Jeb means stability and working toward avoiding her mother's fate. So, when an author does that - making characters actual potential routes that the character can take - with a love triangle? I'm down with that. And it wasn't too annoying.
Finally, the worldbuilding. I absolutely love the idea of "netherlings" and how this version of Wonderland is very, very dark. Here's where the homage to McGee comes in - I felt that a lot of the darker parts of this book that happened within Wonderland as a setting were tributes to him. Like the White Rabbit, the most obvious example. But the sensory language and imagery is enough to make one drool, it's so detailed. It felt painstakingly built, and it generally felt like one of the most original versions of Wonderland I've seen so far in terms of retellings. It was that lovely.
Final verdict? If you're an "Alice" fan, you simply must give this book a whirl. If not, still give it a try - you might find that you like it quite a bit! "Splintered" is out now from Abrams in North America, so definitely check this book out when you get the chance. It's definitely one of the best of 2013 so far.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
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LibraryThing member Annabelle86
In the captivating young adult novel, Splintered, first-time author A.G. Howard reintroduces readers to Wonderland, the strange and magical world from Lewis Carroll’s fairytale, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
For years, the story of Wonderland has plagued Alyssa Gardner. As the
Afraid she will eventually succumb to the same fate as her mother, Alyssa has tried for years to drown out the voices of insects and plants in her head. But what if she isn’t crazy? What if Wonderland really does exist?
Determined to cure her and her mother of the maddening curse, Alyssa must find the rabbit hole from Alice’s dream and figure out the truth. However, once she is in Wonderland, Alyssa struggles to find logic and reason in a world where nonsense and chaos rules. Accidentally bringing her friend and long-time crush, Jeb, along for the adventure, they set out to cure her family’s curse with the guidance of Alyssa’s magical ally, Morpheus. Unraveling secrets and mysteries along the way, Alyssa suddenly finds herself torn between the stability of reality and the enchantment of Wonderland.
Drawing readers into the dark and twisted side of Wonderland, Howard’s powerful use of imagery brings to life the magical world in a way that readers never would have imagined it before. Containing the essential themes for a young adult novel—love, trust, and determination mixed with the supernatural—Splintered is sure to be a popular read with teens of every background. It is the kind of book that when readers reach the last page, they will be saddened that it is over, leaving them aching for a continuation of the enchanting story of Alyssa and her connection to Wonderland. Hopefully, Howard will fulfill her fans’ wishes sometime in the future and write a sequel to this fascinating novel.
For years, the story of Wonderland has plagued Alyssa Gardner. As the
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great-great-great granddaughter of Alice Liddell, the child who inspired Carroll to write the classic story, it has been nothing but a source of mockery and tension. After all, it has caused all the females in her family to go crazy—even her own mother has been institutionalized because of it.Afraid she will eventually succumb to the same fate as her mother, Alyssa has tried for years to drown out the voices of insects and plants in her head. But what if she isn’t crazy? What if Wonderland really does exist?
Determined to cure her and her mother of the maddening curse, Alyssa must find the rabbit hole from Alice’s dream and figure out the truth. However, once she is in Wonderland, Alyssa struggles to find logic and reason in a world where nonsense and chaos rules. Accidentally bringing her friend and long-time crush, Jeb, along for the adventure, they set out to cure her family’s curse with the guidance of Alyssa’s magical ally, Morpheus. Unraveling secrets and mysteries along the way, Alyssa suddenly finds herself torn between the stability of reality and the enchantment of Wonderland.
Drawing readers into the dark and twisted side of Wonderland, Howard’s powerful use of imagery brings to life the magical world in a way that readers never would have imagined it before. Containing the essential themes for a young adult novel—love, trust, and determination mixed with the supernatural—Splintered is sure to be a popular read with teens of every background. It is the kind of book that when readers reach the last page, they will be saddened that it is over, leaving them aching for a continuation of the enchanting story of Alyssa and her connection to Wonderland. Hopefully, Howard will fulfill her fans’ wishes sometime in the future and write a sequel to this fascinating novel.
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LibraryThing member msjessie
There are a number of things about Splintered that work very well - the concept retelling of Alice in Wonderland in a darker, much creepier version of the fantasy land, the lovely writing itself - but the things that didn't (the characters, oi, the characters!, and the first-person present tense
From page 25, when obvious love interest and character Jeb is introduced to the plot, I started to have problems. I took issue with his personality and his proprietary and controlling interest in main character Alyssa's life. I Did Not Like: his pushy and possessive attitude, as well as what he does throughout the two's journey into Wonderland (his taken status against with his actions towards Alyssa). I can take a lot of bad if I like/care about the characters, but between Jeb's boorish presentation and Alyssa's often immature attitudes (and not to mention shady Morpheus's angle), I couldn't muster up enough energy to care about what happened to any of them. Alyssa's thoughts and reactions are all over the place - I just couldn't get a line on who she was, even 300 pages in. Jeb never grows from his initial appearance, and Morpheus... is an obvious creep.
Aside from some admittedly skilled writing, and some truly creative/creepy (creapy?) interpretations of Wonderland staples - the Rabid White, the zombified flowers - I wasn't ever engaged in the story being told. The reinvented ideas of Wonderland are interesting and fun, but they are nowhere near substantive enough to make me rate this any higher than a 2/5. I ended this underwhelmed, frustrated with a totally unnecessary love-triangle among one-dimensional and irritating characters, and disappointed that this highly-anticipated novel was such a letdown. I think I will be in the minority with my less than favorable opinion on Splintered, but if I can't connect to the characters, and though I can definitely appreciate the technical merits of the story, it's a miss for me.
Short story even shorter: brilliant concept, stuttered execution, poor character development. No, thank you.
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used) ended up spoiling the rest of the novel for me personally. A.G. Howard is a new author that has promise, but this debut novel just didn't pan out for me during its nearly 400-page length. I will be interested to see where she goes following this, and will still probably attempt her next novel despite my less than enthusiastic reaction for this one.From page 25, when obvious love interest and character Jeb is introduced to the plot, I started to have problems. I took issue with his personality and his proprietary and controlling interest in main character Alyssa's life. I Did Not Like: his pushy and possessive attitude, as well as what he does throughout the two's journey into Wonderland (his taken status against with his actions towards Alyssa). I can take a lot of bad if I like/care about the characters, but between Jeb's boorish presentation and Alyssa's often immature attitudes (and not to mention shady Morpheus's angle), I couldn't muster up enough energy to care about what happened to any of them. Alyssa's thoughts and reactions are all over the place - I just couldn't get a line on who she was, even 300 pages in. Jeb never grows from his initial appearance, and Morpheus... is an obvious creep.
Aside from some admittedly skilled writing, and some truly creative/creepy (creapy?) interpretations of Wonderland staples - the Rabid White, the zombified flowers - I wasn't ever engaged in the story being told. The reinvented ideas of Wonderland are interesting and fun, but they are nowhere near substantive enough to make me rate this any higher than a 2/5. I ended this underwhelmed, frustrated with a totally unnecessary love-triangle among one-dimensional and irritating characters, and disappointed that this highly-anticipated novel was such a letdown. I think I will be in the minority with my less than favorable opinion on Splintered, but if I can't connect to the characters, and though I can definitely appreciate the technical merits of the story, it's a miss for me.
Short story even shorter: brilliant concept, stuttered execution, poor character development. No, thank you.
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LibraryThing member Capnrandm
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
allthingsuf.com
Vivid and evocative, the colors and artistry of SPLINTERED bleed from between the pages. This modern visit to Alice’s Wonderland has a cinematic quality, with everything from Alyssa’s outfits to Morpheus’s magical wings splashed
Above and beyond the aesthetic, the mechanics of this reimagined Wonderland works for me, too. The creatures and Queens are still alien and savage, but the author offers hints of humanity as well. I enjoyed each step of the journey where Alyssa retraces Alice’s steps. In fact, my one complaint bringing this story from 5 bats to 4 was that the human portion of Alyssa’s plot was a bit over engineered. From her relationship with Jeb, balanced perfectly on the edge of true friendship and unrequited love, to the “bad girl” Taelor, who manages to represent every negative aspect of Alyssa’s human life in one neat, easily defeated package, the human part of SPLINTERED was too neatly and explicitly explained.
But as flat as Alyssa’s human life fell, the imagery of Wonderland is not easily forgotten. Morpheus has all the sexy devilry of Bowie in Labyrinth, and it’s his whispers and wings I’ll remember going forward. A richly painted world, SPLINTERED is the sexy, dangerous Wonderland I’ve been waiting for.
Sexual Content: Kissing, discussions of sex.
allthingsuf.com
Vivid and evocative, the colors and artistry of SPLINTERED bleed from between the pages. This modern visit to Alice’s Wonderland has a cinematic quality, with everything from Alyssa’s outfits to Morpheus’s magical wings splashed
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across the mind’s eye.Above and beyond the aesthetic, the mechanics of this reimagined Wonderland works for me, too. The creatures and Queens are still alien and savage, but the author offers hints of humanity as well. I enjoyed each step of the journey where Alyssa retraces Alice’s steps. In fact, my one complaint bringing this story from 5 bats to 4 was that the human portion of Alyssa’s plot was a bit over engineered. From her relationship with Jeb, balanced perfectly on the edge of true friendship and unrequited love, to the “bad girl” Taelor, who manages to represent every negative aspect of Alyssa’s human life in one neat, easily defeated package, the human part of SPLINTERED was too neatly and explicitly explained.
But as flat as Alyssa’s human life fell, the imagery of Wonderland is not easily forgotten. Morpheus has all the sexy devilry of Bowie in Labyrinth, and it’s his whispers and wings I’ll remember going forward. A richly painted world, SPLINTERED is the sexy, dangerous Wonderland I’ve been waiting for.
Sexual Content: Kissing, discussions of sex.
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
This has got to be one of the best book I have read in 2013. It's told in such powerful way, I want nothing more than to read it over and over again!
There are certain elements in this book that keeps me at the edge of my seat. One of them being in Wonderland itself. I've always adore the classic,
The love interest in the story is another element that I adored. A best friend and love overlooked, these two characters have bonded over a long time. Faced with trouble, their feelings finally come out and I can't help but swoon. Seriously, I smiled like the Cheshire cat, giggled like a teenage girl, and sighed. I love that there love was not an insta-love but a love built over time. Even when bad things came out and the story was over, their love is still fresh and fierce. That is the way all love interest should be.
Overall, Splintered is a tale like no other. Written beautifully that it captures every readers heart, you want this book on your shelf. For much of the story, the hunt to break the curse entrances the reader to keep reading, to find the key! A riveting tale, Splintered is fan-freaking-tastic!
There are certain elements in this book that keeps me at the edge of my seat. One of them being in Wonderland itself. I've always adore the classic,
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Alice In Wonderland and the real story behind it. To bring a story like this and re-tale it is amazing. I literally sat amazed at the story, my eyes locked on every word soaking it all in. The way it moved at a pace where the reader not only understood but followed the white rabbit down the hole, I didn't think I ever come out.The love interest in the story is another element that I adored. A best friend and love overlooked, these two characters have bonded over a long time. Faced with trouble, their feelings finally come out and I can't help but swoon. Seriously, I smiled like the Cheshire cat, giggled like a teenage girl, and sighed. I love that there love was not an insta-love but a love built over time. Even when bad things came out and the story was over, their love is still fresh and fierce. That is the way all love interest should be.
Overall, Splintered is a tale like no other. Written beautifully that it captures every readers heart, you want this book on your shelf. For much of the story, the hunt to break the curse entrances the reader to keep reading, to find the key! A riveting tale, Splintered is fan-freaking-tastic!
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LibraryThing member ltcl
I don't really know how to describe this truly original creation. We are drawn down the rabbit hole with one of Alice's relatives so that she may battle the voices of bugs and flowers (who knew they spoke?) and save her mother from being kept in an insane asylum forever. The book jacket in itself
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is a work of art and I have to admit I did stop and stare at it from time to time. Splintered enters the world of the fairy tale again but it is a more sinister story than the original creation. Anyone who is a fan of a magical place that is a bit warped will enjoy Alyssa's trip into Wonderland. Show Less
LibraryThing member AboutToRead
Splintered is a rather unique retelling of Alice in Wonderland with a very sinister feel to it, which is reminiscent of Tim Burton’s movie adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Everything from the plot through to the characters was incredibly well done and A.G. Howard provides readers with enough
Instead of seeing Alice’s trip through Wonderland, Alyssa (one of her descendants), must return to Wonderland to fix everything Alice changed and free her family from a curse. The consequences of Alice’s actions were really interesting, as was having someone there to clean up her mess.
The characters we meet along the way were fascinating as well. Morpheus was definitely my favorite with his dark mysterious personality. He just exuded danger and sensuality and he was very manipulative. I am dying for some sort of follow up to Splintered—even just a spin-off series because I loved Morpheus that much. Jeb, Alyssa’s best friend, also added a great deal to the story. As great as he was though, he paled into comparison to Morpheus.
Splintered is beautiful, enthralling, and captivating. Prepare to be swept away by A.G. Howard’s incredible imagination and writing style. If you are looking for an amazing fairy tale retelling, look no further.
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imagery that it feels like we are traveling down the rabbit hole as well.Instead of seeing Alice’s trip through Wonderland, Alyssa (one of her descendants), must return to Wonderland to fix everything Alice changed and free her family from a curse. The consequences of Alice’s actions were really interesting, as was having someone there to clean up her mess.
The characters we meet along the way were fascinating as well. Morpheus was definitely my favorite with his dark mysterious personality. He just exuded danger and sensuality and he was very manipulative. I am dying for some sort of follow up to Splintered—even just a spin-off series because I loved Morpheus that much. Jeb, Alyssa’s best friend, also added a great deal to the story. As great as he was though, he paled into comparison to Morpheus.
Splintered is beautiful, enthralling, and captivating. Prepare to be swept away by A.G. Howard’s incredible imagination and writing style. If you are looking for an amazing fairy tale retelling, look no further.
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LibraryThing member bryantkeli
Ooh, what to say about this wonderful book! I'm such an Alice In Wonderland fan: the books and movies, etc. Let's just say that this take on the story didn't disappoint. A.G. Howard came through as an amazing story-teller with her debut novel.
Howard uses the original tale as a guideline but manages
One of the greatest things about this novel are the plot twists. In true Wonderland fashion, nothing is at it seems. You're just frolicking along with Alyssa thinking you know what's going to happen next, etc, and then bam, uhm no. I definitely had a few "edge-of-my-seat" moments, especially in the last quarter of the book.
By the end of the book I was disappointed to leave this story. I still wanted more. Honestly, it ended so perfectly though and I felt everything got wrapped up nicely. This would have been fantastic as a stand-alone so I'm not sure how a sequel is going to work. I won't complain about another chance to be in Wonderland, however.
This was a short review, but it's truly one of those books that a reader needs to experience on their own. I definitely recommend everyone that is into this type of genre to read this book, meet the characters and get absorbed in this world.
Howard uses the original tale as a guideline but manages
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to make this version of Wonderland all her own. And this one is even more creepily fantastic. It was so much fun journeying through this "new" Wonderland with Alyssa and Jeb and meeting the inhabitants of this world.One of the greatest things about this novel are the plot twists. In true Wonderland fashion, nothing is at it seems. You're just frolicking along with Alyssa thinking you know what's going to happen next, etc, and then bam, uhm no. I definitely had a few "edge-of-my-seat" moments, especially in the last quarter of the book.
By the end of the book I was disappointed to leave this story. I still wanted more. Honestly, it ended so perfectly though and I felt everything got wrapped up nicely. This would have been fantastic as a stand-alone so I'm not sure how a sequel is going to work. I won't complain about another chance to be in Wonderland, however.
This was a short review, but it's truly one of those books that a reader needs to experience on their own. I definitely recommend everyone that is into this type of genre to read this book, meet the characters and get absorbed in this world.
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LibraryThing member catiesmoviesinmyhead
Sometimes a book comes along that grabs hold of you with every quirky, wonderful thing it has and doesn't let go. You become completely engrossed in the author's world and when you have to come back down from your cloud it's completely disorienting. Splintered is that book. Like many of you I grew
LIKES:
Wonderfully dark - Howard definitely does not shy away from the unsettling and morbid. That's part of what makes this such a cool reading experience. Alyssa, our heroine, is an artist. Her medium: dead bugs. This could be considered just gross until you find out that she can speak to bugs. Just as a little taste here's the first couple of lines of Splintered:
"I've been collecting bugs since I was ten; it's the only way I can stop their whispers. Sticking a pin through the gut of an insect shuts it up pretty quick."
And we're off to a running start. Wow. Now, I admit that I have an aversion to bugs so I feel no sympathy for them. Had this been a sentence about puppies I would have shut the book immediately. However, bugs are fair game and this line is just so raw and full of angst and ick that it sucked me right in. This darkness follows throughout the whole story. One of the best parts about this book is Alyssa having to face her own darkness. It really enhances the story and makes it a lot of fun to read.
I actually like the (sort of) love triangle - Okay, so I don't know if this can actually be considered a love triangle, but that's probably why I enjoyed it. Alyssa loves Jeb. They are obviously meant to be together. He's sweet, trustworthy, fun and super duper hot, also human. Then there's Mothra *cough* I mean Morpheus. Also hot, and snarky, amazing and magical. But her love for Morpheus seems more platonic. They have a mutual admiration for one another and an unbreakable bond. Even if he wants more. Still, I loved the back and forth between the guys. It added a lot of humor to the story.
MORPHEUS!!! - Three things you need to know about this guy: he is the ultimate bad boy, he has an adorable British accent, and he has an insurrection hat. I'm sold. The only problem was that I couldn't picture him as he was described. I adore Once Upon a Time and all I could picture when reading this was Jefferson. But I'm cool with that.
I mean seriously how can I not? Good grief.
Plenty of Wonderland for purists - One of the things I was most worried about was how Wonderland would be portrayed. Would it be recognizable? Gladly, Splintered is filled with allusions to the original book. One of the most fun parts of reading this book was finding all of the little Alice Easter eggs hidden inside its pages. Although all of the characters have been changed in some way, they are still recognizable and Howard ties the stories together brilliantly.
DISLIKES:
Sometimes Alyssa makes me shake my head - Okay so it's not like Alyssa is stupid by any means but some of her decisions can be filed under "things that make me go 'hmm'". A great example is when she decides to get a forged passport and fly to England by herself. Apparently our heroine has never seen Locked Up Abroad.
Too much explanation of things we should be able to figure out on our own - this is probably the only thing that really bothered me about this book. Although they were relatively few, there were several instances where the author explained too much about the plot, when it would have been more fun to figure it out on my own. Luckily this didn't happen too often and it didn't really damage the reading experience.
Even with the couple of flaws that I found I have to give this book five stars. I was completely captivated by Alyssa, Jeb and all of the netherlings. Howard has managed to create a new version of Wonderland that is just as exciting, enticing and mad as the original. I know it may only be January but I would be surprised if this one doesn't end up on my best of 2013 list. It was just that good. I can't wait to see what else A.G. Howard does with her writing. I'll certainly be first in line to read her next book.
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up loving Alice In Wonderland. I'll admit it gave me some pretty interesting nightmares as a kid but mostly I fell in love with curious Alice, the goofy Mad Hatter and especially that clever albeit creepy Cheshire Cat. So, with that being said, I'm always apprehensive when a re-telling or continuation comes along. Luckily Splintered does real justice to our Alice. Howard pays tribute to Carroll's story while at the same time creating her own version. The mixture of Carrollian nonsense and whimsy mixed with real emotion and depth of character make this the perfect companion to the original tale. I think Mr. Carroll would be proud.LIKES:
Wonderfully dark - Howard definitely does not shy away from the unsettling and morbid. That's part of what makes this such a cool reading experience. Alyssa, our heroine, is an artist. Her medium: dead bugs. This could be considered just gross until you find out that she can speak to bugs. Just as a little taste here's the first couple of lines of Splintered:
"I've been collecting bugs since I was ten; it's the only way I can stop their whispers. Sticking a pin through the gut of an insect shuts it up pretty quick."
And we're off to a running start. Wow. Now, I admit that I have an aversion to bugs so I feel no sympathy for them. Had this been a sentence about puppies I would have shut the book immediately. However, bugs are fair game and this line is just so raw and full of angst and ick that it sucked me right in. This darkness follows throughout the whole story. One of the best parts about this book is Alyssa having to face her own darkness. It really enhances the story and makes it a lot of fun to read.
I actually like the (sort of) love triangle - Okay, so I don't know if this can actually be considered a love triangle, but that's probably why I enjoyed it. Alyssa loves Jeb. They are obviously meant to be together. He's sweet, trustworthy, fun and super duper hot, also human. Then there's Mothra *cough* I mean Morpheus. Also hot, and snarky, amazing and magical. But her love for Morpheus seems more platonic. They have a mutual admiration for one another and an unbreakable bond. Even if he wants more. Still, I loved the back and forth between the guys. It added a lot of humor to the story.
MORPHEUS!!! - Three things you need to know about this guy: he is the ultimate bad boy, he has an adorable British accent, and he has an insurrection hat. I'm sold. The only problem was that I couldn't picture him as he was described. I adore Once Upon a Time and all I could picture when reading this was Jefferson. But I'm cool with that.
I mean seriously how can I not? Good grief.
Plenty of Wonderland for purists - One of the things I was most worried about was how Wonderland would be portrayed. Would it be recognizable? Gladly, Splintered is filled with allusions to the original book. One of the most fun parts of reading this book was finding all of the little Alice Easter eggs hidden inside its pages. Although all of the characters have been changed in some way, they are still recognizable and Howard ties the stories together brilliantly.
DISLIKES:
Sometimes Alyssa makes me shake my head - Okay so it's not like Alyssa is stupid by any means but some of her decisions can be filed under "things that make me go 'hmm'". A great example is when she decides to get a forged passport and fly to England by herself. Apparently our heroine has never seen Locked Up Abroad.
Too much explanation of things we should be able to figure out on our own - this is probably the only thing that really bothered me about this book. Although they were relatively few, there were several instances where the author explained too much about the plot, when it would have been more fun to figure it out on my own. Luckily this didn't happen too often and it didn't really damage the reading experience.
Even with the couple of flaws that I found I have to give this book five stars. I was completely captivated by Alyssa, Jeb and all of the netherlings. Howard has managed to create a new version of Wonderland that is just as exciting, enticing and mad as the original. I know it may only be January but I would be surprised if this one doesn't end up on my best of 2013 list. It was just that good. I can't wait to see what else A.G. Howard does with her writing. I'll certainly be first in line to read her next book.
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LibraryThing member LaneLiterati
I adore anything Alice in Wonderland related and this was no exception. Brilliantly imaginative but contains relevant issues. Loved it!
LibraryThing member ZabetReading
Cover Impressions: The cover is breathtaking. This is one of those covers that when it was revealed, I immediately added it to my TBR list. The colors are gorgeous and the imagery is so interesting. I love that the connection to Alice in Wonderland does not smack you in the face but is hinted at in
The Gist: Alyssa is a direct descendent of Alice Liddell, the real life Alice in Wonderland. Every since Alice returned from that fateful trip into Wonderland, the women of her line have been cursed. They are unable to block out the calls of insects and flowers and are haunted by a mysterious moth that inspires them to unspeakable acts. With her mom in a psychiatric hospital and facing more and more dangerous treatments, Alyssa follows in her ancestor's footsteps in an attempt to set things right and free her family from this crippling curse.
Review:
If you have been following my blog, you may remember that I am a sucker for books that either re-tell or are influenced by the classics. Splintered first grabbed my attention with it's stunning color, then made it on to my OH MY GOD I WANT IT NOW! list, when I read the synopsis and discovered it was a continuation of the Alice in Wonderland story. Splintered is very true to Carroll's whimsical style but with enough of a twist to stand on its own. The characters are considerably more frightening and the story often dips into darkness which serves to create a more grown up Wonderland while reminding readers that there was real horror in some moments of the original (non-Disneyfied) version.
Alyssa was a strong enough character to carry the story, although I would have liked to see a little more character development. She seemed like a damaged little girl who was playing at being a rebel. At times, she was a little too trusting and took a bit too long to catch on to the obvious. I would have preferred if she had taken a more active role in success, but she seemed to simply stumble upon the answer, rather than work towards it. Her love interest, Jeb, was not my favorite person. He treated Alyssa like a child and was always running to her rescue (whether she needed/wanted it or not). I was pleased when he was conveniently removed from the storyline so that we could see Alyssa grow into her new place in Wonderland and meet her challenges on her own. I did, however, love Morpheous. He was very Mad Hatter-esque in that he had character and motivation. He was multidimensional in a way that most of the other characters were not and I kept wishing for him to pop up whenever the Alyssa/Jeb story started to get a little boring.
The plot of Splintered moved quickly as Alyssa was dragged from one challenge to the next. Morpehous' manipulations made for exciting situations and were the catalyst for an eventful race through Wonderland. Even though I did figure out the BIG plot twist earlier than Alyssa did, it still added a special element to the story and left me to re-examine earlier events in a new light.
Splintered is a very fun read. While it is violent and dark, it is not inappropriate for a teen audience and has enough romance to keep young girls interested. It is a definite must read for anyone who loved Alice in Wonderland or is a fan of whimsical stories with a little bite to them.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 15 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, Allusion to sex/rape
Violence: Swordplay,
Other Issues: Discussion of mental issues/images in a psychiatric hospital
Inappropriate Language: Ass
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking
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the flowers and bugs entwined in her hair. The Gist: Alyssa is a direct descendent of Alice Liddell, the real life Alice in Wonderland. Every since Alice returned from that fateful trip into Wonderland, the women of her line have been cursed. They are unable to block out the calls of insects and flowers and are haunted by a mysterious moth that inspires them to unspeakable acts. With her mom in a psychiatric hospital and facing more and more dangerous treatments, Alyssa follows in her ancestor's footsteps in an attempt to set things right and free her family from this crippling curse.
Review:
If you have been following my blog, you may remember that I am a sucker for books that either re-tell or are influenced by the classics. Splintered first grabbed my attention with it's stunning color, then made it on to my OH MY GOD I WANT IT NOW! list, when I read the synopsis and discovered it was a continuation of the Alice in Wonderland story. Splintered is very true to Carroll's whimsical style but with enough of a twist to stand on its own. The characters are considerably more frightening and the story often dips into darkness which serves to create a more grown up Wonderland while reminding readers that there was real horror in some moments of the original (non-Disneyfied) version.
Alyssa was a strong enough character to carry the story, although I would have liked to see a little more character development. She seemed like a damaged little girl who was playing at being a rebel. At times, she was a little too trusting and took a bit too long to catch on to the obvious. I would have preferred if she had taken a more active role in success, but she seemed to simply stumble upon the answer, rather than work towards it. Her love interest, Jeb, was not my favorite person. He treated Alyssa like a child and was always running to her rescue (whether she needed/wanted it or not). I was pleased when he was conveniently removed from the storyline so that we could see Alyssa grow into her new place in Wonderland and meet her challenges on her own. I did, however, love Morpheous. He was very Mad Hatter-esque in that he had character and motivation. He was multidimensional in a way that most of the other characters were not and I kept wishing for him to pop up whenever the Alyssa/Jeb story started to get a little boring.
The plot of Splintered moved quickly as Alyssa was dragged from one challenge to the next. Morpehous' manipulations made for exciting situations and were the catalyst for an eventful race through Wonderland. Even though I did figure out the BIG plot twist earlier than Alyssa did, it still added a special element to the story and left me to re-examine earlier events in a new light.
Splintered is a very fun read. While it is violent and dark, it is not inappropriate for a teen audience and has enough romance to keep young girls interested. It is a definite must read for anyone who loved Alice in Wonderland or is a fan of whimsical stories with a little bite to them.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 15 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, Allusion to sex/rape
Violence: Swordplay,
Other Issues: Discussion of mental issues/images in a psychiatric hospital
Inappropriate Language: Ass
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking
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LibraryThing member ljduett
So letting me start out by saying A-Freaking-Mazing! This book is awesome and just look at that wickedly cool cover! I love the vivid colors, the artistic design, the model's unique features that remind me of a startled Kewpie doll with dreds. I first looked into reading this book because of the
Do not be fooled into thinking that this is another retake on the Alice in Wonderland tale by Lewis Carroll... it isn't. Howard took Carroll's tale, fast forwarded a few generations later and told the story of that generation's entrance into wonderland. The reader learns while following the main character Alyssa (aka AL) that the original telling isn't too far from the truth but was much more sinister than the fairytale makes us believe. This plot is so rich that I actually feel a stomach ache from the depth of it, almost as if I binged on too much chocolate cake but totally in a good way. I cannot express how awe inspiring Howard's book is, how complicated and well tied her storyline is delivered. Simply A-Freaking-Mazing!
As for the writing, yeah Howard knows a thing or two about writing. I always complain that series take way too long to end. Well here's me eating my words, I Do Not want Splintered to be a single book. Oh , Ms. Howard, tell me Splintered will be a series, pretty please?
Howards writing was so well done, pacing so smooth, details spot on, that I felt as if I was watching a movie (a Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton style but better movie) Obviously, there is no need to say that Howard's word building is perfection, or that the turn of phrases make my toes curl in pleasure. This book should obviously be optioned for a movie or television series. Again, pretty please?
As for the character's in Spintered. I was BLOWN away. Howard really cooked her character's well. She's kneaded them, pounded them, and molded them into well shaped piping hot confections of personality. Each had personal agendas that Howard never let you in on but did eventually explain. Each, was shaped by their circumstances, most with extreme baggage that would weigh heavily on you or I, just as It did them. What's more is they grew from their baggage, which tested them and pushed them into being more. Al was a heroine to cheer for and I felt her anguish and frustration at her circumstances, while Jeb was a true knight in tarnished misguided armor, and Morpheus, oh Morpheus tickled me pink! It's hard to really do Howard's character's and supporting character's justice. They were all so colorful and well designed that I am in LOVE. Yes, madly in love with Howard, who is now one of my favorite authors and one I promise you should all keep an eye on.
Overall, I cannot truly express how fantastic Spintered is. If there was a virtual mountain top for me to shout its praises I would because yes, I loved the work that much. It has been the BEST book read thus for this year and I highly suggest to anyone and everyone that they pre-order a copy of this amazing novel. It's dark and unique, and a gem of an original that will wow the socks right off of you by the end of the book.
E-galley was provided by the publisher for a honest review, for which I am extremely grateful, thanks so much!
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cover, and boy oh boy am I glad.Do not be fooled into thinking that this is another retake on the Alice in Wonderland tale by Lewis Carroll... it isn't. Howard took Carroll's tale, fast forwarded a few generations later and told the story of that generation's entrance into wonderland. The reader learns while following the main character Alyssa (aka AL) that the original telling isn't too far from the truth but was much more sinister than the fairytale makes us believe. This plot is so rich that I actually feel a stomach ache from the depth of it, almost as if I binged on too much chocolate cake but totally in a good way. I cannot express how awe inspiring Howard's book is, how complicated and well tied her storyline is delivered. Simply A-Freaking-Mazing!
As for the writing, yeah Howard knows a thing or two about writing. I always complain that series take way too long to end. Well here's me eating my words, I Do Not want Splintered to be a single book. Oh , Ms. Howard, tell me Splintered will be a series, pretty please?
Howards writing was so well done, pacing so smooth, details spot on, that I felt as if I was watching a movie (a Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton style but better movie) Obviously, there is no need to say that Howard's word building is perfection, or that the turn of phrases make my toes curl in pleasure. This book should obviously be optioned for a movie or television series. Again, pretty please?
As for the character's in Spintered. I was BLOWN away. Howard really cooked her character's well. She's kneaded them, pounded them, and molded them into well shaped piping hot confections of personality. Each had personal agendas that Howard never let you in on but did eventually explain. Each, was shaped by their circumstances, most with extreme baggage that would weigh heavily on you or I, just as It did them. What's more is they grew from their baggage, which tested them and pushed them into being more. Al was a heroine to cheer for and I felt her anguish and frustration at her circumstances, while Jeb was a true knight in tarnished misguided armor, and Morpheus, oh Morpheus tickled me pink! It's hard to really do Howard's character's and supporting character's justice. They were all so colorful and well designed that I am in LOVE. Yes, madly in love with Howard, who is now one of my favorite authors and one I promise you should all keep an eye on.
Overall, I cannot truly express how fantastic Spintered is. If there was a virtual mountain top for me to shout its praises I would because yes, I loved the work that much. It has been the BEST book read thus for this year and I highly suggest to anyone and everyone that they pre-order a copy of this amazing novel. It's dark and unique, and a gem of an original that will wow the socks right off of you by the end of the book.
E-galley was provided by the publisher for a honest review, for which I am extremely grateful, thanks so much!
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LibraryThing member PrettyDeadly
DNF at 30%. I just can't. These characters are terrible. It's clear that the author has a gift when it comes to world building and description. But the characterization is lacking. I can't connect with Alyssa at all, and her choice in crush/boyfriend/whatever is abysmal.
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