Alice in Wonderland- A Graphic Novel & A Novel

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

3.75 stars

As a young girl the story of Alice falling down a rabbit hole and uncovering a world of fantastical oddities and peculiar wonders has always fascinated me. The animated Disney feature remains to be one of my favorite films. It's so wonderful and it is one of those nostalgic memories that brings me joy plus the songs are catchy and fun to sing. I'm sad to say that while I did really enjoy this story I don't love it. Carroll's writing style and storytelling doesn't capture my attention or make me invested in the story. There are actually quite a few scenes from the story that I've forgotten about until I reread a graphic adaptation because they aren't very impressionable moments. But Carroll does have a way of weaving stories otherwise he wouldn't be such a staple in literature and media culture.


"Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really possible."

This classic is odd and unconventional. I think that's what so appealing about it. There is no rhyme or reason to Wonderland. It's a moral with no real morals, much like the Duchess, who is obsessed with branding everything to have a moral (much like my Western Civ. teacher) and isn't able to see what's around her. Morals in literature are something we are taught to look for and to be honest I love morals and themes, but there isn't a concrete one in Alice's story because being innocent, imaginative, and a child doesn't mean labeling life with meaning. Why do kids dream big when they are playing or dreaming? Because that's the beauty of childhood. It's full of endless possibilities. The real theme of Wonderland- stay imaginative and in childhood because once you become a grown up there isn't a Wonderland to escape into anymore.


"I can't explain myself, because I'm not myself, you see."

Whimsical Writing Scale: 3



Alice is imaginative and curious by nature. She finds herself in quite a few predicaments in real life and even more in Wonderland. She wants a world where everything is nonsense, but once she experiences nonsense she can't make sense of it because she is logical in a different sense. Even as I type that sentence I feel as confused as Alice did most of the story. I think that's what draws people to Alice- her confusion and uncertainty in a new world. Whether you are young or old I'm sure at some point a new setting or world made you feel unbalanced and unsure and that's the appeal of Alice. She's relatable in the simplest of ways.

"She generally gave herself very good advice (though she seldom followed it)."

Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 4



The characters she encounters in Wonderland are baffling. There's famous ones like the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, and the Red Queen, but there are many not as well-known that really take the cake in weird. All of these characters are as infuriating as they are enduring. It's strange and I still don't know how I feel about most of them.

"We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."

Character Scale: 3.5

This story is a lasting one because it's timeless. It's a story that will be adapted and retold, read to kids at bedtime, and discussed in classes for a long time. While this story isn't as amazing as I hoped when going into it, I still enjoy it and everything it stands for.


Plotastic Scale: 4.25

Cover Thoughts: My cover is dreadfully boring. I do plan to collect some prettier editions in the future though. Until then I feel a sentimental attachment to my simple little Collins Classic edition.

                                         

Complete Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Leah Moore, John Reppion, & Erica Awano
2.5 stars
I do enjoy the tale of Alice in Wonderland. The Disney movie was one of my favorite growing up. It was so fantastic and far out there with all the talk of unbirthdays, singing flowers, oyster eating, and maniacal laughter. I've always been heavily influenced by the tale. I have only read Alice in Wonderland so Through the Looking Glass is a new tale for me, one I think that I'd prefer to have read physically without illustrations.


I liked the adaptation and the ideas behind a good bit of art work, but I also didn't like the art work or the coloring. It looked faded out and none if it was really captivating. I didn't find that this graphic novel was a completely astonishing adaptation. The story of Alice is so whimsical and the artwork in this edition felt washed out and unimaginative in comparison.

Art Scale: 2I do like both Alice stories and it was really interesting reading Through the Looking Glass for the first time. I'm just not in love with the stories. I think they are fun and cute, but they aren't stories that I find particularly lasting. To be honest, if it wasn't for the Disney films nothing about Alice would be ingrained in my mind except the beginning with the rabbit and falling down a hole.

Plotastic Scale: 3

Cover Thoughts: It's a cute cover, but again nothing impressionable about the art.
Thank you, Netgalley and Dynamite Entertainment for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. 

What do you think of Alice in Wonderland? Is it an absolute favorite or a head scratcher for you? Let me know down below in the comments.