Review Detail

If I could rate a book based solely on its cover, Splintered would have a solid 5 stars. Tell me this cover is not stunning? I dare you to disagree.


Unfortunately, you have to judge a book by more than just its cover, right?


I was only mildly interested in this one. Yes, it was a great retelling of a classic with a new twist-- but that was about it for me. I wasn't really all that impressed with the characters. True, Alyssa wasn't your expected Alice. She actually had a firm control of her purpose; unlike Alice who seemed to bumble around having a grand ol' time in Wonderland. Of course, if you read Splintered, you'll realize Alice's grand adventures really mucked things up a bit.


Which brings me to what I did enjoy about Splintered: the minor characters. The Wunderland that Alyssa experiences is nothing like her ancestor's Wonderland. In fact, the creatures she encounters are down right nightmarish. The White Rabbit that was so cute with his ticking clock is described like some kind of freak-tastic jackalope with rotting flesh and a bad case of the mange. There were others as well that were represented in a brand new way. For that, I thought the story was top notch.


However, the main characters were just bleh for me. I really didn't connect with any of them, nor did I really like them. I guess I couldn't buy into the fairy tale aspect with some of the characters, which made the love triangle not very believable for me. Yes, I know this wasn't meant to be realistic in any way, but the characters just didn't do it for me. They felt flat and one-sided. Sorry. I'm sure many other people will disagree with me on this point.


I found myself reading just to see what new twist the classic characters would take on. I was not reading for the plot. Sure it had a few twists, but by the time that new aspect came about it seemed rushed. I didn't think a few pages was an adequate amount of time for a conclusion that had that much tension leading up to it. I found myself saying, "Oh. Well, alright"-- and moving on. Nothing thought provoking or astounding. Nothing remarkable.


If you're a fan of retellings, go for it. You'll probably enjoy something in Splintered. Would I buy a copy for my own keeping? Nope. I'd get this one from the library or a friend.