Author: Colleen Oakes
Genre: Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Source: Paperback
Rating: 3 out of 5
Dinah is the princess of Wonderland, destined to role beside her father until the day she marries or when he dies. She longs to have her distant father's approval and hopes she will achieve it until one day he brings in another child, one born out of wedlock, a duchess of Wonderland. He dotes on Vittorie and gives her the love and devotion Dinah wishes. When she receives a mysterious note, she begins to dig deeper into the dark secrets Wonderland holds. The more she secretly discovers the more in danger she becomes. This is not the cheerful Wonderland we all know, but one with a darker, sinister side.
Of course you can expect at least 1 Wonderland retelling from me this year, and I am glad this one is one story that I started the year with. I finished it within a day. Oakes did a great job at reinventing Wonderland in a way that looked at the Queen of Hearts rather than Alice herself. This is the first in a series, so we will see what happens to Dinah in the next few books, we begin to see how the Queen became the queen whether it is Vittorie or Dinah readers don't know yet (but since Dinah is the lead most likely her HA). It isn't the cheery colorful Wonderland of Carol's story, but one with a dark, political side.
There were points where the story dragged on and you wished it got to the point, when it finally gets to the real action and Dinah begins discovering things you wonder why it took so long to get to this point. There is a point in the book where I believe it's Dinah's father (I could be wrong) states "Listen to me Dinah," he hissed. "Things are going to change for you child, and you had better be made of stronger stuff than the whiny brat you seem now." This doesn't exactly happens instead of following her resolve to become stronger and fierce the way her father wants to be she remains this whiny brat who wants everything her way and complains when it doesn't happen. She blames other people for the way things are rather than taking action and focusing on her studies or the things that would make her an excellent queen. All she keeps saying is "when I'm queen" but she doesn't really show that she has what it takes except for a few moments when she does use her power. Moments where she is feisty and full of anger (which is a lot, maybe leading up to why she is the way she is when she meets Alice).
The end of the book does make it feel a little unfinished, questions were raised throughout the story, but none of them were answered and readers are left wondering what is happening. There are elements that aid in a good story and show readers it is leading to something, but we don't know what it is yet. I hope those get resolved in the next book which I do plan on reading. It is very evident that this is the first book, it's meant to build up to something but rather than having some sort of resolve at the end we are left hanging without any answers or anything to hold on to.
I would recommend this book, but do not go into it expecting a fantastical novel. Be prepared for a whiny main character than is difficult to like at times, and a story line that takes a while to get to the point. While there were things that would be a hindrance to the novel, I did enjoy it and look forward to what the next novel in series holds.
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