This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical
under-land, as well as a girl's pangs of first love and
independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and
flowers--precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a
mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to
her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis
Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Alyssa might be
crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother's mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa
learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying
reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted
than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of
tests, including draining an ocean of Alice's tears, waking the
slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix
Alice's mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to
trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy
but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have
dark motives of his own.
Praise for "Splintered: "
STARRED REVIEW
"Fans of dark fantasy, as well as of Carroll's Alice in all her
revisionings (especially Tim Burton's), will find a lot to love in
this compelling and imaginative novel."
--"Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"
"""Alyssa is one of the most unique protagonists I've come across
in a while. Splintered is dark, twisted, entirely riveting, and a
truly romantic tale."
--"USA Today"
"Brilliant, because it is ambitious, inventive, and often
surprising -- a contemporary reworking of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland, '' with a deep bow toward Tim Burton's
2010 film version."
--"The Boston Globe"
"It's a deft, complex metamorphosis of this children's fantasy made
more enticing by competing romantic interests, a psychedelic
setting, and more mad violence than its original."
--"Booklist"
" Protagonist Alyssa...is an original. Howard's visual imagination
is superior. The story's creepiness is intriguing as horror, and
its hypnotic tone and setting, at the intersection of madness and
creativity, should sweep readers down the rabbit hole."
--"Publishers Weekly"
"While readers will delight in such recognizable scenes as Alyssa
drinking from a bottle to shrink, the richly detailed scenes that
stray from the original will entice the imagination. These
adventures are indeed wonderful."
--"BookPage"
"Attention to costume and setting render this a visually rich
read..."
--"Kirkus Reviews"
"Wonderland is filled with much that is not as wonderful as might
be expected, and yet, it is in Wonderland that Alyssa accepts her
true nature. The cover with its swirling tendrils and insects
surrounding Alyssa will surely attract teen readers who will not
disappointed with this magical, edgy tale."
--"Reading Today Online"
"Creepy, descriptive read with a generous dollop of romance."
--"School Library Journal"
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