After Alice By Gregory Maguire

Over View :

In this brilliant new work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings — and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll's enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice's mentioned briefly in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late — and tumbles down the rabbit hole herself. Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. If Euridyce can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. Either way, everything that happens next is After Alice.

Through the years many authors have taken the classical fairy tales and turned them into evil haunted books, or robots, or told a different perspective of the story. Many have successfully gotten away with this and became highly popular with young adult and even adult readers around. Classical movies have been turned into something older adults can enjoy and also a few none cartoon movies that kids can also still like and follow along with. But sadly we also have the authors who look hopeful in retelling a different side of the story, or adding to a story. However sometimes this does not always go according to plan.

Gregory Maguire is known for his popular books “Wicked”, “Son of a Witch”, and “Confessions of an ugly Stepsister”. However in recent views, only one of his books seem to still be highly popular with all ages; wicked. Recently Maguire came out with After Alice; a promising book to most who love the fairy story; Alice in Wonderland-Yes, this also includes the movie featuring Johnny Depp. Now I am sure many others have taken this tale and recreated it….probably with a little more umph than what we see now. So let’s get to this book.

After Alice for starters I believe everyone had high hopes for this book. But wow seeing the rating on Amazon and GoodReads has proved me wrong. The book has an overall 3 ½ rating to it. With might I add a few pissed off readers leaving some very ill reviews? After Alice was terrible, I read about 50% of the book before I put it down…it literally made my head hurt trying to follow it I am a college graduate and even I could barely understand half the words Maguire used. I mean lighten up a little, young adult readers and older readers really don’t care to see long words that last 10-18 pages with no particular story line. Even the beginning was a big yawn in this case. I also must add and please followers don’t take my word for this, but adding a “New” character that goes after Alice in Wonderland kind of really sounded like the same plot in “Dorothy Must die” by Danielle Paige. Maybe Maguire hit a hard ball and got a block and decided hed just write the first thing that would pop into his head. Whatever the case he really missed that homerun with this book. Also the reviews this book got…..I’m sorry but did you people actually read this book???? How did you without falling asleep, and lastly did you lie?????

I kept asking myself WTH am I reading! I really wanted to give this author the shadow of the doubt because I love WICKED, but I am in the same boat with the other reviewers. I saw no theme, no interesting plot….NOTHING at all. I also have a problem with how the first 2 chapters are a few words long then you go into longer chapters…please stop wasting paper in this way, trees were not made for this kind of horrible books.

I must conclude with I believe this author is becoming another one hit wonder and nothing more. To some he is still brilliant but to me and a few on GoodReads….not so much popular anymore. It might be about time for him to hang it up and give his mind a rest…rethink what you are writing. I am sad to say followers that this book will not be getting our recommendation to read. Honestly if you try reading it I suggest not wasting your money on it but instead going to your local library and try to read the first few pages before making a beat on getting it at all.