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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #1
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) (commonly shortened to "Alice in Wonderland") is a novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic creatures. The tale is filled with allusions to Dodgson's friends. The tale plays with logic in ways that have given the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the most characteristic examples of the genre of "literary nonsense",and its narrative course and structure have been enormously influential,especially in the fantasy genre.
81 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1865
About the author
Lewis Carroll
5,112 books8,072 followersThe Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
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September 14, 2022
welcome to...ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN SEPTEMBERLAND.
might be my best month/title pun since middlemarch march.
we are BACK (and a week late) for Project Long Classics, in which elle and i tackle a long intimidating classic in small chunks for an entire month.
however, this book is not long, and it's not intimidating, and personally i will be reading this AND the sequel at a chapter-ish a day.
join our book club to join the project!! follow on instagram here or join the discussion here.
DAY 1: DOWN THE RABBIT-HOLE
as we start things off, i'll include the cheesy declaration of love i wrote when announcing this pick in our book club discord:
this is my favorite book of all time. this teeny tiny children's classic is so dear to me - whether you want a light fairytaley read or a thematically rich toughie you can analyze all day long, you can find either experience in this.
filled with whimsy, imagination, and the bittersweet nostalgia of dreams and childhood, i never tire of this - and i get something new from it with every read. at one chapter a day, this and its sequel (THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE), which i see as a continuation of the first more than a separate book, can be read in 24 days!
bleh. gross. look how sweet and earnest.
DAY 2: THE POOL OF TEARS
it's actually day 8. i'm terribly slumped - the kind where it literally never occurs to you to read and then when it does you're like...am i physically capable of doing this? how did i ever make these words enter my head?
if anything can heal me it's this.
update: not yet, but we did get our first curiouser and curiouser...slay...
DAY 3: A CAUCUS-RACE AND A LONG TALE
the titular mouse's tale / mouse tail pun here...one of the greatest of all time i dare say...
DAY 4: THE RABBIT SENDS IN A LITTLE BILL
i don't know how the little EAT ME cakes manage to sound so good with virtually no description, but they do. maybe because these look so goddamn delicious?
or maybe just because i like cake.
DAY 5: ADVICE FROM A CATERPILLAR
folks...it's day 12.
i've never been slumped like this and at this point i am Frightened. my goodreads challenge is beginning to appear to stare back at me, like the void or one of those scary crusty small white dogs.
but this book is simply...everything.
DAY 6: PIG AND PEPPER
the baby-turning-into-a-pig thing is honestly objectively terrifying. especially when alice is like "this baby is like a star-fish" and looks down and boom.
but! cheshire cat appearance. and "we're all mad here." huge quote for people with watercolor tattoos and hot topic graphic tees.
DAY 7: A MAD TEA-PARTY
ICONS ALERT!!! a real heavy hitter. maybe my favorite chapter.
what can i say? not all my opinions are unpopular.
DAY 8: THE QUEEN'S CROQUET-GROUND
monarchs, am i right.
DAY 9: THE MOCK TURTLE'S STORY
well, it's actually day 14, so i might as well mess around and finish this book already. i wanted to relish it but my dumb suddenly-illiterate brain refuses to allow me to!
also: "Alice did not much like keeping so close to her: first, because the Duchess was very ugly." vibes.
DAY 10: THE LOBSTER QUADRILLE
this one is a ton of fun but impossible to compete in a universe that contains the walrus and the carpenter.
DAY 11: WHO STOLE THE TARTS?
let's go to court!!!!!
sooooo important to remember that even in a nonsense-world, nothing is more illogical and annoying than outdated monarchical structures and the incompetence of the judicial system.
DAY 12: ALICE'S EVIDENCE
and it was all a dream!!!
or was it?
or does it even matter at all?
(no.)
perfect book.
OVERALL
i have this wholeeeee five star review below, but i'll quickly say that nothing makes me happy and fulfilled and whimsical like this book does. and that's my ideal way to be.
my favorite forever!
rating: 5
------------------------
original review
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK.
No qualifier. No excuse. No “one of my favorites.” This one is it, y’all.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
Well, also Through the Looking Glass. But THAT’S PRACTICALLY THE SECOND HALF OF THE SAME BOOK. (And other examples of my inability to make decisions or commit in any way to anything.)
I currently have 18 copies of this book. I’ve attempted to read it at least annually for the past three years. And by “annually,” I mean I last revisited this book about nine months ago.
But hey, it was a different year then, technically speaking.
How do I even review this? I don’t know where to begin. (Just a heads up that my obsessive personality is going to become verrrrry clear as this review progresses. I’m not proud. This is who I am, you guys. I was a member of the fandoms of some teen pop sensation or other for nearly ten consecutive years. I’m no longer thirteen but I still need an outlet. Honestly I’m quite afraid that if I don’t have an obsession, I’ll become a drug addict. Lots of pent up energy.)
Well, I’ll say that I always, always, always feel enveloped by this book. I have never picked this up without feeling instantly submersed in Wonderland. And it’s really my favorite place to be. It’s hard to feel unhappy when you’re in the greatest setting ever created.
And oh yeah, there’s that. I firmly believe this is the most amazing and beautiful and confusing and curious setting of all time. It’s immersive, and it’s strange, and it’s so unique and fantastic and creative and I love it so much. I can come up with even more loosely positive adjectives if that overwhelming number didn’t suffice.
Wonderland is my Hogwarts. While many readers pray their letters just got lost in the mail, I’m constantly hoping I’ll see a white rabbit in a waistcoat and fall down, down, down into what must be the center of the earth.
I love Alice and her curiosity. She may also be my favorite character ever. She’s funny and sweet and childish and such a blast to read about. Her reactions to everything are so, so funny. Her curiosity always outweighs confusion and fear. I’d like to wake up one day and be Alice. I’ll likely become one of those creeps who pays millions for plastic surgery in order to “resemble” some celebrity or other.
On an unrelated note, anyone have millions of dollars they’re trying to get rid of?
I’m also fiercely protective of this book. I constantly pick up retellings only to be utterly disappointed. (Like Heartless. Get out of here with your shoddy Carroll-stealing.) DO NOT, DO NOT! GET ME STARTED ON THE TIM BURTON FILM ADAPTATION. Horrific. Alice, an adult? Alice, engaged? Alice FIGHTING THE GODDAMN JABBERWOCK?
But I do love the original animated Disney adaptation. There’s a certain quality to the book that’s captured within that film, which I haven’t found recreated in any other retelling or use of the setting or adaptation.
Oh, and one more thing, while I’m here.
THIS BOOK ISN’T ABOUT DRUGS, YOU SURFACE-LEVEL INTERPRETERS OF SYMBOLISM. It’s not that easy, boo.
In the words of BBC News, “[the drug] references may say more about the people making them than the author.”
Lewis Carroll isn’t thought to have been a user of drugs, the Caterpillar was smoking tobacco, and the mushroom is no more magic than the various cakes Alice eats.
Honestly, the drug reading is simple and boring. It’s such a stretch to attempt to read each character as a different substance. And scrolling through countless quasi-psychedelic GIFs to find the actual ones was irritating, too. Ah, yes, real art: taking images from a 1951 children’s film but messing with the colors and movement until it looks like nothing more than a trigger for epilepsy. Enough, Tumblr.
Alice in Wonderland carries as much or as little significance as you want it to. It’s everything from a mindless romp in an imaginative land to a depiction of the effects of a ruthlessly authoritarian system of justice.
Just have fun with it.
And please, for the love of God, stop applying your weird psychedelic edits to a Disney movie.
Note on the audiobook: This time around, I listened to the audiobook, to switch things up. Scarlett Johansson read it. I loved her funny accents and hated her overly-acted narration. A mixed bag.
Bottom line: This is my favoritest and I doubt it will be dethroned anytime soon. Come at me, every other book.
------------
reread updates
when I find myself in times of trouble
Lewis Carroll comes to me
speaking words of wisdom
"just reread"
might be my best month/title pun since middlemarch march.
we are BACK (and a week late) for Project Long Classics, in which elle and i tackle a long intimidating classic in small chunks for an entire month.
however, this book is not long, and it's not intimidating, and personally i will be reading this AND the sequel at a chapter-ish a day.
join our book club to join the project!! follow on instagram here or join the discussion here.
DAY 1: DOWN THE RABBIT-HOLE
as we start things off, i'll include the cheesy declaration of love i wrote when announcing this pick in our book club discord:
this is my favorite book of all time. this teeny tiny children's classic is so dear to me - whether you want a light fairytaley read or a thematically rich toughie you can analyze all day long, you can find either experience in this.
filled with whimsy, imagination, and the bittersweet nostalgia of dreams and childhood, i never tire of this - and i get something new from it with every read. at one chapter a day, this and its sequel (THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE), which i see as a continuation of the first more than a separate book, can be read in 24 days!
bleh. gross. look how sweet and earnest.
DAY 2: THE POOL OF TEARS
it's actually day 8. i'm terribly slumped - the kind where it literally never occurs to you to read and then when it does you're like...am i physically capable of doing this? how did i ever make these words enter my head?
if anything can heal me it's this.
update: not yet, but we did get our first curiouser and curiouser...slay...
DAY 3: A CAUCUS-RACE AND A LONG TALE
the titular mouse's tale / mouse tail pun here...one of the greatest of all time i dare say...
DAY 4: THE RABBIT SENDS IN A LITTLE BILL
i don't know how the little EAT ME cakes manage to sound so good with virtually no description, but they do. maybe because these look so goddamn delicious?
or maybe just because i like cake.
DAY 5: ADVICE FROM A CATERPILLAR
folks...it's day 12.
i've never been slumped like this and at this point i am Frightened. my goodreads challenge is beginning to appear to stare back at me, like the void or one of those scary crusty small white dogs.
but this book is simply...everything.
DAY 6: PIG AND PEPPER
the baby-turning-into-a-pig thing is honestly objectively terrifying. especially when alice is like "this baby is like a star-fish" and looks down and boom.
but! cheshire cat appearance. and "we're all mad here." huge quote for people with watercolor tattoos and hot topic graphic tees.
DAY 7: A MAD TEA-PARTY
ICONS ALERT!!! a real heavy hitter. maybe my favorite chapter.
what can i say? not all my opinions are unpopular.
DAY 8: THE QUEEN'S CROQUET-GROUND
monarchs, am i right.
DAY 9: THE MOCK TURTLE'S STORY
well, it's actually day 14, so i might as well mess around and finish this book already. i wanted to relish it but my dumb suddenly-illiterate brain refuses to allow me to!
also: "Alice did not much like keeping so close to her: first, because the Duchess was very ugly." vibes.
DAY 10: THE LOBSTER QUADRILLE
this one is a ton of fun but impossible to compete in a universe that contains the walrus and the carpenter.
DAY 11: WHO STOLE THE TARTS?
let's go to court!!!!!
sooooo important to remember that even in a nonsense-world, nothing is more illogical and annoying than outdated monarchical structures and the incompetence of the judicial system.
DAY 12: ALICE'S EVIDENCE
and it was all a dream!!!
or was it?
or does it even matter at all?
(no.)
perfect book.
OVERALL
i have this wholeeeee five star review below, but i'll quickly say that nothing makes me happy and fulfilled and whimsical like this book does. and that's my ideal way to be.
my favorite forever!
rating: 5
------------------------
original review
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK.
No qualifier. No excuse. No “one of my favorites.” This one is it, y’all.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
Well, also Through the Looking Glass. But THAT’S PRACTICALLY THE SECOND HALF OF THE SAME BOOK. (And other examples of my inability to make decisions or commit in any way to anything.)
I currently have 18 copies of this book. I’ve attempted to read it at least annually for the past three years. And by “annually,” I mean I last revisited this book about nine months ago.
But hey, it was a different year then, technically speaking.
How do I even review this? I don’t know where to begin. (Just a heads up that my obsessive personality is going to become verrrrry clear as this review progresses. I’m not proud. This is who I am, you guys. I was a member of the fandoms of some teen pop sensation or other for nearly ten consecutive years. I’m no longer thirteen but I still need an outlet. Honestly I’m quite afraid that if I don’t have an obsession, I’ll become a drug addict. Lots of pent up energy.)
Well, I’ll say that I always, always, always feel enveloped by this book. I have never picked this up without feeling instantly submersed in Wonderland. And it’s really my favorite place to be. It’s hard to feel unhappy when you’re in the greatest setting ever created.
And oh yeah, there’s that. I firmly believe this is the most amazing and beautiful and confusing and curious setting of all time. It’s immersive, and it’s strange, and it’s so unique and fantastic and creative and I love it so much. I can come up with even more loosely positive adjectives if that overwhelming number didn’t suffice.
Wonderland is my Hogwarts. While many readers pray their letters just got lost in the mail, I’m constantly hoping I’ll see a white rabbit in a waistcoat and fall down, down, down into what must be the center of the earth.
I love Alice and her curiosity. She may also be my favorite character ever. She’s funny and sweet and childish and such a blast to read about. Her reactions to everything are so, so funny. Her curiosity always outweighs confusion and fear. I’d like to wake up one day and be Alice. I’ll likely become one of those creeps who pays millions for plastic surgery in order to “resemble” some celebrity or other.
On an unrelated note, anyone have millions of dollars they’re trying to get rid of?
I’m also fiercely protective of this book. I constantly pick up retellings only to be utterly disappointed. (Like Heartless. Get out of here with your shoddy Carroll-stealing.) DO NOT, DO NOT! GET ME STARTED ON THE TIM BURTON FILM ADAPTATION. Horrific. Alice, an adult? Alice, engaged? Alice FIGHTING THE GODDAMN JABBERWOCK?
But I do love the original animated Disney adaptation. There’s a certain quality to the book that’s captured within that film, which I haven’t found recreated in any other retelling or use of the setting or adaptation.
Oh, and one more thing, while I’m here.
THIS BOOK ISN’T ABOUT DRUGS, YOU SURFACE-LEVEL INTERPRETERS OF SYMBOLISM. It’s not that easy, boo.
In the words of BBC News, “[the drug] references may say more about the people making them than the author.”
Lewis Carroll isn’t thought to have been a user of drugs, the Caterpillar was smoking tobacco, and the mushroom is no more magic than the various cakes Alice eats.
Honestly, the drug reading is simple and boring. It’s such a stretch to attempt to read each character as a different substance. And scrolling through countless quasi-psychedelic GIFs to find the actual ones was irritating, too. Ah, yes, real art: taking images from a 1951 children’s film but messing with the colors and movement until it looks like nothing more than a trigger for epilepsy. Enough, Tumblr.
Alice in Wonderland carries as much or as little significance as you want it to. It’s everything from a mindless romp in an imaginative land to a depiction of the effects of a ruthlessly authoritarian system of justice.
Just have fun with it.
And please, for the love of God, stop applying your weird psychedelic edits to a Disney movie.
Note on the audiobook: This time around, I listened to the audiobook, to switch things up. Scarlett Johansson read it. I loved her funny accents and hated her overly-acted narration. A mixed bag.
Bottom line: This is my favoritest and I doubt it will be dethroned anytime soon. Come at me, every other book.
------------
reread updates
when I find myself in times of trouble
Lewis Carroll comes to me
speaking words of wisdom
"just reread"
September 23, 2014
"Good gracious!" said Alice, "I do believe I'm inside a review!"
She turned to the Hatter and the March Hare.
"Well, let me see. Here is the title, and here is the date I read it. That must be today. Now I need to explain the plot and the overall point."
"There is no plot," said the March Hare disagreeably.
"And there is no point," agreed the Hatter.
He poured a little hot tea on the Dormouse's nose, making it wake with a start.
"The book breaks new ground," it said rapidly in a high, sing-song voice. "Intentionally eluding easy assignment to any traditional category, it anticipates the twentieth century's fascination with the relationship between the signifier and the signified, and wittily deconstructs the primacy of meaning and the rationality of thought." Then it went back to sleep again, and began to snore gently.
"Whatever did that mean?" asked Alice, surprised.
"Why is a Derrida like a derrière?" replied the Hatter.
"I don't know," said Alice.
"I don't know either," said the Hatter triumphantly.
"It would be reasonable", said Alice, in the grown-up tone she had sometimes heard her sister use, "It would be reasonable for you to explain what the book is about, so that I could put that in my review."
"It would be reasonable," said the Hatter, "to expect hot premarital sex in a Stephenie Meyer novel. But don't imagine you'll find any."
Alice couldn't think of anything to reply to this, so she turned away without another word. When she was almost out of earshot, she thought she heard the Hatter shout something after her that might have been "Foucault!"
She turned to the Hatter and the March Hare.
"Well, let me see. Here is the title, and here is the date I read it. That must be today. Now I need to explain the plot and the overall point."
"There is no plot," said the March Hare disagreeably.
"And there is no point," agreed the Hatter.
He poured a little hot tea on the Dormouse's nose, making it wake with a start.
"The book breaks new ground," it said rapidly in a high, sing-song voice. "Intentionally eluding easy assignment to any traditional category, it anticipates the twentieth century's fascination with the relationship between the signifier and the signified, and wittily deconstructs the primacy of meaning and the rationality of thought." Then it went back to sleep again, and began to snore gently.
"Whatever did that mean?" asked Alice, surprised.
"Why is a Derrida like a derrière?" replied the Hatter.
"I don't know," said Alice.
"I don't know either," said the Hatter triumphantly.
"It would be reasonable", said Alice, in the grown-up tone she had sometimes heard her sister use, "It would be reasonable for you to explain what the book is about, so that I could put that in my review."
"It would be reasonable," said the Hatter, "to expect hot premarital sex in a Stephenie Meyer novel. But don't imagine you'll find any."
Alice couldn't think of anything to reply to this, so she turned away without another word. When she was almost out of earshot, she thought she heard the Hatter shout something after her that might have been "Foucault!"
July 2, 2020
*Reread July 2017*
Reread this for booktube-a-thon 2017 just because I was falling behind. Obviously I loved it (again).
*Reread January 2016*
Read for the school this time and I read the Puffin In Bloom edition. I loved the new illustrations!
Reread this for booktube-a-thon 2017 just because I was falling behind. Obviously I loved it (again).
*Reread January 2016*
Read for the school this time and I read the Puffin In Bloom edition. I loved the new illustrations!
April 15, 2024
I'm not crazy, you're crazy!
Little Alice is a bored girl laying in the prairie when she suddenly notices a curious White Rabbit complaining about getting late to his appointment. Following it she stumbles upon a rabbit hole, and when she enters it plummets in freefall until landing in a whole new world. This is the story of her adventures in Wonderland, a place where nothing makes sense, and everything crazy will take place.
A very, VERY strange book; full of crazy surprises, most of them pleasant ones. Insane adventures, rational beheadings and lovely tea parties. Ironically, not my cup of tea. Literary nonsense is not really my thing. This was my first encounter with the genre and sadly not an experience I hold dear, I realize now I need sense in my readings. Still, even though I did not enjoy it that much this is one timeless classic I’m glad to be able to finally scratch off my list.
Alice is one unique character, as much as everyone we get to meet during her journey; the unpunctual White Rabbit, the groovy Caterpillar, the beautiful Duchess, the grinning Cheshire Cat, the rational Mad Hatter, the undisturbed March Mare, and the adorable Queen of Hearts, among others. Hearing the audiobook through the flawless voice of Scarlett Johansson was a big plus, though maybe also accompanying it with a picture book could’ve worked wonders. A missed chance.
An all-time classic that amassed immense popularity, a huge fan base and an infinity of adaptations, and for just reasons. A classic apt for all audiences, children and adult alike, if you can withstand the non-stop irrationality that is. I couldn’t, but don’t be afraid to give it a try.
It's public domain, you can find it HERE.
*** Alice in Wonderland (2010) is a colorful and entertaining adaptation, as anything Disney, yet hardly at all faithful to the book. Most of the characters from #1 and #2 were there (the March Mare being my favorite), and some basic storyline of the book; sadly everything else is made up. It’s still decent enough to watch I guess, Depp and Bonham Carter brilliant as ever. Overall memorable, to some extent; just don’t expect much fidelity.
Still missing, Alice in Wonderland (1951).
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1865] [320p] [Classics] [2.5] [Conditional Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★☆☆☆ 1-2. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass
★★★☆☆ 0. Alice's Adventures Under Ground.
★★★☆☆ 1. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. [2.5]
★★☆☆☆ 2. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. [1.5]
-----------------------------------------------
¡No estoy loco, vos estás loco!
La pequeña Alice es una mozuela aburrida tirada en la pradera cuando de repente nota un curioso Conejo Blanco quejándose sobre llegar tarde a su cita. Siguiéndolo se encuentra con una madriguera, y cuando entra en ella cae en caída libre hasta llegar a un completo nuevo mundo. Esta es la historia de sus aventuras en el País de las Maravillas, un lugar donde nada tiene sentido, y todo lo loco va a pasar.
Un libro muy, MUY extraño; lleno de alocadas sorpresas, la gran mayoría agradables. Aventuras insanas, decapitaciones racionales y adorables reuniones de té. Irónicamente, no fue mi taza de té. La Literarura Sinsentido no es en absoluto lo mío. Este fue mi primer encuentro con el género y lamentablemente no una experiencia que atesore, me doy cuenta ahora que necesito sentido en mis lecturas. Aun así, aunque no lo disfruté mucho este es un clásico atemporal que me alegra finalmente poder tachar de mi lista.
Alicia es un personaje único, tanto como cualquiera de los que conocemos durante su viaje; el impuntual Conejo Blanco, la copada Oruga, la hermosa Duquesa, el Sonriente Gato de Cheshire, el racional Sombrerero, la imperturbable Liebre de Marzo, y la adorable Reina de Corazones, entre otros. Escuchar el audiolibro a través de la impecable voz de Scarlett Johansson fue un gran deleite, aunque tal vez acompañarlo con un libro de dibujos podría haber hecho maravillas. Una oportunidad perdida.
Un clásico de todos los tiempos que amasó inmensa popularidad, una gran base de culto y una infinidad de adaptaciones, y por justas razones. Un clásico apto para cualquier audiencia, tanto niños como adultos, siempre y cuando pueden soportar la irracionalidad sin fin. Yo no pude, pero no teman darle un intento.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
*** La película (2010) es una adaptación entretenida y colorida, como cualquier cosa Disney, aunque muy lejos de ser fiel al libro. La mayoría de los personajes de #1 y #2 están ahí (la Liebre de Marzo siendo mi favorita), y algo básico de la trama del libro; lamentablemente todo lo demás es inventado. Aun así es suficientemente decente de ver supongo, Depp y Bonham Carter magníficos como siempre. Dentro de todo memorable, hasta cierto punto; sólo no esperen demasiada fidelidad.
Queda pendiente, Alice en Wonderland (1951).
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1865] [320p] [Clásicos] [2.5] [Recomendable Condicional]
-----------------------------------------------
Little Alice is a bored girl laying in the prairie when she suddenly notices a curious White Rabbit complaining about getting late to his appointment. Following it she stumbles upon a rabbit hole, and when she enters it plummets in freefall until landing in a whole new world. This is the story of her adventures in Wonderland, a place where nothing makes sense, and everything crazy will take place.
A very, VERY strange book; full of crazy surprises, most of them pleasant ones. Insane adventures, rational beheadings and lovely tea parties. Ironically, not my cup of tea. Literary nonsense is not really my thing. This was my first encounter with the genre and sadly not an experience I hold dear, I realize now I need sense in my readings. Still, even though I did not enjoy it that much this is one timeless classic I’m glad to be able to finally scratch off my list.
Alice is one unique character, as much as everyone we get to meet during her journey; the unpunctual White Rabbit, the groovy Caterpillar, the beautiful Duchess, the grinning Cheshire Cat, the rational Mad Hatter, the undisturbed March Mare, and the adorable Queen of Hearts, among others. Hearing the audiobook through the flawless voice of Scarlett Johansson was a big plus, though maybe also accompanying it with a picture book could’ve worked wonders. A missed chance.
An all-time classic that amassed immense popularity, a huge fan base and an infinity of adaptations, and for just reasons. A classic apt for all audiences, children and adult alike, if you can withstand the non-stop irrationality that is. I couldn’t, but don’t be afraid to give it a try.
It's public domain, you can find it HERE.
*** Alice in Wonderland (2010) is a colorful and entertaining adaptation, as anything Disney, yet hardly at all faithful to the book. Most of the characters from #1 and #2 were there (the March Mare being my favorite), and some basic storyline of the book; sadly everything else is made up. It’s still decent enough to watch I guess, Depp and Bonham Carter brilliant as ever. Overall memorable, to some extent; just don’t expect much fidelity.
Still missing, Alice in Wonderland (1951).
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1865] [320p] [Classics] [2.5] [Conditional Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★☆☆☆ 1-2. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass
★★★☆☆ 0. Alice's Adventures Under Ground.
★★★☆☆ 1. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. [2.5]
★★☆☆☆ 2. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. [1.5]
-----------------------------------------------
¡No estoy loco, vos estás loco!
La pequeña Alice es una mozuela aburrida tirada en la pradera cuando de repente nota un curioso Conejo Blanco quejándose sobre llegar tarde a su cita. Siguiéndolo se encuentra con una madriguera, y cuando entra en ella cae en caída libre hasta llegar a un completo nuevo mundo. Esta es la historia de sus aventuras en el País de las Maravillas, un lugar donde nada tiene sentido, y todo lo loco va a pasar.
Un libro muy, MUY extraño; lleno de alocadas sorpresas, la gran mayoría agradables. Aventuras insanas, decapitaciones racionales y adorables reuniones de té. Irónicamente, no fue mi taza de té. La Literarura Sinsentido no es en absoluto lo mío. Este fue mi primer encuentro con el género y lamentablemente no una experiencia que atesore, me doy cuenta ahora que necesito sentido en mis lecturas. Aun así, aunque no lo disfruté mucho este es un clásico atemporal que me alegra finalmente poder tachar de mi lista.
Alicia es un personaje único, tanto como cualquiera de los que conocemos durante su viaje; el impuntual Conejo Blanco, la copada Oruga, la hermosa Duquesa, el Sonriente Gato de Cheshire, el racional Sombrerero, la imperturbable Liebre de Marzo, y la adorable Reina de Corazones, entre otros. Escuchar el audiolibro a través de la impecable voz de Scarlett Johansson fue un gran deleite, aunque tal vez acompañarlo con un libro de dibujos podría haber hecho maravillas. Una oportunidad perdida.
Un clásico de todos los tiempos que amasó inmensa popularidad, una gran base de culto y una infinidad de adaptaciones, y por justas razones. Un clásico apto para cualquier audiencia, tanto niños como adultos, siempre y cuando pueden soportar la irracionalidad sin fin. Yo no pude, pero no teman darle un intento.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
*** La película (2010) es una adaptación entretenida y colorida, como cualquier cosa Disney, aunque muy lejos de ser fiel al libro. La mayoría de los personajes de #1 y #2 están ahí (la Liebre de Marzo siendo mi favorita), y algo básico de la trama del libro; lamentablemente todo lo demás es inventado. Aun así es suficientemente decente de ver supongo, Depp y Bonham Carter magníficos como siempre. Dentro de todo memorable, hasta cierto punto; sólo no esperen demasiada fidelidad.
Queda pendiente, Alice en Wonderland (1951).
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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1865] [320p] [Clásicos] [2.5] [Recomendable Condicional]
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August 14, 2021
(Book 868 from 1001 books) - Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by British author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson over the pseudonym Lewis Carroll.
It tells of a girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures.
The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre.
Its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: در سال 1974میلادی
عنوان: آلیس در سرزمین عجایب؛ نویسنده: لوئیس کارول؛ مترجم: ایرج غریب؛ تهران، امیرکبیر، کتابهای طلایی، چاپ چهارم 1353؛ در 27ص؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده 19م
مترجمها خانهما و آقایان: «احمد پناهی خراسانی، در سال 1371، در 159ص؛ مشهد؛ باربد»؛ «سعید درودی، بهزاد، مهتاب، 1372؛ در 152ص»؛ «عباس کرمیفر، تهران، ارغوان، 1372؛ در 160ص»؛ «محمدمهدی فیاض، مشهد، نشر سنبله، 1379 در چهار جلد، رویای آلیس؛ ورود به سرزمین عجایب، دوستان جدید، دیدار با ملکه ستمگر»؛ «علی رحیم لو، تهران، دانشگر، 1380، 12ص»؛ «مژده خسروان»؛ «عباس نعمتاللهی»؛ «زهرا حصارپرور»؛ «خانه ادبیات»؛ «مرتضی جدیدی»؛ و بسیاری دیگر)؛ ...؛
اخطار جدی: اگر هنوز داستان را نخوانده اید، و میخواهید حتما خود آنرا بخوانید، لطفا ادامه ی متن را نخوانید
چکیده داستان: «آلیس» دختر یک جهانگرد «چارلز کینگزلی» است؛ او در هفت سالگی، خواب سرزمین عجایب را میبیند، و به آنجا وارد میشود؛ سیزده سال بعد، «آلیس» برای ازدواج با «لرد هانریش»، به اجبار به یک مهمانی میرود، و با دنبال کردن یک خرگوش، به یک چاله ی ژرف سقوط میکند، و برای بار دوم، وارد سرزمین عجایب میشود؛ در آنجا درمییابد، که ملکه ی سرخ، علیه خواهر خویش، ملکه ی سفید، شورش کرده، و اوضاع سرزمین عجایب، به هم ریخته است؛ او باید شمشیر نورانی را، که در قصر ملکه سرخ است، به دست آورد، و با آن، سر اژدهای ملکه را، از تنش جدا کند؛ «آلیس»، در مسیرش، با موجودات بسیاری، از جمله «یک کرم ابریشم دانا»، که همیشه در حال قلیان کشیدن است، «یک گربه» که میتواند نامرئی شود، «یک موش»، و همینطور فردی به نام «کلاهدوز دیوانه» آشنا میشود؛ و با یاری آنها، شمشیر را به چنگ میآورد، و به قصر «ملکه سفید» میرود؛ روز نهایی فرا میرسد، و دو ملکه، با ارتشهای خود به میدان جنگ میآیند؛ «آلیس» با اژدهای «ملکه سرخ»، میجنگد، و با شمشیرش، سر اژدها را، از تنش جدا میکند؛ ملکه سرخ شکست میخورد، و به همراه شوالیه ی خویش تبعید میشود؛ در پایان، «آلیس» که کارش را در سرزمین عجایب به پایان رسانده، با نوشیدن خون اژدها، دوباره به دنیای واقعی برمیگردد، و با ازدواج با «هانریش» مخالفت میکند؛ سپس به همراه دوست پدرش، رو به سوی رویای پدر خویش، که سفر به تمام نقاط جهان بود، میرود
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 16/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 22/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by British author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson over the pseudonym Lewis Carroll.
It tells of a girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures.
The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre.
Its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: در سال 1974میلادی
عنوان: آلیس در سرزمین عجایب؛ نویسنده: لوئیس کارول؛ مترجم: ایرج غریب؛ تهران، امیرکبیر، کتابهای طلایی، چاپ چهارم 1353؛ در 27ص؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده 19م
مترجمها خانهما و آقایان: «احمد پناهی خراسانی، در سال 1371، در 159ص؛ مشهد؛ باربد»؛ «سعید درودی، بهزاد، مهتاب، 1372؛ در 152ص»؛ «عباس کرمیفر، تهران، ارغوان، 1372؛ در 160ص»؛ «محمدمهدی فیاض، مشهد، نشر سنبله، 1379 در چهار جلد، رویای آلیس؛ ورود به سرزمین عجایب، دوستان جدید، دیدار با ملکه ستمگر»؛ «علی رحیم لو، تهران، دانشگر، 1380، 12ص»؛ «مژده خسروان»؛ «عباس نعمتاللهی»؛ «زهرا حصارپرور»؛ «خانه ادبیات»؛ «مرتضی جدیدی»؛ و بسیاری دیگر)؛ ...؛
اخطار جدی: اگر هنوز داستان را نخوانده اید، و میخواهید حتما خود آنرا بخوانید، لطفا ادامه ی متن را نخوانید
چکیده داستان: «آلیس» دختر یک جهانگرد «چارلز کینگزلی» است؛ او در هفت سالگی، خواب سرزمین عجایب را میبیند، و به آنجا وارد میشود؛ سیزده سال بعد، «آلیس» برای ازدواج با «لرد هانریش»، به اجبار به یک مهمانی میرود، و با دنبال کردن یک خرگوش، به یک چاله ی ژرف سقوط میکند، و برای بار دوم، وارد سرزمین عجایب میشود؛ در آنجا درمییابد، که ملکه ی سرخ، علیه خواهر خویش، ملکه ی سفید، شورش کرده، و اوضاع سرزمین عجایب، به هم ریخته است؛ او باید شمشیر نورانی را، که در قصر ملکه سرخ است، به دست آورد، و با آن، سر اژدهای ملکه را، از تنش جدا کند؛ «آلیس»، در مسیرش، با موجودات بسیاری، از جمله «یک کرم ابریشم دانا»، که همیشه در حال قلیان کشیدن است، «یک گربه» که میتواند نامرئی شود، «یک موش»، و همینطور فردی به نام «کلاهدوز دیوانه» آشنا میشود؛ و با یاری آنها، شمشیر را به چنگ میآورد، و به قصر «ملکه سفید» میرود؛ روز نهایی فرا میرسد، و دو ملکه، با ارتشهای خود به میدان جنگ میآیند؛ «آلیس» با اژدهای «ملکه سرخ»، میجنگد، و با شمشیرش، سر اژدها را، از تنش جدا میکند؛ ملکه سرخ شکست میخورد، و به همراه شوالیه ی خویش تبعید میشود؛ در پایان، «آلیس» که کارش را در سرزمین عجایب به پایان رسانده، با نوشیدن خون اژدها، دوباره به دنیای واقعی برمیگردد، و با ازدواج با «هانریش» مخالفت میکند؛ سپس به همراه دوست پدرش، رو به سوی رویای پدر خویش، که سفر به تمام نقاط جهان بود، میرود
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 16/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 22/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
December 10, 2020
Old books get a bad rap...but do they deserve it? Check out my latest BooktTube Video - all about the fabulous (and not so fabulous) Olde Boies.
The Written Review
I should've read this one sooner
“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.I needed an adequate amount of nostalgia to guide me through this level of crazy.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
Little Alice fellEveryone knows this story. Alice falls down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland - a place wholly unexpected, trivial and unforgettable. She meets several good friends (like the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat) and a few enemies (The Red Queen) as she stumbles her way through.
d
o
w
n
the hole,
bumped her head
and bruised her soul!
Reading this book for the first time as an adult leaves me bewildered, vaguely amused and mostly lost. I'm now worrying whether I'm too old for children's stories anymore (I briefly reread some of my faves - HP, Winnie the Pooh and Charlotte's Web - and have concluded it's not me, just that book).
It's all so illogical and confusing. Alice (and everyone else in this novel) constantly contradicts themselves and each other. The whole thing is utter nonsense! Though, there are a few good puns:
No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.Ah well. I will try it again some day just to see if I was being a grump on the day I read it and I plan to read this to my future-kids to see if their youth will allow them to interpret this more positively. After all, if Ronan Lynch from [Book: The Raven Boys] loves it then I will force myself too.
Audiobook Comments
Read by Alan Bennett - and he was a pretty good narrator too. But as much as l I tried to listen to this on audiobook, the text was just tooo confusing. I kept losing track of the story. I gave up and decided to read it instead. That was a good choice - lots of fun pictures!
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February 5, 2021
Curiouser and curiouser... Is there anything more wonderful than a nonsensical world of childlike fancy?
March 24, 2021
"It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then"
3rd read: The quote struck me as appropriate to the world we're living in now. Not only have we changed, but the world has changed in the last few days and weeks. I guess these kind of observations are what I get from reading Alice in Wonderland during a pandemic! That said, this reading (actually an audible reading from Scarlett Johansson who did a fantastic job) reinforced the timeless quality of Lewis Carroll's celebrated adventure. I also recognized how many great quotes there are in this book. Had fun going back down the rabbit hole!
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I'd read Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland a few years ago; however, I just felt like picking it up again and I'm glad I did. I don't know why, but I enjoyed Alice's observations and the humor more this time. There's also something that's fun and a bit surprising when we're reading something (like Peter Pan or The Wizard of Oz) we thought we knew really well (because we've been exposed to the stories for so long even if we haven't read the actual story). I know my ratings are always subjective based on when and where I've read a specific book. It's clear that I was ready to have fun down the rabbit hole! Changing my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars.
3rd read: The quote struck me as appropriate to the world we're living in now. Not only have we changed, but the world has changed in the last few days and weeks. I guess these kind of observations are what I get from reading Alice in Wonderland during a pandemic! That said, this reading (actually an audible reading from Scarlett Johansson who did a fantastic job) reinforced the timeless quality of Lewis Carroll's celebrated adventure. I also recognized how many great quotes there are in this book. Had fun going back down the rabbit hole!
---
I'd read Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland a few years ago; however, I just felt like picking it up again and I'm glad I did. I don't know why, but I enjoyed Alice's observations and the humor more this time. There's also something that's fun and a bit surprising when we're reading something (like Peter Pan or The Wizard of Oz) we thought we knew really well (because we've been exposed to the stories for so long even if we haven't read the actual story). I know my ratings are always subjective based on when and where I've read a specific book. It's clear that I was ready to have fun down the rabbit hole! Changing my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars.
January 13, 2022
In spite of being written for children – originally, a young girl named Alice – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland influenced the entire grownup literature.
On finding herself in the Wonderland, Alice encounters a lot of incredibly curious creatures…
Volatility is a first rule of the Wonderland… Everything is prone to change unexpectedly an unpredictably…
And with every new step in the Wonderland, everything grows yet madder…
It is most crucial that one must learn to distinguish between the real and the false.
On finding herself in the Wonderland, Alice encounters a lot of incredibly curious creatures…
They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank – the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and uncomfortable.
Volatility is a first rule of the Wonderland… Everything is prone to change unexpectedly an unpredictably…
The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I – I hardly know, sir, just at present – at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
And with every new step in the Wonderland, everything grows yet madder…
“In that direction,” the Cat said, waving its right paw round, “lives a Hatter: and in that direction,” waving the other paw, “lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.”
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
It is most crucial that one must learn to distinguish between the real and the false.
December 13, 2018
“Well, I should like to be a little larger, sir,
if you wouldn’t mind,” said Alice : “ three inches
is such a wretched height to be.”
“It is a very good height indeed !” said the
Caterpillar angrily, rearing itself upright as it
spoke (it was exactly three inches high).
Today, reading a friend’s review on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass, I searched the garden shed for an edition of Alice in Wonderland illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger which I read ages ago, to have another look at Zwerger’s marvellous illustrations. Sadly enough it has disappeared – I must have lent out my copy to a friend. So, heading for a revisit in the near future hoping for the book to return, in the meantime I cannot resist sharing some of Lisbeth Zwerger’s illustrations which I add to the book appetizer I wrote because a friend asked me so long ago.
’Ach, meneer, ik hoop dat u het niet erg vindt, maar ik zou graag iets groter zijn,' zei Alice. 'Tien centimeter is zo'n lengte van niks.' 'Het is juist een uitstekende lengte!' zei de Rups boos, terwijl hij zich onder het spreken oprichtte (hij was precies tien centimeter lang).
Op een slaapverwekkende warme zomerdag zit Alice zich naast haar lezende zus aan de waterkant onnoemelijk te vervelen. Een vestimentair piekfijn uitgedost wit Konijn dat gehaast voorbijsnelt, prikkelt haar nieuwsgierigheid. Ze gaat het achterna en tuimelt zo via een schier eindeloze konijnenpijp onverhoeds in Wonderland, een magische wereld bevolkt met sprekende dieren. Naast het voeren van absurde conversaties met de vreemdsoortige wezens, heeft ze plots haar handen vol met een baby die eigenlijk een big blijkt te zijn. Bovendien krimpt of groeit Alice de hele tijd door in een halsbrekend tempo als ze aan koekjes of paddenstoelen knabbelt!
Carroll schreef dit fantasievolle, fascinerende sprookje over een avontuurlijk klein meisje dat alert en spitsvondig omgaat met onalledaagse gebeurtenissen voor het tienjarige dochtertje van een vriend. Van dit speelse, ietwat griezelige en surrealistische verhaal las ik een heel mooie, door Lisbeth Zwerger prachtig geïllustreerde uitgave, die ik graag nog eens zou herlezen als de vriend aan wie ik ze uitleende er ooit aan zou denken ze terug te bezorgen. In de tussentijd is er nog altijd de videoclip van Tom Petty die zich door het verhaal liet inspireren. Of ik zou het, nu ik groot ben, in het Engels kunnen lezen. Of zou ik dan terug krimpen?
December 28, 2017
Unpopular Opinion
This took me a long time to get through...I found it sometimes tedious to be quite honest. Sorry. I guess I just don't love the nonsensical fun of this as much as everyone else seems to love it.
I enjoyed the pictures and I really liked this edition and I enjoyed it well enough, but as I said, I just don't love it as much as a lot of others do.
This took me a long time to get through...I found it sometimes tedious to be quite honest. Sorry. I guess I just don't love the nonsensical fun of this as much as everyone else seems to love it.
I enjoyed the pictures and I really liked this edition and I enjoyed it well enough, but as I said, I just don't love it as much as a lot of others do.
January 28, 2020
English (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) / Italiano
«Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “ without pictures or conversations ?”»
Right from the beginning and from the first assertion of Alice, we understand that her thoughts encapsulate hard truth that make us smile for their hindsight. Alice is a little bit bored child that decides to follow a strange rabbit to its rabbit hole. However, the hole is pretty weird, there are a lot of cups, and pictures, and shelves...
The journey-dream in Wonderland as a metaphor for life contains multiple keys of interpretation. Probably the conflict between adults and children is the more direct topic of the novel, exacerbated by the crazy Wonderland where usual rules of manners are being overturned for the custom use of wacky characters. And children, chuckling and listening to the novel, several times are wondering: "What's going on?".
My daughter had a lovely time with this book. And whenever she's having fun, I'm having fun.
Vote: 9
«Alice cominciava a sentirsi assai stanca di sedere sul poggetto accanto a sua sorella, senza far niente: aveva una o due volte data un'occhiata al libro che la sorella stava leggendo, ma non v'erano nè dialoghi nè figure, - e a che serve un libro, pensò Alice, - senza dialoghi nè figure?»
Già dall'incipit e dalla prima delle tante affermazioni di Alice, capiamo che racchiudono in sè verità schiaccianti... fanno sorridere per quanto sono palesi. Alice è una bimba un pò annoiata che decide di seguire uno strano coniglio fin nella sua tana. Ma la tana è piuttosto bizzarra, ci sono tazze e quadri e scaffali e...
Il viaggio-sogno nel mondo delle meraviglie come metafora della vita, racchiude mille interpretazioni e molteplici chiavi di lettura. Quello che traspare in maniera più evidente è probabilmente il conflitto adulti-bambini, esacerbato dall'assurdo paese delle meraviglie, nel quale le usuali regole della buona educazione sono capovolte ad uso personalizzato dei suoi strambi personaggi. E i bambini che ascoltano il racconto di Alice più volte si chiedono sghignazzando: "che cosa sta succedendo?"
Mia figlia si è divertita molto. E quando lei si diverte io mi diverto.
Voto: 8
January 12, 2021
What a classic. I read this book so many years ago that I wanted to have a close look at it again (okay a tea caddy with a quote from this novel inspired me for a re-reading to be honest). Well, Alice's marvelous adventures will never turn old. So many great characters she meets here (LOL about the Cheshire cat or the Mad Hatter), so many allusions and memorable settings. Lovely book. A bit weird but with humor and situations I still love as much as I did as a kid. Today I see the book from a different point of view (irony and behind the scene wisdom) but I still enjoyed my trip back in time. "Begin at the beginning," the King said gravely, "and go on till you come to the end;" you also should do so reading this real classic. Highly recommended.
July 24, 2019
3rd read: 22-23 July 2019 (Audiobook)
★★★★★
★★★★★
April 28, 2017
"We're all mad here"
I'm not going to insult your intelligence by giving a plot summary for this book as I think every person on the planet knows the premise. However, for the sake of completion and satisfying my OCD tendencies... Alice is a young girl who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world, meeting lots of weird and peculiar characters. And that's it.
Well, the Mad Hatter isn't wrong. I started this book excited at the premise of reading a classic that I don't recall ever having read before. Within about ten pages, my excitement had quickly waned. I've come to the conclusion that people who love this book must have fallen in love with the book as a child and therefore reading this book will trigger feelings of nostalgia and memories of childhood. Because I simply hated every minute of reading this book. I went to bed every night and would find myself procrastinating on my phone instead of getting stuck into my book like I normally would.
I don't enjoy nonsense. I like things to be logical and follow some kind of structure... I guess that's the scientist in me. Of course, not everything can be logical in horror books etc, but this was like a different level of ridiculousness. Nothing made any sense, things were all over the place. We were just jumping around everywhere and I just wanted the experience to be over. If this book wasn't so short, I think it would have became a DNF for me.
Oh, and Alice literally has to the sassiest, cheekiest, rudest little girl I've ever encountered in literature. What a brat. I just wanted to put her in her place for the entirety of the novel. Nope, I hate Alice.
The only highlight for me was the illustrations, as they are simply beautiful. So I apologise to all lovers of Alice in Wonderland but it's just not for me. I'll give 1 star for the story as I just can't allow myself to give zero stars... and I'll give 1 star for the illustrations. So that's 2 stars out of 5 from me! And a reading experience I'd like to forget.
I'm not going to insult your intelligence by giving a plot summary for this book as I think every person on the planet knows the premise. However, for the sake of completion and satisfying my OCD tendencies... Alice is a young girl who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world, meeting lots of weird and peculiar characters. And that's it.
Well, the Mad Hatter isn't wrong. I started this book excited at the premise of reading a classic that I don't recall ever having read before. Within about ten pages, my excitement had quickly waned. I've come to the conclusion that people who love this book must have fallen in love with the book as a child and therefore reading this book will trigger feelings of nostalgia and memories of childhood. Because I simply hated every minute of reading this book. I went to bed every night and would find myself procrastinating on my phone instead of getting stuck into my book like I normally would.
I don't enjoy nonsense. I like things to be logical and follow some kind of structure... I guess that's the scientist in me. Of course, not everything can be logical in horror books etc, but this was like a different level of ridiculousness. Nothing made any sense, things were all over the place. We were just jumping around everywhere and I just wanted the experience to be over. If this book wasn't so short, I think it would have became a DNF for me.
Oh, and Alice literally has to the sassiest, cheekiest, rudest little girl I've ever encountered in literature. What a brat. I just wanted to put her in her place for the entirety of the novel. Nope, I hate Alice.
The only highlight for me was the illustrations, as they are simply beautiful. So I apologise to all lovers of Alice in Wonderland but it's just not for me. I'll give 1 star for the story as I just can't allow myself to give zero stars... and I'll give 1 star for the illustrations. So that's 2 stars out of 5 from me! And a reading experience I'd like to forget.
June 3, 2020
This book makes perfect sense if you had a misspent youth and went in for psychedelic substances. Just as Lewis Carroll undoubtedly did. Well he certainly liked opium.
If you ever tripped out getting bigger and smaller, things that half disappear in the air and inanimate objects suddenly coming to life were part of the fun of the trip.
Lewis Carroll wrote Alice as a children's fantasy, but I believe he and his friends must have had a quiet smile at no one guessing the source of his inspiration. Or perhaps laughed out loud at the magic mushroom with the caterpillar sitting on it smoking his hookah, and the little bottle of 'drink me' (an imperative - just don't say 'No!') and other drug references
____________________
I added this book in June 2008 finally reviewed it in 2016 (extended 'review to come'). Some librarian has changed the book I reviewed into an Alice in Wonderland abridged edition illustrated like a graphic novel. I'm really upset. So I'm adding this edtion which Isn't the same one I read as a little girl but is at least the full text with the original illustrations by Tenniel. This is the original review.
If you ever tripped out getting bigger and smaller, things that half disappear in the air and inanimate objects suddenly coming to life were part of the fun of the trip.
Lewis Carroll wrote Alice as a children's fantasy, but I believe he and his friends must have had a quiet smile at no one guessing the source of his inspiration. Or perhaps laughed out loud at the magic mushroom with the caterpillar sitting on it smoking his hookah, and the little bottle of 'drink me' (an imperative - just don't say 'No!') and other drug references
____________________
I added this book in June 2008 finally reviewed it in 2016 (extended 'review to come'). Some librarian has changed the book I reviewed into an Alice in Wonderland abridged edition illustrated like a graphic novel. I'm really upset. So I'm adding this edtion which Isn't the same one I read as a little girl but is at least the full text with the original illustrations by Tenniel. This is the original review.
April 22, 2022
تدحرجنا معها في الحفرة..بعد ان تضاءل حجمنا..و تتبعنا الارنب..لننبهر كلنا بأرض العجائب..حيث تعبر اليس من عالم الطفولة لعالم النضج..و ينبعث وعيها من تحت الارض
نتعلم معها إننا يجب ان نخضع القواعد على ان ننفذها بوعي و رحمة
لويس كارول هو الاسم المستعار لأستاذ جامعى للرياضيات..لذا لم تمر روايته مرور الكرام كعمل الأطفال
..فالرمز و الطبقات المتعددة هى ما يميز رحلة اليس..فالمغامرات مسلية الكبير و الصغير ..الشخصيات رمزية..كلامها فلسفي ذو وجهين
ب{الطبع سأقوم بكل شيء بشكل مختلف اليوم ..فبالامس كنت شخصا اخر }ا
بالطبع الارنب هو المرشد ..و الكاتربيلر يرمز للحكمة و التحكم في الحجم تبعا لمدى وعى اليس. .
امتلات الرواية بمناقشات هزلية لا تخلو من المنطق. .و بقيت اليس ل150عام شاهدة على طفولة أبدية في كل منا
نتعلم معها إننا يجب ان نخضع القواعد على ان ننفذها بوعي و رحمة
لويس كارول هو الاسم المستعار لأستاذ جامعى للرياضيات..لذا لم تمر روايته مرور الكرام كعمل الأطفال
..فالرمز و الطبقات المتعددة هى ما يميز رحلة اليس..فالمغامرات مسلية الكبير و الصغير ..الشخصيات رمزية..كلامها فلسفي ذو وجهين
ب{الطبع سأقوم بكل شيء بشكل مختلف اليوم ..فبالامس كنت شخصا اخر }ا
بالطبع الارنب هو المرشد ..و الكاتربيلر يرمز للحكمة و التحكم في الحجم تبعا لمدى وعى اليس. .
امتلات الرواية بمناقشات هزلية لا تخلو من المنطق. .و بقيت اليس ل150عام شاهدة على طفولة أبدية في كل منا
April 23, 2020
“If you knew Time as well as I do,’ said the Hatter, ‘you wouldn’t talk about wasting it.
There are so many great things to say about this story. For me, as a work of fantasy, it is on par with The Chronicles of Narnia, Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz in terms of its creative imagination.
These stories seem to centre on the idea of escape, escape from a boring reality in which the protagonist enters a world of exciting, and sometimes terrifying, adventure as they walk away from their old mundane life. This is a popular trope and here it works very well, Alice jumps down a rabbit hole and enters a truly insane world that makes little sense.
“In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.”
Of all the fantasy worlds that work around this idea, this is by far the most bizarre I have read about. To put in mildly, the things Alice encounters feel hallucinogenic as if the mind has conjured them up whilst being intoxicated. Because as strange as it all seems, there is always a touch of the real about them. And I think this is because Lewis Carroll draws on real life experiences to bring his world to life.
The Mad Hatter, of course, is the best example. Although he only plays a small role here, and the movie versions certainly capitalise on his colourful character, he still stands out within the narrative: his character is the most memorable part of the story. He is only referred to as that name once, and he never identifies with it, though the name is distinctively his.
“How puzzling all these changes are! I'm never sure what I'm going to be, from one minute to another.”
He is the embodiment of true madness: dementia. And I did a little research on him and the origins of his character. In Victorian society, hatters often went mad because of the hat making process. They handled chemicals that caused what we now identify as dementia. Prolonged exposure to such substances degraded their minds to such a degree. So, in a way, he embodies a little piece of history with his quirkiness.
So I had a lot of fun here. This was actually my first ever read of this story. I've seen the films but never actually picked this up, it's certainly a quaint piece of madness to brighten your day with its nonsensical nature.
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There are so many great things to say about this story. For me, as a work of fantasy, it is on par with The Chronicles of Narnia, Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz in terms of its creative imagination.
These stories seem to centre on the idea of escape, escape from a boring reality in which the protagonist enters a world of exciting, and sometimes terrifying, adventure as they walk away from their old mundane life. This is a popular trope and here it works very well, Alice jumps down a rabbit hole and enters a truly insane world that makes little sense.
“In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.”
Of all the fantasy worlds that work around this idea, this is by far the most bizarre I have read about. To put in mildly, the things Alice encounters feel hallucinogenic as if the mind has conjured them up whilst being intoxicated. Because as strange as it all seems, there is always a touch of the real about them. And I think this is because Lewis Carroll draws on real life experiences to bring his world to life.
The Mad Hatter, of course, is the best example. Although he only plays a small role here, and the movie versions certainly capitalise on his colourful character, he still stands out within the narrative: his character is the most memorable part of the story. He is only referred to as that name once, and he never identifies with it, though the name is distinctively his.
“How puzzling all these changes are! I'm never sure what I'm going to be, from one minute to another.”
He is the embodiment of true madness: dementia. And I did a little research on him and the origins of his character. In Victorian society, hatters often went mad because of the hat making process. They handled chemicals that caused what we now identify as dementia. Prolonged exposure to such substances degraded their minds to such a degree. So, in a way, he embodies a little piece of history with his quirkiness.
So I had a lot of fun here. This was actually my first ever read of this story. I've seen the films but never actually picked this up, it's certainly a quaint piece of madness to brighten your day with its nonsensical nature.
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February 13, 2023
Este libro representa de la mejor forma lo que busca todo lector al adentrarse en una historia: escapar de la realidad.
Y wow, con el universo que imaginó Lewis Carroll. No tengo ni la menor idea de cómo se le ocurrieron tantos aspectos fantásticos, pero lo hizo perturbadoramente bien. Porque una vez que caes junto a Alicia por la madriguera del conejo, te sumerges de lleno en ese mundo.
La historia se me hizo fácil y rápida de leer, aunque hubo partes que de verdad no entendía en lo absoluto qué estaba pasando. Lo que da paso a que se vuelva una novela todavía más interesante cuando lees análisis sobre la misma.
Me sacó algunas carcajadas por la manera tan absurda que era la introducción de cada personaje, y al mismo tiempo me estresaba cuando Alicia se veía envuelta en una situación difícil, que era todo el tiempo jajaja
Aún así, disfruté muchísimo la historia. Un clásico indispensable ❤️
Y wow, con el universo que imaginó Lewis Carroll. No tengo ni la menor idea de cómo se le ocurrieron tantos aspectos fantásticos, pero lo hizo perturbadoramente bien. Porque una vez que caes junto a Alicia por la madriguera del conejo, te sumerges de lleno en ese mundo.
La historia se me hizo fácil y rápida de leer, aunque hubo partes que de verdad no entendía en lo absoluto qué estaba pasando. Lo que da paso a que se vuelva una novela todavía más interesante cuando lees análisis sobre la misma.
Me sacó algunas carcajadas por la manera tan absurda que era la introducción de cada personaje, y al mismo tiempo me estresaba cuando Alicia se veía envuelta en una situación difícil, que era todo el tiempo jajaja
Aún así, disfruté muchísimo la historia. Un clásico indispensable ❤️
June 1, 2024
Update June 2024:
Since Thibault (you're either psychic or have unnerving timing!) caught me precisely when I was leafing through my newest Alice acquisition, I gotta update the review: I now own a 4th illustrated edition of this book, a special edition with art by Benjamin Lacombe, one of my favourite illustrators!
So, all counted, I own illustrated editions by:
1. Salvador Dalí (my favest of faves, my treasure, my papery baby, my Preciousss,
2. Arthur Rackham (second favest of faves, got properly apologised to for being kicked from its #1 pedestal when I found Dalí),
3. Tove Jansson (no Hobbit worth her salt can not own the edition by the same artist who did Hobbitses, and did them prettily at that),
4. Benjamin Lacombe (this man is so to my taste he can't do ugly in my eyes, even when I wasn't much impressed by his take on Alice that I just bought).
I also own "The Annotated Alice," which would be my 5th, and in addition to these, I plan to acquire two more gems for my collection: the pop-up version by Robert Sabuda, and the 150th Anniversary Edition by David Delamare.
Now, ye probably are scratching yer heads an' wonderin' why I'd want so many versions. Well, sit down and lemme tell ya! Once upon a time, the oldest and truest of lies . . . /Jane Yolen voice on. It's really a very simple tale, ladies and gentlemen and Cheshire cats, "Alice in Wonderland" was the first and only children's book I had in a childhood devoid of children's books. I wasn't even exclusively Alice or mine at all, can you believe it? It was a dual Alice and Peter Pan edition with gorgeous and colourful illustrations whose artist I've been unsuccessfully trying to locate again ever since. I never found that edition again.
And why not, you ask? Because it didn't have a blasted cover! Problem with being the runt of the litter and born decades after the other pups is that by the time you arrive, everything is already chewed up and in a state of disrepair. The other pups already hogged on your parents' good looks, the best milk, and the best books, leaving you to be the ugly duckling fed on cow's milk and reading one single inherited children's book held together with thread (yeah, not duct tape, my siblings used THREAD to sew the book's loose pages together!) and prayerful wishes. Thus, I have no idea who created that edition, and probably never will.
Anyway, that Alice book taught little me that:
- Mushrooms shouldn't be eaten (I still look at them with suspicion, even when my sis says they're safe),
- Decapitation is a thing (all my traumas can be traced back to this discovery),
- Roses can be painted (but they didn't say that paint dries them up and kills the roses),
- Cheshire smiles are effective to unnerve teachers and bullies alike,
- There was something in England's air that made old chaps like Carroll and Barrie not want to grow up to be normal adults.
Fond memories, eh? Just don't ask me what Peter Pan taught me, though.
_________________________________
I had no intention of revisiting Wonderland anytime soon, but I saw this edition illustrated by surrealist Spanish artist Salvador Dalí . . . and I couldn't resist!
The oeniric weirdness of Alice's world truly fits Dalí's no less weird style like a glove. It's as if Wonderland was made with Dalí in mind, like certain dresses are tailored to flatter a certain figure or certain lyrics are made to be sung by a certain singer.
That said, I think Dalí wasn't at his bestest here, because some of the illustrations he painted (in what appears to be watercolour, judging by the watery quality of the drawings) were . . . not impressive, to put it mildly. Why? It's Dalí, for goodness' sake! Yes, but I stick to what I said. My own theory is that it was because Maestro Salvador isn't an illustrator, he's a painter. Meaning? He creates his best work of his own volition and his most spectacular displays of surrealism at its best come when he's not told what to do.
In other words, Dalí was working by being "prompted" by the text of the story, not by his prodigious imagination alone. Paint me this, and he did. Paint me that, and he did. I suspect he's the sort of creative that needs free rein.
Or maybe he just was having "one of those days . . . " Anyway, the final product is still a good one, to which I'm awarding 3.5 stars rounded up to four.
So, all counted, I own illustrated editions by:
1. Salvador Dalí (my favest of faves, my treasure, my papery baby, my Preciousss,
2. Arthur Rackham (second favest of faves, got properly apologised to for being kicked from its #1 pedestal when I found Dalí),
3. Tove Jansson (no Hobbit worth her salt can not own the edition by the same artist who did Hobbitses, and did them prettily at that),
4. Benjamin Lacombe (this man is so to my taste he can't do ugly in my eyes, even when I wasn't much impressed by his take on Alice that I just bought).
I also own "The Annotated Alice," which would be my 5th, and in addition to these, I plan to acquire two more gems for my collection: the pop-up version by Robert Sabuda, and the 150th Anniversary Edition by David Delamare.
Now, ye probably are scratching yer heads an' wonderin' why I'd want so many versions. Well, sit down and lemme tell ya! Once upon a time, the oldest and truest of lies . . . /Jane Yolen voice on. It's really a very simple tale, ladies and gentlemen and Cheshire cats, "Alice in Wonderland" was the first and only children's book I had in a childhood devoid of children's books. I wasn't even exclusively Alice or mine at all, can you believe it? It was a dual Alice and Peter Pan edition with gorgeous and colourful illustrations whose artist I've been unsuccessfully trying to locate again ever since. I never found that edition again.
And why not, you ask? Because it didn't have a blasted cover! Problem with being the runt of the litter and born decades after the other pups is that by the time you arrive, everything is already chewed up and in a state of disrepair. The other pups already hogged on your parents' good looks, the best milk, and the best books, leaving you to be the ugly duckling fed on cow's milk and reading one single inherited children's book held together with thread (yeah, not duct tape, my siblings used THREAD to sew the book's loose pages together!) and prayerful wishes. Thus, I have no idea who created that edition, and probably never will.
Anyway, that Alice book taught little me that:
- Mushrooms shouldn't be eaten (I still look at them with suspicion, even when my sis says they're safe),
- Decapitation is a thing (all my traumas can be traced back to this discovery),
- Roses can be painted (but they didn't say that paint dries them up and kills the roses),
- Cheshire smiles are effective to unnerve teachers and bullies alike,
- There was something in England's air that made old chaps like Carroll and Barrie not want to grow up to be normal adults.
Fond memories, eh? Just don't ask me what Peter Pan taught me, though.
_________________________________
I had no intention of revisiting Wonderland anytime soon, but I saw this edition illustrated by surrealist Spanish artist Salvador Dalí . . . and I couldn't resist!
The oeniric weirdness of Alice's world truly fits Dalí's no less weird style like a glove. It's as if Wonderland was made with Dalí in mind, like certain dresses are tailored to flatter a certain figure or certain lyrics are made to be sung by a certain singer.
That said, I think Dalí wasn't at his bestest here, because some of the illustrations he painted (in what appears to be watercolour, judging by the watery quality of the drawings) were . . . not impressive, to put it mildly. Why? It's Dalí, for goodness' sake! Yes, but I stick to what I said. My own theory is that it was because Maestro Salvador isn't an illustrator, he's a painter. Meaning? He creates his best work of his own volition and his most spectacular displays of surrealism at its best come when he's not told what to do.
In other words, Dalí was working by being "prompted" by the text of the story, not by his prodigious imagination alone. Paint me this, and he did. Paint me that, and he did. I suspect he's the sort of creative that needs free rein.
Or maybe he just was having "one of those days . . . " Anyway, the final product is still a good one, to which I'm awarding 3.5 stars rounded up to four.
September 17, 2017
Rating: 4.5
March 1, 2017
I'm still not sure whether I think Lewis Carroll created a fantastic piece of fantasy or a great big pile of nonsense. I suspect it's a combination of the two. I like some of Alice's adventures - really, how could I not? - but Wonderland was always leaning a bit towards the negative side of bizarre for me.
February 6, 2011
Having just finished Alice in Wonderland, the first thing that occurs to me is that I wish I had read it years ago. I've known the story of Alice for years thanks to Disney and the Mad Hatter on Batman, but for some reason I didn't get around to reading this as a child. While I expected to like it, I never realized what a joy this book would be.
Carroll was a logician, so it should come as no surprise that he uses his expertise in that field to create many hilarious logical fallacies. But what interested me the most was the prose; I could talk for a long time of the clean, beautiful concision of Carroll's writing and of the brilliance of his word games and puns, which obviously influenced Vladimir Nabokov (who composed a Russian translation of Alice). The way in which Carroll's narrative voice addresses the absurd events reminded me of Kafka's Metamorphosis. Why some would reject the former's unique literary genius while praising the latter's can be explained by the snobbery of those who would reject a masterpiece simply because it's a "children' book."
These things interested the adult reader in me, but Alice is really for children of all ages. Thanks to the animated movie, I knew the characters and I felt like I was being reunited with old friends. I especially felt this during the Mad Tea Party, which I think must rank among the most brilliant comic scenes in English literature. However, Alice proves that books for children need not be dumbed down or sentimentalized. There are some dark undercurrents to the excellent humor (The Queen is obsessed with beheading, to use just the most famous example). And the beautiful concluding paragraph is a startling, Shakespearean meditation on childhood, age, and eventual womanhood. I admit that was a wonderful surprise. And then of course there's the drug use of the caterpillar and Carroll's suggested pedophiliac obsession with young girls. But people who approach Alice as psychedelic literature or a creepy Lolita story, I think, miss the point. However, these questions do add to the depth of the reading experience.
Alice in Wonderland is indeed a rare kind of book: one which can entertain and enlighten both the child and the adult. Carroll's glittering novel hasn't been dimmed in the slightest by time, something that can't be said of the works of many of his contemporaries. Alice's adventures will doubtless fascinate us for untold years to come. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to White Rabbit.
Carroll was a logician, so it should come as no surprise that he uses his expertise in that field to create many hilarious logical fallacies. But what interested me the most was the prose; I could talk for a long time of the clean, beautiful concision of Carroll's writing and of the brilliance of his word games and puns, which obviously influenced Vladimir Nabokov (who composed a Russian translation of Alice). The way in which Carroll's narrative voice addresses the absurd events reminded me of Kafka's Metamorphosis. Why some would reject the former's unique literary genius while praising the latter's can be explained by the snobbery of those who would reject a masterpiece simply because it's a "children' book."
These things interested the adult reader in me, but Alice is really for children of all ages. Thanks to the animated movie, I knew the characters and I felt like I was being reunited with old friends. I especially felt this during the Mad Tea Party, which I think must rank among the most brilliant comic scenes in English literature. However, Alice proves that books for children need not be dumbed down or sentimentalized. There are some dark undercurrents to the excellent humor (The Queen is obsessed with beheading, to use just the most famous example). And the beautiful concluding paragraph is a startling, Shakespearean meditation on childhood, age, and eventual womanhood. I admit that was a wonderful surprise. And then of course there's the drug use of the caterpillar and Carroll's suggested pedophiliac obsession with young girls. But people who approach Alice as psychedelic literature or a creepy Lolita story, I think, miss the point. However, these questions do add to the depth of the reading experience.
Alice in Wonderland is indeed a rare kind of book: one which can entertain and enlighten both the child and the adult. Carroll's glittering novel hasn't been dimmed in the slightest by time, something that can't be said of the works of many of his contemporaries. Alice's adventures will doubtless fascinate us for untold years to come. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to White Rabbit.
November 14, 2021
Why Alice! What Adventures you have had?
Happy, fun, perilous, enlightening, sometimes sad
A man, in a Hat, scatty, as a rabid bat
A Mouse, a crazy Hare, and Twins that are Fat
A Nasty Cook, and a Grinning Cheshire Cat
A Tea Party, a Catapiller smoking a Hookah, a Mushroom, one side makes her Tall
The other side of the Mushroom, makes her Small
An invitation, from a Fishfootman, and a very tired Dormouse
The Cheshire Cat appears in a tree, directing Alice to the March Hare's House🐯👍
Such fun!!!👍🐯
Happy, fun, perilous, enlightening, sometimes sad
A man, in a Hat, scatty, as a rabid bat
A Mouse, a crazy Hare, and Twins that are Fat
A Nasty Cook, and a Grinning Cheshire Cat
A Tea Party, a Catapiller smoking a Hookah, a Mushroom, one side makes her Tall
The other side of the Mushroom, makes her Small
An invitation, from a Fishfootman, and a very tired Dormouse
The Cheshire Cat appears in a tree, directing Alice to the March Hare's House🐯👍
Such fun!!!👍🐯
August 23, 2020
I think it was a good choice for me to reread one of my favorite childhood stories before I read the one I really wanted to: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.
When I was a little girl I LOVED the Disney movie and, since this book has some different aspects, it is no wonder I find the movie to be better.
However, it was still a really enjoyable ride everytime I read it.
Everlasting quotes are the reason this book is classic, and I love them all!
I have always wondered what inspired Lewis Carroll (who was a really strange man so even if I am still wondering the same question, I am not too sure if I want to know the answer) to create this story in his head, and if he was on some kind of drugs while doing that.
I mean, Caterpillar smoke from nargila so... that's enough reason to be suspicious.
April 7, 2019
If I didn't already know the story and the basic plot points of Alice in Wonderland from movies, books, and other pop culture retellings, I think this book would have been very confusing. I didn't realize how short the Wonderland part of Alice's story is so, despite the bizarre writing, it was a pretty quick read. In fact, if you are really into fairy tales, I imagine this could be a one sitting book.
The intro to the book mentioned this being psychedelic fiction. Having grown up frequently seeing art with tie-dyed mushrooms and a hookah smoking caterpillar on top, I was already thinking this book was likely quite a trip. The surreal storylines, bizarre characters, and the consumption of substances by Alice to alter her reality definitely make this a trippy experience.
This is one case where I think the movies (at least the ones I have seen) have done a pretty good job stream-lining the story to improve the delivery. The essence of each of Alice's adventures is usually captured perfectly with excessively trippy material edited perfectly so as to not lose the viewer. Not often you can say the movie is better than the book!
In the end, it is another classic that I am very glad to have read. Did it blow me away? Not really. Will I be recommending it to others? Not likely. But, if you have always enjoyed the Alice fairy tell - enough to say that you are a fan - I think you have to check out the source material.
The intro to the book mentioned this being psychedelic fiction. Having grown up frequently seeing art with tie-dyed mushrooms and a hookah smoking caterpillar on top, I was already thinking this book was likely quite a trip. The surreal storylines, bizarre characters, and the consumption of substances by Alice to alter her reality definitely make this a trippy experience.
This is one case where I think the movies (at least the ones I have seen) have done a pretty good job stream-lining the story to improve the delivery. The essence of each of Alice's adventures is usually captured perfectly with excessively trippy material edited perfectly so as to not lose the viewer. Not often you can say the movie is better than the book!
In the end, it is another classic that I am very glad to have read. Did it blow me away? Not really. Will I be recommending it to others? Not likely. But, if you have always enjoyed the Alice fairy tell - enough to say that you are a fan - I think you have to check out the source material.
March 19, 2020
I remember reading and loving this book as a child. I identified with Alice’s point of view, lost in a world both strange and familiar. All the characters she encountered were mad and funny. There was a sense of playful and sparkling adventure. I loved the vintage illustrations by John Tenniel. I guess the charming Walt Disney adaptation also influenced my perception of the book.
My impression, as I re-read Lewis Carroll’s novel recently, is entirely different. The atmosphere of childish innocence is still there throughout: Alice sounds like a smart, Victorian, well-mannered young girl. But she keeps growing and shrinking uncontrollably — like a penis. And Wonderland feels like a sort of dystopia, where strange creatures and objects are incapable of making sense. The funny puns and situations are, in fact, not so amusing and appear instead as a way to mangle common sense with wild logic and absurd, albeit rational reasoning. As a result, as the Mock Turtle says, “it sounds uncommon nonsense”.
To me now, Lewis Carroll appears to borrow from the 18th-century satirists, such as Jonathan Swift or Voltaire, and to pave the way for 20th-century surrealism and the black, absurdist comedies of Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, Tom Stoppard or even Franz Kafka and Kurt Vonnegut. In the end, as I re-read this book, it is getting “curiouser and curiouser”.
The edition I am holding (published in the US in 1975) includes meticulous illustrations by Arthur Rackham, best known for his work on fairy tales.
My impression, as I re-read Lewis Carroll’s novel recently, is entirely different. The atmosphere of childish innocence is still there throughout: Alice sounds like a smart, Victorian, well-mannered young girl. But she keeps growing and shrinking uncontrollably — like a penis. And Wonderland feels like a sort of dystopia, where strange creatures and objects are incapable of making sense. The funny puns and situations are, in fact, not so amusing and appear instead as a way to mangle common sense with wild logic and absurd, albeit rational reasoning. As a result, as the Mock Turtle says, “it sounds uncommon nonsense”.
To me now, Lewis Carroll appears to borrow from the 18th-century satirists, such as Jonathan Swift or Voltaire, and to pave the way for 20th-century surrealism and the black, absurdist comedies of Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, Tom Stoppard or even Franz Kafka and Kurt Vonnegut. In the end, as I re-read this book, it is getting “curiouser and curiouser”.
The edition I am holding (published in the US in 1975) includes meticulous illustrations by Arthur Rackham, best known for his work on fairy tales.
May 3, 2020
Alice In Wonderland is a particularly rich and whimsical story, with something new to discover in every reading.
Alice herself is quite a character, and is able to stand up for herself against the strange and seemingly illogical world of wonderland. As she comes across each of the weird and wonderful creatures - like the White Rabbit, the Duchess and Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar, the March Hare, Mad Hatter and Doormouse, the Gryphon and Mock Turtle, and the Queen and her court (as the Gryphon reminds us: ' It's all her fancy-that-They never executes nobody you know'.),creatures which are indeed rather argumentative and none too helpful to Alice's confusion, there is also a new story, a new song or game.
We learn that the real wonderland is the mind of a child, and the happy carefree long, summer days of innocence in which Alice dreamed her dream.
Alice herself is quite a character, and is able to stand up for herself against the strange and seemingly illogical world of wonderland. As she comes across each of the weird and wonderful creatures - like the White Rabbit, the Duchess and Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar, the March Hare, Mad Hatter and Doormouse, the Gryphon and Mock Turtle, and the Queen and her court (as the Gryphon reminds us: ' It's all her fancy-that-They never executes nobody you know'.),creatures which are indeed rather argumentative and none too helpful to Alice's confusion, there is also a new story, a new song or game.
We learn that the real wonderland is the mind of a child, and the happy carefree long, summer days of innocence in which Alice dreamed her dream.
April 8, 2020
A la hora de dar mi opinión sobre Alicia no estaba seguro por donde empezar. Prácticamente se ha dicho todo y no sé que más puedo aportar. Pero además, a este hecho, se suma que siento que es un libro que tiene mucho escondido en el fondo, donde no se pueda ver bien y eso consigue que cada lector entienda la obra de una manera. Quizás un mismo lector la entendería de diferente manera si la releyera.
En la historia, la pequeña Alicia se introducirá sin ningún tipo de dudas en una madrigera persiguiendo a un curioso conejo vestido con chaleco que mira nervioso un reloj de bolsillo. Caerá en un extraño mundo: el país de las maravillas. Allí conocerá a extraños personajes y sufrirá sin respiro, un sin fin de situaciones cada cual más disparatada. La trama es conocida por todos, pero a la vez, ¿la conocemos realmente?
En mi caso tenía muy presente las adaptaciones que había visto, o los cuentitos recortados que había leído de pequeño y aunque todos me habían gustado, ninguno me había atrapado tanto como la historia original. Muchos personajes entrañables no han pasado a la gran pantalla, y por lo tanto, muchas de estas situaciones extravagantes se quedaban en el olvido. Personajes como la duquesa eran desconocidas totalmente para mí.
Para mí, el principal tema del que habla Alicia es la busca del propio ser. Quién eres tú, que quieres ser. Hacía dónde te quieres dirigir, ser consciente de cuál es tu camino y no abandonarlo. Los personajes de Alicia sufren constantemente situaciones surrealistas, pero mantienen todo el tiempo sus manías. Muchas veces los diálogos entre personajes parecían no tener continuidad, ya que cada uno hablaba de su tema, pero siento que es un reflejo más de eso. Abrazar lo que uno es, y disfrutarlo. El constante cambio en el tamaño de Alicia vuelve a hacer hincapié en el deseo de ser uno mismo, ya que aunque inicialmente la niña siente la atracción de poder cambiar de tamaño, llega a cansarse de no tener su tamaño real. De no ser su yo original.
Sobra decir que he disfrutado mucho de su lectura y de sus personajes y me he enamorado mucho de Alicia. Esa niña respondona, con incontinencia verbal, ávida de conocimiento y sin ningún reparo a la hora de opinar que siente o que piensa sobre cualquier cosa o sobre cualquier ser. Como para no enamorarse <3.
Una de las cosas que más me ha gustado de Alicia en el país de las maravillas es sentir que no estaba leyendo algo que ya conocía. Realmente sabía mucho, pero no sabía todo lo que tenía que saber. Sigo sin tener claro que lo sepa todo después de leerlo, ya que tengo esa sensación de que en cada diálogo hay un algo encerrado, una metáfora encubierta de algo más. Todo guarda una sorpresa. Me ha gustado mucho esa sensación.
En definitiva, esta es muy humilde opinión sobre un clásico infantil como pocos, que me ha gustado mucho más de lo que pensé que me iba a gustar y que sé que releeré muchas veces en el futuro. Esta vez, la única pega me la pongo a mí mismo, por no haber leído antes esta gran obra.
En la historia, la pequeña Alicia se introducirá sin ningún tipo de dudas en una madrigera persiguiendo a un curioso conejo vestido con chaleco que mira nervioso un reloj de bolsillo. Caerá en un extraño mundo: el país de las maravillas. Allí conocerá a extraños personajes y sufrirá sin respiro, un sin fin de situaciones cada cual más disparatada. La trama es conocida por todos, pero a la vez, ¿la conocemos realmente?
En mi caso tenía muy presente las adaptaciones que había visto, o los cuentitos recortados que había leído de pequeño y aunque todos me habían gustado, ninguno me había atrapado tanto como la historia original. Muchos personajes entrañables no han pasado a la gran pantalla, y por lo tanto, muchas de estas situaciones extravagantes se quedaban en el olvido. Personajes como la duquesa eran desconocidas totalmente para mí.
Para mí, el principal tema del que habla Alicia es la busca del propio ser. Quién eres tú, que quieres ser. Hacía dónde te quieres dirigir, ser consciente de cuál es tu camino y no abandonarlo. Los personajes de Alicia sufren constantemente situaciones surrealistas, pero mantienen todo el tiempo sus manías. Muchas veces los diálogos entre personajes parecían no tener continuidad, ya que cada uno hablaba de su tema, pero siento que es un reflejo más de eso. Abrazar lo que uno es, y disfrutarlo. El constante cambio en el tamaño de Alicia vuelve a hacer hincapié en el deseo de ser uno mismo, ya que aunque inicialmente la niña siente la atracción de poder cambiar de tamaño, llega a cansarse de no tener su tamaño real. De no ser su yo original.
Sobra decir que he disfrutado mucho de su lectura y de sus personajes y me he enamorado mucho de Alicia. Esa niña respondona, con incontinencia verbal, ávida de conocimiento y sin ningún reparo a la hora de opinar que siente o que piensa sobre cualquier cosa o sobre cualquier ser. Como para no enamorarse <3.
Una de las cosas que más me ha gustado de Alicia en el país de las maravillas es sentir que no estaba leyendo algo que ya conocía. Realmente sabía mucho, pero no sabía todo lo que tenía que saber. Sigo sin tener claro que lo sepa todo después de leerlo, ya que tengo esa sensación de que en cada diálogo hay un algo encerrado, una metáfora encubierta de algo más. Todo guarda una sorpresa. Me ha gustado mucho esa sensación.
En definitiva, esta es muy humilde opinión sobre un clásico infantil como pocos, que me ha gustado mucho más de lo que pensé que me iba a gustar y que sé que releeré muchas veces en el futuro. Esta vez, la única pega me la pongo a mí mismo, por no haber leído antes esta gran obra.
September 20, 2024
love this book. what the fuck is even going on? i have no idea. but i love it
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