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Title: The Looking Glass Wars
Author: Frank Beddor
Publisher: Scholastic (Penguin Group)
Format: Paperback from Paperbackswap.com
Genre: Young Readers 12-16
Rating: 5/5 (A very HIGH five!)
My Review and Description:
I almost don't know what else to say except that this book absolutely rocked...rocked my world. I shout a resounding YES!
Luckily I had a son who wanted to take a 2 1/2 hour nap today so I actually read 250 pages in that amount of time and finished it.
This book started out strong and kept going. It was non stop adventure from page one. I thought it was such a unique re-telling/re-do of Alice in Wonderland. It starts off with Alyss Heart on her 7th birthday and well on her way to learning the ropes of what it will mean to be the next Queen. All it takes is a very powerful, controlled imagination. However, her mean Aunt Redd ruins everything by invading her party and killing her mother and father, the King and Queen of Wonderland.
From that moment Alyss is thrust into an adventure of survival. But her quest takes her far from Wonderland and through the Pool of Tears and into London, circa the late 1800s. (how cool is that?!). There she meets a cast of characters from a group of street urchins and orphans to Prince Leopold, son of Queen Victoria.
The book follows a few different perspectives from this time on spanning almost 11 years. We follow Alyss, her best friend Dodge, Hatter Madigan-the former Queen's bodyguard, and Aunt Redd. Though the time passes quickly, the book tells the story in enough detail that you race through the pages wanting to know what happens next.
It comes together in the end and is once again action packed.
This is the kind of young adult book I like. It had the drama, suspense, imagination and heart. Even if you haven't read Alice in Wonderland or, if you are like me, don't remember anything from it, it is still charming and unique. I think it's a classic in it's own right.
I can not wait to get the second and third installment in this series. I can not believe I have waited so long to read these. I have to admit I liked it way more than Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I know! Gasp! (don't worry avid fans of Suzanne Collins, though I never got around to writing a review for those, I would rate them a 4!)
So this review is mainly just me babbling "Yes! Yes! Yes!" to this book with very little else to convince you to read it. Sometimes I just really like a book and it's hard for me to put it into words. It's just a feeling and since I just finished it a few hours ago, the feeling is fresh and strong and full of childish excitement. Is my excitement rubbing off on you atleast...a little?
The second book is Seeing Redd and the third is Arch Enemy. Check out Frank Beddor's website. (just for your quick reference)
Happy Reading!
* red headed book child
15 comments:
Great review. Now I really want to read it.
My kids can read it too, so I'll use that excuse to buy it. : )
250 pages in in 2 1/2 hours? You must have loved this to be reading that fast!
Melissa, exactly. It's a fun read for older kids.
Lisa, I know! I was a crazed reader today!
I've heard so many great things about this book!
I loved this book and the second and third ones. I will be reviewing the third, Arch Enemy on my blog and interviewing Frank Beddor very soon so be watching for it! It was a good one, wasn't it?!
Also, I have an award for you:
http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/2009/11/awards-part-two.html
Great post! I too find it hard to review a book I absolutely loved....for lack of words! You just feel that everything is important and so it's harder to summarize (in my opinion). Glad to hear this one was so good...I've had it and it's secondary counterpart in my TBR for a bit now, so as soon as it turns up I'll happily "devour" it.
oh...great review and I'll be checking this series out too. I gave you an award ;0)
I loved this book. I hadn't realized there were more - I'll have to look out for them.
I absolutely LOVE this series! I just finished "Arch Enemy"! Oh how it never disappoints!
Thanks for posting this!
x0xx Park Avenue Princess
I have an award for you here
http://melissa-coffeebooksandlaundry.blogspot.com/2009/11/award.html
I have book 2 :) been looking for book one and three. I'll come across it for sure...
thank's for the review
Very cool cover, and a great review as well; thanks
I'll be looking for this one now. Thanks for reviewing it! :)
I've had this one on my shelf for a while and recently came across it again. I picked it up based on reviews like yours, but then never read it as I thought it might be a little too sci-fi and I don't usually like the genre...I guess I should give it a try though!
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