Thank God, it’s over.

This is surely a children’s book. However, I don’t think I would’ve liked it in the least even as a kid.

I do have a penchant for retellings that are based on the world of Wonderland. But unfortunately, this one fails to capture my interest.

The story seems to lack the charm and magic that I usually associate with the Wonderland universe.

The characters are not well-developed, and the plot feels disjointed and unengaging.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.

It simply doesn’t live up to the standards that I expect from a children’s book set in the wonderful world of Wonderland.

There are so many other great retellings out there that do a much better job of bringing this beloved world to life.

I would suggest looking for those instead of wasting your time on this one.

\\n  “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”\\n

This classic work from the genre of literary nonsense is adored by both children and adults.

When Alice enters a dream, she chases a white rabbit in a waistcoat with a pocket watch. He seems late for something crucial. He disappears down a rabbit hole, which isn't that strange until Alice follows and tumbles into a world entirely different from her own. It's a world filled with Cheshire cats, mad-hatters, packs of living playing cards, and a host of characters that make Alice's head whirl as she carefully navigates through Wonderland.

The Disney movie was a childhood favorite. Our grandparents collected them for us, and we never tired of Alice in Wonderland. There are significant differences between the book and the movie, as detailed here.

But in this world where things get "curiouser and curiouser," I'm not sure it matters much!

I wasn't a big fan of the recent Tim Burton adaptation, even though I was first in line to see it at the movies. It felt darker, and a lot of the fun was gone. I'll stick with the Disney version.

Back to the book, I love how Alice maintains her faculties throughout her strange experiences. She's an intelligent, somewhat precocious child just trying to get through the day. She spends so much time trying to make sense of the nonsensical that she almost forgets to enjoy the adventure.

Everyone would agree that this is a timeless classic for some fantastical escapism. Personally, I think those who look for hidden meanings and symbolic parallels with reality are ruining the fun. There should be a collective "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" so the rest of us can enjoy this masterpiece without too much philosophizing.

P.S. Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Lewis Carroll, in this short story, presents us with a wonderful dreamlike and surreal universe.

Here, the hilarious, the bizarre, and the extraordinary blend together to offer the reader a peculiar and distinct experience compared to many other children's novels.

Accompanied by a surprised Alice, we take a stroll through the Wonderland, a place full of various colorful characters, each with their own eccentric behaviors that make them unique.

In this novel, the perception of reality is completely distorted, giving way to dialogues lacking in logic but with a high degree of humor and fantasy, as well as an entire backdrop that plays with the logic of the absurd.

Just as in our reality, in Wonderland, we encounter furious and unjust creatures, paranoid and anxious beings, demented, fearful, and ambitious ones.

It is a short story, but it requires the reader to work on concentration and predisposition to assimilate such an unusual plot.

It is a classic of absurd story that should be taken into account.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

My friend L., who is 21 years old and has his second child, chose me to be the godfather (The Godfather).

We had the Christening on Sunday. For the present, I decided to forget about money boxes, bangles, and whatever else. Instead, I bought this book, a large illustrated edition, for my 2-week-old goddaughter.

The reason is simply that, as I have written in the front with a gold pen, it is a book I adore and would like her to read and enjoy one day.

The next step in her education (this is further down the line when she has a few more years of life under her belt) could be to introduce her to Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit".

And then her journey would be mostly complete. Otherwise, the step after that might be giving her acid, which, of course, is a very extreme and not a recommended option.

It's important to note that while the idea of introducing her to certain cultural and musical elements is interesting, we should always ensure that we are guiding her in a positive and healthy way.

As her godfather, I have a responsibility to help shape her values and provide her with a good foundation for her future.

I hope that this book will be a start of a wonderful journey of learning and discovery for her.

This is a book that I have been extremely fond of ever since my childhood.

After a decade, I read it again and discovered that it was just as delightful as before.

There are numerous unforgettable characters in it, such as the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Dormouse, the Mock Turtle, and even a hookah smoking Caterpillar. Additionally, there is the Queen of Hearts who constantly threatens to behead Alice.

The book is filled with riddles that have no answers, a plethora of puns, crazy logic, and an abundance of the absurd and the surreal.

It truly is a timeless classic that continues to charm readers of all ages.

It takes us on a奇妙的 journey through a world that is both strange and wonderful, leaving us with a sense of awe and wonder.

Whether you are a child or an adult, this book is sure to capture your imagination and leave a lasting impression.

"Curiouser and curioser" said Tracey after reading this as an adult.

Everyone is familiar with the story of the little girl who trailed a rabbit (that was extremely late) down a rabbit hole and found herself in a realm of nonsense and peculiar creatures. There's The Mad Hatter, who is perpetually stuck at a tea party due to an argument with time (the person, not actual time, obviously), and The Cheshire Cat, who appears and disappears, often leaving only his grin floating around. But my absolute favorite is the Mock Turtle, whose education encompassed; Reeling and writhing to start with, of course, then various branches of arithmetic, Ambition, distraction, uglification, and derision, and of course mystery (ancient and modern) and seaography. Then, once a week, an old conger eel taught drawling, stretching, and fainting in coils. :) It's bloody genius, and I can only think of one contemporary writer who could compare, and that's Lewis Carroll's literary offspring, Douglas Adams.

On a serious note, this book is about the trials and tribulations of growing up, puberty, the feelings I recall of not fitting in, being uncertain about the changes in my body, not understanding what was happening or why, and confusion about the simplest of things.

The only character in the entire story who behaves as it normally would is a puppy, which Alice plays with. After some research, I discovered that it was because Carroll had a great dislike for dogs (he adored cats), and thus the puppy didn't deserve to be a true Wonderland character.

So, if you haven't read this as a grown-up, please go and rediscover the magic, madness, and life lessons that are within this wonderful book.

As always, one last quote; "How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

5 *****

You may have witnessed the enchanting Disney film or attended a captivating play. However, almost everyone who has grown up within a Western European-based culture has had some sort of encounter, in one form or another, with Alice and her remarkable adventures. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of actually delving into Lewis Carroll's magnificent book, which was originally penned as a bedtime story for his daughter Alice. There is a charming innocence about Alice that is truly endearing. Moreover, all the creatures and characters she encounters possess a startling and surprising freshness that immediately grabs the reader's attention. At times, it may indeed feel like an acid trip, but then again, the same can be said for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other flights of extraordinary fancy. The wonderful aspect of this book lies in its oblique criticism of societal norms and the powerful evocation of youth and innocence, which is both unforgettable and timeless. This is yet another book that one should read to their own children, as it is a precious gift for their fertile imaginations.

This is such a delightful story. It begins with a young girl named Lily who discovers a mysterious key while exploring an old attic.

Intrigued, she decides to find out what the key unlocks. With great determination, she embarks on a journey that leads her to a hidden garden.

The garden is filled with the most beautiful flowers and enchanting creatures. Lily is amazed by the sight and feels a sense of peace and joy.

As she spends more time in the garden, she realizes that it holds a special magic that can bring happiness and hope to all who enter.

Lily decides to share this wonderful place with her friends and family, and together they create many memories in the hidden garden.

This story reminds us that there are always hidden treasures and magical places waiting to be discovered if we are willing to look.

These are my favorite illustrations for Alice.

The illustrations bring the magical world of Alice to life in the most vivid and enchanting way. Each image is filled with details that capture the essence of the story and the characters.

The artist has done an amazing job of depicting Alice's curious nature and her adventures in Wonderland. The colors used are bright and vibrant, making the illustrations truly stand out.

Whether it's Alice falling down the rabbit hole, meeting the Cheshire Cat, or attending the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, these illustrations transport me back to the wonderful world of Alice every time I look at them. They are not just illustrations, but works of art that add another layer of depth and beauty to the classic story.

I can spend hours poring over these illustrations, imagining myself in Wonderland alongside Alice and her friends. They inspire my own creativity and make me appreciate the power of art to bring stories to life.

In conclusion, these are my favorite illustrations for Alice because they are a perfect blend of art and storytelling. They capture the magic and wonder of the story and make it accessible to readers of all ages.

It has been several years since I last picked up this book. However, when I recently decided to give it another go, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was once again an extremely enjoyable read!

The story still managed to captivate me from the very first page. The characters were well-developed and their personalities shone through vividly. The plot was engaging and full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat.

As I delved deeper into the book, I found myself completely immersed in the world that the author had created. The descriptions were so detailed that I could easily picture every scene in my mind.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read. It's a classic that never gets old and is sure to provide hours of entertainment.

The story belongs to children's literature, but it is also a fantasy journey and a classic novel that is worth reading for its lasting influence until now.

The story has a lot of very clever plays with English words.

And this makes the translation of the story a very difficult and failed task in conveying the same spirit of the story to Arabic.

I read the translation of the story by Dar Al-Tanweer. Although the translation is wonderful and the translator has worked very hard and been creative in translating the story.

But in my opinion, the failure still lies in that when you translate poetry from Arabic to English or from English to Arabic, the translation of poetry is one of the most difficult translation projects because most of the time it is very difficult to convey the rhymes of the poetry with the same spirit of the poet or the melody of the poem.

But at the same time, I believe that the translation of this wonderful classic story or of the poetry that we cannot reach the original spirit of its poet is necessary, but at least we should establish a connection with it and read its poetry and get to know it.

There is something I noticed in the story and completely forgot to talk about it.

I noticed a very dark side in the story, and with the illustrations it almost becomes a scary side.

The scene of the cook, the child, and the kitchen, and the scene of the Cheshire Cat.

Lewis Carroll, as a person, telling a story to a girl, surely knows how to turn it into something funny with his tone of voice.

But the idea of the cook breaking the dishes and throwing a lot of pepper on the food, and the child being disgusted and crying all day and finally turning into a pig.

If I were a horror writer, I don't think I could create a scarier scene than this.

And the idea of a cat that smiles, appears, gets on its nerves, and then disappears completely, with only its smile remaining.

If I were a horror writer by choice, I don't think I could create a scarier animal than this.

Maybe this is one of the things that helped the story of Alice in Wonderland to be turned into a film or a horror game.

There is a very dark side in the story, and I really hope that children don't feel scared when they read it because it's a beautiful story as I see it.

I have just finished reading this book for the 8,425th time (give or take a time or two). And I still feel the same way. The story takes me on a wonderful adventure, and I can't get enough of it. The characters are so vivid and the world is so magical. It's like I'm 8 years old again, and life is perfect. There are no problems, no stress, just pure happiness.

Thank you, Lewis Carroll, for creating this amazing book. It's a classic that will always be dear to my heart. I can't wait to read it again and again.

Until next time and stuff, I'll be here, lost in the world of Alice.

· Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There ★★★★★

[October 16, 2016]

And, just like that, I am 8 years old again. And life is perfect. And all is happiness. There are no blood-thirsty, murderous crustaceans. No nefarious cynic to breed them. And no sarcastic bitch weather, either. Just pure, beautiful, magical bliss.

[October 14, 2016]

Because I need a shrimping break from all the crap I'm currently reading. The books I'm trying to read are just so bad that they're making me crazy. If I don't take a break, my little head will explode. Or my poor Kindle will die a violent, horrible, painful death. Or I will go on a tiny rampage.

Please, Alice, give me strength, and save me from Disastrous Reads Inferno (DRI™)! I need you to take me away from all this and into your wonderful world.