C is for Carroll, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a truly remarkable tale. I have been enamored with this strange and seemingly drug-fueled story for a very long time, yet I had never actually read it. The description of the curious croquet ground, with live hedgehogs as balls and flamingoes as mallets, is both vivid and imaginative. It's a beautiful story about the power of imagination and the fantastical world that exists within a child's mind. I thoroughly enjoyed this classic, even though I had known the story since I was a young child. I highly recommend seeking out the Seven Seas Entertainment version, as the anime/manga style sketches and cover pages are simply gorgeous.
On the other hand, Through the Looking-Glass was a bit more tedious for me to read. However, I still found it enjoyable. The child-like definitions and literal interpretations added a unique charm, and the poetry, though confusing and jumbled, was highly amusing. I am now convinced that I am a Lewis Carroll fan, and I can't wait to explore more of his works.
And let's not forget this adorable boy in the picture. He's just so cute that I can't help but want to give him a big hug!
Over the years, with its numerous animated and live-action movie adaptations, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has often been transformed into a strange, psychedelic drug-induced hallucination. However, in my mind, it was originally an irony-filled and charming children's story. So, it was definitely time for a reread.
I wouldn't consider myself a particularly perceptive person. As a child, I focused more on the many absurd adventures rather than the irony. Therefore, the constant stream of "a-HA" moments that I now experienced came as a very pleasant surprise. I love a book that ages well, especially when it reads like a completely different story at different times in life.
The contrast between Alice's educated demeanor and its (lack of) use in real-life situations was interesting to follow. For example, her fumbling attempts to use her French lessons while unintentionally insulting the mouse felt very relatable. Nevertheless, I have mixed feelings about the protagonist's curiosity and bravery, which often seemed rather thoughtless and/or selfish. Take the Mad Hatter's tea party, for instance. She joined uninvited and then felt offended by the participants' (lack of) manners and amenities.
Alice's Adventures Through The Looking Glass has a much more intriguing premise but is also more boring to get through. Admittedly, I know absolutely nothing about chess, so the many clever game references would have gone right over my head without the footnotes. The overall effect seemed more like an ambitious endeavor than a story with a natural flow.
If the prequel gave us a story with several comedic episodes, this one seemed like a series of funny banters that happened to have a story linking them together. It was still good, but the overall narration didn't flow as naturally as before.
Score: 3.5/5 stars
4 rounded-up stars for nostalgia and writing style
I would recommend skipping the footnotes. While the poem references were useful, the emphasis on the inspiration behind one or more of the events became tiresome after a while. For example, in the episode from Alice's Adventures Through The Looking Glass where Alice forgets her name and only remembers it's something with "L". The footnotes insist this is a reference to "Liddel", while I thought it was more likely a pun on how "Al" from "Alice" has the same pronunciation as the letter "L".
... plus the creepy revelation that Charles Dodgson used to intentionally "cultivate friendships" with young girls rather put me off any subsequent rereads. I probably shouldn't have googled documentaries on the subject.
Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" are truly remarkable works. The dialogue between the unicorn and the narrator in the quoted passage is both charming and thought-provoking. Carroll's ability to create a world that is both fantastical and filled with social commentary is truly impressive.
The fact that Carroll wrote these two novels six years apart and that the narrator took a similar amount of time to read them adds an interesting layer to the experience. The annotations in the novels provide valuable insights into the historical and cultural context in which they were written. For example, the scene of the sneezing cook and the crying child in "Alice in Wonderland" is not just a random event but a reflection of the hardships faced by the poor at that time.
The novels are also very light and easy to read, with conversations that flow seamlessly. Even a restless person like the narrator found it difficult to put them down. Carroll's mind was clearly a fertile ground for creativity, and it is a pleasure to explore the worlds he created.
Overall, these novels are a must-read for anyone who loves literature. They are not only entertaining but also offer a deeper understanding of the times in which they were written. I highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a good read.