Steve Review: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Jul 20, 2010 by shanyn

Title: The Looking Glass Wars
Hardcover, 384 pages
Author: Frank Beddor
Publisher: Dial
Publication Date: 2005

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Book Summary:
The Myth: Alice was an ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook.

The Truth: Wonderland is real. Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills Alyss’ parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears.

But in the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated. Lost and alone in Victorian London, Alyss is befriended by an aspiring author to whom she tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Yet he gets the story all wrong.
Hatter Madigan knows the truth only too well, and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

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Steve Review:
Sooo sleepy, zzzzzzzzz. Certainly not from this book though! I think it has something to do with Shanyn making me wake up at 7 AM each day to slave away on more reviews? I can haz vacayshun plz? harhar. I’ll start this review out with a disclaimer; I’ve never really been into the Alice and Wonderland craze. I didn’t see the new movie with Johnny Depp (which really means that I’m not into A&W amiright laidheez?!) and I haven’t watched the original Disney movie since I was probably 8 or 9. I’ve never read any of the books, or books associated with the Wonderland realm. If you are a fan of ANY of these, follow these next few steps: 1) Stop reading this review. 2) Go to the bookstore. 3) Buy all of the Looking Glass War series books available. 4) Go to the bathroom. 5) Yeah, yeah, I know you don’t “have” to go, do it anyways. 6) Get into a comfy spot and sit back and hold on cuz these books are a rockin ride.

While I have never been hooked on Alice and her Wonderland adventures, I must say that I am totally all in on this series. It’s not the best series I’ve ever read. It doesn’t have the best characters, the best plot, or even the most creativity. What it does have is a supreme mixture of all of those. It is simply not weak in any areas and each area brings entertainment and joy to read. The only possible criticism that I may have on the book is that it is definitely written for a YA audience (I think most of you readers would consider that a strength though? hah) and while that was fine and made the read a breakneck speed readfest (for some reason Chrome doesn’t think that “readfest” is a word. Silly Chrome :p ), if it was just a tad more adult I think some snobbier adult reviewers couldn’t have marked it down for being so “young” adult. That being said, it’s filled with action, violence, humor, romance, and a beautifully imaginative setting.

The summary is good, giving away only the beginning and leaving so many pleasant surprises to come. I’m already done with the 2nd book and anxiously about to start the 3rd, wooo. I even think I may branch out of my normal reading comfort zone and try the “Hatter M” graphic novel? oh boy! Points scale time (also +100 bonus points to myself ((thank you. thank you)) for using parentheses so absurdly much in this review!):

Book Cover: 4/5 – I think it’s pretty but it’s also very bland coloring.
Book Title: 5/5 – Self descriptive.
Plot: 8/10 – Good.
Characters: 8/10 – Alyss is decent but the supporting cast is awesome.
Writing: 8/10 – Very creative, mature and innocent at the same time.
Ending: 8/10 – A very good ending for a series book.

Total: 41/50 – Like I said, it isn’t crazy outstanding in any one single area but each element is quite good. Definitely try it out if you haven’t, gets a very strong Steve endorsement!

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• Review: Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
• Waiting on Wednesday: The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg
• Waiting on Wednesday: Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John
• Review: Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
• Review: Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin