Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered
Author: A.G. Howard
Number of Pages: 384
Published: January 1st 2013 by Amulet Books
Source:  Hardcover (library)
Genre: Urban Fantasy > Retelling
Reading Level: Young Adult

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This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Splintered by A.G. Howard Book Trailer

Splintered captured my heart from the very first page. I have always been a huge fan of story book retellings ever since I read Cinder last year. The classic story of Alice in Wonderful by Lewis Carroll has always been a childhood favorite of mine. I remember reading the book over and over again. There is just something so magical about a girl who falls down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a strange new world fulled with talking plants, mad tea parties, and a queen who has a obsession with chopping off heads. 

Splintered is possibly the best fairy tale book retelling I have ever read. At first I was a little hesitant to read the book because I did not want to be disappointed that author may not be true to the original story-line of Alice in Wonderland but she was....OMG she was! I was totally floored *mouth hung open* by how beautifully dark, and modern Splintered turned out to be. Each and every aspect of this book was true to the original story with A.G. Howard own spin on things.

Have you ever wondered what happen after Alice returned home from Wonderland? Did she grow up and start of family? Did she return to wonderland just to attend a mad tea party? 

Alyssa Gardner has always been able to hear and talk to plants and bugs, as does her Mother. She hides her secret well.....unfortunately her Mother was not so lucky. Allison, Alyssa mother lives in a insane asylum and talks of a world that do not exist. Alyssa knows she and her mother both are descended of real Alice who once went to wonderland. She refuses to believe the story of her great, great, great Grandmother is true and hides the fact that she hears the voices of the plants and bugs. While visiting with her Mom, Alyssa comes to find out more secrets that Allison has been hiding. Secrets that will change her life forever. Wonderland is REAL and Alyssa hold the key through the looking glass.... into a lost world of magic and a curse which begs to be broken. 

If talking to a huge moth, secretly loving a boy who is just a friend, and having Alice as a distance relative wasn't enough.... Alyssa now has to dive head first down the rabbit whole to save her Mom by breaking an ancient curse from the one curious girl who started it all.

Splintered in my opinion is one of the best books I have read. I had so many emotions all throughout this book, from excitement, to sadness and everything in between. I literally squealed with joy when she fell through the rabbit whole and arrived in Wonderland. I keep thinking "WOW, this is SOOO amazingly true to Lewis Carroll tale". Everything was perfect. A.G. Howard writing style throughout the book was breathtaking and enchanting. It made me feel like I was right there with Alyssa in Wonderland. The romance was spot on. I could not have asked for a better love story between the boy she loves and the boy she dreamed about. In this case the love-triangle was great, not in the least bit cliché. Once I was finished reading I feel a strong urge to re-read the book again....and I would have to if I did not have to return it to my library. HAHA!

If you have not read Splintered or have doubts about the book that are holding you back from reading it. Let me put your mind at ease because I say without a shadow of a doubt YOU will NOT be disappointed. From page one until the very end I was totally in love with this book! 

This dark and gritty retelling of Alice in Wonderland is a MUST READ! A totally magnificent read for all ages.

 

Totally EPIC! One of the best books I have read. A MUST read!!