The Looking Glass Wars: ArchEnemy

Written by Frank Beddor

Narrated by Gerard Doyle

The heart-pounding conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy!

NARRATOR: Gerard Doyle

King Arch has been successful in sapping Wonderland - including Alyss and Redd - of Imagination. Now the two enemy queens are forced to come together in an attempt to reclaim Wonderland and their powers. In the suspenseful conclusion to this bestselling trilogy, listeners will learn just how far Alyss will go to regain her power

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Release date: Nov 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9780545222495

Reviews for The Looking Glass Wars

[spazzydragon13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Looking Glass Series is amazing, to put it mildly. Frank Beddor created a rich, beautiful world. The details to everything he did - the weapons, the clothes, the landscape - really makes the story. Knowing that, ArchEnemy was a great book. However, it wasn't as fantastic as I thought it could be. It is by far the weakest book of the series. That doesn't mean it was bad, just not up to par with the previous two.

This book, like the others, switches the Point of Views every chapter. And there's 58 chapters. So, needless to say, you get a lot of insight to the plot by seeing all these different sides of the same coin. Yet, it never made the plot predictable. I wasn't entirely sure how anything would turn out, though I only figured one thing would happen - which it did. (And I can't say without spoiling, but it does have to do with the Pool of Tears.) As a whole, the story tied off nicely and I'm content with the ending. No cliffhangers or bad choices.

The reason I didn't absolutely love it, was because it got sorta dry in various areas and all seemed rather smooshed together half-haphazardly. Perhaps some details weren't need or certain perspectives could have been cut out. I can't quite put my finger on it, it just seems to be the tone of the book.

In summary, it was a nice way to finish off the series and I enjoyed that. I just didn't care for the book itself.

[oxlabyrinthxo-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm going to be honest. This book drags on and on at first. It picks up in the middle, more towards the end-ish. It has a really interesting ending which I liked, but it really took forever to get there.

[ameliaiif · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WILL DODGE KILL THE CAT?!?!?!?!?! aggghhhhhh! WILL THE EVIL GUINEA PIG WREAK HAVOC ON WONDERLAND?!?!?!WILL HOMBURG MOLLY REALIZE HOW DUMB SHE LOOKS IN A HOMBURG AND BECOME "SOMBRERO MOLLY"?!?!?! i cant wait to find out!!!

[demonite93 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is the 3rd installment from Frank Beddore’s rendition of the classic Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass. The fight for the throne of Wonderland continues between Alyss Hart and her Viciousness Redd Hart, only now the King of Boarderland gets involved even more so than before. In all honesty I see the appeal of these books and I applaud the author for his imaginative take on a classic, but I really could not get fully sucked into the story or even enamourd with the characters. Nothing was delved into enough to give anything any substance to the story line. I understand that this is classified as a teen book and that I shouldn’t expect so much but come on. Had a few more pages and make your characters more deep and not just there to fill in the story line gaps. The best part of the whole book was the pictures of the weapons in the front. That should give a clear example of the lack of depth in the story. If you do read it good luck and if it’s enough for you, well then good for you. It was a waste of time for me

[benuathanasia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A lackluster ending to an otherwise great series. I just wasn't as enthralled as with the previous books. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't be drawn into this fantasy.

[theokester · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'd waited excitedly for the conclusion to this trilogy in the "real" Wonderland. The concept of a "real" wonderland beyond the cartoony nonsense/caricature world was certainly intriguing to me and I had a lot of fun with the world Beddor had already created. I really enjoyed the first novel in the series. The second one fell a little flat for me but was still enjoyable and left us hanging onto a cliff waiting for the exciting conclusion to the events that were set up.Some of my complaints with the earlier two books are still present. The writing really isn't anything "to write home about." Much of the dialog is trite and the onomatopoeia that accompanies many of the action/battle sequences can be a little distracting. The characters are alright, but many of them feel a little flat most of the time.Accepting the fact that this is a book written for young(er) boys, I was able to forgive the "literary merit" of the Looking Glass Wars series (being sure to point out that this isn't a book for Wonderland purists or for classical literary enthusiasts/purists). I also acknowledge that Beddor is a moviemaker and these novels definitely feel poised to be presented cinematically.My biggest complaint with this novel specifically was the use of "foreshadowing." There are two particular instances that absolutely distressed me. The first instance happens on the first page….the novel "begins" with a scene in which Queen Alyss is fighting with an assassin to save some friends and then tries to make her escape from danger. There is a "date" associated with the event and if you look at the date, you'll notice that it's in the future as compared with the rest of the novel. It's possible that Beddor is playing with this a bit to make this be an "alternate future" seen by the Oracles or something…but he doesn't explain any of that. Instead, he just presents this VERY CRITICAL scene and lets it sit there. Unfortunately, this scene is a HUGE plot point that I feel would have been better presented as a big surprise in the normal course of events. The implications of this scene are enormous. However, I have 200+ pages to contemplate their enormity before the scene 'actually' happens (almost verbatim, I think). As a result, when the scene actually happens, it has lost almost all of its impact and I'm not surprised nor does it feel like any sort of climax. Furthermore, it makes "secret" motives from King Arch a lot less secret. I know a lot of authors like to include a sort of Prologue to stores…and it's alright to have a Prologue act as a foreshadowing…but come on, don't make it an exact presentation of a highly critical and exciting scene that happens at or near the climax of the book. Talk about destroying your story arc!The second instance of failed foreshadowing was a little less disturbing/dramatic, but was still a little troubling. Early on, we have a scene where one of the Caterpillars appears to Molly and gives her a vision. While I can try to infer the exact importance of that vision and what the Caterpillar was trying to do, I cannot come to any definitive or acceptable conclusion. I can see where "maybe" this 'prophecy' puts some events into motion (maybe…) but even then, the actions that Hatter/Molly take seem peripheral to this prophecy rather than directly impacted by it. At the very end of the novel, Molly does have a critical role to play, but it still seems a bit of a stretch even for the hugely enigmatic message from the Oracle. If this prophecy was truly important, the author should have made its importance more apparent.All of that aside, I did enjoy the way this third novel wrapped up the series. I enjoyed the growth in Alyss' character as she acknowledged the responsibilities of being queen and champion of White Imagination and as she then rose to the occasion to try and exemplify that role while at the same time being a compassionate and loving friend. Dodge's character took on similar growth, albeit to a less dramatic extent. Hatter and Molly seemed to expand as well, though their character's evolutions were largely minimized which made me a little sad. Most of the other characters were slightly fleshed out stereotypes which, while interesting (especially the dynamic between Arch and Rose) were not terribly compelling.The strangest characters, which figured prominently in the book, were the Caterpillars. Because of their prominent involvement in the plot, I can't say much…but I think I would have liked to have seen (even though I really didn't like their dialog style) more scenes focussed on the Caterpillars.The story arc was enjoyable and the tumult of activity within Wonderland was exciting to follow. I was very curious about the "Anti-Imaginationists" and would have enjoyed more details about them, even though they were largely puppets in Arch's plan. Rose's army was still very creepy and I love some of the details there. The ebb and flow of Imagination's power from the Heart Crystal felt underplayed and/or under-explained, but it did provide nice tension to the fluctuating balance.The climactic flow and the final wrap up felt rather weak and somewhat contrived (the weakness largely due to the failed foreshadowing I mentioned above as well as lack of development in some key points such as the Imaginationist prison camps or the tension between Rose's assassins and those they were forced to work with). The creation of "Everqueen" (which was considered as an alternate title to the book) left me somewhat confused and slightly dissatisfied. Everqueen had been alluded to briefly a couple of times and when Everqueen was finally presented, there was not sufficient elaboration on the importance/significance. Again, since this came from the Caterpillars, it's fitting with their character, but I would have loved to have perhaps seen Bibwit expound on the virtues of Everqueen or something.Looking back on this (lengthier than I anticipated) review, I have a lot of complaints. Perhaps I'm being too critical…because I really did enjoy this story. I think I was just hoping for more out of the book. It's an entertaining book and a fun and intriguing story in a cool world with cool characters…but it is also definitely a "fluff" book whereas I saw potential for deeper, more thought provoking themes.Overall, recommended for adventure seekers who are looking for some light reading. You probably shouldn't jump right into Book 3…you may be able to start in Book 2, but I personally liked Book 1 the best, so I'd suggest just reading the series as it's presented.****3 out of 5 stars

[lafon_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Takes the problems of the first two books to a whole new level. I felt like I was running through the story and suddenly...hit a brick wall. Just awful.

[eowyna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A quick read that re-invisions Wonderland. Alyss is a 7-year-old Princess, heir apparent to the queendom, when her aunt Redd kills her parents and takes control of Wonderland. Alyss escapes through the Pool of Tears to Victorian London. She is cut off from all she knew, with only her memories. She is adopted by the Liddell family, who insist on spelling her name Alice. When she confides in the Reverand Dodgson, he perverts her memories into a nonsense tale for children. This is a coming of age story for a Princess transplanted from her Queendom, while her loyal subjects keep up the resistance. A fun book.

[phoebesmum · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A real disappointment. A lot of people on various sites had been recommending it, so I gave it a try, but, oh. It's a good idea, and there are lots of amazing images, but the writing style and the characterisation are as flat and as thin as a pack of card soldiers. It came as no surprise to learn that the author works in the film industry. As a script, this would be great, and I can see it making a marvellous film. But I shan't be reading the sequels.

[photonegative · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was just okay. I really like the premise, but I feel it could have been presented a bit better. Mostly, it just made me want to play American McGhee's Alice.

[janemarieprice · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Princess Alyss Hart confides the story of her Aunt Redd’s revolt and capture of Alyss’s country and her subsequent exile to a deacon in our world. But when he publishes her story as a fanciful fairy tale, Alyss is distraught. Will she ever be able to return to her home of Wonderland and regain her throne? I highly enjoyed this Alice in Wonderland reimagining and plan to read the two follow up volumes. Highly recommended for YA fantasy fans and those who like retold stories.

[sorrel_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story is vivid and exciting, but also got a little bit up my nose. I found Beddor's alternative account of Alyss/Alice and Wonderland to be interesting, but I am always a little prejudiced against authors professing to tell a ‘true’ story of some previous work. I don’t so much mind an alternative take on an existing story (if it’s well done) but to say or imply that the original author got their own story wrong seems disrespectful: if it is interesting enough to be explored further, then I like to see the original author given a bit of credit. Yes, ‘the true story’ trope must have been a consciously decided plot device, but I think it’s a weak one. I liked Beddor’s story, but found that the narrative tone detracted throughout.

[teenbookreviews · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fabulous re-envisioning of Wonderland! Beddor is very imaginative and descriptive, without bogging down the story with Wonderland minute. Alyss is believable, likable and resourceful, while Redd is a great villain. I highly recommend this novel and can't wait to read the next installment.

[weeksj10 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was a cool idea, but kind of felt like a project from a creative writing class. I also didn't like how hard Beddor tried to creative with the card launchers and looking glass transport.

[smashattack_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So, for those that don’t know, I’m a HUGE Alice in Wonderland fan. It is one of the best fantasies I read as a child and it has a lot to do with why I love the genre so much today. I am not some Carroll purist who can’t enjoy a different view on the story. In fact, I find great delight in other’s ideas of Alice and her crazy imagination. I was beyond excited when Brooke at Brooke Reviews gave me a copy of this book. I had never heard of it!I will admit that the writing isn’t fantastic. I don’t think it’s terrible but the author did not do the best job of grabbing us, emotionally. I wasn’t connected to the characters much, although a few of them stole the show. I know this book is geared toward the younger generations, and for them, I believe this book would be a great hit (albeit a tad long). The reason I loved it so much was because of the fantastic idea! I enjoyed the imagination behind this revamp so much that I really put aside the writing deficits and totally enjoyed the fantastical ride. For many, that is very difficult, but when you put Alice-esque literature in front of me, I am likely to enjoy it, regardless of its faults.In this world, Princess Alyss, daughter of Queen Genevieve, has one of the strongest imaginations in the land. In this world, what you dream up comes to life before your very eyes. I found this extremely exciting, and was very interested to see what Alyss and Redd would dream up in their battles. It was explained, however, that you could not kill a creature with a will to live with imagination alone. That would make things way to simple.There are some patriarchal tones and serious genocidal and fascist B.S. flowing throughout the book. I enjoy finding ugly issues like these in young reader books because it introduces these ideas to them, but not in a realistic way. It gives the reader a chance to think about the issue and question trusted adults. I think it’s a great way to slowly educate young people on the ugliness of our world.“Lesson number 1b in Bibwit’s carefully planned curriculum: For most of universe’s inhabitants, life is not all gummy wads and tarty tarts; it is a struggle against hardship, unfairness, corruption, abuse, and adversity in all its guises, where even to survive – let alone survive with dignity – is heroic.”Aside from Redd, who was pretty creepy and hella mean, I really enjoyed her evil creations much more. Instead of recreating a Chesire Cat character, the author turned him into The Cat, a massive half-man, half-cat creature that served as Redd’s henchmen. He had 9 lives, and it was pretty humorous to see him loose some from various people – mainly Redd herself! *snicker* However, being a cat, he was one sneaky creature…I ended up loving the supporting characters much more than Alyss. I adored the Rook, which was some random chess piece fighter that would appear during drastic moments and save Alyss’ butt, and always had witty lines. Dodge, Alyss’ childhood friend/love interest was a great character when he was younger, but I was so disappointed in him as an adult. Bibwit Harte (definitely a play on ’White Rabbit’), master tutor of Wonderland, was a gentle, dear old soul. But oh, Hatter Madigan FTW! My goodness, I love this character something fierce. He is made of pure awesome. He’s not the loony tune in the traditional story. Instead, he’s a loyal, brave and fierce fighter with some snazzy weaponry! When he was searching the world for Alyss, he only trusted information from hatters, which I found incredibly cute.“He trusted those who dealt in headwear more than he trusted anyone else.”

[highvoltagegrrl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Was hoping a book based on Alice in Wonderland would have been better. The lengthy fighting scenes always bore me and there were quite a few within these books. Many of the character changes happened in the blink of an eye, which felt completely off as others never changed at all throughout the book.

[charlottejones952 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a book that is based on Lewis Carroll's classics 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass'; these I read last year and absolutely loved. 'The Looking Glass Wars' tells the story of Alyss, heir to the throne of Wonderland, who flees to our world when her parents are murdered but must return to save her lands seventeen years later.

I would say that although it definitely involves aspects of the classic stories, the world that Beddor creates is much more original and in-depth than I expected it to be. Being a huge fan of the original books, as well as the Disney film version and also the Time Burton film, I have to say that I was a bit skeptical at first about someone daring to tackle such a reknowned and loved classic tale, but having read this adaptation, I would say that this book would be great for Alice fans and non-fans alike.

Honestly, this book reads a lot like a film. The way things are described to such great lengths and the extent to which the action plays out really makes it come to life. Despite really enjoying this book, I have to admit that there were some points that I found irritating. The ending, although it fit the book well, was slightly annoying (for reasons I won't give.....spoilers!) but I think that this may be because Beddor has tried to keep it a bit open-ended so that it could flow into the next instalment in the trilogy. Also, I found some of the side characters to be a bit flat, but despite this, others were extremely well developed and through the descriptions and actions, they were brought to life on the page. I particularly like Hatter Madigan who was one of the most interesting takes on the original characters that I read in this book.

I think that Frank Beddor really brought Alice in Wonderland into the 21st century in this novel, adding more machinary elements and more of a subdued, yet still surreal, take on the world of Wonderland. Although you can't get away from the fact that this was obviously based on Carroll's works, I urge readers to not read this as a retelling, but as a book in its own right, as I believe that it is, in a lot of ways, entirely different. Having said that, I really enjoyed reading this and noticing little details that had been expanded on from the original stories.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars but would definitely recommend this to everyone, from teenages to adults, whether you like the original Lewis Carroll books or not. I found it intelligently written and witty, whilst being action-packed and, at some points, extremely heart-felt. A must-read!

[gavin10_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel, The Looking Glass Wars, encompasses that you need to be who you really are and don't pretend to be someone else. In the beginning, Alyss, the protagonist, struggles with dealing with the fact that her family was just murdered by her aunt, Redd, and her aunt is now hunting her down. Throughout the middle, she perseveres through accepting that Wonderland is real, her aunt is trying to kill her, and that she is the heir to the Queendom of Wonderland. By the end she has overthrown her aunt and her aunt's followers has gone through the looking glass maze which made her more powerful and fit to become the Queen of Wonderland.(400/400 Pages)

[nycbookgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's a novel about the "true" story of Alice in Wonderland. Well, a fairytale/fantasy version of the "true" story. The story starts out with Alyss enjoying her seventh birthday in Wonderland. Her mother and father are King and Queen Heart who rule Wonderland. But on her birthday, her wicked Aunt Redd throws a coup and usurps the queendom. The bodyguard Hatter Madigan steals her away from Redd and they jump in the Pool of Tears, a gateway to our world. But they become separated along the way. Alyss ends up in London and Hatter M. ends up in Paris. For years Hatter searches for Alyss all over the world without success. Alyss is sent to an orphanage where she is adopted by the Liddell family. She then tells her story to the Liddell family friend, Charles Dodgson, who writes the story up. Alyss if furious because he gets none of the facts even remotely correct, including her name.Back in Wonderland, Redd has become Queen and basically destroyed the queendom. Renegade dissidents of Redd's rule have become known as "Alyssians" and are constantly having skirmishes with Redd's army, The Cut (a ruthless army of cards). Dodge, Alyss's childhood friend is seeking revenge on the killer of his father, The Cat, Redd's evil assassin.Thirteen years later, Alyss (now known as Alice) has caught Prince Leopold's eye, son of Queen Victoria. But in far away Egypt, Hatter M. comes across a copy of Alice in Wonderland at a book seller.And that's all I'll tell you.

[semiprecioustone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a re-telling of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale of Alice in Wonderland. Alyss Heart was six-years-old when the card solders of her aunt Redd invaded the Heart Castle forcing her to flee with her bodyguard Hatter Madigan through the pool of tears in to our world. Separated from Hatter alone in the streets of London, Alyss finds her self alone, not believed and unable to find her way back to Wonderland to reclaim her mothers throne from the murderous Redd. After young Alyss is adopted and renamed Alice Liddell, constantly being told that the world of her childhood, and her power of imagination, is just a fantasy she tries one last time to connect to the world of her past. Telling the kind Reverend Dodgson her whole life story he then gets it all wrong and publishes the non-sensical Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. All while the tyrannical rule of Redd ravages Wonderland and the resistance grows weaker and weaker. This book came to me as a recommendation from one of my tumblr blogs readers Machi38. .While this book would seem to be all about Alyss and her life in and outside of Wonderland I think it is very important to establish that this book has many main characters. It is the story of Redd Queen of Wonderland, her top assassin the Cat, the royal historian Bibwit Hare, royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan traveling the world looking for his lost princess, and of Alyss’ childhood best friend Dodge Anderson leader of the resistance movement. All of these characters serve very important functions in the story and we get to know each one very closely through there narration, and all of them are complex and interesting characters. As you may guess from this above summary of just a few of the books memorable characters a lot goes on in this book. For the most part this book jumps not only large gaps of time but also geographical location and between our world and wonderland very well. My only real complaint about this book would be the sheer number of number of fantastical beasts and inventions Frank Beddor introduces. These things serve to make the story both a complete and fascinating world but also immensely confusing. The characters of this story therefore become the grounding force of reality that every fantasy tale needs.There were some times I found the writing choppy, and a bit rushed, this was however mostly in the last half of the story and is only a minor complaint. The imagination necessary to take the well established story of Alice in Wonderland and make it new and exiting is were Frank Beddor really shines. As well the background of the connections between our world and that of wonderland and the illustrations in the book are amazing additions to the story.This book was a very fast read and a thrilling one. This book finds itself very action packed at times (something I am not usually a fan of) and at others has amazing emotional impact. Once I got in to it I honestly couldn’t put it down. I would recommend it to fans of bloody exiting fantasy.

[readerspeak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been wanting to read this for awhile now, and my high expectations were completely fulfilled by this inventive twist on Alice in Wonderland. I enjoyed the world and characters Beddor created, the bleak existence outside the world, the battles between good and evil, the relationships between characters. High suspense, humor from puns, and the promise of sequels all made this an ultimately satisfying read I'm enthusiastically recommending.

[cats_critters · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked up this book from Borders because one of my friends on here (A.S. Halsey) I knew loved this book and I was curious about its plot. And I have to say I enjoyed it, it wasn't quite what I expected but it was interesting.In this book the story of wonderland is true, but not what we where told. It turns out Lewis Carroll redid Alice's ,that is Alyss's, tale of what wonderland was and what happened to her when she fled it at age seven.I have to agree with some other reviews that Alyss felt too old to be seven at the beginning of the book. And there was a lot of violence in this book including battles and death. But it is an interesting read and I will be reading the next book Seeing Redd.

[charitybradford-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listened to this on audio tape during a 7 hour drive. I loved it. The twist on a childhood favorite was brilliant.

[ylin20621 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Okay I must admit that I have yet to watch the entire length of Alice in Wonderland movie and or ever touch the original book so I am as fresh as a newborn. However I will claim that I know the general gist…well the beginning half at least. The Looking Glass Wars features a much more morbid and action packed tale than what I imagined to be. Beddor does an excellent job at describing Wonderland, but what I found most impressive was the artwork. Applauds goes to Brian Flora, see his other works here. I depicted some of the characters way off so his artistry helped…a lot. So in all The Looking Glass Wars was a so-so book. There was nothing really wrong with the book; it just did not captivate me. It was good while it lasted but forgettable once finished. Granted there were some scenes that stuck throughout the whole novel—the puddles, The Cat, the children—but things became a blur later. It’ll vary for some people because this book was so heavy on action and fight scenes toward the middle and end. The first half was mundane though it did showcase Alyss’s descent of her powers and how the myth came to be. The characters seem one-dimensional most of the time with no room for growth, as I said very action based, with few dialogues that did not involve battle strategies or informing Alyss the current events. Because this is a trilogy, with The Looking Glass Wars as the first, I will be expecting a lot more development to them—demanding would be more proper it seems. Despite this The Looking Glass Wars fascinated me enough to read the sequel (and it helps that I have it already). While the characters were less than extraordinary my interests has been piqued by a few: Jack of Diamonds, The Cat, Redd, Bibwit (notice how many of those are the bad guys).

[susiesharp_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun twist on the Alice in Wonderland story Frank Beddor brings us characters that come to life in an enchanting way. This is a bit darker than the version you are used to but it’s written so well that it was hard to put down. The characters and the weaponry are pretty fascinating the hatter had the best weapons and then there’s General Dopple and General Ganger which in the audio version was done with an echo so you heard both voices at once which was a neat effect you wouldn’t get from reading the book. Redd is the baddest of baddies with the Cheshire cat not the smiling helper but a hitman extraordinaire. And then there is Alyss which as she told Rev. Dodgson AKA Lewis Carroll is the correct way to spell her name. When she ends up in the real world of course no one believes her stories of Wonderland or that she is a Princess she think the Rev. does but when she sees the mockery of her life he writes she won’t speak to him again. There is war and romance and spies and a great story that will grab you and not let you go. I will be reading/listening to the rest of this series!Loved the bonus song on the audiobook. The narrator Gerard Doyle did a Fantastic Job; I will be looking for other books narrated by him!4 Stars

[letter4no1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Alice is really Alyss, and wonderland isn't anything like Carrol wrote. Wonderland has been taken over by Redd, Alyss's aunt and Alyss is stuck in Victorian London where nobody believes in Wonderland. Now Alyss must be brought back to lead the Alyssians who have been fighting in her name and defeat Redd and her Black Imagination.Now, I was never a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland. I didn't like the book, I didn't like the Disney movie and I get sick of all of the references of going 'down the rabbit hole', but I did enjoy Beddor's interpretation. I liked Alyss's growth. At times the writing was a little to fast paced for me, glossing over major events and relaying on a timeline in the back to give out information about Redd's Reign. For me, the only thing I liked about the original Wonderland was how classic and beautiful it seemed. This Wonderland still has its charms, but this are shinny and new and remind me of futuristic weapons. The story was well thought out. Even when I wasn't enjoying what I was reading I was very interested in how things would resolve themselves. It was an enjoyable enough read, not something I plan on picking up again and not something I would be willing to spend much money on.

[dbhutch_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you ever read Alice in Wonderland, then this is a book you MUST read! Bedoor does an incredible job of recreating Alice's tale - as she - Alyss, Princess of Heart remembers it, not the way Lewis Carroll wrote the tale - that she told him.Much like how Gregory MacGuire has retold tales from characters POV's such as the Elena in Wicked, Bedoor takes us to Wonderland, and all that is in that world where imagination is key and power. From childhood, thru her teenage years, and into adulthood, Alyss gets the training, and life experience she needs to be Queen in some very unorthodox and unexpected ways. Her life in London, as a homeless child, then an orphan in a hom, to being adopted, and forced to forget her past, and her betrayal by Carroll, all leads to her learing how to control herself, how to deal with problems, how to accept responsibility for more than herself, and how to survive. The lives of Carroll's characters shine in their roles in Bedoor's tale, such as the incredibly skilled Hatter Maden - the Mad Hatter - and his dedictation to bringing Alyss back to Wonderland after losing track of her in the Pool of Tears, to Bibwit Harte - the White Rabbit - Alyss's tutor in how to use her imgaginative powers, Bedoor brings them all to life as the champions of the Heart family to defend it against Redd.And excellent book - one that once I started it - I could barely put it down - read it in a day.

[melumebelle-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was.. Amazing. I've also read the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and I have to say... I like this version much more. ;)

[lyricaltwin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this action-packed twist on the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland, especially how Frank Beddor actually made the author a character! It was a genius idea with magic, fighting, and a bit of romance. These ingrediants add up to a perfect book.

[t_wide · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is books like this one that makes me really want to be able to express myself in words. Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor is the most enjoyable book I have read in awhile. If you liked Alice in Wonderland, or even if you didn't, I recommend this book to just about everyone. At the very least check it out at you local library.