Book Review: Splintered

Title: Splintered by A.G. Howard
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 371 pages
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Source: From the publisher through Netgalley

Goodreads Summary: 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 is the second Alice in Wonderland inspired book that I have recently, and it is by far the better one. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most entertaining books I have read in a while!

I love the characters in Splintered, especially Morpheus! He is not the book boy that I usually go for but the character is so well written, you can’t help but love him! I also liked Alyssa and Jeb a lot. Alyssa is not perfect, but she is smart and grows a lot throughout the story. Jeb is very cool but not the typical YA leading man, I think that’s why I liked him so much.

While the characters are great, the world building and plot of this book are amazing! The story completely immerses you in Wonderland and let me tell you, it’s not all pretty and fairytale like. It’s dark, crazy, twisted and absolutely perfect, exactly what Wonderland should be! The plot is also really well done and kept me reading well into the night. I love how this story parallels Alice but still stays completely original.

Splintered is a great debut and an awesome novel. A.G. Howard has my full attention and I am excited to read whatever else she writes.

Content: Kissing, some violence

Rating: The Best!