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3.5/5
Alice Takes Back Wonderland by David Hammons is a young adult fairy tale mash up, that will remind fans of a younger version of Once Upon a Time. I have a love for all things Wonderlandian, so it is no wonder that I was immediately drawn to Alice Takes Back Wonderland. The book starts out when Alice is about 7 and is somehow in Wonderland. But she is not the Alice from the story, she is an American Alice from the Midwest. Her first trip in Wonderland is short, but it left a lasting impression on her. Fast forward 10 years, and she Alice has almost convinced herself that it was just a dream. But then the Rabbit shows up at her door and takes her back to a very different wonderland.

Although I found the start of the story a bit slow, I really did love the set up. I loved that this was not the Alice from the story, and I loved the idea that the Villain in this story- the Ace of Spades, didn't want to just take over Wonderland. He wanted to change Wonderland into something more ordinary. Something more like Alice's world. What a fresh take! I have never read a story like this one. Author David Hammons did a great job with nonsense. I don't mean that in a negative way, nonsense is essential in a story about Wonderland. And Alice is a very nonsensical girl. I felt like she truly belonged in Wonderland.

Alice Takes Back Wonderland brings us characters from many different story worlds, and they overlap in delightful ways. I had never guessed some of the pairings that David Hammons treated us readers to. The literary geek in me was super excited to see some of the crossovers. This is why I love Wonderland as the backdrop for fairy tale mashups and re-imaginings, because there is so so much that can be done with this fantastical setting. Alice Takes Back Wonderland is a really interesting read. Fans of fairy tale re-tellings and of Once Upon a Time should check it out. And keep reading, if you found the beginning a bit slow like I did, keep going because it really picks up speed after Alice's return.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs