Okay, well I can't tell if this book is utter brilliance or a total waste of my time. I could make an argument either way. Let's proceed with the knowledge that we all know that Catherine will become the Queen of Hearts, as it is a backstory for the Queen of Hearts after all. But I'll make sure not to include anything else that spoiler-y.

So the first part of the story was absolutely boring. It was at like page 350 that this book really started to pick up and the very first lines of prose text and analogies on the first and second pages were very cringe-worthy in opinion. The writing did get better after, or maybe I just got used to it, but I did stop noticing it after the third or fourth chapter and just move on.

So the most annoying thing about Catherine was that she just lacked a spine and here's where we get into my confusion about whether or not this book is genius or annoying. I couldn't root for her because so was so infuriatingly passive that I kept telling myself she deserves whatever she gets for not sticking up for herself, but again this is the backstory to the Queen of Hearts so are we really supposed to be rooting for her to get her way? Plus we already know what's going to happen so the conflict seems a bit irrelevant. BUT the thing I can't figure out is if Marrissa Meyer os a genius for not letting me root for Catherine or just waiting my time with an unlikable character. Still can't figure it out!

Let's end this on a high. The author's interpretation of Wonderland was spot on. I loved the whimsy and the play on words. It felt very authentic to Wonderland and during the boring beginning and middle, the world was what I used to push myself through this book because it was such a treat to read this take.

I'd also like to add I wasn't the biggest fan of the backstory either. It seemed a bit predictable and lacking like I had a feeling it would turn out that way since before I even picked up the book and I was waiting for it to prove me wrong. I really like the backstory from the Splintered series by A G Howard if you're looking for a really good one, but the series as a whole feel apart around the third book. I think it was a good idea to make this one a stand-a-lone. I wonder if maybe that's why it fell flat because as far as I can tell the author has previously written series and they have been doing very well. I really loved Renegades.

Okay, I think that's it.