I LOVED this book! I had high expectations, and Marissa Meyer did not disappoint. Definitely a new favorite.

Cath is such a complex character with a superbly written arc, albeit a tragic one. Her backstory aligns so well with the original tale of Alice in Wonderland, down to the Queen of Heart's hate for white roses and the tiny, meek King. Cath's actions make sense even though she's the villain of the story. You empathize with her. Meyer truly puts a face to the infamous villain. I'd love to see her write more anti-hero stories.

There was only one thing missing for me, and that was the madness. Wonderland is meant to be a completely illogical and crazy place, which I felt wasn't explored enough in this book. I get it though, it's difficult to get worldbuilding right in one book, especially if you're accustomed to writing a series where you have plenty of time to develop the world, like Meyer is.

Overall, highly recommend especially if you're a fan of retellings and villain origin stories. Also, the descriptions of food are just wonderful.