Lewis Carroll set out to write Alice in Wonderland as a children’s novel, which was quite the bold move in its day, given its break from the usual moralizing, educational fare. Instead, he offered up a whimsical, dreamlike world with a hint of sophistication that made it equally delightful for adults who know a thing or two about the absurdity of life.

What really stood out for me were the bizarre, unpredictable moments that pulled readers into a surreal dreamscape, where things felt oddly familiar yet utterly strange, sometimes in a rhyme, no less. Take Alice, for instance, suddenly pondering life’s bigger questions one moment, trying to stay calm amid chaos the next, and then inexplicably going from browsing a shop to rowing a boat with the shopkeeper. Just a typical day in Wonderland.

The dreamlike quality was definitely the book’s high point, though it wasn’t without its hiccups, occasionally, the plot wandered like Alice herself, and some parts lacked a clear direction. As for Through the Looking Glass, while it didn’t quite capture the same spark as the original, it still provided a delightfully quirky, whimsical adventure.

In the end, Alice in Wonderland remains a timeless classic, blending eccentricity, humor, and magic with just enough nonsense to make you feel right at home in its topsy turvy universe.