![Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ; &, Through the Looking-glass](https://assets.literal.club/4/ckk2xt15913910zlcuja2cg3j.jpg?size=600)
Reviews
![Photo of anjali](https://assets.literal.club/user/fallback-avatars/avatar_12.jpg?size=100)
Oh, this book is a trip. A children's story, no doubt, but a re-read at 17 actually left me open mouthed at its deceptive status as a 'mere children's books.' Lots of hidden symbolism, meaning and metaphor, fun wordplay and overall just a delight to read. 'Not just a children's book.' This one is very, very clever. How many people know that Lewis Carroll (actual name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) was also a mathematician?
![Photo of maitha mana](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clujnadnr00pn0i36e2tb2td1.jpg?size=100)
"Life, what is it but a dream?" Carroll approached the story of Alice as a tribute to children and their imagination; which he believed was an admirable quality that needs to be learned from rather than dismissed. Alice in Wonderland, at the time of publication, inspired many to reapproach education and the world around them from a child-like perspective.
![Photo of Isabelle](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cljdvob1c01as0iy030gdc6sx.jpg?size=100)
I really liked Alice in Wonderland when I was a kid, so when I saw a beautiful copy in Livraria Lello in Porto (made by their own press with illustrations) I couldn't stop myself from adding it to my collection!
I enjoyed reading it, but strangely enough the story was different then how I remembered it!
![Photo of Geoffrey Froggatt](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clpj3570u00o90iy12sfw2j55.jpg?size=100)
“We’re all mad here.” It’s insane that it took me this long to read the Alice in Wonderland books. Growing up, I always loved the imagery of Wonderland and the characters that existed within it. As a child, I loved the Cheshire Cat and his conversations with Alice. In my teens, I loved the many edgy interpretations and adaptations on Alice in Wonderland, despite how oversaturated that particular avenue is in storytelling. You already know the premise of these stories. Alice goes down a rabbit hole to find the mysterious underground Wonderland. She encounters fabulous creatures that defy all reasonable expectations. After numerous incoherent adventures, she wakes up in time for tea. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a great story with many life lessons in it. Alice is a classic children’s fantasy character for a reason. It was reading through this first story that I realized why this book was so great for parents to read to their children. Alice learns many great lessons. As she makes her way through Wonderland, she learns that in a mad and confusing world home is an escape. Curiosity can lead to new and exciting things but can also get you in trouble, so it must be used with caution. You will meet many colourful characters in your adventures in life, but charlatans and cons will try to dupe you with false promises and riddles. Through the Looking Glass was an interesting sequel, although it does feel like an extension of the first story, so I understand why both stories are often fused together in the same book. Through the Looking Glass introduces more iconic Wonderland characters that people often assume are introduced in the first story. While Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland introduced the readers to the ideas of a world filled with strange rules and characters, Through the Looking Glass is a more complex story which focuses on the end of Alice's childhood and innocence. It is an exploration of the underlying rules that govern our world and shows the process of growing up as a struggle to comprehend these rules. These stories were interesting reads as an adult, and if I were a parent, this would make for an excellent story to read to my kids, great lessons while featuring an interesting character going on fantastical adventures. “Imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality.”
![Photo of Jiji](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl4mpa1mk001k0hxna4hr63gp.jpeg?size=100)
First time reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and thoroughly enjoyed it! Through the Looking-Glass was also funny, but didn’t grab me in quite the same way.
I did enjoy reading through the annotations by Hugh Haughton, i didn’t look up every footnote (there are a lot!) but they did give some interesting details from time to time.
![Photo of Nour Bassiouny](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clcv3xqwl039r0i2y0q9026jw.jpg?size=100)
I seriously don't know what rating to give this book Like i enjoyed it But it gave me adventure time vibes And i HATE adventure time So i really don't know Update: i think now i know how'll rate it I think i would give it a 4.5 stars Just because i didn't like the chaotic feeling
![Photo of andrea](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clbo3ma33029p0i2y0pvvfoaq.jpg?size=100)
new comfort book
![Photo of Alyssa](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/claua738o01xn0i4k56sactd0.jpg?size=100)
really interesting book. of course everyone knows the story of alice in wonderland even before they've read the book. but it was interesting to read it after i know about all the drug references and can point them out. through the looking glass was interesting because i wasn't as familiar with the story line as i was with alice in wonderland. a quite engaing read. fascinating.
![Photo of Rio](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl9fk06xx00vy0i4kdtor3bsy.jpg?size=100)
Through the Looking Glass: 3
![Photo of joe](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl8qgghzb00je0i2y2li1adqa.jpg?size=100)
i really liked all the wordplay lewis carroll uses—very entertaining
![Photo of Abigaël Chevillard](https://assets.literal.club/user/fallback-avatars/avatar_25.jpg?size=100)
I've always loved the Disney cartoon but the book is amazing! All this innocent and childish way of seeing life is so pure and nonsense in time. I love Alice's stubbornness and kindness I just love the character and its innocence. That imaginary world is full of dreams and nonsense and most of all I LOVE the Cheshire Cat and its craziness, it is probably my next favorite character! The book is really easy to read and, as a non-English speaker, I still understood everything. Caroll's writing is really clear and pure and I think his writing is a reflection of Alice's innocence and it's probably why it is so clear. I just loved the book, it's a classic and I highly recommend it to people who haven't read it yet!
![Photo of Gisela Ayala](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl7t6gma1007t0i013m0gfkcb.jpg?size=100)
Whimsical as ever and really easy to read. Everything just happens to poor Alice.
![Photo of Bara Meli](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl7gp0ty7006k0jx4hqnc5kcm.jpg?size=100)
It is really strange book and it was kind of difficult to keep up with all the things that were happening. But I still love it because of it craziness
![Photo of Nadia Serrano](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl78dbumf006j0i5lh72qgsor.jpg?size=100)
school forced me to read it so probably didn't enjoy it as much as I would if I was reading it on my own.
![Photo of catia](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl6sjg6w3006o0ixheh616fbw.jpeg?size=100)
Definitely very fun and so unique in a weird way!
![Photo of aaliyah](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl6qtofbf003c0ivk1fvv8eve.jpeg?size=100)
this book completed my 2021 reading goal of 50!! i was kind of hoping for more from this because of how much it’s spoken about in the world of classics. however i should have expected less for i was disappointed. taking into account that this is a children’s book though, this was fun to read. i wouldn’t reread this book, but i would still recommend it to someone beginning their journey into classics. it’s easy to understand and you probably already know the story so that’ll help even more.
![Photo of Ley Stanton](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl6pqbmry003j0iwv0q5lanxo.jpeg?size=100)
5 stars for Alice in Wonderland 1 star for Through the Looking Glass I've always been a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, but I had never read the books together. I should have just stuck with the first one because the second is absolute nonsense. Don't get me wrong, Alice in Wonderland is also nonsense. But its nonsense that forms a story. Through the Looking Glass is some sort of fever dream, its nonsense just to be nonsense. I think this one was just too far for me. Definitely won't be re-reading it anytime soon.
![Photo of Cloey Yerger](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl5k6kwih000t0itm9rk7fdin.jpeg?size=100)
I used to read this as a kid all the time, I’m now an adult and still read it from time to time. I’d definitely call this a comfort book. I’ve always been in love with the books and the movies.
![Photo of mia](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/ckx7qxmza000b0itdac4y25sp.jpeg?size=100)
3,5 Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland: 4 Through the Looking-Glass: 3
![Photo of Eleanor Luhar](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/ckz5wg6ci000a0hwmgheo7esh.jpeg?size=100)
Alice in Wonderland has got to be my favourite story. I just love everything about it! Hence why I got this book for Christmas; it's a really gorgeous book. I don't think I need to go into much detail regarding the story; everyone knows Alice in Wonderland! What I will say is that the extra bits are lovely; there are letters from Carroll himself, details about how the story was written and printed, and other notes. As for the illustrations... I love them! The original Tenniel illustrations are all in full colour, displayed wonderfully throughout the book. It just all looks so gorgeous! So as I said, I won't want to go into too much detail. The story is obviously fantastic, and it's nice to see it all together - even with the "deleted scene" from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. The poems and songs and riddles... Fantastic! Everything about this book is lovely. The cover, the layout, the red shine around the edge of the pages. Love it! A huge favourite of mine. 5 stars for definite.
![Photo of Laura Yaneth Martinez](https://assets.literal.club/user/fallback-avatars/avatar_09.jpg?size=100)
quite unexpectedly this has become a favorite. it was so funny and the story just gave me little prince vibes (enjoy your childhood forever). i'll definitely be reading this to my babies :( <3 so whimscal and also so old, but such a classic. i kinda wanna watch my fave alice in wonderland live action movie definitely liked alices adventures in wonderland more than through the looking glass. overall all though it was fun to reminisce about my childhood & think back on the movies
![Photo of annette](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/ckx1co13x000e0oxa7k4n7ghz.jpeg?size=100)
Interesting... A very strange but magical book, it feels like nothing happens plot wise, and yet, so many questions about life and dreams and imagination are raised. I liked seeing Alice's subconscious associations throughout the novel, where the sight of an egg in a shop suddenly switches the entire scene to be of Humpty Dumpty on the wall, then at the end, the Red Queen turning into her cat who purrs beside her - a bunch of random connections that make no sense and make it feel like I'm in a dream. The writing is so innocent, sometimes annoyingly child-like, but authentically child-like nonetheless. An enjoyable read, good world building, and some fun existential questions.
![Photo of Hannah](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/ckxxcg4xz002n0hxwgk7y0ve9.jpeg?size=100)
** spoiler alert ** I just don't get it, the story jumps around so much in both books, Alice is unlikeable, you don't spend enough time to like any of the other characters, they are all rude and condescending to Alice. And then it's all a dream, nope! I want to like it, but I never liked the Disney film and reading the original book has not made me like it any more, if anything it's worse. On a positive note, this illustrated version by Mina Lima is beautiful and the artwork is wonderful as always with their classics editions.
![Photo of Eve](https://assets.literal.club/user/fallback-avatars/avatar_18.jpg?size=100)
2.5 stars I’ve always loved the Disney movie and the aesthetics of the story, but man. These books are just not that good. It’s a whole bunch of nonsense, which I know is the point, but the Disney movie really managed to take the best parts from these two books and streamline them into a decently told story. I found myself skimming a lot of parts of both books.
Highlights
![Photo of Nica](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cltnuxvqk00cz0i36024rhdh2.jpg?size=100)
“Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle!”
![Photo of Nica](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cltnuxvqk00cz0i36024rhdh2.jpg?size=100)
“Curiouser and curiouser!”
![Photo of Nica](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cltnuxvqk00cz0i36024rhdh2.jpg?size=100)
“But it’s no use now,” thought poor Alice, “to pretend to be two people! Why, there’s hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!”
![Photo of Nica](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cltnuxvqk00cz0i36024rhdh2.jpg?size=100)
“What is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?”
![Photo of Nica](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cltnuxvqk00cz0i36024rhdh2.jpg?size=100)
What can one poor voice avail
Against three tongues together?
![Photo of ella](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clrq7aeb403100hz232xee3v0.jpg?size=100)
Life, what is it but a dream?
![Photo of ella](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clrq7aeb403100hz232xee3v0.jpg?size=100)
Do you hear the snow against the window-panes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds! Just as if some one was kissing the window all over outside. I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’ And when they wake up in the summer, Kitty, they dress themselves all in green, and dance about — whenever the wind blows — oh, that's very pretty!
![Photo of ella](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/clrq7aeb403100hz232xee3v0.jpg?size=100)
Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood; and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago; and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.
![Photo of Julia Rutgers](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cle8xqx9l04m00i4ke89w9uid.jpg?size=100)
"Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas — only I don't exactly know what they are! [ . . . ]"
![Photo of Jiji](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl4mpa1mk001k0hxna4hr63gp.jpeg?size=100)
In a Wonderland they lie, Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream— Lingering in the golden glean—Life, what is it but a dream?
![Photo of Jiji](https://assets.literal.club/user/avatar/cl4mpa1mk001k0hxna4hr63gp.jpeg?size=100)
"No, no! The adventures first," said the Gryphon in an impatient tone: “explanations take such a dreadful time."