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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Other Stories
Table of Contents
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Through the Looking-Glass
Sylvie and Bruno
Sylvie and Bruno Concluded
Hunting of the Snark
Early Verse
Puzzles from Wonderland
Prologues to Plays
Phantasmagoria
College Rhymes and Notes of an Oxford Chiel
Acrostics, Inscriptions, and Other Verse
Three Sunsets and Other Poems
Stories
Miscellany
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Through the Looking-Glass
Sylvie and Bruno
Sylvie and Bruno Concluded
Hunting of the Snark
Early Verse
Puzzles from Wonderland
Prologues to Plays
Phantasmagoria
College Rhymes and Notes of an Oxford Chiel
Acrostics, Inscriptions, and Other Verse
Three Sunsets and Other Poems
Stories
Miscellany
1165 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
About the author
Lewis Carroll
4,532 books7,828 followersThe Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 535 reviews
March 21, 2017
It may not be the most beloved children's story ever, but it may be the best known. With a cast of characters known the world over, and reproduced in every entertainment form imaginable, it's made "Alice" the one word name that everyone recognizes as Lewis Carroll's iconic character. And there is an unnerving quality about it that leaves you thinking that, just maybe, this crazy world does exist somewhere in some dimension, and that we make wake up some morning and find ourselves in the "Twilight Zone" of Alice's Wonderland.
June 24, 2018
The time has come,' the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
And whether pigs have wings.'
(Quote from Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There ' written by none other than the fantastical Lewis Carroll)
As per usual, as Alice happens to be my favorite story of all time... 5, BADDA BING BADDA BOOM, golden STARS.
Have to add that this edition is also truly beautiful one; a wonderful edition added to my Alice collection that I keep proudly displayed on my built-in HIDDEN BOOKSHELF DOOR that the hubs & I made years ago. I only wish a new magic, imaginary world was behind it; instead it’s just a hallway with a storage closet leading to a linen closet, and my closet, plus the master bathroom & pool door hahahh. What good is a secret door with no magic inside?! (Well it’s still pretty damn cool guys; not gonna lie lol).
To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
And whether pigs have wings.'
(Quote from Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There ' written by none other than the fantastical Lewis Carroll)
As per usual, as Alice happens to be my favorite story of all time... 5, BADDA BING BADDA BOOM, golden STARS.
Have to add that this edition is also truly beautiful one; a wonderful edition added to my Alice collection that I keep proudly displayed on my built-in HIDDEN BOOKSHELF DOOR that the hubs & I made years ago. I only wish a new magic, imaginary world was behind it; instead it’s just a hallway with a storage closet leading to a linen closet, and my closet, plus the master bathroom & pool door hahahh. What good is a secret door with no magic inside?! (Well it’s still pretty damn cool guys; not gonna lie lol).
April 19, 2023
After all the metaphors and symbolism regarding Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter in beaver hat, and going down the Rabbit holes, it was surreal reading the Original thing after all that but it wasn't surreal enough.
Now, this is a children's book in every way and more.
Well worth the wait, didn't let down, and did not disappoint in any way. It was everything I thought it would be and more. Much much more. All the hype surrounding it well justified.
Now, this is living up to the expectations.
There are many lessons, morals, and parables here, but you have to work at it and figure them out. A book that stimulates your mind. It took me a while to figure out that every line, every word, every dialogue was a puzzle that you have to unravel yourself. Lot's of double entendres here.
Just brilliant.
I applaud the ending. It was abrupt like startling awake from a pleasant dream. Really wow. Perfect.
Like the Goodreads sensation, JG Keely says a good children's book works for both adults and children and makes you think. This book does that aplenty. It was like Alice was there in Wonderland, and we as readers were there with her. Seeing every kooky thing first hand and were just as amazed, awed, and enthralled as her.
Think.
Was it all a dream?
Was she sleeping all her life?
Was she dreaming?
Is she still dreaming?
Is this still a dream?
Is she?
You gotta Wonder just who was it that really woke her up?
Red pill or the blue one, I know what I am taking. We all know which one Russell Brand took.
Which one would you take?
Was it a dream?
November 30, 2010
This volume will stay with me for my entire life. It was the first "grown-up" book I ever received -- as a gift from a stranger whose name escapes me. Whoever it was, they changed my life. Stepping into Carroll's world opened my mind to the possibilities of the human imagination, the concept of math as art, and interested me in the man behind the genius.
June 4, 2011
How am I supposed to explain all this? I swear Lewis Carroll was on drugs. If you asked me to make up something as wildly insane as this, I wouldn't even come close. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass are exactly as I remembered the films. They're insane and brilliant all at once.
It was the Sylvie & Bruno books that took me the longest to get through, because I honestly had no idea what was going on at times. The basic premise is the narrator going along on his normal life, but he falls into an "eerie" state (akin to the place between being awake and dreaming) that he encounters fairy children. But the fairy children sometimes become real children, and I don't even know. What was that all about.
I did enjoy Carroll's poetry, though, overall. It's silly and fun.
All right, I skimmed through the stuff in the end because it included a lot of math. And some instruction of how to play card games. I suppose every anthology needs those random bits at the end.
I honestly don't believe I finished this monstrosity of a book. Although I have been trying to read it for the past seven months.
It was the Sylvie & Bruno books that took me the longest to get through, because I honestly had no idea what was going on at times. The basic premise is the narrator going along on his normal life, but he falls into an "eerie" state (akin to the place between being awake and dreaming) that he encounters fairy children. But the fairy children sometimes become real children, and I don't even know. What was that all about.
I did enjoy Carroll's poetry, though, overall. It's silly and fun.
All right, I skimmed through the stuff in the end because it included a lot of math. And some instruction of how to play card games. I suppose every anthology needs those random bits at the end.
I honestly don't believe I finished this monstrosity of a book. Although I have been trying to read it for the past seven months.
January 4, 2008
This has turned into one of my, "at home" books; I dare you to take it into public. It's like bound spontaneous laughter.
"Well, now that we have seen each other," said the Unicorn, "if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?"
"Well, now that we have seen each other," said the Unicorn, "if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?"
April 27, 2013
This is the first Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classic book I have read, and judging by only the cover, it's absolutely astounding. Cute and pink with wonderful artwork, and pages dipped in gold which gives the pages that ''old'' vintage feeling! The first two parts of the book is of course the Alice books - I finished those in a day each, it was wonderful reliving my childhood, and also learning more about the books, as the Disney and Tim Burton movies are just mere interpretations. I loved the books even more! The next two parts are the Sylvie and Bruno books, which were wonderful and cute! Really recommend those if you like the Alice books, but are heavier to read as they are longer and with no pictures – So I wouldn’t really recommend it to a younger child. But the fun doesn’t end here! There’s LOTS of other goodies to discover. Verses, puzzles, poems, stories, and a big ‘’miscellany’’ chunk with lots of fun stuff! There are even mathematical problems and equations or those who are smart enough! Riddles and guides are also included. So if you’re a fan of Mr. Lewis Carroll and Victorian literature, get this book at once! At only $18, it’s even worth it if you just buy it just to read the Alice stories! Here in Norway they sell some books from the Leatherbound Classic series for a whopping $41.50 each! I bought this and another book from the series, and with shipping the total was only $54.50! So I will continue ordering from Barnes & Noble in the future! Hope to collect all the books one day. What are you waiting for? Click Add to Bag now!! Happy reading! - Caroline Carnivorous
November 2, 2014
I have very mixed reviews of this one book. Complete collections of Lewis Carroll, and I now understand why Alice in Wonderland, followed by Through the Looking Glass, are his best known works. I suppose I shouldn't say I "completed" this book, because after Sylvie and Bruno I just couldn't take it. Baby talk. I cannot STAND baby talk in real life, and reading it (even coming from a small child), is more than I can take. For example, here's the sort of excerpt that makes me fly on in an angry rant: "Doos oo think Crocodiles goes walks wizout blankets?" I don't care how young the character you're writing about is suppose to be - this is obnoxious and makes me intensely dislike this child... Which may be irrational and unfair, but this was just painful.
I enjoyed the nonsense of Alice in Wonderland. It's very well done if you accept that you're reading a dream. It's well done that way - like when you're having a dream and a pink elephant walks in, you just accept it and start up a conversation. And when he turns into Lucille Ball you just accept it and continue on. That, I enjoyed. The nonsense of Sylvie and Bruno blended with those existential conversations in the adult world was just not engaging for me... I couldn't bring myself to carry on with "Sylvie and Bruno Concluded." Maybe if I become masochistic one day I'll attempt it.
I enjoyed the nonsense of Alice in Wonderland. It's very well done if you accept that you're reading a dream. It's well done that way - like when you're having a dream and a pink elephant walks in, you just accept it and start up a conversation. And when he turns into Lucille Ball you just accept it and continue on. That, I enjoyed. The nonsense of Sylvie and Bruno blended with those existential conversations in the adult world was just not engaging for me... I couldn't bring myself to carry on with "Sylvie and Bruno Concluded." Maybe if I become masochistic one day I'll attempt it.
February 18, 2013
This particular edition is part of Barnes & Noble's Leather-bound Classics Collection. Carroll's volume is bound by distinctive pink bonded leather, with black illustration and gold leaf embellishment; "Beautiful" is an understatement when describing this collection; it's exquisite - to say the least! These books are so precious to me. They are the epitome of what my "dream library" will contain; breath-taking editions of the classics and masterpieces. Most of the books in this particular collection include the author's entire volume of published literary works (many with beautiful illustrations and rare content, such as pieces that have never been published anywhere other than their original editions); "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Other Stories" is no exception!
November 11, 2017
I decided just to read "Alice in Wonderland" and "Alice - Through the Looking Glass", and "Puzzles from Wonderland" since that's the main reason I bought this book in the first place. And in the aftermath of my thoughts I decided that the other stories in this book, I can either read later or just ignore since I don't have the motivation or desire to actually read them. I think Alice's stories were kind of whimsical, but in a generally understanding and wonderful way. I had to take a lot of breaks for this book, since it was just a book I read to fill the time in between other books. Therefore it took sooo long to finish it. But generally the stories were a little of what I expected and a lot of weirdness. The old language though, was a little heavy and headache-inducing. All in all, this was an okay book!
3/5 stars
3/5 stars
June 7, 2015
What is the use of a book without pictures or conversations? I agree--especially conversations. And the conversations in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are some of the most famously fabulous confabulations. (Don't mind me, I just like how that word sounds). These pictures, by illustrator John Tenniel, were very important to Lewis Carroll and his story.
It's been many years since I've read these stories, and I am surprised to find them both profound and hilarious. (But then, I am not the same person I was yesterday.) It now seems obvious that Alice's shifting size, discomfort, and confusion simply describe being--a child. By the way, Alice is seven and a half years old, and she is always the voice of intelligence and innocence in the rather insane, more adult world around her.
The sequel story, Through the Looking Glass, has a darker, more serious tone, in my opinion. I know that the first time I read this, the fact that there is a chess game on the entire time was lost on me. Alice begins as a pawn, and that train ride she takes at the beginning is her first move--a big one, since pawns are allowed to move two spaces in their first turn. And the way the queens move so fast (making Alice run and get out of breath) corresponds to the way a queen is allowed to move. Near the end, the white knight who rescues her, and is so clumsily falling off his horse, left and right, is demonstrating his L-shaped moves, as well. After her encounter with the knight, Alice has only to cross over one more brook before reaching the eighth rank promotion to queen. She wakes up after capturing the red queen.
Note: evidently, back in Lewis Carroll's day, most chess sets were red and white, instead of black and white. I don't know much about chess, so this would be what I notice. :)
Another thing lost on me was the famous conversation with the white queen, when she says, The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday - but never jam to-day.' I took for granted that that was pure silly nonsense, but it was actually meant as a pun. It is a rule of Latin grammar (which I don't remember learning myself in Latin class) that "iam" means "now," but only in past and future. In the present, the word would be "nunc." (i and j are interchangeable in Latin.) Evidently, this quote became so famous that it became an expression for asking for too much, as in "I suppose you want jam on that."
What was not lost on me the first time was the poems. The Jabberwocky and The Walrus and the Carpenter, especially. And Alice's conversation with Humpty Dumpty, and how he translates some of the words in the first poem is fun. (He's quite the egg head.)
There is so much to love, here--and I know it's all been said before. I am very glad that I picked it up again!
It's been many years since I've read these stories, and I am surprised to find them both profound and hilarious. (But then, I am not the same person I was yesterday.) It now seems obvious that Alice's shifting size, discomfort, and confusion simply describe being--a child. By the way, Alice is seven and a half years old, and she is always the voice of intelligence and innocence in the rather insane, more adult world around her.
The sequel story, Through the Looking Glass, has a darker, more serious tone, in my opinion. I know that the first time I read this, the fact that there is a chess game on the entire time was lost on me. Alice begins as a pawn, and that train ride she takes at the beginning is her first move--a big one, since pawns are allowed to move two spaces in their first turn. And the way the queens move so fast (making Alice run and get out of breath) corresponds to the way a queen is allowed to move. Near the end, the white knight who rescues her, and is so clumsily falling off his horse, left and right, is demonstrating his L-shaped moves, as well. After her encounter with the knight, Alice has only to cross over one more brook before reaching the eighth rank promotion to queen. She wakes up after capturing the red queen.
Note: evidently, back in Lewis Carroll's day, most chess sets were red and white, instead of black and white. I don't know much about chess, so this would be what I notice. :)
Another thing lost on me was the famous conversation with the white queen, when she says, The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday - but never jam to-day.' I took for granted that that was pure silly nonsense, but it was actually meant as a pun. It is a rule of Latin grammar (which I don't remember learning myself in Latin class) that "iam" means "now," but only in past and future. In the present, the word would be "nunc." (i and j are interchangeable in Latin.) Evidently, this quote became so famous that it became an expression for asking for too much, as in "I suppose you want jam on that."
What was not lost on me the first time was the poems. The Jabberwocky and The Walrus and the Carpenter, especially. And Alice's conversation with Humpty Dumpty, and how he translates some of the words in the first poem is fun. (He's quite the egg head.)
There is so much to love, here--and I know it's all been said before. I am very glad that I picked it up again!
April 12, 2020
"The question is", said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things." "The question is", said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be the master -- that is all."
And a good question it is! Though this collection holds far more than just the well-known Alice in Wonderland stories, those were my favourites. Carroll is incredibly witty and really has a way with words that shows best in those stories and, in my opinion, a few short stories and some of his poetry. He masterfully constructed Alice Through The Looking-Glass according to moves during a game of chess. It blew my mind. His Oxford-themed poems make me miss the place so much, as he does it justice.
His poems are often wonderfully melancholic, something I am quite the sucker for. He also knows how to point where it hurts without scaring his readers away, which makes his poetry all the more intense.
However good Carroll may have been at writing, it becomes abundantly clear towards the end of the stories that his real passion lies with puzzles, riddles and mathematics. As the latter is definitely not my forte, I struggled greatly getting through his puzzles but had a bit of fun with some. Quite another thing were the 'Sylvie and Bruno' stories, which felt like Carroll had perhaps unleashed a little too much of his creativity on them. They are not necessarily complicated but the devil is in the details... and well, there are just a lot of devils in semanitics. The plot of both stories was also bizarre and all over the place, I struggled to keep up but am still impressed by what I could gather from it.
Nevertheless, there is some real brilliance in this collection. He asks big questions and it not afraid to challenge the extremes that people around him indulge in. I'll come back to the weird stories, as I might appreciate them more once I've been confronted by too much realness.
And a good question it is! Though this collection holds far more than just the well-known Alice in Wonderland stories, those were my favourites. Carroll is incredibly witty and really has a way with words that shows best in those stories and, in my opinion, a few short stories and some of his poetry. He masterfully constructed Alice Through The Looking-Glass according to moves during a game of chess. It blew my mind. His Oxford-themed poems make me miss the place so much, as he does it justice.
His poems are often wonderfully melancholic, something I am quite the sucker for. He also knows how to point where it hurts without scaring his readers away, which makes his poetry all the more intense.
However good Carroll may have been at writing, it becomes abundantly clear towards the end of the stories that his real passion lies with puzzles, riddles and mathematics. As the latter is definitely not my forte, I struggled greatly getting through his puzzles but had a bit of fun with some. Quite another thing were the 'Sylvie and Bruno' stories, which felt like Carroll had perhaps unleashed a little too much of his creativity on them. They are not necessarily complicated but the devil is in the details... and well, there are just a lot of devils in semanitics. The plot of both stories was also bizarre and all over the place, I struggled to keep up but am still impressed by what I could gather from it.
Nevertheless, there is some real brilliance in this collection. He asks big questions and it not afraid to challenge the extremes that people around him indulge in. I'll come back to the weird stories, as I might appreciate them more once I've been confronted by too much realness.
Shelved as 'put-on-hold'
April 8, 2011Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Such a strange tale. I've always been so enchanted by it though -- especially the cryptic rhymes interspersed. Are they meant to mean anything? Are the "morals" presented throughout the book to be taken seriously...or are they Carroll's idea of satirizing the moralizing books of his time period?
Alice falls into the rabbit hole with society's rules in mind. She takes the virtues and rules from school and her parents...and she finds that they don't apply. Much like Robinson Crusoe, she is utterly stranded, and none of her knowledge helps her at all. She has no choice but to adapt to the rules of Wonderland's inhabitants, and go along with what seems to her to be nonsense, but for them, is real life.
Even without delving into the technicalities of the novel, one can enjoy Alice's Adventures in Wonderland just because of the whimsical characters and simple story. I personally love the Duchess and Pig. I'm not even entirely sure why, but I laugh whenever I read that. Carroll's use of puns is also amusing. Great read.
Through the Looking-Glass
This book made me better understand why when people think Lewis Carroll, they think "drugged-out crazy dude." Alice's trip through the looking-glass definitely has the feel of one psychedelic trip. First she's playing chess (in hopes of becoming a queen)and all of the squares are bizarre settings that meld into one another in a fashion that is so dreamy and hazy that it makes the reader feel intoxicated.
The themes presented in Through the Looking-Glass are very similar to those in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which explains why they are so frequently sold together. Once again, Alice is confronted by a world where no one cares about her opinion, the standards she is accustomed to in her world are irrelevant, and she is almost entirely without help or guidance. Despite these seemingly dark elements, Carroll makes the story playful and whimsical. Hmmm.
I noticed particularly in this installment that Alice is almost constantly insulted, ignored, and looked down upon. This poor seven-year-old child has to maintain a polite, calm state of mind through all sorts of insult and injury. I think that this is a remarkable feat for such a young child...in fact, I'm not entirely sure that I could be so calm and patient!
A confusing, bumpy, psychedelic installment -- but a great piece nonetheless.
Sylvie and Bruno
I'm sorry, hold up. Did I say that Through the Looking-Glass was trippy? It's nothing compared to this installment. In fact, throughout most of Sylvie and Bruno, I was only 50% sure that I was correct about what was even happening.
This must have been when addiction set it for Mr. Carroll!
However, I will say that I adore both Sylvie and Bruno, despite their sickeningly sweet relationship (hmmm...satire or reality?) and Sylvie's irritating goody-two-shoes attitude. Their brother-sister relationship is so incredibly cute, even if it can come off as cloying on occasion.
My favorite part of Sylvie and Bruno was Bruno's precious little-boy voice. I wanted to say "Aww!" out loud every time Bruno said "welly" for "really" or "oo" for "you" or made precious little grammatical mistakes. Seriously. Maybe it's because I'm a kid person and I love that toddler-esque sound, but I thought it really added to the authenticity of the novel and my enjoyment in the book.
Such a strange tale. I've always been so enchanted by it though -- especially the cryptic rhymes interspersed. Are they meant to mean anything? Are the "morals" presented throughout the book to be taken seriously...or are they Carroll's idea of satirizing the moralizing books of his time period?
Alice falls into the rabbit hole with society's rules in mind. She takes the virtues and rules from school and her parents...and she finds that they don't apply. Much like Robinson Crusoe, she is utterly stranded, and none of her knowledge helps her at all. She has no choice but to adapt to the rules of Wonderland's inhabitants, and go along with what seems to her to be nonsense, but for them, is real life.
Even without delving into the technicalities of the novel, one can enjoy Alice's Adventures in Wonderland just because of the whimsical characters and simple story. I personally love the Duchess and Pig. I'm not even entirely sure why, but I laugh whenever I read that. Carroll's use of puns is also amusing. Great read.
Through the Looking-Glass
This book made me better understand why when people think Lewis Carroll, they think "drugged-out crazy dude." Alice's trip through the looking-glass definitely has the feel of one psychedelic trip. First she's playing chess (in hopes of becoming a queen)and all of the squares are bizarre settings that meld into one another in a fashion that is so dreamy and hazy that it makes the reader feel intoxicated.
The themes presented in Through the Looking-Glass are very similar to those in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which explains why they are so frequently sold together. Once again, Alice is confronted by a world where no one cares about her opinion, the standards she is accustomed to in her world are irrelevant, and she is almost entirely without help or guidance. Despite these seemingly dark elements, Carroll makes the story playful and whimsical. Hmmm.
I noticed particularly in this installment that Alice is almost constantly insulted, ignored, and looked down upon. This poor seven-year-old child has to maintain a polite, calm state of mind through all sorts of insult and injury. I think that this is a remarkable feat for such a young child...in fact, I'm not entirely sure that I could be so calm and patient!
A confusing, bumpy, psychedelic installment -- but a great piece nonetheless.
Sylvie and Bruno
I'm sorry, hold up. Did I say that Through the Looking-Glass was trippy? It's nothing compared to this installment. In fact, throughout most of Sylvie and Bruno, I was only 50% sure that I was correct about what was even happening.
This must have been when addiction set it for Mr. Carroll!
However, I will say that I adore both Sylvie and Bruno, despite their sickeningly sweet relationship (hmmm...satire or reality?) and Sylvie's irritating goody-two-shoes attitude. Their brother-sister relationship is so incredibly cute, even if it can come off as cloying on occasion.
My favorite part of Sylvie and Bruno was Bruno's precious little-boy voice. I wanted to say "Aww!" out loud every time Bruno said "welly" for "really" or "oo" for "you" or made precious little grammatical mistakes. Seriously. Maybe it's because I'm a kid person and I love that toddler-esque sound, but I thought it really added to the authenticity of the novel and my enjoyment in the book.
January 24, 2023
DNFd at 51%
Parts 1 & 2: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass = 5 stars!
Both of these stories follow Alice's adventures as she falls into non-sensical worlds and tries to find her way back home. The worlds and their characters are bizarre, topsy turvy and brimmed with metaphors: these books were quite the delight! The metaphors and morals were much more profound than I anticipated I enjoyed them so much more than I thought I would. I will definitely reread these numerous times in my lifetime.
Part 3: Sylvie and Bruno = 2 stars.
This novel takes place in two worlds: modern (Victorian) era and the fantasy land of Fairyland. However, the transition between both worlds are not at all obvious at first which made me go back to reread a few pages numerous times. The book was meant to be nonsensical, but unlike Alice and Wonderland, I found there was no real point nor moral. It just didn't seem to be as witty and meaningful as Alice in Wonderland. It took me a long time to finish it.
Part 4: Sylvie and Bruno Concluded = 3 stars
Even though I did not particularly enjoy Sylvie and Bruno, I decided to read the conclusion. I'm glad I did. The transitions were much more obvious, every chapter dealt with some sort of social/political/religious topic. Lewis Carroll tackled things like alcoholism, the importance of love for someone's overall health, God's judgement in temptation (is it judged based on the amount of resistance and self-control?), political dichotomy and how ridiculous it is compared to agricultural dichotomy for example and he even commented on the education system questioning if students really do retain the information they learned, and if not, what could they do to change that.
Overall, it seems that Lewis Carroll could of been ahead of it's time. He seemed to be very forward thinking. This book was written with a purpose and with clarity. That being said, I still found it quite boring and didn't finish it.
Parts 1 & 2: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass = 5 stars!
Both of these stories follow Alice's adventures as she falls into non-sensical worlds and tries to find her way back home. The worlds and their characters are bizarre, topsy turvy and brimmed with metaphors: these books were quite the delight! The metaphors and morals were much more profound than I anticipated I enjoyed them so much more than I thought I would. I will definitely reread these numerous times in my lifetime.
Part 3: Sylvie and Bruno = 2 stars.
This novel takes place in two worlds: modern (Victorian) era and the fantasy land of Fairyland. However, the transition between both worlds are not at all obvious at first which made me go back to reread a few pages numerous times. The book was meant to be nonsensical, but unlike Alice and Wonderland, I found there was no real point nor moral. It just didn't seem to be as witty and meaningful as Alice in Wonderland. It took me a long time to finish it.
Part 4: Sylvie and Bruno Concluded = 3 stars
Even though I did not particularly enjoy Sylvie and Bruno, I decided to read the conclusion. I'm glad I did. The transitions were much more obvious, every chapter dealt with some sort of social/political/religious topic. Lewis Carroll tackled things like alcoholism, the importance of love for someone's overall health, God's judgement in temptation (is it judged based on the amount of resistance and self-control?), political dichotomy and how ridiculous it is compared to agricultural dichotomy for example and he even commented on the education system questioning if students really do retain the information they learned, and if not, what could they do to change that.
Overall, it seems that Lewis Carroll could of been ahead of it's time. He seemed to be very forward thinking. This book was written with a purpose and with clarity. That being said, I still found it quite boring and didn't finish it.
September 4, 2022
A wonderfully whimsy classic, full of conundrums and curiosities. There’s something about Alice and the world of Wonderland that just captures my heart, especially the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire cat. The characters are eccentric and odd, but are juxtaposed with ‘nonsensical’ wisdom that make them so lovable and creative.
Reading is as child was pure bliss, full of adventure and colour. Reading it as a teenager it was an escape from reality to another world where old friends awaited. Re-reading it as an adult though, there are so many themes that resonate with today, and the ‘madness’ of our own world, that Alice can be channelled in trying to deal with the world and society. All in all, it is all of these reading experiences above every time I re-read.
My Barnes & Noble edition beautifully compliments these classics, with a bright blue leather cover and gilded pages, as well as featuring added extras, notations, and poems as an added bonus.
This is a pure, delightful read of childhood, a mad romp down a rabbit hole!
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8PlbUkgqfE/
Reading is as child was pure bliss, full of adventure and colour. Reading it as a teenager it was an escape from reality to another world where old friends awaited. Re-reading it as an adult though, there are so many themes that resonate with today, and the ‘madness’ of our own world, that Alice can be channelled in trying to deal with the world and society. All in all, it is all of these reading experiences above every time I re-read.
My Barnes & Noble edition beautifully compliments these classics, with a bright blue leather cover and gilded pages, as well as featuring added extras, notations, and poems as an added bonus.
This is a pure, delightful read of childhood, a mad romp down a rabbit hole!
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8PlbUkgqfE/
April 20, 2018
I read this book fairly quickly and enjoyed it throughly it’s one of those rare classics that are super easy to understand! I’m doing a kind of Alice In wonderland inspired TBR so any recommendations would be Wonderlandiful!
Already picking up:
-heartless
-the looking glass wars
-jabberwocky
-A wonderlandiful world
And if you count furthermore...😘thanks!
Already picking up:
-heartless
-the looking glass wars
-jabberwocky
-A wonderlandiful world
And if you count furthermore...😘thanks!
Currently reading
January 4, 20111) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
2) Through the Looking Glass
3) Sylvie and Bruno
4) Sylvie and Bruno Concluded
5) A Tangled Tale
6) The Hunting of the Snark
7) Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
8) Three Sunsets and Other Poems
2) Through the Looking Glass
3) Sylvie and Bruno
4) Sylvie and Bruno Concluded
5) A Tangled Tale
6) The Hunting of the Snark
7) Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
8) Three Sunsets and Other Poems
August 24, 2020
Muy buen clásico. Divertido y original si lo lees como niño, e interesante y por que no, también divertido si lo lees como adulto. Que bien que integra Carrol las matemáticas y la lógica en la historia.
September 20, 2020
I'm ashamed to admit that I'm in my 30s and had never read alice in wonderland. What an amazing journey alice went on, every character fascinated me and the whole world came to life in my mind so perfectly. I loved the fact that it is an illustrated copy I have aswell.
January 28, 2013
This is my favorite book! i absolutely love it and would recommend it to anyone who loves puzzles, riddles and poems.
October 12, 2015
I'll stick to the Disney movie. This was a bit trippy for me. Definitely a nice classic to read the original and understand the original story though.
February 20, 2019
Twas brillig.
March 16, 2020
Lewis Carroll was a genius.
July 8, 2022
Kaj reči o brezčasni pravljici za otroke in odrsale? Ko sem bila otrok, sem se branju Alice izognila. Zdaj sem jo prebrala v skladu s svojim načrtom o branju klasikov ‘ker je treba zgodbe, o katerih imaš mnenje, tudi prebrati’. Ok, všeč mi je. Ker čeprav je za otroke, ni otročja in ker se v vsakem nonsensu najde nekaj smisla. Mačka Režalka je še vednomoja najljubša.
August 28, 2022
Didn't bother reading the Sylvie and Bruno story; too long and too confusing. But the Alice stories were nice
October 8, 2022
I’m a massive fan of fairytales and short story collections and understand that some will be better than others but I really wasn’t a fan of the selection in this one. I enjoyed adventures in wonderland, through the looking glass, and a tangled tale but I feel the other story’s fell flat. 3.5 stars
Read
June 13, 2018
1.Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Rated: 5/5
I’m so pissed that I didn’t read this book sooner owing to that ridiculous movie starring Anne Hathaway and Johnny Depp (excuse my lack of knowledge regarding other actors and actresses). It was so very dull and all of its “OMG this movie is so crazy and creative” movements frankly bored the hell out of me. The whole adventure with the killing of the Jabberwocky almost brought me to tears. I realized I haven’t even started with the review of the actual book. Before getting into this review I just have one advice: PLEASE DON’T JUDGE THIS BOOK BY IT’S MOVIE.
Now, coming to the book, it was amazing. I wouldn’t change a single thing about it. This book is so creative and absolutely crazy and I loved every second of it. So nonsensical and random. Didn’t really have much of a ‘porpoise’ (purpose 😉 ) but it’s a children’s book so who cares?
“No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.”
Alice’s character was especially amazing and now is admittedly one of my favorite characters of all time. She was a child in the Victorian era and still she was so sassy, almost bordering on rude. But it really worked with the entire theme of the novel. She kept remarking things which are literally so nonsensical but so much fun to think about.
“And she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember having seen such a thing.”
Her overall behavior, like dozing off while falling down the rabbit-hole was so very peculiar.
“She generally gave herself very good advice (though she seldom followed it), and sometimes she scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people.”
SHE.IS.ICONIC.
Mad Hatter and the March Hare having their eternal tea party while asking Alice riddles they don’t know the answer of themselves, Caterpillar smoking a hookah while sitting on a mushroom (with certain ‘properties’) , the ugly Duchess and her pig and lastly the Queen of Hearts ( “Off with her/his head!” ) were all such different characters with really stupid but equally amusing jokes and spirit.
Lastly, the most chill character of them all was the Cheshire cat. It was constantly grinning and giving Alice kind of weird but pretty welcome advice when it comes to the navigating her way through Wonderland.
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
The only sobering thought which kept recurring through the book was how Alice was not sure who she was anymore after being trapped in the Wonderland for so long. She kept asking herself if she was even sure about herself after being away from normalcy for so long. I really liked this concept and was very surprised to find it in the POV of a child.
Rated: 5/5
“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?”
I’m so pissed that I didn’t read this book sooner owing to that ridiculous movie starring Anne Hathaway and Johnny Depp (excuse my lack of knowledge regarding other actors and actresses). It was so very dull and all of its “OMG this movie is so crazy and creative” movements frankly bored the hell out of me. The whole adventure with the killing of the Jabberwocky almost brought me to tears. I realized I haven’t even started with the review of the actual book. Before getting into this review I just have one advice: PLEASE DON’T JUDGE THIS BOOK BY IT’S MOVIE.
Now, coming to the book, it was amazing. I wouldn’t change a single thing about it. This book is so creative and absolutely crazy and I loved every second of it. So nonsensical and random. Didn’t really have much of a ‘porpoise’ (purpose 😉 ) but it’s a children’s book so who cares?
“No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.”
Alice’s character was especially amazing and now is admittedly one of my favorite characters of all time. She was a child in the Victorian era and still she was so sassy, almost bordering on rude. But it really worked with the entire theme of the novel. She kept remarking things which are literally so nonsensical but so much fun to think about.
“And she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember having seen such a thing.”
Her overall behavior, like dozing off while falling down the rabbit-hole was so very peculiar.
“She generally gave herself very good advice (though she seldom followed it), and sometimes she scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people.”
SHE.IS.ICONIC.
Mad Hatter and the March Hare having their eternal tea party while asking Alice riddles they don’t know the answer of themselves, Caterpillar smoking a hookah while sitting on a mushroom (with certain ‘properties’) , the ugly Duchess and her pig and lastly the Queen of Hearts ( “Off with her/his head!” ) were all such different characters with really stupid but equally amusing jokes and spirit.
Lastly, the most chill character of them all was the Cheshire cat. It was constantly grinning and giving Alice kind of weird but pretty welcome advice when it comes to the navigating her way through Wonderland.
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
The only sobering thought which kept recurring through the book was how Alice was not sure who she was anymore after being trapped in the Wonderland for so long. She kept asking herself if she was even sure about herself after being away from normalcy for so long. I really liked this concept and was very surprised to find it in the POV of a child.
February 19, 2019
Varsin puuduttava lukukokemus. Kokoelma sisältää vähän kaikenmoista. Ensin on tietenkin Liisa ihmemaassa jatko-osineen, sitten toinen romaanikokonaisuus eli kaksiosainen Sylvie & Bruno. Näiden jälkeen on parisataa sivua värssyjä, sitten lyhyempiä tarinoita ja lopuksi iso vuoallinen sillisalaattia.
Liisa ihmemaassa on toki jo itsessään sen verran tunnettua puppua, että ei siitä enempää. Sylvie & Bruno sen sijaan oli minulle täysin uusi tuttavuus. Romaanina se oli jotenkin hallitumpi kokonaisuus, mutta ei siltikään mikään järin hyvä. Ensimmäinen puolisko oli hyvin hämmentävä, kun tuntui että peräkkäiset luvut eivät mitenkään kertoneet samaa tarinaa. toisen osan esipuhe selvensi asiaa ja vihdoin hahmotin kokonaisuutta vähän paremmin. Vähän. Edelleen aika hajanainen fiilis jäi kokonaisuudesta. Siinä kerrotaan toisaalta kahdesta lapsesta, jotka ovat useimmiten aika raivostuttavia, ja toisaalta aikuiset seurustelevat keskenään ja siinä kommentoidaan suunnilleen kaikkea englantilaisesta yhteiskunnasta. Ja kaiken taustalla on uskontoa tunnustava pohjavire, ja kirja loppuukin ajatukseen on olemassa jumala, joka vastaa rukouksiin.
Värssyistä ei ole paljon sanottavaa, ne menivät ohitse enimmäkseen automaattiluvulla. Lyhyet tarinat eivät sykähdyttäneet. Sillisalaatista löytyy toisaalta Oxfordiin rakennetun uuden kellotornin arvostelua, toisaalta taas vinkkejä kirjeenvaihdon järjestämiseen, ja onhan siellä ohjeet uuteen korttipeliinkin.
Parasta tässä kokoelmassa oli se, että se loppui.
Liisa ihmemaassa on toki jo itsessään sen verran tunnettua puppua, että ei siitä enempää. Sylvie & Bruno sen sijaan oli minulle täysin uusi tuttavuus. Romaanina se oli jotenkin hallitumpi kokonaisuus, mutta ei siltikään mikään järin hyvä. Ensimmäinen puolisko oli hyvin hämmentävä, kun tuntui että peräkkäiset luvut eivät mitenkään kertoneet samaa tarinaa. toisen osan esipuhe selvensi asiaa ja vihdoin hahmotin kokonaisuutta vähän paremmin. Vähän. Edelleen aika hajanainen fiilis jäi kokonaisuudesta. Siinä kerrotaan toisaalta kahdesta lapsesta, jotka ovat useimmiten aika raivostuttavia, ja toisaalta aikuiset seurustelevat keskenään ja siinä kommentoidaan suunnilleen kaikkea englantilaisesta yhteiskunnasta. Ja kaiken taustalla on uskontoa tunnustava pohjavire, ja kirja loppuukin ajatukseen on olemassa jumala, joka vastaa rukouksiin.
Värssyistä ei ole paljon sanottavaa, ne menivät ohitse enimmäkseen automaattiluvulla. Lyhyet tarinat eivät sykähdyttäneet. Sillisalaatista löytyy toisaalta Oxfordiin rakennetun uuden kellotornin arvostelua, toisaalta taas vinkkejä kirjeenvaihdon järjestämiseen, ja onhan siellä ohjeet uuteen korttipeliinkin.
Parasta tässä kokoelmassa oli se, että se loppui.
September 12, 2016
My favourite edition of my favourite story. I am sat re-reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and still smile at every page.
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