Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (Signet Classics) by Lewis Carroll Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (Signet Classics)
Book Review: Alice in Wonderland
Summary: 5 Stars
I finished this book just tonight, including both "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass." I liked the first one better, simply because I found it more interesting. The characters I think are more hilarious, and more unique, than in the second one. Either way, though, they're both sensational novellas and worth the time despite the seeming nonsense. In the second book, Lewis Carroll's jokes have a more literal quality, for example horse and hoarse, or flower and flour, which confuses the characters because they take everything each other says to literal extremities. This was not done so much in the first book, and I think done better, which is why I liked it better. I'll tell you some of my favorite things about the former novella, including the Chesshire cat, who I remember to be one of my favorite characters in the Disney movie. When Alice first speaks with the cat, and asks him which way she should go, he replies--
`In that direction,' the Cat said, waving its right paw round, `lives a Hatter: and in that direction,' waving the other paw, `lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they're both mad.'
`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you ca'n't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
I love the whole tea party setup, in which the Mad Hatter and March Hare keep moving from seat to seat round a large table, drinking tea and eating bread and butter. The Gryphon and the Mock Turtle are equally as hilarious, as well as the Queen of Hearts, who orders everyone's head to be chopped off. One of the funniest parts was when, in the course of the trial over who stole the queen's tarts (which are actually lying on a plate very near where the trial is taking place), a guinea pig breaks out in random applause--
"Here one of the guinea-pigs cheered, and was immediately suppressed by the officers of the court."
Soon after another guinea pig cannot control himself and begins to cheer, and the officers of the court must sit on him too to stop the cheering. To comment on the meaning behind the book, there's a certain underlying measure of insanity, and as another reviewer said, of Alice trying to be as logical as possible in the most nonsensical circumstances. Though the events seem to be spontaneous and without a measure of reality, Carroll never loses you, and you are never at any time confused. I liked also the poem at the end of "Through the Looking Glass", which I found to close the book in a profound and satisfying manner, as it should. One definitely pulls away from such a reading with a feeling that he has not wasted his time, and that there was something essentially meaningful about it. I highly recommend.
Book Review: Alice in Wonderland
Summary: 5 Stars
Have you ever wanted to be in a world of your own? If you you read this book, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll you'll go into another world. The main character, Alice, falls into antoher world. In her adventure she meets many new people and a whole lot of new places.
Alice and her cat, Dinah, are bored out of their mind. When something gets their attention. They see a white rabbit. He keeps on saying the same thing " I'm late, i'm late, i'm late."Alice's cuorisity takes over so she follows him down the rabbit hole, taking her to a new world. The world is called Wonderland. In Alice's adventure she meets many new characters. She meets the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, The March hare, the Ugly Dutchess, the Queen of Hearts, and many others.
This is one of the best books. I say this because it expands your imagination. It makes you wonder; making you think what if. This is a great fantasy book. You won't regret reading it!
- Arturo Berumen
Book Review: A Wonderful Glimpse into Wonderland
Summary: 4 Stars
Those who pick up ALICE IN WONDERLAND seeking to read a book mirroring the Disney movie version will be sorely disappointed. Those who wish to read a delightful children's story that will enchant and entertain readers young and old need look no further.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND and THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS have very little in the way of plot - little Alice is thrown into a strange world where nothing seems quite right. She changes in size, is confronted by the imperious Queen of Hearts, has tea with a number of quirky characters; each new situation she encounters is "curiouser and curiouser" than the next. What the stories lack in plot, they make up for twentyfold in character. Carroll created a whimsical world for his young readers, and its charm spills over to entertain even the old. One cannot help but be charmed by his extraordinary imagination and fast-paced yet fun-filled writing style.
ALICE AND WONDERLAND and THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS do not disappoint - they are cherished treasures among children and the young at heart - anyone who still has yet to discover their own "Wonderland."
Book Review: Ok but a little over hyped
Summary: 3 Stars
Alice's adventures in wonderland. Alice was getting tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, when the White rabbit with pink eye's runs by saying "Oh Dear! Oh Dear! I shall be too late" and as most know Alice follows him down the rabbit hole and curious adventure ensues.
The story was ok but obviously geared towards children. I have always heard about all the underlying and hidden things within the story but I guess I am a surface reader. Either that or all of the underlying things were topical and with the book being written in the late 1800's most of those things would have been lost on me.
The Good: It was an easy read the characters were quite unusual and Carroll definitely had an imagination.
The Bad: besides my thinking it was going to be better than it was not much. It was somewhat confusing at times.
Overall it was an Ok read however with all the hype and rumored greatness surrounding the story I was slightly disappointed.
Through the looking Glass. The less known second story about Alice is which she enters a looking glass (Mirror) world where you must move in the opposite direction to get where you desire to go. The world is divided into a grid like a checkers or chess board with the ultimate goal is to make it to opposite side of the board and to become a queen.
The Good: Same as the first, lots of imagination and unique characters.
The Bad: not too much, like the firs it was a little confusing at times.
It was Similar to the first with regard of craziness and characters however slightly inferior to the first.
Book Review: How Far Down Does the Rabbit Hole Go?
Summary: 5 Stars
The books Alices adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass are both very good books. The main plot of both books is quite simple; a girl named Alice stumbles upon another world filled with many different characters as she explores and meets many people and creatures alike. Overall, I found the book very solid and interesting. The endings are a little lacking in my opinion, but the ride there makes up for it. Its filled with many different perspectives on many different things, some are very insightful while some are just silly. At some points, it will have you thinking while at others you'll find yourself laughing up a storm. This is what makes it great for kids and adults alike. The books are also very easy to relate to, not literally but in its theme: being thrown into something new and trying to fit in. Everyone's been there at some point in their life, just not to the extent of Wonderland and the Looking-Glass World. The book also teaches a good lesson of thinking before you speak. Often times Alice would say what's on her mind and offends her new friends, which isn't a good when your in a new world and don't know anyone. Overall, The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass are a must read for everyone, even if you're illiterate (most copies of the book have illustrations, but if you're illiterate, how are you reading this?). So head on out to your local library and pick it up, you wont regret it.