The original Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is iconic. However, Disney put their own spin on the fairytale, making it even more iconic as a movie. Since then, Alice in Wonderland has become a classic story we all know and love. There are already so many adaptations of Alice in Wonderland, but there’s always room for more. So, let’s discover some books that’ll deliver us the slightly strange retellings we crave!
Trigger Warning: The mention of drugs and violence may be triggering for some readers. Please exercise personal care when reading.
Alice by Christina Henry
Alice went missing as a young child. She returned home with memory loss, odd abilities, and injuries. Alice was deemed mad and emitted into a mental hospital. Years later, she’s still in the hospital but is unable to recall why she’s stuck there. After all of these years, she befriends her cellmate, a man named Hatchers. Unexpectedly, a fire erupts in the hospital, giving the friends a chance to escape. However, dark, sinister, and powerful creatures have also escaped with them. Alice and Hatcher are forced to face the Caterpillar, the Cheshire, the Carpenter, and the Walrus. And worst of all, the Rabbit is waiting patiently for Alice.
WonderLand by Miranda Renae
Kaleb White, also known as Rabbit, hates his job with a passion. He works at Red Queen Inc., where the Red Queen is an evil scientist who does fatal experiments. He was planning to quit until the company became harsher and stricter due to a terrible mistake. An experiment failed, and everyone in the room died … except for Alice. The Red Queen has been developing this fatal drug called WonderLand. A few years back, Alice’s mom fell victim to the drug, and Alice still combats the side effects of it. She is trying to move on with her life until she receives a note that reads, “Run.” Alice wants answers, and Kaleb wants to protect her.
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Catherine was a young and talented baker who wanted to open a bakery with her best friend. However, everyone else had different plans for her. She was the most desired girl in all of Wonderland; even the unmarried King of Hearts fancied her. Although she was focused on pursuing her dreams, everyone was distracting her – including a mysterious court joker named Jest. This was the first time she felt genuine attraction for someone. They found themselves quickly falling for each other. However, her parents pushed her toward royalty and arranged a marriage with the King of Hearts. Therefore, Catherine and Jest must keep their forbidden love a secret. Will she be able to determine her own destiny?
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
After a violent attempt to seize the palace, Queen Genevieve knows what she must do. She asks Hatter Madigan, a royal bodyguard, to protect Princess Alyss by leaving Wonderland. They escape through a portal that connects Wonderland to our world. However, the force is too strong and separates them. Hatter has failed Queen Genevieve, and Alyss is lost. They find themselves in two completely different years and countries. As Alyss is lost in London, England, she befriends a writer named Lewis Carrol. She tells him her life story, hoping Hatter will receive word and locate her. But Carrol inaccurately turns it into a strange children’s book. Unfortunately, Hatter is left to search for Alyss across the globe.
Unbirthday – A Twisted Tale by Liz Braswell
Alice has just turned eighteen years old, and it’s been years since her last journey to Wonderland. She takes up photography, which quickly becomes her favorite pastime. She takes pictures of her quaint town and the charming townsfolk. However, when she gets the photos developed, something isn’t right. Instead of the photographs featuring the townsfolk she tried to capture, they depict the creatures from Wonderland. And they aren’t looking like their usual eccentric selves. The Mad Hatter seems depressed, the caterpillar is holding up a sign that reads, “Help Us,” and the Red Queen looks more villainous than ever before. She decides to take a self-portrait and finds a girl in horrible condition staring back at her. The creatures of Wonderland are in terrible danger, and she is the only one who can help them.
Splintered by A.G. Howard
Alyssa Gardner begins hearing the whispers of bugs and flowers, but she is determined to stay strong and ignore them. She is experiencing precisely what led her mother to a mental hospital. In fact, this is a family curse that traces back to Alice Liddel – Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Unfortunately, her mother’s mental health begins declining rapidly. As she tries to support her mom, Alyssa discovers the reality of Wonderland. However, it is much more dangerous and terrifying than she ever imagined. She has to pass a series of obstacles to try to fix Alice’s mistakes and cure her family of the curse. Will the creatures she meets along the way help, or do they have dark intentions of their own?
Death of the Mad Hatter by Sarah J. Pepper
Ryley Edward Edgar is obsessed with the new girl at his high school. And Alice Mae Liddell has a major crush on him, too. But Ryley refuses to show his true feelings since he’s the popular guy and she’s quite eccentric. However, he still tries to figure out if he can trust Alice through her secretive behavior and words full of riddles. Ryley and Alice quickly develop a love-hate relationship that goes through insane mood swings. As the two bond, the Queen of Hearts works to fight a prophecy that will end her reign. She must ensure that a boy with a girl’s name does not threaten her throne.
Now that you have these spooky, spicy, and strange Alice in Wonderland retellings, jump right down the rabbit hole! You’ll begin an odd journey through Wonderland as you flip through the pages of these eccentric books. And don’t forget to drink a cup of tea to accompany your adventures!
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