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booksnorkel's review
3.0
Not a very strong finish and nothing was really resolved. The best part was when the book broke the fourth wall and not in a narrator acknowledging the reader way but in a character having to become the narrator and having to take a pledge sort of way.
Cute fun and wondlandiful. This series is Fairy Great
Cute fun and wondlandiful. This series is Fairy Great
sierra_color's review
4.0
Do you ever read a book that is just-- perfect?
This was it.
UNTIL THE END.
Okay, so let's just, get the positives out the way-- the writing is beautiful, yet creative, and really challenges the conceptions of the third person narrator, it's also engaging, making you an integral part of the story, while making you feel for these characters by using vivid descriptions of what they're feeling. It's also so immersive, because of the descriptions and writing style, you get smells described to you, sights, feelings. Hale describes things ranging from the smell of wonderlandian flowers to the beating of a heart, and it is all truly wonderful. It adds more to the story.
The characters grow and change in this story, Lizzie develops into an empathetic character, they actually expand on her character here (unlike in the show) and have her mature. Cedar learns to love herself, and learns about who she is in the process, making friends along the way. Madeline learns that she can be a hero too, that she's more than a background character, or the side kick. Shit, even KITTY learns to be braver, and to care about her friends.
~SPOILERS NOW~
But then the story just.. makes it so that the students of ever after high dont remember anything?
Which.. makes NO LITERAL SENSE?
Like, did they do this for show purposes or what? They take away all that lovely development and now, the characters are back to square one. Only Maddie remembers.
Who.. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?
Honestly, it makes that whole adventure feel like a waste of time. Everyone thought the whole thing was a dream! And that is SO DUMB!
Like, LITERALLY WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?
It takes away from the whole heart of the story. Turns Lizzie from being independent, or gaining independence, learning that her mother isn't always right, that grownups don't always save the day, she turns from a grounded complex character to-- OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!
It defeats the whole purpose of the story!
Cedar becomes braver, louder, finds her voice, is able to lie, and I see why she had to turn real again, but also-- why did she have to lose all that came with the journey? Why did she have to lose the heart she gained?
It's so.. just, disappointing, when you get to the end, because you've grown with these characters in a way. You understand how Lizzie learns that her mom isn't always right, and understand how Cedar now has hope, is now resilient!
But then that all gets taken away. I just can't understand why. And it's so saddening. Shannon Hale is such a wonderful author, and to see her craft these beautiful complex characters who go from isolation to acceptance, and then see said characters fall back to isolation, is just so.. heart breaking. It's so.. sad, to be honest. And it just makes me wonder how much of the author's freedom was limited, and why Mattel thought this was a good idea. This book (at least for me) shows that they don't give a fuck about their creations, only about the money, and it's really sad.
The whole memory wipe
This was it.
UNTIL THE END.
Okay, so let's just, get the positives out the way-- the writing is beautiful, yet creative, and really challenges the conceptions of the third person narrator, it's also engaging, making you an integral part of the story, while making you feel for these characters by using vivid descriptions of what they're feeling. It's also so immersive, because of the descriptions and writing style, you get smells described to you, sights, feelings. Hale describes things ranging from the smell of wonderlandian flowers to the beating of a heart, and it is all truly wonderful. It adds more to the story.
The characters grow and change in this story, Lizzie develops into an empathetic character, they actually expand on her character here (unlike in the show) and have her mature. Cedar learns to love herself, and learns about who she is in the process, making friends along the way. Madeline learns that she can be a hero too, that she's more than a background character, or the side kick. Shit, even KITTY learns to be braver, and to care about her friends.
~SPOILERS NOW~
But then the story just.. makes it so that the students of ever after high dont remember anything?
Which.. makes NO LITERAL SENSE?
Like, did they do this for show purposes or what? They take away all that lovely development and now, the characters are back to square one. Only Maddie remembers.
Who.. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?
Honestly, it makes that whole adventure feel like a waste of time. Everyone thought the whole thing was a dream! And that is SO DUMB!
Like, LITERALLY WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?
It takes away from the whole heart of the story. Turns Lizzie from being independent, or gaining independence, learning that her mother isn't always right, that grownups don't always save the day, she turns from a grounded complex character to-- OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!
It defeats the whole purpose of the story!
Cedar becomes braver, louder, finds her voice, is able to lie, and I see why she had to turn real again, but also-- why did she have to lose all that came with the journey? Why did she have to lose the heart she gained?
It's so.. just, disappointing, when you get to the end, because you've grown with these characters in a way. You understand how Lizzie learns that her mom isn't always right, and understand how Cedar now has hope, is now resilient!
But then that all gets taken away. I just can't understand why. And it's so saddening. Shannon Hale is such a wonderful author, and to see her craft these beautiful complex characters who go from isolation to acceptance, and then see said characters fall back to isolation, is just so.. heart breaking. It's so.. sad, to be honest. And it just makes me wonder how much of the author's freedom was limited, and why Mattel thought this was a good idea. This book (at least for me) shows that they don't give a fuck about their creations, only about the money, and it's really sad.
The whole memory wipe
raven_kxl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
nagsijiya's review
Spoiler
there is nothing i hate more than "oh this thing happens and none of them can recall it/only one character can recall it!"i love the wonderland trio so much and i liked it up until they pulled that shit.. like with how lizzie accepted that maybe she doesn't have to entirely follow the advice her mom gave her, but at the end she's back to questioning herself. r u kidding me.
Spoiler
jingnu's review
Spoiler
there is nothing i hate more than "oh this thing happens and none of them can recall it/only one character can recall it!"i love the wonderland trio so much and i liked it up until they pulled that shit.. like with how lizzie accepted that maybe she doesn't have to entirely follow the advice her mom gave her, but at the end she's back to questioning herself. r u kidding me.
Spoiler
n00bfairy's review
5.0
This is my new ultimate favorite book. I laughed, cried, got goosebumps, cheered, and yelled. I as not expecting to feel so much from a middle-grade targeted book, but I am in love with it. It gave you so much from my two most favorite characters, Lizzie Hearts and Maddie Hatter. I also thoroughly enjoyed the plot line about Cedar Wood, and felt so much towards her throughout the whole book. It had so much Wonderland goodness in it, and that could be what drew me in. I now have a new favorite book quote which is "Wherever I am, there is Wonderland." I won't lie, it's so random and jumps from here and there and all over, so it might be hard to read, but that is part of what I loved so much about it.
I highly recommend this book, whether you want to read the other two or not, and ESPECIALLY if you love fairy tales or Wonderland lore. It definitely feels like it's own book rather than the third book in a trilogy, but because of how good it was I really didn't mind the small disconnect.
I highly recommend this book, whether you want to read the other two or not, and ESPECIALLY if you love fairy tales or Wonderland lore. It definitely feels like it's own book rather than the third book in a trilogy, but because of how good it was I really didn't mind the small disconnect.
shaekin's review
4.0
The switch of major characters was really fun for this book. I loved Lizzie's character and she's a great addition to the story line. I'm a little confused as to the future of these books, but I'd be interested in reading more.