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A review by sierra_color
A Wonderlandiful World by Shannon Hale
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