Growing up, I have always loved Alice in Wonderland. From the kid-friendly Disney version to the horror story style movies to my personal favorite, The Looking Glass Wars, there are so many different variations to get lost in. With one of the latest variations, Splintered, I will admit that I put this one on the back shelf for a reason. I was afraid of it. Well, maybe not in the way that you are thinking. Of course, I was not scared of the book, but rather the unknown. Would Splintered be a literal retelling or seem like a completely different story? I didn't know. With Splintered, I had no clue to what to expect, and it scared me a little.Throwing caution to the wind, I dived in.From the early pages, Splintered was nothing, and I mean nothing, like I thought it would be. Having not read the blurb in many months, all I really remembered was something about mental illness and Alice in Wonderland. Great way to start a book, huh?The basic concept centers around Alyssa and her mother Alison. Both have what could easily be classified as mental illness due to being able to hear the voices of the flowers and bugs. Although, Alyssa's mother has been committed and despite Alyssa's fears that she may be next, Alyssa feels as if there is something more to the tale of Alice in Wonderland and their family's connection than meets the eye. But only one way to find out, find the rabbit hole.Splintered was 100% awesome. So much so that I am kicking myself for not reading this one sooner. Alyssa and the back story of her family interwoven with the Alice in Wonderland was pulled off flawlessly. By this point, I thought I had discovered all the ways that Alice in Wonderland could be retold, but I was so very wrong. I don't want to go into too many details for fear of spoiling the surprise, but wow, A.G. Howard, what a way to make this tale your own. I am so impressed.Final Verdict:Looking for a dark, twisted version of Alice in Wonderland? Look no further. Splintered is destined for your favorites shelf.Will I read the next installment?Yes! A million times, yes. The romance of Splintered was completely left open. Sure, we know who Alyssa has picked for now, but Morpheus is still waiting in the wing. (No pun intended.)
