Review: Follow the White Rabbit by Kellie Sheridan

Follow the White Rabbit (Beautiful Madness, #1)

For centuries, Wonderland thrived as the domain of beautiful bedlam and unapologetic madness. It was a place like no other. All it took was one girl slipping in through the cracks of the universe to start chaos spiraling toward order. In the 150 years since Alice’s visit, the realm has become tainted—almost normal. Rabbits in waistcoats and playing card minions are little more than creatures of myth, and Wonderland is literally falling to pieces.

For Gwen, Rose, and Lucky, Wonderland is home, and yet they know little of its former glory. When the Alice prophecy resurfaces, they’ll have one chance to use Wonderland’s own legends to bring a little mayhem back into their reality. For she who controls Alice controls the fate of Wonderland.

Firstly let me put a statement out there - I WILL be reading the next book in this series, and I am very excited for it, despite the fact that Follow the White Rabbit is not going to get that high a rating from me. Why is this you may ask me, the answer is basic; this book is way too short but I still see some serious potential for something awesome. This novella is less than one hundred pages long and spends about 75% of that setting up the world and introducing readers to the characters and who they are and what they mean for Wonderland, and that's fantastic because what is is setting up is something fantastic and new for Alice in Wonderland retellings.

The problem is that as soon as everything is set straight and isn't confusing anymore and the actual story starts to kick in the novella ends and I felt cheated and unfulfillled, like I'd just wasted an hour reading a set-up that I will probably have to reread before I read the next novella (which will hopefully have some serious action and storyline and happening).

I'm not going to lie, I really did enjoy the set up, but without any action or storyline I can really only say that this story has some potential, it's looking like it could be awesome. I just wouldn' recommend you read it yet, wait until novella #2 comes out.


Book released 21st May 2013 by Patchwork Press
Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (NetGalley)

2 comments

  1. Ohhh adding it to my list of Alice re-imaginings THANKS

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  2. Novellas are a tricky mess for me. They have to be pretty much flawless to work because they ARE so short. I'm not sure this would work for me because of the flaws you mentioned, but I'm glad to see you'll continue with the series. Great review, Jade :)

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