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The Looking Glass Wars, Book 2: Seeing Redd | Frank Beddor

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Picking up were Looking Glass Wars left off, Alyss is now Queen of Wonderland, but all is not wonderful. No one knows what will become of Redd and The Cat, after their leap into the Heart Crystal, Alyss is worried that Dodge’s need for revenge will ruin him, she’s unsure if a Queen should love one of her guardsman, King Arch of Borderland seems to be planning something, and no one has heard from Hatter Madigan.

There’s never a dull moment. Especially once Redd imagines herself back into existence through a painter’s canvas. She and The Cat waste no time in collecting a new army on Earth. As luck would have it, one of the first people they run into is a member of Wonderland’s Tutor species, who fled through the Pool of Tears after having a falling out with Bibwit Harte. Vollrath, eager to prove himself, tells Redd all she needs to know about gaining her full powers, which will give her the best chance of defeating Alyss and reclaiming Wonderland as her own.

King Arch also has designs on Wonderland. After using the Diamonds to help start his plot on its way, capturing Homburg Molly and rendering the Crystal Continuum useless, he seems well on his way. The Diamonds are imprisoned (all but Jack, who has escaped), Hatter Madigan has done as expected and come for Molly, but all is not as smooth as Arch suspects. Jack of Diamonds will always side with whoever is most advantageous to him. And Hatter Madigan is not as loyal as he seems.

Back in Wonderland, Alyss’ powers are put to their test, as she helps to defend the city against the seeming endless army sent against her. Cryptic words from a caterpillar come at an unexpected time to help guide her along her way.

You’ll be left on the edge of your seat, eager for the final installment.

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The Looking Glass Wars | Frank Beddor

Rating:

As she watches the goings-on in honor of her seventh birthday, Princess Alyss Heart can’t help but feel that there’s got to be more to life. Or at least something more interesting. With her father being later and her best friend MIA, Alyss finds the whole affair leaving much to be desired. But when her party is crashed and her people killed by her evil Aunt Redd, Alyss quickly finds herself wishing to be back at the beginning when it was all so simple.

He father dead, he mother cornered, Alyss is sent through the Continuum with bodyguard Hatter Madigan, who is charged with keeping her safe. While in the Pool of Tears, Hatter loses hold of Alyss, exiting in France while she exits a puddle in England. While Hatter searches endlessly for her, Alyss is first taken in by a group of street children, then an orhpanage, then the Liddell family. In fact, she’s about to marry Prince Leopold when Hatter finally finds her.

Her childhood best friend Dodge’s appearance at her engagement party sparks questions in her mind. Questions about whether Wonderland was real, now that she’s convinced herself it couldn’t have been. About whether her past was as awful as she remembered it. Whether it was the true story she told the Reverend, only to have him contort and ruin in it his Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Wonderland, in the meantime, has turned to less than a shadow of its former self under Redd’s rule. The Alyssians fight a slow battle against her evil reign. And upon first reuniting with Alyss, are not at all sure that she can be the Warrior Queen they’ll need to save them.

To find out, Alyss must find and successfully navigate the Looking Glass Maze, which allows entrance only to those for whom it is intended. And while the White Scepter may seem an easy walk, appearances, as it happens, are quite deceiving.

This entirely new look at the Alice in Wonderland story may leave some readers up in arms. I personally found it incredibly intriguing and can’t wait for the next installment to see what comes of Redd after she’s thrown herself into the Heart Crystal.

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