Books › The Looking Glass Wars
The Looking Glass Wars
400 pages
A high-octane, weaponized reimagining of a classic tale where whimsy is replaced by warfare and survival.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping through a portal into a familiar dream that has suddenly grown sharp edges. It is a propulsive, cinematic experience that strips away the nonsense of childhood fairytales and replaces it with high-stakes political rebellion, weaponized playing cards, and gritty survival. The mood is darkly whimsical yet grounded in urgent action, blending a slightly steampunk aesthetic with intense, fast-paced combat. You are pulled along by a narrative that is less about exploring a wonderland and more about surviving it. It will thoroughly delight readers who crave dark, inventive retellings where exiled princesses must harden into warriors to reclaim their stolen truths, offering a thrilling ride that completely shatters the looking glass.
- Mood
- tense
- steampunk-adjacent
- darkly whimsical
- cinematic
- Tone
- adventurous
- gritty
- imaginative
- urgent
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- reclaiming identity · truth versus myth · exile and return · coming of age · overcoming trauma
- The writing
- Cinematic and action-driven, the prose vividly constructs a weaponized, high-stakes version of a familiar world while keeping the narrative momentum high.
- The arc
- The journey moves from the shattering trauma of sudden exile and disbelief to a fierce, empowered reclamation of identity and rightful power.
- Who it's for
- Fans of dark, action-packed fairytale retellings who enjoy seeing beloved childhood characters reimagined as hardened warriors and complex political figures.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- death of parents
- war and political coup
- childhood trauma
About the book
The Myth: Alice was an ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook. The Truth: Wonderland is real. Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills Alyss' parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears. But in the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated. Lost and alone in Victorian London, Alyss is befriended by an aspiring author to whom she tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Yet he gets the story all wrong. Hatter Madigan knows the truth only too well, and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.
Description from Open Library.
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