I generally love Maguire's stories and his writing, but I had more difficulty with this book than normal.

First, his language is usually complex, but in After Alice he used words I've never even seen before. I wished I was reading it on a kindle to look them up, which I realized I've never actively wished to be reading on a kindle before.

This book also contained many Victorian or Oxford references which I did not understand. They went right over my head. Names, characters, decisions (probably) that were lost to me. having read many Maguire novels I knew that things likely were referencing other people, moments in history, other books, but I just couldn't guess. I read a slate review which revealed one I had expected, but would never had known for sure otherwise. I remembered many of the wonderland characters, so that was mostly fine. All in all, I felt like I needed to do some research to truly understand this piece.

It was interesting to bring in Darwin, although I didn't really understand why, but then, why not. Perhaps as a symbol of discovery and imagination in life. The characters were interesting but didn't really do a lot above ground (looked for the children, talked with Darwin), which just made the Victorian world seem incredibly boring. The wonderland chapters were so short you kept waiting for something to happen, but then you'd have to wade through another walk in Oxford.

In the end, I just kept wondering what on earth they will tell Mr. Winter as Siam didn't return.

I think it's not fair to call this work a retelling. Wicked was a retelling. It started from the origin and continued long after (the entire series, anyway), and focused on the main characters. this was more of a story on the side of Alice's adventures in Wonderland. A new subplot. Calling it a retelling gives people expectations of alternative journeys through wonderland, but this focuses just as much on the characters outside of wonderland who are bogged down by the unhappiness of life and circumstance at the time. It's not a retelling, but another chapter. people who are looking for a lighthearted visit to Wonderland (or a terror inducing one) will not get it in this book- and that expectation is what is disappointing people.

Once I put away that expectation and evaluate the book on what it was, I feel it was well done, but lost me as a reader at some points. Because of the slowness of the era and the difficulty with some of the words, I found it harder to read than most books. The characters were well defined and I could clearly see the annoying governess, Lydia, Ada, even Mr. Clowd. Generally, I liked it, but It's not likely one I would recommend lightly or widely. Fans of Maguire as a writer, and not just as a reteller of fairy tales, after more likely to enjoy this book. People familiar with Oxford and real fans of the Victorian era (not just casual fans) will also be more likely to enjoy. Carroll scholars, of course, as well.

I really really wanted to read this. And maybe that was part of the problem. I didn't like it nearly as much as I liked his other books that I have read. That said, it was still enjoyable enough.

I was afraid this was going to be too humorous for my taste. I'm an old stick in the mud. But it was just the right amount of amusing. And it didn't stray too far from the Alice story, just added more stories to it. I quite enjoyed it.

This book has such a pretty cover and I loved the style of the pages but the actual story itself wasn’t nearly as lovely as the book itself. Most of it was pretentious and dull with only occasional bits of entertainment here and there. I almost didn’t finish it but it did get a bit more compelling at the end, only a bit though

Entertaining and imaginative tale by the author of Wicked, though a far less-epic scale than Wicked. I enjoyed the literary references. Recommend.

“I want to grab my brother's hand and run back through time, losing years like coats falling from our shoulders.”
- Jandy Nelson, I’ll Give You the Sun

“If I am headed to Hell, where’s the harm, she thought. According to Dore, everyone is naked there… twisting deep within the Lake Amniosis into which she had fallen, her mind flipped some page backward, to other illustrations she had seen.”
- Gregory Maguire, After Alice

I’ve got something cooking in my brain after reading this.

I do so love Maguire's writing style and voice. This book was no exception (with the proviso that trying to read and enjoy books while also trying to prep a new house for move-in is a bit of a downer). I've never actually read the Lewis Carroll books, but I found this one quite delightful and in the spirit of Carroll--at least by reputation! Three children end up either down the rabbit hole or through the looking glass--Alice, of course, Ada, and Siam. The book weaves back and forth between the experiences in Wonderland and what's happening in the regular world to the folks who should be responsible for these children. Like all of Maguire's book, it makes you think!