Books for lovers of Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll has long been a cult classic, not only amongst children but also with a devoted adult fanbase, ultimately drawing in readers with its whimsical characters, nonsensical logic, and witty wordplay.
I have always found myself craving more literature that scratches the itch of Wonderland. I am hungry for stories that feel uniquely surreal, full of bizarre imagery, and as if this alternate reality was practically at my fingertips, pulsing behind some unseen veil, if only I wandered upon the ‘right’ wooded pathway.
Until the day I unlock the secret door that will whip the logic of the real world from my feet, these book recommendations below, just like ‘Alice in Wonderland’, emulate such adventures plenty enough for the meantime.
After all, what are books, if not a portal to other realms?
1. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Fantasy, young adult, romance, retellings
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
A Young Adult prequel to Alice in Wonderland that explores the villain arc of The Red Queen and the previous adventures of beloved characters like Mad Hatter, Caterpillar, and the Cheshire Cat. The beginning of the book is enchanting and whipped up to be light, sugared, and syrupy; as the aromas of pastries and baking leap off the page and fill your senses. Yet do not be fooled by this frothy introduction, as the story does not remain all cupcakes and strawberry tarts... You follow the character’s descent, feeling both enamored and helpless, as they gradually transform into the renowned personalities of which we are familiar.
The pull of this story is how masterfully Meyer conjures up the world of Wonderland; I wanted to stray off into the pages and meander through the landscape. It was reminiscent of the feelings captured in nostalgic Disney films yet ultimately struck as an original and heartbreaking retelling!
2. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
Fantasy, fiction, magical realism, historical fiction
If you identify as wanderlust, a reader drawn to ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for its tumble down the rabbit hole, then ‘The Ten Thousand Doors of January’ will likely tempt.
While merging the genres of historical fiction and fantasy; the story remains ripe with luscious prose that inspires vivid imagery and carries the reader through dimensions as if beholden to a dreamy current. This book will speak to those still searching for hidden doorways long past childhood and is a true love letter to the potency of stories.
3. Alice by Christina Henry
Fantasy/horror/retellings
Although ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is weird and whimsical, I believe that many admirers of this tale are curiously drawn to the darker undertone that can lurk in the background. Characters that, depending on the lens, can be eccentric and loveable or almost eerie in their strangeness. Christina Henry explores this more sinister streak in a truly disturbing reinvention of the tale.
This book is extremely dark, deranged, bloody, and gruesome, yet there remains the nonsensical eccentrics that is so beloved of the original tale. The graphic imagery has continually pervaded my mind years later and I really commend a tale that can imprint such a haunting effect. If you enjoy fantastical horror stories that push the limits and appreciate the twisting of a beloved story, then this may just be your next read ...
4. Gallant by V.E. Schwab
Young adult fantasy, gothic, illustrations
Much like ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Gallant’ is an atmospheric dive between the crossroads of two worlds. It’s an enchanting fairytale fable but spun with more gothic imagery. While categorised as younger fiction, it is ornate, not only with beautiful writing, but also with its haunting illustrations that plunge your imagination deeper into the world that lurks beyond the walls.
It is a short and spooky read that still echoes its eerie imagery long after closing the pages, and the representation of a mute protagonist adds to its wonder even more. The plot perhaps took a backseat to the intense atmosphere, but I let myself be awash in the ambience and enjoyed it thoroughly.
5. The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington
Classic, magical realism, surrealism, fiction
If I was asked to describe this book in solely one word... It would have to be no other than eccentric. This is a book that packs a punch in how it asks the reader to suspend all logic and rapidly descend into the world of absurdism.
This book is charming, funny and inventive, with hints of the gothic and occult. The same artistry and whimsy that is present in the author’s paintings is translated across mediums in her writing. The pacing and plot feel frenetic, in fact almost instilling whiplash in readers, as bizarre events play out in conjunction with the poignant insights exploring society’s treatment of older women.
In similarity to ‘Alice in Wonderland’, the wisdom is layered beneath the absurd, and the writing too possesses a feverish dream-like quality. Both stories feel transformative, a young girl and an elderly woman pushing the boundaries of convention and opening their minds beyond the restriction's that society places upon them.
6. Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Young adult fiction, fairytales, fantasy, mystery
‘Hazelwood’ reads like a modern Alice in Wonderland, set in New York City, but with a much snarkier Alice full of grit, bite, and hard edges to match its landscape. It similarly exists in the nonsensical realm, with striking imagery and haunting lyrical writing.
The ‘Hinterland’ fairytales that are intertwined throughout the book also echoe the dark Grimm fables. They have that classic feel, as if the stories and words themselves have been worn around the edges, by generations of voices speaking aloud these stories to their kin by the soft glow of lamp light. They truly creep under the skin and leave the reader understanding the Hinterland’s cultish fanbase and their crazed devotion.
Another love letter for the stories within stories and with characters that surge off the page into real life, give this a read if you hold a soft spot for warped and dreamlike tales! And if you feel yourself especially entranced by Melissa Albert’s spinning of stories, she has released the fairytales as their very own book ‘Tales of the Hinterland’ so you can fall deeper within the web of fables.
7. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Fantasy, fiction, mystery, magical realism, dark academia
For this recommendation, I believe that the less you know beforehand, the better the tumble... If you are craving a different kind of rabbit hole, wherein one must not linger on logic and fact, but embrace the strange, I suggest diving into this book and letting the hypnotic writing wash you away.
A mix of mythology and dark academia, this book is slow and dreamlike, the plot and writing both mirroring the labyrinth landscape. It traps you in its immersive descriptions, seductive writing, and unreliable characters. As a reader you will float lost within its pages, and I envy those reading this book for the first time!
Susanna Clarke’s writing is drenched with beautiful imagery but is also so striking in its loneliness- A theme I feel is subtly threaded throughout Alice’s tale too, she herself isolated amongst the bizarre. Nevertheless ‘Piranesi’ is certain to enchant, just as the world of Wonderland has touched so many.
8. Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire
(Wayward Children Series)
Novella, Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery, LGBT
Have you ever wondered what happened to Alice after she emerged from Wonderland? How do you exist in the real world again where wonder no longer pulses through every sense.
Unlike the recommendations above, this novella probes into what happens after the rabbit hole...
This entire series feels like a nod to those who have ever felt like a misfit, toeing the lines, stuck between reality and their own wonderland. It delves into identity, coming-of-age, and the complexity of friendships and found-family. Short but complex, eerie but warming, full of both horror and hope; it offers empathy to those carrying the weight of both living in the clouds and having to depart back down to earth.
This whole book series feels nostalgic, like Alice or Narnia, as each child has experienced a wholly unique otherworld, and I loved the slow reveal of their back stories and adventures. Although it boasts little pages, the story is by no means small, as it not only delves across multi-dimensions, but also into the character’s expansive inner worlds. It is surely a novella that nestles into your heart, healing the childhood sentiment that yearns for the portal to re-open.
9. Starless sea by Erin Morgenstern
Fantasy, fiction, magical realism, dark academia
Following on from the last review above, The Starless Sea’ is the story where the portal has re-opened, re-offering that chance to dive into a shimmery, alluring pathway to another world beyond...
If you also share a personal favourite passage from Alice, one where doors (and girls) shrink and grow, wherein the phrase ‘Drink me’ or ‘Eat me’ may ring some bells, and curious keys appear, leading to even curiouser paths...then the ‘Starless Sea’ may be of interest, for this is a story full of doors, and keys and the most whimsical of words.
Morgenstern is a true master at weaving stories, conjuring incredible characters, and flipping reality on its head. You can expect the likes of labyrinth libraires, secret societies, stories layered within stories, and of course, most of all to expect the unexpected. A magical adventure, similar to the dreamy terrains of Lewis Caroll’s writing, awaits you with this read.
For those still hungry for more, browse through our Alice in wonderland-esque reads on our bookshop.org shelves, curated specifically for those bewitched by other worlds glimmering just behind the surface.
Link to bookshop.org: Books for lovers of Alice In Wonderland - Bookshop UK
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For more ‘Alice in Wonderland’ fun, head over to our CCCU library blog and read through ‘Adventures in the Archives’. One of our talented English Literature students has created a captivating fairytale themed display, showcasing our historic children's fiction collection at Augustine House.
https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/library/adventures-in-the-archives-an-applied-humanities-placement/
- Bella, Bookseller & Library Advisor
