I dont read at all, really, as school forcing me to read them has kind of ruined them for me, but I love me some good symbolism and deeper meaning in movies and TV, and to me it seems like the Alice is full of that stuff. But on the other hand ive read reviews saying there isnt much deeper meaning at all, and no real catharsis at the end.
All in all, is it a book you would still recommend? What should i expect? Should I watch the disney movie first instead?
by obesekid69
2 Comments
The book is an easy read and has a lot of fun episodes. The symbolism is hard to spot (and unnecessary) given that most of it is 1) time boxed to Carroll’s lifetime and 2) deeply personal for the author. Read it for pleasure rather than enlightenment. His word play is a thing of beauty. The book is also referenced constantly by later media.
I wouldn’t recommend it based on what you wrote. It’s one of my favorite books, but it’s kind of like going on a whimsical acid trip – there are lots of cool visuals and funny episodes, but it doesn’t all tie together. I think what you’re looking for is a layered plot where symbols that occur in Chapter One later turn out to “mean something deeper” in Chapter Ten. Alice in Wonderland isn’t exactly like that (although I wouldn’t discourage you from reading it if you wanted to.)
If you’re looking for something fantasy-related with a lot of symbolism, I recommend The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. It’s easy to read and follow – kind of like Game of Thrones but in fairyland – and the series as a whole packs a lot of symbolic punch 🙂
That’s just my 2c though – feel free to pick up whatever books you want to and happy reading!!