Splintered by A.G. Howard
Published: January 1st, 2013
Synopsis from
goodreads: This
stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well
as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the
whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in
a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her
ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together.
For now.
When her mother’s
mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought
was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far
darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass
a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering
tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and
save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best
friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through
Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own
My thoughts:
“I've been collecting bugs since I was ten;
it's the only way I can stop their whispers. Sticking a pin through the gut of
an insect shuts it up pretty quick.”
First off, I feel like I need to say, LOOK AT THAT FREAKIN
COVER!! It is gorgeous in every single way. It’s even better inside!
The writing is very beautiful and the creepy Wonderland Howard creates is
eerie and intriguing. The gothic spin she puts on this world is perfect.
Alyssa
Gardner
Alyssa was great! She wasn’t perfect but was never annoying
and she developed very well throughout the book. The good memories of Morpheus
blinded her from seeing the truth in his intentions but with Jeb alongside of her,
she found her strength.
“But
nostalgia is deceptive, and I shove it aside. Because everything has been a lie.”
And when (SPOLIER) She
stuck up for Jeb at the end I was like, “you
go girl!” (END SPOILER)
Jebediah
Holt
Oh, Jeb! Besides his name not being my favorite, there is
nothing to not love about this man. He is so kind, so caring, and so protective
of Al and its sooo sweet! He is also so funny, I loved all the creative names
he would call Morpheus, it was hilarious!
“I go where Al goes, dances-with-bugs. And just
so you know, if anything happens to her, I'll pin you by your wings to a
corkboard and use you for dart practice.”
I loved Jeb even more (SPOILER!) when he
used his love for Al to sacrifice himself to be in the box I cried! (END SPOILER)
Usually artist dudes are quite feminine and when they try to
be romantic I cringe. This was so not the case with Jeb:
“It’s
me I’m losing control of. Hundreds of sketches, and I still can’t get enough of
your face”
“’I’m
not wasting another second drawing you’, he whispers against my lips, ‘when I can
touch you instead.’ He presses his mouth to mine”
*swoon*
Morpheus
I did enjoy Morpheus, because he’s the villain, but he’s one
you know doesn’t want to be the villain, he’s not just pure evil, there’s
something there to love. I can tell he truly does love Alyssa but he can’t have
her!
“He's a contradiction: taut magic coiled to
strike, gentleness at war with severity, a tongue as sharp as a whip's edge,
yet skin so soft he could be swathed in clouds.”
I know I am going to enjoy reading Unhinged to see if Howard
can get me to switch sides because I don’t see it happening! 5 Stars!
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