Well this really was a wild ride into Wonderland. This Alice in Wonderland retelling is not for the faint-hearted and this definitely contains care warnings for Self harm, suicide, mental health, sexual assault and drug use. But this book fearlessly tackles issues facing young people today head on and its cast of characters is like no other. If you love books with diverse characters and not your cookie cutter YA contemporary characters then this one is definitely for you.



I really found Alice intriguing as a main character and I think there is nothing better for an author to make me intrigued by their main character. She is a unique individual and fits the bill of unreliable narrator. She seems like she is snarky and wants to be unlikable but really she is going through a hell of a lot of things as well as just those issues facing every single teenage girl in the world and so it is impossible not to fall in love with her. As a teacher I felt very protective over her but as a reader I loved the adventures that she went on. I feel like I still don't fully know her as a person and I quite like that to be honest.



I mentioned that this book contains drug use and it is that drug use that over exaggerates this particular Wonderland. I feel like this author sat down and thought, well what if Alice had a crush on the white rabbit and that's why she followed them, what if there was group sex in wonderland, where do Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee land on the spectrum of sexuality? I am just amazed by this world that Juno Dawson has built.



Not every escapade and every drug fueled party was for me but boy could I appreciate the intricacies of the storytelling and the weaving of the plot and if you want to read something really different and completely daring then this book is for you.

Wonderland is a riot of hedonism, mental health issues and privileged people trying to keep their positions of power. It’s bonkers, and at times reads like we’re following someone on a bad trip. I felt myself pausing for breath at times to gauge whether people could ever be as awful as they are here...and I think they probably can.
In Wonderland Juno Dawson takes us on a journey with Alice, a transgender girl who becomes worried when a friend of hers (Bunny, no less) goes missing. At her exclusive school, nobody seems concerned. So when Alice finds an invitation to an exclusive weekend party she decides to attend in the hope that she can learn the truth of Bunny’s disappearance.
As we follow Alice through her Wonderland experience we have so many of the characters you’d expect - transported to their contemporary rich clique. Alice finds herself having a number of exciting new experiences, but there’s a clear dark undercurrent that threatens to consume her. The very real threat she is under is presented in an almost cruelly casual way. Someone wants Alice out of the way...but how far are they prepared to go?
When we learn of Alice’s mental health issues, knowing she is without her medication means I was never quite sure what was happening and what Alice was imagining. The ending brought a number of strands to a head, but didn’t really resolve much for Alice.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication.

I love Juno's work, and I am a big Alice in Wonderland fan. So, this retelling of the classic was right up my alley. The characterisations of the well known characters from the story are really interesting.

It does come with a few very strong trigger warnings (drug use and abuse, transphobia, rape and sexual assault, violence, suicide, self harm. Those are just a few.)

I love the trans rep in the book, though. This is something we sorely need more of in YA fiction, and I love how it was written and dealt with in this book. Reading about Alice's joy at finally being able to express who she is is heartwarming. However, some of the treatment Alice gets in this book due to her gender is not quite as happy reading.

I really enjoyed this, though I personally found it the weaker of the three in this series.

Trigger Warnings: Self harm, suicide, mental health, sexual assault, murder and drug use.

When her friend, Bunny goes missing, Alice becomes obsessed with trying to find her. On the trail, Alice finds a mysterious invitation to ‘Wonderland’ – the party to end all parties for the most elite. Thinking she will find Bunny there, Alice sneaks in and finds herself in the twisted underworld of privileged teenagers and their life of drugs, sex and hedonistically. Alice, being all alone and without her medication starts to trust no one, and is soon on the radar of a new enemy.

There is a reason why Juno Dawson is the queen of YA and it’s because of her gritty, addictive stories which pull you in almost straight away, and Wonderland was one of those. I knew I was going to be in for a ride when I started reading, but I wasn’t expecting the ride to be so full of twists, turns and intrigue. Honestly, I didn’t want to put this book down and devoured it in a day and a half.

Wonderland is a twist on a beloved classic and I was all for that! As someone who loves the original Alice in Wonderland, I was intrigued to see how Juno played with it to make it into its unique creation. I must tell you, it was amazing! It definitely had the craziness of the original but it was certainly a lot trippier. At times it felt like I was taking the drugs, but I feel that that was the way Juno wanted you to feel when you were reading it. All the Alice in Wonderland references, were also, brilliant. I got such a kick at trying to match up the characters in Wonderland to the characters in the original, and to say some surprised me would be an understatement. Wonderland really is Alice in Wonderland with a gossip girl style twist.

Juno’s books are known for dealing with some pretty dark topics and this was no different. Topics dealt with in Wonderland ranged from self harm, suicide and mental health to sexual assault and drug use. I must admit, that in this book some of these topics get pretty graphic at times and this may put people off reading a bit. However, what I took away from it was that things like this are happening in real life and that we all need to be more aware of how harrowing it can be, to be on the receiving end of them. I think these issues were dealt with very well, but you may want to bare these in mind when you first start reading. What I also found interesting was how privilege, luxury and corruption were dealt with. To see these rich teens go down a path of almost complete and utter self destruction was something that I found fascinating to read about. Money doesn’t always mean happiness, it can mean going down a dark path to reach the top.

Alice, was such a complex character that I found myself captivated by. Firstly, I loved loved the fact she was trans, as we definitely need a lot more Trans rep in YA. Her thoughts about her body, and the way it looked also stood out to me. It felt like we were getting deep into her mind, and body issues aren’t spoken about enough in books with a trans character. Also, the way that Alice is sexualised is something that did shock me. You did get deep into the way the trans community can be treated, and it was pretty troubling to read about at certain times. Nevertheless, this will also, hopefully raise awareness of this issue and I do have my fingers crossed. What I also love about Alice was her voice; the snarkiness of it and the fact that I agreed with a lot she had to say. When things within the story take a dark turn, her voice does change ever so slightly but this makes you feel all of her confusion and pain. Alice is certainly a character that I’m not going to forget for a long while.

Wonderland was a compelling, engaging read which does show you how gritty the world of privilege and luxury can be. Its addictive, trippy style and intriguing, thrilling plot will certainly pull you in and leave you mesmerised.

Alice is 17, troubled, attends an exclusive London school and lives in a world of privilege and luxury. When Bunny, a disturbed friend, goes missing, Alice decides she needs to find her. Bunny has a habit of going missing, and everyone but Alice assumes this is more of the same.

The only clue is an invitation to Wonderland...what is Wonderland? Read the book to find out. Suffice it to say, as you'd expect in a Juno Dawson novel, there's a lot of bad behaviour, there are layers of meaning and many questions of identity, and there's sharp observation.

I have never been a fan of the original Alice in Wonderland, and it's been many years since I read it, but I was still able to pick up on the Carroll influences and plays. Some of them were a bit more heavy handed than others, but then son much of Alice in Wonderland is iconic that a certain amount of familiarity is probably inevitable.

I liked the cameo appearances of various previous characters from Dawson books like Lexi Volkov and Clara Keys.

I raced through Wonderland as it was a far more engrossing read that I expected - it is much more Juno Dawson than Alicde in Wonderland, and that's the way I prefer it.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance copy to review.

Before I start, I would like to mention that there was a trigger warning at the start for self-harm, sexual assault, mental health issues and drug use, but this book also contains references and flashbacks to suicide, murder, incest and transphobia. From being aware of Juno's previous books going in, I did expect heavy content, but just be warned that this book is very heavy going.

Wonderland is a dark contemporary twist on Alice in Wonderland, as the titular Alice searches for missing heiress Bunny Liddell. This leads Alice into the dark underworld of the uber rich teenagers of her private school and their wonderland of drugs, messed up relationships, pyschopaths, and murder. While I sometimes found it all a bit too much, ultimately the plot and the mystery lured me through the story and kept me engaged (so much so I finished it in one day).

Juno is known for complex characters and I really grew to empathise with Alice throughout the story, even as she made increasingly terrible decisions. I liked Juno's homages to the original Alice in Wonderland and her twists on classic characters, especially the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter. Her scene setting and description was really engaging and vivid, though I did get a bit lost at times (and Wonderland seemed to be both vast and have locations all crammed together, but I suppose that's part of the magic/drug use). I would have liked more closure on Alice's mental health towards the end, though we get a sense of where her focus lies next, and possibly a lead in to a sequel, but I would have liked some mention of her therapist or a resolution about continuing to take her medication.

All in all, if you want an engaging thriller that goes to some very dark places, with fun nods to a classic children's story rendered in neon, Gatsby level parties, and murder, this is the book for you. (Review crossposted to Goodreads)

I usually love Juno Dawson's writing, I think she's an incredible author and her stories and characters are real while still being gritty. But I think maybe she missed the mark a little with Wonderland. It was an incredibly slow burn for me, and then the ending felt rushed and tied up almost too neatly. I was left wanting a lot more, but not in the good way.

All that said, I do think that the issues raised in this book are so important! From date-rape to deaths (whether accidental or purposeful) a great deal of issues in this book do happen regularly, and for the elite they can be made to just go away. This book did leave me questioning how much really does go on behind the closed doors of our upper classes.

Absolutely love Juno's books and Alice and wonderland is my all time favourite book. I was nervous about what the book would be like but I felt like it was just the right balance of alice-in-wonderland-crazy with modern day issues and a mystery woven in.

I've read most of Juno's work and I've always enjoy them a little bit like pop corn type of book. It's fast paced and easy to read, you could easily read it in one sitting but it's best to savour it. All of her books managed to keep me engaged and wanting to know a little more about the world she had build for us. But this time just as with clean and meat market, I couldn't care for the rich and high end brand spotted here and there, I don't particularly like the idea that wealthy people are horrible and that all girls are just bitching about, those kind of stereotypes just don't work for me. And on top of that this book should come with a big warning as somethings mention here could trigger some people.
Be aware that there are mentions of, attempted rape, drug use, cutting, mental health issues, PTSD, and body dismorphya, bullying in general.

I was looking forward to this book and I thought I'd read it very quickly but I had to take some time as I got bored at her Alice in Wonderland retelling and the party that was supposed to be super fun, I kind of got bored of it. I like the ideas of her adaptation of the mad tea party, turn into a modern day "rave" with alcohol and drugs and a bunch of unlikable people but it wasn't for me. I felt I needed a playlist to go with it, i would've like mentions of music or something like that. I felt it was quiet, I did play my own music to get me more into it, but still not my world.

Absolutely love the main character, Alice, who is a girl with a lot of issues, she's dealing with self love, and wanting the acceptance from other people, you feel her pain and her lightness too and she's bring a fresh and realistic transgender character into the YA books that it lacks representation. Having said that I find the fact that our heroine is a trans girl, the book is not about that, it definitely is a part of the book but it's not the main topic, and I applaud the author for that.

A trippy, high drama, modern re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland, focussing on the excesses of wealth and political divisions in society.
A blurring of reality through drugs and mental health crises creates the otherworldly aspect of Wonderland, giving the book its fantasy feel. This is counterbalanced by strong themes of Identity, mental health and gender politics, including a short but brilliant section that beautifully rebuffs the bathroom debate.
A step away from Juno’s previous work, this fully embraces the dramatic whilst still highlighting the political. It’s a joy to see such an honest, positive portrayal of a trans character, reflecting reality and never, ever shying away from her experiences.

Wonderland is definately the best re-imagining of Alice's adventures that I have ever read. Juno has left behind the fantasy and created a modern setting, centred around a weekend long extravagant party known as 'Wonderland'. Alice follows Bunny into Wonderland, and there we peep through the looking glass at über rich teens and their disturbing relationships, fuelled by drugs and alcohol.
These heavier topics are not shied away from and Juno has created very realistic characters with a myriad of complex problems such as; dealing with identity, mental health, suicide, self harm, depression and sex that many teens will identify with.
Wonderland contains delightful nods to the original characters and plot, and this homage is very, very clever. It's a pure delight to read.

"I've been known to visualise killing up to six people each morning before breakfast". We aren't in Kansas anymore, or are we?

Dawson's Wonderland is a mixture of the classic, including direct quotes with bacchanalian teenage high society. Wonderland is a place where anything consensual goes and anything non consensual is largely punished.

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Substance Abuse, Incest, Bipolar, Suicide, Murder. Essentially one to avoid if you have any triggers.

Alice is a transgender teenager at boarding school when her friend and previous love interest Bunny goes missing she is confused by the lack of concern and begins looking for her. Alice uncovers a world of her school society she never expected and is thrust into some genuinely terrifying experiences. I felt the story line with Paisley was a really interesting one but that the ending felt rushed, there is an inherent sense of her being free to proceed as she wishes. I can only presume that this is all gearing up for a second book.

Alice lives in a world of stifling luxury and privilege, but none of it means anything when your own head plays tricks on your reality. When Bunny, Alice's troubled friend goes missing, Alice becomes obsessed with finding her. Whilst on the trail of Bunny's last movements, Alice discovers a mysterious invitation to 'Wonderland', the party to end all parties - three days of hedonistic excess to which only the elite are welcome.

Will Alice find Bunny there? Or is it really a case of finding herself? Because Alice has secrets of her own and socialite queen and ruthless Paisley Hart is determined to uncover them, whatever it may take.

Alice is all alone, miles from home and without her essential medication. She can trust no-one, least of all herself and now she has a new enemy that wants her head.

Wonderland is a whirlwind of a book that I couldn't put down. It is the trip down the rabbit hole that we are all needing at the minute. Juno has written a book full of pure escapism, mind-boggling mystery and just pure wonder. I've adored Juno's previous books so I was beyond excited to read this one and let me tell you, I loved it!

It has been years since I read the original Alice in Wonderland but I do remember a lot of the story. Even if you haven'r read the original you can dive right into this book. It is full of references to the original, such as the famous quotes and the famous characters. All the beloved characters are in this book, Alice, the white rabbit, the queen of hearts and the caterpillar but they have all be shaken up with a modern twist. Alice is as charming as ever in this modern retelling and I adored her. She is a trans woman, learning her place in the world whilst dealing with her mental health. Alice is witty and relatable and just a pure gem, I loved her. One thing I absolutely loved about this book is the way that Juno made all the characters new, exciting and modern in clever ways.

Juno takes a classic story and makes it brand modern and intriguing, with themes that I wish were discussed in books more. Juno never shies away from the darker sides of teenage life and at times it is uncomfortable but it is something that needs to be read. Juno does an amazing job of writing about sex both negative and positive and I'm sure many teenagers need this in their lives at the minute. There is sex, drugs and violence in this book, as well as an upsetting and possibly triggering scene of sexual assault, but Juno writes about all of them with care, consideration and thought behind every word and that is incredible.

Although this is the weirder of Juno's books that I have read, this is something that was done intentionally. It is a retelling of a weird, wonderful and illogical story and I was here for all the weirdness. It allowed me to escape the world for a while and it was just what I needed.

Overall, I cannot recommend Wonderland enough. It has an intriguing plot, amazing characters and the talent and wonder that is Juno Dawson's writing. When this book is released into the world, very soon, I highly recommend that you get yourself a copy. Give it a go and fall into the rabbit hold of escapism and mystery!

I really love Juno Dawson's previous YA books Clean and Meat Market and really hoped this would be another 5 star rating but unfortunately it just didn't hit the same mark for me.

The character of Alice was one who I would like to know in a different context, as she was clever and sarcastic which I loved but I didn't engage fully with the slightly one-dimensional characters at times or the setting. I will continue to read Juno's books and really hope she writes more LBGTQ+ books as that was something I would love to see more of!

Reductive sexist trash, Tries to recreate Alice in wonderland as a porn parody.

Aimed at children and is reductive revisionist trash

It is brave to take such a phenomenal story and link a new story with it in anyway and it is no surprise that Juno Dawson has done this to perfection. This utterly compelling, fresh and modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland, highlights Alice's quest to remember who she is and in doing so she needs to explore questions of gender, identity and battle with her mental health. She does this all whilst uncovering a wild and dark world of murder, mystery and intrigue - all beginning at with the disappearance of her friend Bunny Lindell. Alice follows her trail to Wonderland, a fabled 3 day long party full of debauchery for London's richest and most morally ambiguous teens. What happens there will have you reading into the night to finish it.

I think this is the first first person YA novel I've read with a transgender protagonist since Art of Being Normal, despite reading several NF books. Considering I've been reading YA for work for almost a decade that surprises me, but I guess we all felt it was Juno's book to write. That aspect of the book seems very well done, covering a lot of ground whilst not being an "issue" read in any way (as AoBN was). I love that nobody cares about Alice's secrets, and I love that she's sexy, and openly sexual. The Alice in Wonderland aspects are a bit hit and miss, some points are over laboured. I liked the genuine blurring of reality and the otherworld through drugs and mania, and it was a shame the last 50 pages brought clarity that some of the more outlandish plot points (incest!) were real where ambiguity would have made a more sophisticated ending.

Wonderland is a wonderful fresh and modern take on the classic Alice in Wonderland. It's a fast paced exploration of privilege and gender. It doesn't shy away from tough topics like mental health, drugs and sex, it tackles them head on very boldly and satisfyingly.

Bunny is missing and Alice has to find her. When she finds an invitation to Wonderland in Bunny's pigeon hole at school, she knows she has to attend if she has any hope of finding Bunny. So she goes down the rabbit hole...

What is it about Alice in Wonderland that captures the hearts of countless readers?

Is it the imagery? Is it the nonsensical world and logic, or is it the allegory to madness and the fantastical?

And in Juno Dawson’s Wonderland, it’s all of the above.

Alice in Wonderland has now been reimagined for the modern day, with a Gossip Girl-esque twist, in a world of the ridiculously rich and spoiled. This is the first Juno Dawson I’ve read, and I’ve heard nothing but praise and boy was I happy to see this live up to the hype.

Our main character Alice is the only outsider in this mad world of the rich. Struggling with mental illness and loneliness, Alice embarks to a party called Wonderland, in order to find her love interest Bunny who has mysteriously disappeared, leading to an action packed weekend full of twists and turns.

I absolutely adored all the Alice in Wonderland references; we have famous quotes, our Alice, our White Rabbit, The Queen of Hearts, our Caterpillar — all our beloved characters shaken up with new life, but it didn’t distract from the story. However, Alice has had the biggest change from her origins, becoming a trans woman, and having a mental illness, which she struggles with throughout the story, but she never loses her charm. She’s funny and relatable, and she’s our guide to the world of Wonderland, being introduced to it all just like she is for the first time.

But the biggest difference is the mature themes. Dawson never shies away from the darker elements of teenage life, and it can get very uncomfortable. I wouldn’t recommend this younger teens. There’s a lot of sex, drugs, violence, and attempted sexual assault. Despite that, I liked how unflinching it was. Just be prepared for it to get graphic.

If I did have a negative it would be that the ending escalated very quickly, to the point where I did wonder how we got here, but then I did remember this was an Alice retelling, where trying to be logical is pointless. It wasn’t too much of a leap, and if it was the original Alice the ending would’ve been weirder, so the ending didn’t bother me as much. It’s just that the build up had been pretty steady throughout the story, until the last few chapters.

Overall, I can’t recommend this enough. It has great characters, an intriguing plot, and the talent of Juno Dawson’s writing. It examines class structures, the decadence of the wealthy, and teenage mental health and well-being.

Give it a try, and get ready to fall into the addictive rabbit hole.