Splintered

By: A. G. Howard

Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of Underland, 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.

©2013 Anita Howard (P)2013 AudioGO

Had Potential, But That Was It...

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Pre-teen girls and anyone who enjoys cliche, corny romances.

Would you ever listen to anything by A. G. Howard again?

Probably not.

Which character – as performed by Rebecca Gibel – was your favorite?

Morpheus

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Splintered?

None. I don't like abridged productions.

Any additional comments?

It’s no secret that retold, repurposed fairy tales are all the rage in young adult novels these days. However, Splintered captures very little of the magic or charm that so many other fantasy books in the genera posses. Going in, I had high hopes for this book. The premise sounded fresh and interesting and almost all of the reviews were positive. Sadly though, the end product turned out to be a slow and difficult read. I found very little to like in any of the main characters and was frustrated with them throughout most of the book. Many of them have a punk/emo flair to their personalities, which feels unnatural, as well as immature, and makes it seem like the author is trying too hard to relate to younger readers. The female lead, Alyssa, is unfortunately meek and needed, though the novel tries to portray her as otherwise, and constantly relies on her two love interests for protection and direction. These two love interests are, I can only assume, supposed to be supportive, caring and protective. Instead they come off as creepy, over protective, and controlling. This is as frustrating and annoying as you can imagine, so I won’t go into detail about it.

Another problem I have with the novel is the words and descriptions that the author used. (I know this sounds really picky, but just bear with me.) Howard went to great lengths to describe things like clothing, kissing, table dancing, and the characters irresistible beauty, but her descriptions of scenes that involved heavy action or key events often felt lacking. In short, the dull parts of the book seemed drawn out, while the climactic and important portions felt rushed. In addition to this, it was difficult to become invested in many of the creative twists and turns that the book presented, because the words and descriptions that the author used didn’t’ feel creative or interesting. This may seem harsh, but an author’s medium is words and the value of their work depends greatly on how he/she uses them. The author presented readers with interesting places and creatures, but didn’t describe them well enough to make them fantastic.

Despite all of this, I didn’t think the book was all bad. I think that the most frustrating part of this book was that I knew it had the potential to be great. But, that greatness was lost in a weak writing style, annoying main characters, a ridiculous love triangle, and bad pacing. Howard’s ideas seem genuinely interesting, but her execution of them leaves much to be desired. I feel like if the author had waited to publish this book, and worked through some of the story’s tangles, it could have been and wonderful. Instead, I found it to be immature and exasperating. Unless you’re in middle school or like cheesy, cliché romances, I would skip this book.

Fall into this morbidly stunning wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of my all time favorite stories and is what brought me to this title. But this is a COMPLETELY different telling of venturing down to the fabeled under ground world, this story and the Lewis Carroll version actually have few things in common, and so my love for the original isn't what kept me listening. This story is more of an account of what "really happened" then what followed in the wake, and that was a very intriguing perspective. Its also great chick lit, very girl power, and a good allegory for discovering who you are and being true to your heart. Yet, for me, the best was the imagery. If reading or being told a story I can make the words turn into visions, like watching a movie in my head (I'm sure a lot of you know what this is like), and A.G. Howard describes her beautifully macabre Wonderland so artfully it is as if she's painting the scene. Howard's Wonderland is extremely dark, yet breathtakingly vibrant, and features characters/creatures you have never dreamed of but by her words can easily invision. I have not been brought to another completely imagined world so clearly since J.K. Rowling told me about the secret world of wizards and magic. Rowling managed to make her audience feel that there could be the slightest chance that world exists and Howard did the same with Wonderland.
IF none of the above draws you in, then just do it for Morpheus (A.K.A The Caterpillar) that deliciously devilish boy alone makes it worth the credit/money. Trust me.

Fantastical...Absolutely MAD!!!

This has got to be the best spin on Alice in Wonderland, EVER! I absolutely loved it! Rebecca Gibel did a wonderful job with narration. (Narration needs to be good to keep my attention.) A.G. Howard did an awesome job with this book/audiobook. I couldn't put it down. Two thumbs up! I love her take on the characters and "Wonderland" itself. There is suspense, action and romance wrapped up in a fantastical fantasy world. I definitely recommend this book.

Engaging and inventive

Where does Splintered rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Fairly high.

What did you like best about this story?

It was a wholly unexpected interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. I really dug it.

What does Rebecca Gibel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She does great voices. I felt like I was listening to multiple actors.

Any additional comments?

Usually I can't tolerate present tense books in audio but this one was well done and less clunky than present tense usually is.

Upside-down Alice Retelling!

Any additional comments?

Splintered is another one of those books that have been sitting on my TBR for the longest time. I’ve always wanted to read it because I have this fascination with Alice in Wonderland inspired fashion. (It’s totally a thing) I kept putting it off because this genre isn’t in my comfort zone. But, I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone lately, and luckily I have been finding some great stories like this. I ended up reading this one because I kept seeing Unhinged on so many ‘Top 10′ lists which definitely had me curious.

I was hooked on this story from the audible preview. A girl that kills and collect bugs and uses them for her art? It sounded so morbid and interesting. Poor Alyssa has no other choice. This is the only way she can think of to quiet the bugs since she can hear them talking. Alyssa is terrified that she will end up in the loony bin like her mother. When she and her best friend Jeb get accidentally (but on purpose) sucked into the world of Wonderland, Alyssa finds out that her great grandmother Alice is the Alice from the Lewis Carroll story. She also finds out that because of Alice, her family is cursed and Alyssa must find a way to break that curse, unless she wants to end up like her mother.

I was so happy that Alyssa had Jeb with her in her Wonderland adventures. Although they’re best friends, Alyssa has feelings for him. I was on Team Jeb right away because there was just something about him that I immediately liked. He was a good guy (which is such a nice change sometimes) and he really cared about Alyssa and put her first. Even though he was confused out of his mind and probably scared as hell, he was always worried about Alyssa’s safety. Awwwww. When Wonderland resident Morpheus shows up with a solution to Alyssa’s problems, Jeb doesn’t buy it. And with good reason! The world of Wonderland is based on the story, but much darker, dangerous and deadlier. Alyssa and Jeb are lucky if they even make it out of their alive.

I hate to say this (especially since I love the bad boys in books) but I just didn’t see the Morpheus appeal. Yeah he was mysterious and cocky and apparently he was also hot, but personally I couldn’t get passed the ‘he has wings and purple hair’ thing. This always made me picture a Disney fairy or something. Plus, instead of the ‘this guy is evil but he’s so hot so who cares’ vibe that I would normally get, I got the ‘this guy is so creepy and I don’t trust him’ vibes instead. I did enjoy his back and forth banter with Alyssa, but I couldn’t get over his creepiness factor. Although Alyssa and Jeb go through a lot in this book, I’m still rooting for them!

Confession time: I’ve never read or watched any of the Alice in Wonderland movies (I tried to watch the Disney movie when I was little and it creeped me out) so I don’t exactly know what the story is about. But I do know the basics and I love the way Howard played this up and gave it her own dark twist. This and the way she so vividly described the world of Wonderland, something that sounded beautiful even if it was dangerous, was one of my favorite aspects of the books. I did have the same problem that I do with fantasy books, there were too many names to keep track of. Sometimes I felt a little bit lost trying to remember who all the Wonderland creatures were. Still, I ended up enjoying this very much. With plenty of plot twist to keep your interest and a great romance to root for, Splintered was a brilliantly written story.
Audiobook Review: I’m so happy I went with the audiobook version for this! This story was meant to be told on audio! Rebecca Gibel outdid herself with her character performances. Especially the creatures of Wonderland! She did such a beautiful capturing the creepy voices and tones and it brought this story to life for me. I loved her Jeb voice and had a crush on it every time his character spoke. I love when a narrator can pull off the guy voices.

A Dark Take on an Old Classic!

Let me start by saying, this was the first audiobook I have ever listened to. I was a little skeptical at first, since I am your typical Barnes and Noble, old-book smell kind of girl, but this story was fantastic! If you are any fan of Alice in Wonderland or just fairy tales in general, you will love this book! There were plenty of twists and turns to keep any reader satisfied. It was heart-warming and highly original. I wanted to laugh out loud at certain points and cry at others. Overall, this was a charming book that will make you want to fall down the rabbit hole and into the chaos that is Wonderland!

A great spin on a classic tale!

If you could sum up Splintered in three words, what would they be?

Descriptive, exciting, & Captivating

What other book might you compare Splintered to and why?

Gregory Maguire(author of The Wicked Years series) . Mr. Maguire also puts a twist on other classic fairy tale books.

Have you listened to any of Rebecca Gibel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!!

Any additional comments?

Will purchase Unhinged today! This was a great read!

Enjoyable take on Alice in Wonderland

Splintered offered a fun, romantic take on Alice in Wonderland. The characters were uniquely adapted to fit into the original ideas, but stood alone as there own developed identities. A little too much romantic "dilemma" for my taste, however, that being said, I really did enjoy this book.

LOVE IT!!!

I don't have that much to say except IT WAS AMAZING!!! Anyone considering downloading this book should just do it, don't read any other reviews, just buy it. It is an amazing story based (sort of) on Alice in Wonderland. This is an amazing gothic romance novel with just the right amount of action.

Loved it!

Would you listen to Splintered again? Why?

Yes! It was a familiar, yet new tale. Lots of suspense and great descriptions!

What other book might you compare Splintered to and why?

No comparison.

Which character – as performed by Rebecca Gibel – was your favorite?

Alyssa was awesome! Rebecca showcased her strengths and emotions perfectly.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No. It was just awesome!

Any additional comments?

Nope.

Wonderland, wonderful!!

What a brilliant book and I was shocked to find out at the end that this was the first book ever written by A. G. Howard. It's beautifully written and such an easy read. I really couldn't put it down at all. Good news is i can now jump onto the next book.

Definitely recommend this book, along with the audio too.

This book is narrated by Rebecca Gibel and yet to listen to her when she does the character voices, you d actually believe that there must be a dozen or so different people!!

She literally does a different voice for all the characters in the book and not once does she repeat it for another one. She has an amazing talent and I'm seriously shocked that I've never come across her before today!!

This is one narrator who should have authors lining up to have her read their books and bring their characters to life!! This young and exceptionally talented lady has become my top no 1 for narration.

So at the very least, if the choice is book or audio, for the first time ever i say grab the audio....

However, if you can get both, then definitely do so and enjoy!!

Interesting YA take in Alice's tale but clichéd

This novel is exactly what would have stuck in my mind some years back. It's a sexy YA dark retelling of Alice's story and both the writing and the characters are a pleasure to read. The Audible narration was also very nicely done. I do believe though that there are some toxic behaviors and stock characters along with clichés that I recognize and don't like (Morpheus's constant patronizing of the heroine for example or his grooming) that should have been replaced with a less problematic appropriation of the myth.
I'll continue listening to the series because it speaks to my 15-year-old soul but I can't promise the rating will be the same or I will read until the end.

Great twisted tail

I admit it. I'm a sucker for well-done fairy-tale and SPLINTERED certainly delivers. The madness, the incredibly vivid world and full of whimsy . I've always been a wonderland fan so this book was perfect for me.

just not worth the time

I was kinda disappointed with this book. I really love Alice in Wonderland retellings and books that use it as a part of history for the story, but this one just didn't work for me.
At first, I enjoyed this story. Alyssa was an okay main character and I found her more interesting when they were in Wonderland and she kinda took charge of what was happening. But at times she felt like a "pick me girl" which was pretty annoying and I could really feel the 2000s/10s "I'm not like other girls" energy in this story. Her arc did kind of leave some of that behind as the story progressed, and I probably could have even enjoyed this story more because of that. But the thing that annoyed me the most was Jeb.
And the fact this story was drowning in YA tropes.
But first let's talk about Jeb.
Pretty much everything about Jeb annoyed me. I was really hoping that he <spoiler> wouldn't be the main love interest and that it would be Morpheus instead, but sadly Jeb was. I was also really looking forward to him being left behind in the real world when Alyssa went to Wonderland but alas he came along for the ride. And I think it would have been better if he had stayed because he was constantly getting in the way and just being all around unbearable.
He was, I felt, belittling at times. Alyssa's obsession with him put me off him more, especially when they were flirting when he has a girlfriend. (I'm not going to keep going because I could end up ranting forever.) </spoiler> I like when friends-to-lovers is done right and in this book it is far from it. It's honestly a pretty bad attempt at it. And the felt like they were barely even friends 90% of the time.
There were so many things wrong with this book. Like how it talks about mental health and how the MC's mother is treated in a mental health hospital. Which was pretty horrid. The author definitely shoved a lot of misinformation in here, like having the Alyssa's mum in a straight jacket and placed in a padded cell. Something that hasn't been done since the mid-20th century except for in films and TV.
I did like that the author gave a lot of the beings in Wonderland a creepier description, making them seem a little more unsettling. But I felt like she could have taken it a step further. Made it really creepy and maybe a bit more horrifying.
Lastly Morpheus, Alyssa's childhood friend and second love interest, was probably the only reason I finished with this book. He was the only character that I thought was 100% interesting and I think he would've better as the main love interest instead of Jeb.
Honestly, I don't think that this book was worth the hours I spent reading it and I wish I could get them back and I won't be wasting anymore time on this series.

Love Alice

Enjoyed this spin off, it’s nice easy fantasy that you can listen too. Who doesn’t love Alice?

A good twist on the original

A really clever twist on the original story of Alice and Wonderland and a with while listen

Amazing!

I really enjoyed this story,loved the twist on Alice in Wonderland. I have become really connected to the 3 Main characters Allyson,Jeb and Morpheus. I cant make up my mind who I like best out of Jeb and Morpheus,sometimes one then the other. Can’t wait to listen to the next book in the series. I enjoyed the narration and am glad that it’s the same person for all 3 books. I would recommend these to other people.

Mad and Wonderful

“Tearing down the rest of the world won't make you happy. Look inside yourself. Because finding who you were meant to be? What you were put into this world to do? That's what fills the emptiness. It's the only things that can.”

This book will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

This book is set around the world of Alice in Wonderland but not as a direct retelling. The MC Alyssa is a descendant of Alice and has to travel to Wonderland to break a curse put on her family.

As you’d expect from a Wonderland based story it’s completely mind boggling, dark, twisty, grotesque, completely mad, full of suspense, mystery and it’ll leave you guessing right until the very end.

The emotions I went through. Who to trust. What to expect. Thinking I know what’s happening but being completely wrong.. AG Howard really put me through it.

Despite the actions of certain characters I just couldn’t help but fall in love.

Alyssa is a new favourite MC for me, I love her character growth and how strong she becomes throughout the book.

I listened to the audio of this, read by Rebecca Gibel and I genuinely loved it. I’ll continue the series on audio for sure.

If you want something mad and wonderful with a touch of romance then I highly recommend this book.

“No one knows what he or she is capable of until things are at their darkest.”

Twisted and Beautiful💖💜🖤

I've always been a wonderland fan, the madness, the costumes, the characters...
This story doesnt just put a new spin on the original Alice in Wonderland, it re-imagines it, showing the deeper and darker truth.
Alyssa is the descendant of Alice Liddell, the inspiration for the original book. All the women in the family suffer an inexplainable madness from the age of puberty. Her mother is already in an assylum, and Alyssa is probably next.
In an effort to distance herself from her heritage(and the strange voices around her), she becomes a bit of a rebel. She trades cello for skating, wearing punk outfits, and creating slightly creepy yet beautiful collages with dead bugs. Her neighbour and childhood friend Jeb, a hot artist and skater, is about to leave her behind to move to london to study with his girlfriend Taelor.
When her mother expierences a 'setback' and almost kills herself, Alyssa believes her only choice is to find the rabbit hole in London like the guy in her hallucinations suggests, and fix Alice's mistakes.
The characters are reallistic, and gorgeous. I personally loved Jeb
from the start and am happy with the ending. So happy in fact that Im just gonna stop there with the series and believe thats how it truly ends, call me crazy.
The plot is intricate and full of twists, I honestly did not see the last one coming. It cept me guessing and on the edge of my seat.
Definitely reccomend.
-Sidenote: How stunning is the cover? *squeels in delight*😆

Dark and beautiful

Wonderful and spellbinding series, I just wish it was longer, I warmly recommend it!