Liz Braswell’s Unbirthday asks the question “What if Wonderland was in peril and Alice was very very late?” and is perfect for all those who wish to return to Wonderland.

Firstly, I can tell Braswell is a fan of Wonderland (or at least she had a very good editor helping her) because it was a very merry splendiferous sort book of Nonsense utilizing many hallmarks from the movie and the Carroll books. From the author’s note warning readers that only mad hatters may take mercury, readers cannot eat mercury or they will die, I knew I was in for a treat.

She has a deft voice in describing the changing landscape of Wonderland that always manage to bring people where they need to go. A fact that Alice comes to recognize and learns to trust. For in Wonderland, it’s best not to think too much. But follow your instincts like a child. It is all magically strange yet familiar and Braswell embraces the best part of Wonderland is how the child’s view of the world can be so free-ing. Unlearning all you learned makes the world more sensible. Additionally, she keeps consistent rules within the Wonderland world and in the real. Like Alice forgets her Wonderland antics while in the real world like it was a distant dream. And she forgets England and her work over there, calling it things like Angleland and such. This, of course, makes it all the more difficult for her and more compelling to read. 

Braswell kept a consistent voice in Alice combining her Victorian day sensibilities that made her feel so frustrated with Wonderland and a curious outlook on life that keeps her on the fringes of respectable society. Just the way she describes things in Aloce’s POV comparing dandelions to bread-and-butterflies, it just felt perfectly off kilter. I also enjoyed her choice to make Alice a photographer, a new sort of hobby and magic in Victorian times. It fits her curious nature and further highlights the dual worlds with mirror-like glass slides that show mundane and horrifying images. 

It’s a long book, 500 pages, split into 3 parts, and she uses every page to the best extent. Not only does she explore Alice’s return to Wonderland, but also the xenophobic forces rising in the latest mayoral race. I’ll admit I was more interested in the latter as it is unfortunately very timely. While Alice and her like-minded friends (her libertine Aunt Vivian who is such a role model and socialist-milliner, Mr. Willard, the Hatter’s real world alternate) are able to see clearly past the pure English rhetoric, Alice’s older sister doesn’t and I was eager to see how or if Alice could change her mind. 

There is also the introduction of Alice’s love interest, Katz who shares her odd outlook on life. They also tease each other and poke each other. He, calling out her privilege as a sheltered English girl with money while he was a Jewish son of immigrants. Her, reminding him that as a woman she has opportunities that he does. He was a poor immigrant that worked up to become a lawyer. She still can’t even vote. They get each other and challenge each other, and I so enjoyed their interactions. And how their bond is vital to finding the solution. In both worlds. 

However, Alice realizes what happens in the real world affects Wonderland and vice versa. After 10 years away, she is summoned back on the anniversary of her first visit because she is the only hope left against the mad Queen of Hearts. Well… Madder. Her reasons are ridiculous but they make perfect sense in a Wonderland way, and the denizens of her kingdom suffer in daily executions and maiming. Even the March Hare is killed! And the Mad Hatter, Doormouse and Dodo barely make it out alive. The Mad Hatter is bumped about, he has the Nonsense knocked out of him. And a conventional Hatter is strange indeed.

I enjoyed the darkness that is imbued in this tale, really getting into the terror of war and the injustice of prejudice rhetoric in politics and mobs. She covers the different kinds of men and women involved from the unknowing prat who just wishes to join the winning team, to the knave that does the bare minimum of effort even when he knows it’s wrong to the ones who truly fight on the front lines. While Alice acknowledges that it may be temporary solutions, at least they tried. There is also an emphasis on ——.

I would tell you, but it’s an answer to a riddle that would spoil the whole solution. So I’ll leave it here for you to ponder. 

I have mine and you have yours
It’s needed in a painting
But in the end none agree on
the meaning of the thing.

I don’t have many nitpicks as Braswell set out with an ambitious book and I believe she did well with such a grand scope. My one nitpick is that sometimes there were misspelled words like cents instead of sense, but since it’s a wonderland book I’m not sure if it was intentional or not. It was when she was in the “real” world so I think it was a mistake but who knows.

Go read the book if you want a ridiculous, nonsensical adventure into childhood and wonder. And darkness and prejudice. It’s a dual narrative of smoke and mirrors and a perfect treat for ones unbirthday.