Book Review: Meditations in Wonderland by Anna Patrick

Media Type: Ebook
Title: Meditations in Wonderland
Author: Anna Patrick
Publisher: River Grove Books
Pages: Ebook; 225
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Source: Author
———————————————–
Genre: Contemporary / Retelling

HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers who enjoy a darker look at Wonderland, and the parallels to our own minds.

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Follow Elizabeth down the rabbit hole—and meet a whole new Alice.

Elizabeth, a twenty-four-year-old interior designer living in Brooklyn, New York, encounters a little more than mental static when she sits down for her morning meditation, feeling disconnected from herself and her reality. As she meditates, she forces herself to confront her inner demons head on—including the darker parts that she would rather keep hidden from others, like her boyfriend, Adam. Her inner conflict leads her down a rabbit hole that is far different from the one she remembers from her favorite childhood story. When Elizabeth reaches the bottom of the rabbit hole, she follows a shadowy figure in a familiar blue dress who taunts her and coaxes her deeper into Wonderland.

Unable to release herself from her meditation, Elizabeth chases Alice through Wonderland, guided by clues left by Alice, as well as the dark and strangely familiar characters she meets, like the Cheshire Cat, the Tweedle twins, and the Mad Hatter. In Wonderland, Elizabeth comes face to face with her inner light and darkness, and, finally, Alice—and discovers that Alice’s secret might be what she has been searching for all along.

Where to begin with this book? It’s a little difficult to fully express how spot on this story is to exploring ones own deepest self. I don’t think I ever really stopped to consider how much Alice in Wonderland actually mirrors that kind of journey. Which is originally why I was so excited to dive into Anna Patrick’s intriguing Meditations in Wonderland. I couldn’t wait to follow Elizabeth down the rabbit hole.

I was introduced to a woman who was afraid of her own reflection. One who, on the surface, had a life filled with all the things she could want. A loving relationship, a happy home, the kind of support that we all dream of. Inside though, was a terrified Elizabeth. One who relied on uppers to get her through. Meeting her was jarring at first, but soon I began to understand the type of person that she was. Someone clinging to the good, and trying desperately to forget the darkness underneath.

Which is why I was fully prepared for the “Wonderland” that she sank into to be dark. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as dark as I’d thought it would be. However I can say that Anna Patrick does a stellar job of bringing Elizabeth’s inner Wonderland to life. The writing here was beautiful. Peppered with just the right amount of description, to lead you through the desolate and sometimes worrying landscape. I felt for Elizabeth. I wanted her to succeed. Despite some slow parts through this narrative, I still wanted to keep reading on, just to make sure she was okay.

Really my one biggest gripe was Alice herself. I can’t say too much, for fear of spoiling anything, but I wanted to the showdown between these two to be much more than it was. I appreciated the relationship between these two. Loved the dichotomy between light and dark. All the nods to the original Wonderland were brilliant. I just wanted more action, and perhaps a little more tension.

Overall, this is an extremely interesting look at the parallels between Alice in Wonderland and our own minds! It’s a solid story, and one that I think you’ll enjoy getting lost in. Just mind that you don’t also get sucked down the rabbit hole.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.

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