Dunkelheit im Spiegelland

The Chronicles of Alice #3

by Christina Henry, Sigrun Zühlke (Translator)

Alice und der Axtmörder Hatcher haben in Christina Henrys finsterem Wunderland schrecklichen Gefahren getrotzt – jetzt erfahren die Fans, wie es mit den beiden weitergeht, und sie dürfen zudem tief in das Innerste von Henrys beliebtesten Figuren blicken: In einer von vier Kurzgeschichten berichtet Hatcher aus der Zeit, als er selbst noch Nicholas hieß und der beste Kämpfer der Alten Stadt war. In zwei anderen erzählt Alice von einer gruseligen Nacht in einem Schloss sowie von einem dunklen Geheimnis, das sie sogar vor Hatcher geheimhält. Und der Leser lernt Alice' Schwester Elizabeth kennen, die sich vom Jabberwock finstere Gedanken einflüstern lässt...

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Retellings, Fiction, Short Stories, Adult, Magic

369 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 21, 2020

About the author

Christina Henry is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include GOOD GIRLS DON'T DIE, HORSEMAN, NEAR THE BONE, THE GHOST TREE, LOOKING GLASS, THE GIRL IN RED, THE MERMAID, LOST BOY, RED QUEEN, ALICE, and the seven book urban fantasy BLACK WINGS series.

Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies ELEMENTAL FORCES, CURSED, TWICE CURSED, GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE and KICKING IT.

She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

You can visit her on the web at
www.christinahenry.net
Facebook: authorChristinaHenry
Threads: authorChristinaHenry
Instagram: authorChristinaHenry
Goodreads: goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

And this is the end my beautiful and only friends as like Jim Morrison has sang.

Most of the readers have been disappointed after the second book which I read yesterday. (I devoted my three days to finish trilogy and the start was so impressive, at the second book we just startled by bumpy roads and disappointed by the direction and team Alcher’s absence because Hatcher turns into big bad bloody wolf and started losing his humanity parts)

So this book could be great conclusion of the story I fully invested and root for Alice and Hatcher a.k.a team Alcher forever! Or it could be another disappointment forced me howling to the moon and throwing eggs against my neighbors’ windows. (This is my hobby! They still have no evidence against me and any bad book ending can give me the motivation to avenge my noisy, prying neighbors anyways.)

At 58 pages I was a little pissed because we’re directly introduced to Elizabeth, the sister Alice forgot now replacing Alice in the family and surprise, surprise, Elizabeth is also a magician and she has powers like Alice.

Nearly half of the book is about her story and her meeting with Jabberwocky as a purple butterfly in a jar. I was a little frustrated at first because the book is already short and I needed more Alice and Hatcher time and their HEA or tragic ending (Whatever the author decided I was so ready to welcome it with open arms.) but after reading Elizabeth’s story, I liked her character and I understood connection of two sisters because they telepathically helped each other to fight against different kinds of monsters and save themselves. And I think this is a small indication that author is planning a spinoff about Elizabeth and we’re gonna see future stories of team Alcher as well.

Rest of the book was fast pacing. Alice and Hatcher’s adventures take an unexpected turn which means they’re so close to their HEA or be killed by a kind of cult a.k.a. a vicious council members. And there are some great news but I’m not gonna share it. Ending was a little fast and haphazard for me. I wanted to read more about this epic duo but I’m happy that the author gave us some glimpses from Hatcher’s Nicholas times.

So it was riveting, entertaining, bloody, moving, dark, unconventional read with Christina Henry’s unique, extra ordinary, amazing world-building. This is amazing trilogy and retelling of Alice’s adventures.

I gave Alice: Full four stars.

Red Queen: Three stars

This book keeps the first book’s Crazy train ride soul and promising writing but it was too short and seeing my favorite characters in the middle of the book was disappointing experience. So I gave 3.5 stars but I’m rounding it up 3.5 stars to 4!

OVERALL: I NEED MORE BOOKS OR A SPINOFF OF ELIZABETH ASAP!

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[Miranda Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely Creature

She didn't want to be troubled with worries over a ghost sister...She wanted to pretend that all the uncomfortable knowledge she'd gained today was just some silly fancy...

Elizabeth Violet Hargreaves is having a horrible day. There's voices in her head, magic is flowing through her fingertips and the world has suddenly become far more dangerous. Life looks bleak but she's bound and determined to fight her way through.

This one was a good introduction to this world and the magic system. I was really intrigued by this world and Elizabeth was an interesting main character.

Girl in Amber

Alice stared at him. "You're mad."
"Well, yes, I am."

Alice and Hatcher are on the run. One terrible storm and Alice becomes trapped...by a thing. A creature. She'll have to dive deep into her magician powers to escape - but what if she doesn't have it in her?

Oh my gosh. I think I've just fallen in love with Alice and Hatcher. I absolutely HAVE to read the main series now!!

When I First Came to Town

I can't forget. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I don't deserve to.

This one follow's Hatcher's origins and a bit of how he came to be. His life is rough, to put it mildly and each decision seems to bring him more misfortune. Is he doomed forever or is there salvation on the horizon?

This one really cemented Hatcher as one of my favorite characters - I really felt for him and I was so happy to get to the next story.

The Mercy Seat

"There is danger ahead for you. I can feel it."

Hatcher and Alice have found a town - one that is besieged by the righteous and promises nothing but problems for the two of them. But traveling through is unavoidable - and the troubles associated with it as well.

I really liked the adventure of this one. I kind of predicted where it was going but I really enjoyed the journey!

With thanks to the author and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

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[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love these novellas and how Christina Henry reinvents our favorite fairy tales with a dark touch. Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories, and this was a fun, nostalgic treat for me, again with a spin. I’m excited to see what fairy tale or classic she’ll tackle next.

More thoughts to come.

I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking Glass comprises 4 novellas set in the dangerous and distinctly grown-up world of Alice; a child's story turned on its head by talented author Christina Henry.

Each of the novellas are must-reads for fans of the duology (which features the fantastical horrors Alice, and Red Queen). Not only does this collection breathe new life into Alice but expands on the stories previously told in the full length novels whilst adding a little more to the broader continuity (I thinking about the novellas LOVELY CREATURE in particular here).

My favorite (though only just) is the novella in which we learn more about Hatcher's backstory in WHEN I FIRST CAME TO TOWN. I knew Hatcher's past was stained blood red, but, reading this puts everything into perspective and makes Hatcher more than a simple sidekick along for the muscle; he's a bona-fide star of the duology in his own right.

GIRL IN AMBER is perfect for the dangerous and dark world of Alice and serves as the singular most 'horror-like' novella in the collection. I won't spoil by going into detail but will say that this novella has some serious nightmare-inducing qualities.

The collection is rounded off with THE MERCY SEAT which felt more 'fantasy' to me than the previous three novellas. I liked this and thought it was a fitting way to end the collection.

[Ksia_zkowe Oliwia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,7

[Diana]

DNF'ed at pg 154

And it's with a heavy heart that I have to say this book wasn't for me/wasn't what I was expecting/maybe it wasn't the right time to read it... but as much as I have loved all books by Christine Henry and this one has bored me immensely.

I have read and loved all her books (minus the black wings series, which I haven't read) and the Alice retelling she did is one of my faves, so when this book was out I jumped into it without second thoughts, but... I just couldn't connect to it.

It's composed by 4 stories that somewhat connect/follow each other:
- lovely creature - about alice's sister getting into wonderland and being temped to free the jaberwock and spending the entire time saying she is not alice she is herself
- girl in amber - about alice and hatcher with alice entering in a very alien like house and with her spending all her time saying how she has to save herself
- when i first came to town - it's about hatcher past and when i stopped reading
- the mercy seat - i think it's about a place alice and hatcher encounter while traveling, but have 0 interest on reading it

The writting was somewhat repetitive, the characters took forever in coming to terms with their own actions and there were a bunch of boring internal monologues.

[Marianne Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice end to the series I thought. Naturally with it being a collection of 4 short stories, the stakes never felt quite as high. Its also not my favorite format to read in however after loving the first two I wasn't quite ready to let the world go and I certainly enjoyed reading just that bit more in these shorts.

[Tintenwelten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dieser dritte und finale Teil unterscheidet sich ein wenig von seinen Vorgängern. Bei den beiden handelt es sich um Romane, hier erhalten wir vier Kurzgeschichten, die nahtlos an die Ereignisse des zweiten Bandes anschließen. Man bemerkt allerdings eigentlich gar nicht, dass es sich um einzelne Geschichten handelt, weil sie alle irgendwie doch miteinander verwoben sind. Sie wirken eher wie vier extrem lange Kapitel.

Die erste Kurzgeschichte erzählt von einem ungewöhnlichen Ausflug, den Alices' kleine Schwester macht. Dort erfahren wir auch mehr über ihr Elternhaus und die Gesellschaft, in der Alice aufgewachsen ist.

In der zweiten Kurzgeschichte ist Alice gezwungen die Nacht in einem mehr als mysteriösen Haus zu verbringen.

Die dritte Kurzgeschichte entführt in Hatchers Vergangenheit und beschreibt wie er vom jungen Nicholas zum verrückten Axtmörder wurde.

In der vierten Kurzgeschichte werden Alice und Hatcher auf eine weitere Probe gestellt.

Auch hier hat mich neben der phantastischen und magischen Welt sowie den beiden bereits bekannten Protagonisten wieder besonders der Schreibstil überzeugt. Dieser ist sehr metaphorisch und erschafft eine dunkle und oft beängstigende Atmosphäre, die definitiv nichts für schwache Nerven ist. Teilweise kommt die Geschichte auch ziemlich blutig und brutal daher, wie man es schon aus den Vorgängern gewöhnt ist.

Manch einer mag sich fragen: braucht man diese Kurzgeschichten? Bieten sie einen Mehrwert zum ersten und zweiten Band? Ich meine ja, wenn einem die Vorgänger gefallen haben. Denn sie bieten zusätzliche Informationen und geben Einblick, wie es weitergeht mit Alice und Hatcher bezüglich deren Beziehung, deren Kräften und ihrer Zukunft. Für meinen Geschmack machen diese Kurzgeschichten die Trilogie rund und geben ihr einen würdigen Abschluss.

[Mewa · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Gdzie trafiają milknące głosy? Wyciekają z pomieszczeń przez szpary w podłodze, by żyć w innym miejscu, czy już zawsze szukają innych zbłąkanych głosów w miejscu, gdzie razem będą tworzyć harmonię?“

[Tucker Almengor]

i did not enjoy her recent book, Girl in Red but ONLY because of the ending. if she can nail the endings in this, i'll love it

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[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

me, managing to finish a book???????? impossible.

and yet I did it, so take that Goodreads challenge

[Mika (Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all the girls who save themselves
and all the girls still learning how

The last book in this series was quite different from the first two. It is divided into 4 parts and only 2 of them are continuing the plot where it left of. The other 2 are memories, one from Alice (+ Elizabeth) and one from Hatcher.

My favourite part was actually the first one which was a memory or dream from Alice about a character named Elizabeth. At first I was quite annoyed by how stupid she was, but that lead into a gloomy, but also tense setting. I wanted to find out more and more while I read. When I finished this part I was sad that it ended. Elizabeth was despite her stupid decisions actually a likeable character, which I wished to see more of.

Another part I liked was the background storie of Hatcher. Especially how Hatcher was living his life when he was still young (before all the bad things happened). It was interesting to read. Especially the battle he had and how he was trained by someone the reader already know.

I also really enjoyed the first part of the actual plot, as it was pretty tense. Alice and Hatcher were looking out for a place to stay while it started to snow. Alice found a house, but it wasn't an ordinary house. I almost always dislike house horror as it's too typical and I read and watched too many, which leads to me being bored out, but once again Christina Henry did a great job and I can't praise her writing style enough. I love how she writes horror.

Even more so, I'm disappointed once more how little horror actually happened in this book. The first book was the only one I can say to have actual lots of horror, but I needed to reduce the rating due to a certain element (rather shock than horror honestly) made me feel triggered, which was a shame as I, except that, actually liked the first book the most.

Another thing that bothered me was even though the side stories were cool, the actual plot was about 100 pages only and thus leading me to wonder, if the side stories were only made so that the book isn't too short.
What bothered me the most, is about Elizabeth who seeemed to be quite important, but was never mentioned again. I had hoped to see her again in the actual plot later on. Specially, as a certain question that popped up in my head while reading was left unanswered.

Started: 16. October 2024
Finished: 16. October 2024

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really dissapointing. Half of the book is wasted on stories that don't matter. Why does Alice suddenly have a sister with 0 personality and why does she never appear again later in the book. Hatcher's backstory was so unneccesary. We already knew everything, this was just a boring retelling of what we already knew. I would have loved it if this book just had one overarching storyline like the other books in this series. The pure city was a really interesting concept that barely had the chance to be explored plus characters are added that leave within 5 sentences. Who is Olivia? What kind of person is Thora? If you're not going to write a lot about them maybe just don't include them at all? Honestly this book is such a mess and I really don't like how this story ended ugh


Spoilers
Litterally the whole book Alice is like "oh no Hatcher is half wolf half man and I want him to be 100% man and not wolf but that's unfair to him. Uh maybe explore that? I personally think that at least a conflict should have been present in the book. imo it would be a much better ending if Alice and Hatcher would grow apart and go their seperate ways. Loving eachother enough to let eachother go yk

[❤︎ ⸆⸉ Chelsea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s no reason why this book took me 2 months to read aside from the fact that it’s random dragging and boring. I loved the first book and would have kept reading it for another 100 pages. The second book was random but ended okay. This? Elizabeth’s chapter went no where. The village of pure was unnecessary. I’m not sure what the point of this book was.

[KillerBunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very very good!!! My favorite story was "When I first came to town" learning more about Nicholas back story was so interesting. I liked this book a bit less than the first one but more than the second !

[Carm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four short stories that compliment Henry’s “The Chronicles of Alice” series. It’s not absolutely necessary to read, but it will provide some background and some closure for hardcore fans.

Lovely Creature: 4 ⭐️
Girl in Amber: 3.5 ⭐️
When I First Came to Town: 3.5 ⭐️
The Mercy Seat: 3.5 ⭐️
Overall (rounded up): 4 ⭐️

[Spartan Ranger ☢ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking Glass, The Chronicles of Alice #3
C. Henry, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elizabeth Violet Hargreaves trotted down the stairs in her new blue dress, her blond hair neatly done up in curls and ribbons. She couldn't wait to show Mama and Papa how pretty she looked. Elizabeth had spent several moments admiring her appearance from all angles in her looking glass, until her maid Dinah had told her enough was enough and that she should get downstairs else she would miss breakfast.

Endlich ein neues Buch zu den Chronicles of Alice! Ich konnte es kaum erwarten, dass das Buch endlich raus kommen würde, leider bin ich jetzt erst dazu gekommen, es zu lesen. Und wie man anhand der Lesedauer sieht, war es wirklich gut - so, wie ich es von Christina Henry nicht anders erwarten würde. Ihre Retellings sind einfach großartig und ich fand die Bücher Alice und Red Queen einfach nur unglaublich gut!

Dieses Buch hingegen bietet weitere Geschichten und Informationen, die nach den Ereignissen in den beiden vorherigen Büchern spielen. Und beginnen tut es, mit einer Geschichte über Elizabeth, die, wie sich rausstellt, Alice jüngere Schwester sein muss. Es war sehr gut geschrieben, so, als würde ich Alice im Wunderland oder ein ähnliches Buch lesen und es hat mir unglaublich Spaß gemacht.

Die Kapitel danach befassen sich mit Alice und Hatcher, die auf dem Weg sind, um sich ein neues Zuhause irgendwo aufzubauen, wo sie ungestört sein können. Außerdem gibt es weitere Informationen über Hatcher und ein Kapitel über seine Vergangenheit, wie er zu dem wurde, was heute ist und wie er seine damalige erste große Liebe getroffen hat. Im finalen Kapitel müssen die beiden einen finalen Kampf bestreiten, bevor sie für sich das Paradies finden, in dem sie zusammen bleiben können, ohne, dass sie wegen ihrer Fähigkeiten auffallen.

Es waren nur kurze Kapitel, da kann natürlich keine tiefere Geschichte daraus aufgebaut werden. Das merkt man allerdings auch, da vieles wirklich schnell passiert und es nicht sehr in die Tiefe geht. Aber das ist nicht weiter schlimm.

Wieso ziehe ich dann einen Stern ab? Die Geschichte von Elizabeth hat mich neugierig gemacht und als ich gemerkt habe, dass die Kapitel doch miteinander zu tun haben, dachte ich, vielleicht begegnen sich Alice und Elizabeth - so wurde es auch im ersten Kapitel angedeutet. Aber das passiert nicht. Das ist wirklich schade. Ich hatte mich sehr darauf gefreut, zu lesen, wie die zwei aufeinander treffen. Außerdem fand ich das Kapitel von Hatcher ein wenig meh ... ich lese ja grundsätzlich sehr ungern seitenlange Kampfszenen und hier ging es ja fast nur um sein Leben als Kämpfer und wie er sich auf diesen einen wichtigen Kampf vorbereitete. Ich persönlich fand das Kapitel daher ein wenig langweilig.

Aber dennoch, eine tolle Ergänzung und für mich als Fan auf jeden Fall etwas, das ich lesen wollte. Ich würde mich auch über mehr von Alice und Hatcher und Elizabeth freuen. Auch, wenn die Hoffnung auf einen weiteren Teil recht klein ist, gebe ich sie dennoch nicht auf und hoffe, noch mehr über die drei lesen zu können.

[Carrie (brightbeautifulthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most companion material, this collection is wholly unnecessary except for the most diehard fans of this world. I don’t think the novella format is best-suited for any of these stories. Either they come off entirely too long for what they are (“Lovely Creature”), or they feel like disjointed pieces of a larger story (“Girl in Amber”, “The Mercy Seat”). “When I First Came to Town” is the only one that feels properly paced. They all have the same basic over-arching messages as the first two books: this is a wicked world, in Old City or out of it, and people will do anything to possess magic, especially if those magicians are women. Where I found it poignant in Alice, it’s tired by this point.

I lowkey hated “Lovely Creature” and its annoying, singsong narration. Child narrators are difficult to pull off with any degree of verisimilitude, and it doesn’t work here. “Girl in Amber” pulls a lot of its horror from Alien-style monsters, which feels somewhat at odds with the dark fairy tale vibe of the rest of the series. However, it does offer some tension in a locked-room horror kind of way. While I love Hatcher, I don’t care much for prequels, and I don’t feel like I needed the dip into his backstory with “When I First Came to Town” to understand his character. “The Mercy Seat” was probably my favorite story. Although it isn’t that strong plot-wise, I like seeing where two of my favorite characters end up. All together, they round out the universe a bit more but don’t provide anything vital.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS!! ALL 4 OF THE NOVELLAS IN HERE WERE AMAZING! I LOVED EVERY ONE! MY FAVOURITE WAS DEFINITELY THE FIRST THOUGH I LOVED READING ABOUT ALICE'S LITTLE SISTER AND HONESTLY I WANT ANOTHER BOOK WITH HER TRYING TO FIND ALICE!!! ALSO THAT LAST STORY?? I?? OMG!! I HAVE NO WORDS

I JUST REALLY HOPE WE GET MORE IN THE ALICE SERIES I REALLY DO BECAUSE I LOVE THE WORLD FAR TOO MUCH TO LET IT GO JUST YET

[eris · Rating 5 out of 5]

te książki, mimo zawartych w sobie okrutnościach, przynoszą mi dziwnego rodzaju komfort. wrócenie do tego świata było świetną przygodą i już za nim tęsknie :”)

[Marcel Haußmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christina Henry konnte mich mit den Chroniken von Alice bisher sehr begeistern, deshalb war klar das auch der dritte Band der Reihe der vier Kurzgeschichten enthält einziehen musste:

Alice und Hatcher haben dem dunklen Wunderland getrotzt und jegliche Gefahren überwunden. Zeit einen tieferen Einblick in die Figuren zu erhalten. So werfen wir einen Blick zurück in Hatchers Vergangenheit als er noch den Namen Nicholas trägt. Außerdem erfahren wir von einer gruseligen Nacht die Alice in einem Schloss verbracht hat und lernen ihre Schwester Elizabeth kennen die gerne mehr über ihre Schwester Alice erfahren möchte. Des Weiteren verrät Alice ihr dunkelstes Geheimnis das nicht mal Hatcher kennt...

Christina Henry hat mit ihrer dunklen Neuerzählung der Alice Saga bei mir direkt ins Schwarze getroffen. Ich mochte die düstere Stimmung im Albtraumland und die hier herrschende Brutalität. Für mich hat die Autorin hier ein wirklich geniales Setting geschaffen. Nach dem Ende von Band 2 hatte ich allerdings nicht das Gefühl eines Abschlusses der Geschichte. Dieser folgt nun in Form von vier Kurzgeschichten, ein sehr ungewöhnlicher Weg aber er funktioniert!

Ein bezauberndes Mädchen:
Die Geschichte um Alice Schwester Elizabeth ist das Highlight der Sammlung. Wir lernen Elizabeth kennen die durch einen Zufall in die Dunkle Stadt kommt, wo sie auf interessante neue Figuren trifft aber auch auf alte Bekannte. Eine sehr düstere und spannende Geschichte.

Mädchen in Bernstein:
In der Geschichte bricht Alice auf ins grüne Land und landet dabei in einem verwunschenen Haus in dem sie eine Horrornacht erwartet. Die Idee und zur Geschichte fand ich echt super aber hier hätte man Hatcher ruhig stärker einbinden können, der hat mir gefehlt.

Als ich zum ersten Mal in die Stadt kam:
Hier werfen wir nochmal einen Blick in Hatchers Vergangenheit als er noch Nicholas hieß. Es gab nochmal ein paar interessante Details aber vieles weiß man schon und so war leider keine Spannung gegeben. Für mich die schwächste der Geschichten.

Der Gnadenthron:
Die Geschichte bildet den Abschluss der kompletten Chronik, deshalb will ich gar nicht zu viel verraten. Mir hat sie aber gut gefallen und man kann sich damit gut von der Reihe verabschieden.

Die Geschichten sind alle miteinander verknüpft so das es immer einen schönen Übergang zur nächten Story gibt, das hat die Autorin wirklich toll hinbekommen. Der Schreibstil ist wie in den beiden Vorgängern meist spannend, düster und sehr bildhaft. So schafft es die Autorin die Geschichten lebendig werden zu lassen und den Leser ein letztes Mal ins Albtraumland zu entführen.

Dunkelheit im Spiegelland setzt nicht nur die Hauptgeschichte fort, sondern gibt auch nochmal einen tieferen Einblick in die Charaktere und das Setting. Auch diesmal konnte mich Christina Henry trotz kleinerer Schwächen wieder überzeugen. Ein schöner Abschluss für die Reihe und für Fans ein absolutes Must - Read.

4 von 5 Sternen

Die erste Geschichte

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/04/27/...

Novellas and anthologies? Typically not my thing. But since this collection was not only written by Christina Henry but is also part of her incredible Chronicles of Alice world, I knew I would make an exception. Looking Glass features four new stories set in the same universe as Alice and Red Queen, which reimagines Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland through dark horror lens. It is not a sequel per se, but seeing as this grim quartet of interlinked short tales serves as a continuation of the saga, it would be helpful to have read the previous novels.

Lovely Creature – 4 stars

This opening story was also my favorite of the bunch. It follows a young girl named Elizabeth who lives with her family in New City. The first time she heard the name “Alice” spoken in their house was after the news came that the asylum burned down, and Elizabeth was perplexed by the reaction. Her father was quick to dismiss it, while her mother seemed heartbroken, and it wasn’t until later that Elizabeth learned the truth: Alice was the name of an older sister she never knew, and it was because everyone thought she was mad so she was sent away.

Clearly though, the memory of Alice stayed. Everyone thinks Elizabeth reminds them of her, and she’s sick of hearing it…especially from the voices in her own head. The thing is, what nobody knows is that Elizabeth has magic. And though it has helped her get out of trouble in the past, now having the talent also draws danger to her.

This story was a great one to lead with, for several reasons, and not least because it was one of the stronger ones. Elizabeth was a charming character, full of the innocence and delight of a small child. But while she may be sheltered, she’s no dummy—she knows her world is not a nice place, and there are plenty of bad folk out there who would harm little girls…bad folk like Cheshire, Caterpillar, and the Rabbit. This story also introduces the harsh world of the Chronicles of Alice, and the wealth disparity seen between New City and Old City. Elizabeth is thrown into a situation where everything is new to her, and none of it is pleasant. But by using her magic and her wits, she not only manages to teach the villains a lesson, she also proves she is clever and can save herself.

Girl in Amber – 3 stars

Alice wakes up from a dream about her little sister at the beginning of this story, and we find out that she and Hatcher are between homes at the moment, looking for a place to settle down and put down roots. But before they can get too far, winter sets in and the two of them find themselves stranded in the middle of a blizzard. They decide to have Hatcher shift into his wolf form in order to scout ahead, though that does mean Alice will have to continue alone for a while. Freezing, she has no choice but to take shelter in an abandoned house full of strange horrors.

This story was probably my least favorite in this collection. For lack of a better term, it just seemed pointless—most of it was about Alice stumbling around in the snow and in the dark. Once inside the creepy house of horrors, it felt like this story was simply throwing any and all kinds of unsettling experiences at her, from scary visions to monstrous creatures, but the truth was none of it was actually all that frightening. I get what message Henry was trying to send here, but I wish she’d gone about it in a more memorable way.

When I First Came to Town – 3.5 stars

Before Alice, Hatcher had a very different life. His name was Nicholas, for one, and he also had a wife and child. When I First Came to Town is a story about how he met his beloved Hattie, flashing back to his teenage years working at a fight club trying to make enough money to get out of Old City. So when his boss sets him up to fight the hulking man known as Grinder—called that because he always leaves his opponents dead or injured so badly they never fight again—Nicholas has little choice but to accept, because the money was just too good. Luckily for Nicholas though, he has a trick or two up his sleeve. He realizes he has magic, which will give him an advantage in the ring, but will it be enough to keep in alive?

I love the character of Hatcher, and it was interesting to get this glimpse into this past, though it is difficult to reconcile the teenager in this story to the broken man he is now, since the two are so different. However, we certainly got to see where his gentle and caring side came from, and the way it led him to Hattie. Still, even in his youthful heart, Nicholas also had a steely resolve in him, which helped him face up to the pure evil in tale.

The Mercy Seat – 3.5 stars

This final tale was all right, not the best or worst of the collection, but I do feel it deserves special attention because of the way it brings closure to the series. Chronologically, it takes place shortly after Girl in Amber, following the harsh winter in which Alice and Hatcher finally finds shelter with a kind witch named Olivia. At the beginning of this story, Alice makes a startling discovery, and knows it’s a sign they must leave to find a permanent place to settle down.

But once more, Alice and Hatcher’s journey is fraught with peril. They come upon a seemingly peaceful village, only to find out that beneath its idyllic surface, a terrible secret is what keeps everyone in line. As the two of them fight to protect each other, Alice and Hatcher realize what they truly mean to one another, and what they both want out of this life. Given this, the central conflict in this tale seems almost incidental given the more significant revelations and other major themes at play here, but it does end on a happy note, which I think is ultimately what readers will latch onto. After all, these characters have been through hell and then some, and it’s high time they deserve some peace. The Mercy Seat, while short, gives Alice and Hatcher their perfect ending, and so as a collection, Looking Glass earns a thumbs up from me.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I love the dark and twisted take on Alice in Wonderland that Christina has given us so far and these just add to the hostile, creepy atmosphere that her stories ooze.
I always love when an author gives us more of a story, more of characters, more of a world that we grow to love and these give a depth to the characters that we might have missed without them.
I read this book pretty quick, each of the novellas are captivating and full of tension and I just had to read more.
A wonderful addition to The Chronicles of Alice.

[Clara (The Bookworm of Notre-Dame) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ✨

Liked it a lot but I may have to read the other novellas now!

TW: mention of pedophilia

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opowiadanie pierwsze - 4⭐
Opowiadanie drugie - 3,5⭐
Opowiadanie trzecie - 4,5⭐
Opowiadanie czwarte - 2,5⭐

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Christina Henry writes a new book, and it doesn't even matter what kind of book it is, I know I want it and need it. When it is a new installment to her Alice series, I know I want and need to pre-order it and then when I find out that there will be a special edition with a signed book plate there is no way I will order the book anywhere else. And when that book comes in, there's is no way I will read another book before that one.

Once more Henry managed to write four very captivating tales about dangerous situations where women save themselves or are being saved, because they are not ready yet to save themselves. And all four stories have the same message. There is a strong power somewhere inside us, the power to survive the worst of days and to get out of the most dangerous situations alive. And yet, that message is never TOO obvious. It's not just about the message.

It's also about the journey, about Alice and Hatcher finally finding a place to settle down and to leave all their pain and worries and dangers behind. All four stories are in a way interconnected, even though it are very much four different stories. And all four they are building towards that one satisfying moment at the very end, when we know that if there will be more books set in this world, it will not be about Alice and Hatcher fighting darkness and monsters.

And apart from creating unique characters, true to the ones Lewis Caroll created and yet original too, Henry also managed to once more bring a little of the Wonderland magic into the story. When we return to the old city, in two of the stories, we are once more confronted with the harshness of the world and with the magic brightening it a little. And the adventures outside the city make the magic bloom and show us the dark side of power and the nonsense side of creation.

I know that Henry's other stories are just as amazing as her Wonderland ones, but if she ever writes another one you can be sure that once more I want to have that special edition, wherever I can get it.

[April Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC received from Netgalley in return for an honest review*

This four-part novella set captured me in a way I wasn't expecting. I went into these stories not realizing it was part of a bigger series but I still found myself captivated by the characters and the stories being told.

You get to meet Elizabeth, a young girl that now sits in Alice's place.

You see Alice and Hatcher traveling together.

You find out who Nicholas was before Hatcher.

Lastly, you see Alice and Hatcher continue their path to finding a home.

Each of these stories has a dark edge to them that reminds me so much of the original, chaotic Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I don't know much about the series this is attached to but now I want to go back and read them and see some of these connections fall into place.

[Librarian Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 5 Stars ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I just added The Chronicles of Alice box set to my Amazon cart. So there’s that.
Christina Henry is a creepy genius. I don’t know how she can write so beautifully and yet make you feel so unbelievably disturbed.

“Any man who would do something like that to a woman is not a man”.

This last book of the series brings you on a journey to discover the pasts of Alice and Hatcher and the reason why they ended up in the Old City. It was exactly what I thought in my head but with some unexpected mingling of characters passing through. I would give anything to have this series be made into a movie or heck even a TV show series would be badass.

I had so many tabs marking important moments but as I am writing this I realized all those moments would give away too much of the story. So sorry, looks like you’re on your own on this one. Go out and start Alice (book 1) then thank me later.

[Anne Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

War. Das. Toll. 😊
Ich liebe die düstere Erzählweise der Autorin - und das man dazu alte Bekannte wiedertrifft, hat mich fast selig gemacht.
Ein toller Kurzgeschichtenband, der einfach ein MUSS für Fans der Reihe ist!

[Irena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐