Khanh the Killjoy

In a blink, his wings fully manifest and slice the smoky haze, peeling it back to reveal him in his true state: flawless, pale skin, masquerade-style patches curved like ivy beneath his eyes. The teardrop-shaped jewels flash bright and blinding through a rainbow of colors, so many moods they can’t be read.

His wings spread out behind him—at once intimidating and majestic.

It's Morpheus in the flesh.

Morpheus, you glorious motherfucker. LET ME LOVE YOU. Let me do unspeakable things to you.

***SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK. NO SPOILERS FOR THE SECOND***

This is a beautifully written book, full of wonder, magic, and fantastical creatures not to be outdone by Tim Burton's Alice. However, it was woefully lacking in an actual plot, the majority of the plot being composed of Alyssa sticking her head in the sand going "La la la, this is not happening. I don't want anything to do with the other world because I want my normal life back. I am going to pretend that I do not have any responsibilities to the world in which I am a queen. I'm so sorry that Wonderland is going to pieces. Leave me alone, Morpheus."

There is a tragic absence of Wonderland, and this book contains way too much love triangle fuckery than I would have liked. This book is one of the rare, rare instances when I think it is actually acceptable to have a love triangle..., I understand the need for the love triangle, since it's not imposed superficially, we're dealing with one mystical being with whom Alyssa has grown up with in her dreams, and one real, living boy with whom Alyssa has grown up with in real life. But really, is there such a need to draw out the love triangle to the extent that it eclipses the---again, very nonexistent and not impending---plot?

Summary: It is a year after Alyssa's adventures in Wonderland. Her mother is out of the mental asylum, she has been dating Jeb, her real life boy, her childhood friend. They are contemplating a future together in England next year, when Alyssa has graduated from high school.

Her adventures in Wonderland still haunts Alyssa's dreams. The remnants of that life still stays with her, expressed through her art...but more than that, Wonderland and its creatures are still reaching out to her. Her mosaics are coming to life, waking up on its own.

Insects still whisper in her ears. Morpheus still haunts her. Alyssa may be with Jeb by day, but her nights are filled with dreams of Morpheus.

But now he’s taken up residence in my REM once more. He’s here every time Jeb is gone, keeping me company—even though I don’t ask him to.
Sharing that much of your subconscious with someone, you tend to learn things about him. Sometimes you even develop feelings for him, no matter how you try to fight it.

Alyssa thought she was done with Wonderland. She is a queen in name only, she gave up her throne to a regent. Queen Grenadine and Queen Ivory now rule Wonderland.

There's just one problem, Red is back, she wants her throne, and she'll do anything to get it, including wreaking havoc in the real world. Sister Two is also on the lam.

Alyssa doesn't want anything to do with Wonderland, she's well aware that Wonderland is in danger, but she just wants to live a normal life, that of a human girl and her human boyfriend. She doesn't want to be queen. But like it or not, fragments of Wonderland is slowly encroaching into the real world, and threatening Alyssa as well as the ones she loves, like Jeb and her mother. Like it or not, Alyssa has her duties to both worlds.

I can’t just turn my back on that world; I can’t let it fade to decay and ruin under Queen Red’s thumb. Yet I can’t abandon the people I love here, either. I don’t know how to follow one side of me without leaving the other one behind.

There is more to her mother than Alyssa knows. There are more family secrets to uncover, more spies in their midst. There is a betrayal that might be Alyssa's undoing.

"...the one closest to you will betray you in the worst possible way.”

The Setting: I have no complaints on A.G. Howard's skills at bringing the creatures of Wonderland to life. Her writing is excellent, and her descriptions are brilliantly evocative without being flowery in any way. I have always loved the creatures of Wonderland, and they have returned to us, as fantastic and horrifying as they are. We meet some old friends, although I wished there were more of them. Gossimer. Chessie. Rabid White. Oh, poor, sad little Rabid White. Never has a dilapidated antlered bald rabbit creature seem so endearing in its ugliness.

[Morpheus] sits Indian style in front of Rabid in an oddly endearing scene, like one friend comforting another. He’s tucked a pair of earbuds into Rabid’s humanoid ears. The creature’s ancient face fills with wonder as he bobs in time with the music.

There are insidious clown messengers, the completely fucked-up and batshit crazy Sister two. The incomparable beauty of Ivory and Gossamer. In one word: glorious.

The Characters: I suppose I have to critique Alyssa's character, since she's main character and everything, but really, Morpheus is my main motive for reading this book. Fine, I'll write a word or two about Alyssa. She's ok, I liked her. I wish that she was...better, you know? I like my heroines to be stronger, to be willing to face danger, to be willing to make sacrifices in the name of heroism. Alyssa's just not there yet.

Alyssa's not exactly brave. She is an ostrich, sticking her head in the sand, pretending that problems will resolve themselves if she just ignores them for long enough. They don't. They rarely do. I like a character to change, I want a character to stand out, mature. While there is nothing bad about Alyssa, there is nothing truly annoying about her, I can't say that I love her personality and her wishy-washiness either, particularly when it comes to her role as a reluctant queen, particularly when it comes to her feelings towards Jeb and Morpheus. Speaking of whom...

Morpheus. My oh my oh my. The only thing I love more than a good beta male is a whimsical, slightly-evil-but-never-abusive, complex, duplicitous man with his own agenda. There's just nothing more I can say about Morpheus without turning into a puddle of incoherent fool, so I'll just leave it at that.

The Romance: SCREW YOU, JEB. That's just my opinion, of course, since I am and have been solidly on Team Morpheus in the very beginning. Really, the only thing that could turn me off Morpheus is if he turned out to be a serial killer who eats babies raw. I think this book was too heavy on the romance, and I really hated how Alyssa has been cheating on Jeb. I don't exactly like Jeb (ha!) but nobody deserved to be cheated on. While dating Jeb, Alyssa has been seeing Morpheus and chilling with him in her dreams. Alyssa has told us that from the beginning, and it continues throughout the book. It's just not fair to Jeb, and really, Alyssa should be bettter than that.

And man, the love triangle. I hate it when a love triangle threatens to overwhelm a very underwhelming plot.

Jeb snarls. “Why don’t you keep your mouth shut while we help you.”
Morpheus laughs weakly, his skin flashing with blue light. “What say Alyssa gives my mouth something else to do?”
Jeb narrows his eyes. “What say I give you a fist to chew on?”
I glare at them both. “Are you guys kidding me right now?”

I loved Morpheus. I love his dedication to Alyssa, I love his purposefulness, I love the fact that he doesn't give up on pushing Alyssa to be more than she is.

“It will never be enough,” he insists, guiding my palm to his chest so I can feel his pounding heartbeat. “I will not stop until you’re reigning over the Red court forever. Until you’re back with us where you belong.”

Let me love you, Morpheus!



Overall: a highly enjoyable book, I just wished there was less romance and more danger and excitement in the plot.