Insanity (An Alice in Wonderland Retelling) by Cameron Jace

Keeping with the last posts theme of Alice in Wonderland retellings, Insanity by Cameron Jace is another semi-well rated novel on goodreads.com. I have very mixed feelings on the novel, when I first read it I gave it 2-stars, but its one of those novels that makes you think. I have found myself thinking about and ever talking about this book with friends.

            Alice Wonders is in a mental institution, she doesn’t remember anything before a few weeks ago. Apparently though she is responsible for the death on all her classmates, the final act that pushed her family and the courts to send her to Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. Alice has been talking crazy for years though, ever since her sister lost her one afternoon when she was seven. Everyone thinks that Alice is crazy, but Alice knows that she isn’t. And there are others in the institution, others who believe her, who know the truth. Monsters of Wonderland are in the city, Lewis Carroll’s novels, while fanciful, are how he dealt with his encounters with the monsters, and a way to play down what he and a little girl actually had to do all those years ago to trap them in Wonderland.

            Now, people are being killed and Alice and the patient dubbed “Professor Caterpillar” are the only ones who believe (and know) that it is the Cheshire Cat, which means if one monster has escaped Carroll’s enchantments, more will follow. And the Cheshire Cat cannot be working alone, after all, he has never worked alone. Alice and the Professor have to find a way to get out of the asylum and stop Cheshire, but getting out isn’t the problem, its walking the fine line between crazy and wonderland.

            In retrospect, I actually liked this novel a lot more now than I did when I first read it, the ending was amazing! I mean, the last two pages, were awe inspiring. It makes me want to not only read the sequel when it comes out, but read some of Cameron Jace’s other fairytale retellings.

The House of Hades: Heroes of Olympus

It has been nearly a decade since I read the first Percy Jackson book, and the latest novel The House of Hades, was absolutely amazing. It took me a little longer to read this novel than usual, but once I started reading it I couldn’t stop. I love that the Heroes of Olympus series follows so many different characters. It isn’t so much that things get confusing, but following a few characters gives the story more depth and shows more of the storyline.

Gaea is waking, and she isn’t happy with the Gods and Demigods. While this has been coming for many novels, this one takes it to a new level. Not only do the seven demigods chosen for the quest (and Nico makes eight) have to battle titans and giants, but Percy and Annabeth face the manifestation of Tartarus itself. Onc of my favorite things about this novel was that many people that Percy has met for the last nine books come back. Calypso and the titan Bob both play significant roles in this novel. If it wasn’t for the things that Percy had done in previous novels to help them and show them kindness, they would never have gotten as far as living through the end of the novel.

House of Hades follows Percy and Annabeth’s long and dangerous journey through Tartarus, something that no mortal has ever done. At the end of Mark of Athena the two had fallen into the pit, and fell for days. If it wasn’t for their love and determination to keep each other safe, I do not think they would have survived. Not only is the underworld dangerous and deadly on its own, but it is the place that monsters are reborn, and Percy and Annabeth have killed their share of monsters. It is those same monsters that they once slayed that are now coming after them with vengeance. Crossing over the many rivers of Hades’ realm, re-defeating monsters, and trying to survive solely on a liquid fire only to face Tartarus manifested at the Doors of Death push the heroes past their limits. But the two refuse to give up, their friends should be waiting on the other side, and if they can’t make it out, then Earth will be doomed.

While Percy and Annabeth travel the depth of Tartarus, the other five demigods with the help of Nico, head west toward the mortal side of the Doors of Death hoping to free their friends, and destroy the monsters that are trying to come through in order to side with Gaea. Things are not easy for the heroes on Argo II. Nico has to face his demons and isolation, made even more difficult when Jason discovers the real reason Nico tries to stay secluded and who he is in love with. Jason struggles with his loyalties. While he is a Roman demigod, he feels more of a connection to Camp Half-Blood and the Greek friends he has made. Hazel has to accept that she is a daughter of Pluto with the ability to control the mist and starts to ally herself with Hecate. Frank learns secrets of Coach Hedge, and starts learning to raise and control dead armies. And Leo, he was marooned during a battle with Jason’s old wind enemies, and it just happens to be the island of Calypso. Argo II tries to get to the doors of death, but old and new foes are everywhere, trying to break their spirits and their bodies.

I think this is the ultimate penultimate book in the epic saga of Percy Jackson. I hate that I have to wait a year for the final book, but it has been an amazing ride so far!!