Wonderland Review

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Title: Wonderland
Author: Joanna Nadin
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: February 22, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 224
Source: Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Jude has to get out of tiny Churchtown. She has to escape her outcast status and her pathetic dad, who hasn’t gotten past her mother’s death. The one bright light is drama, her way out, if only she can get into the Lab, a prestigious program in London. Then Stella, Jude’s childhood best friend, swaggers in after years away.

With bold and magnetic Stella by her side, Jude knows she’s capable of anything. But Stella’s influence extends well beyond the theater. Soon Stella’s wild and dangerous streak begins to cause trouble for Jude -- yet Jude can’t bring herself to abandon Stella and the attention she’s always craved. And besides, now that Stella’s back, there’s no stopping her.
Jude is your everyday girl next door. She’s lonely, she’s an outcast, and she’s desperate to escape the stigma she deals with only a daily basis in her tiny hometown. Her hope is to escape to a prestigious program in London and rid herself of Churchtown forever, but someone throws a wrench in her plans. When Stella, Jude’s childhood friend, returns, Jude is introduced to a stunning new Stella. She’s charismatic, enigmatic, and just a touch dangerous. She’s everything Jude wants to be. Stella takes her under her wing, and suddenly Jude isn’t so lonely anymore, but when Stella goes from unique to untamed, Jude begins to watch everything around her unravel, and she has to decide how much their friendship is worth.

Wonderland is the US debut of UK author, Joanna Nadin, a talent in her own right. Known for stories like My So-Called Life, The Meaning of Life and The Life of Riley, Nadin is no stranger to contemporary fiction – a genre I usually avoid like the plague. Weaving a dark and haunting plot, characters with ulterior motives, and a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Wonderland is a fantastic addition to the world of contemporary fiction. Complicated and messy, twisted and compelling, this is the story of a teenage girl that finds herself when everything around her begins to unravel and fall apart.

I was actually really surprised by Wonderland. When I committed to reading more contemporary fiction in 2011, I was a bit wary because I keep saying time and again that I don’t find too many deviations to the normal contemporary plot on the market today. Wonderland is darkly compelling. Jude was a character I could relate to from the start – a bit of a loner, a touch awkward, and desperate to escape her cramped hometown to find herself. Her character development through the downward spiral of Stella was intriguing to watch and engaging throughout. Even as a secondary character, Stella propels the story forward, adding that touch of darkness to an otherwise sweet story. I was captivated by the characters and they, in turn, fueled every plot point, keeping it moving at a nice, steady pace.

All in all, Wonderland was a fantastic read and really gave me hope for contemporary fiction. While the terminology was a bit English at times (and therefore confused my very blonde brain), the story was beautiful. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to all fans of YA who enjoy coming of age stories and contemporary fiction. This would probably also be ideal for adults looking for a slim, fast-paced read.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

33 comments:

  1. Thanks for your review Melissa !! I'm adding this book to my To Buy List ;)

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  2. Wow, this is definitely one I'll have to add to my list! I should read more contemporary as well, I just get sucked into the paranormal stuff so easily and then it dominates all my time:) Sounds like this book has absolutely fabulous characterization though, and that's always a huge selling point for me. Thanks Melissa!

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  3. I love the cover of this book! I don't read a lot of contemporary, either, but it sounds like Wonderland is definitely worth the read. I love the English terminology, too, because I grew up reading Harry Potter over and over again. Awesome review. :)

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  4. While I love contemporary fiction, I find myself constantly reading paranormal. This will change in 2011 and this sounds like a great book to add to that list! Fantastic review Melissa :)

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  5. This looks incredible! I'd seen the cover around but hadn't known what it was about. Glad to hear you liked it so much!

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  6. You have sure been reading great books lately, they might not all be for me, but they do sound good anyway :)

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  7. This sounds really interesting. I really like trying out new contemp authors, but the "english" writing might be a turn off. I'll have to check it out to see. Great review Melissa!

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  8. Melissa, I have also committed myself to reading more contemp fic, but I probably wouldn't have picked this one up based on the cover.

    But based on your review, I would. I love dark and compelling stories that deviate from standard elements.

    Thanks for the great review.

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  9. My So Called Life? Really. That sentence alone has peaked my interest. Great review :)

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  10. I haven't heard of this one but it sounds great!

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  11. Thank you for the review! Now I know I want this one!

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  12. This looks really good. Can you believe I actually haven't even heard of it until now? Thanks for the review!

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  13. A book with an interesting plot and a great review - thanks for both!

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  14. I had never heard of this one but it sounds really good. Just added it to my TBR list. Thanks for the heads up.

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  15. This book sounds fantastic! Great review, Melissa! And thank you for the recommendation. :)

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  16. I've grown to love contemporary fiction, maybe even more so than paranormal and this book sounds great. I watch English tv shows sometimes, so I have a love for the English terminology in books. I'll have to check this one out. Thanks for the great review!

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  17. I really like the sound of this book. I also want to start reading some more contemp books and the darker the better. I like that it's a bit "English", I watch quite a few UK shows so I think I could handle reading in an accent. :) I'm looking forward to reading this one. Great review.

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  18. Okay, this sounds like one I need to put on my wishlist! I'm really looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the great review!

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  19. Melissa- I've never seen any blonde moments in your reviews so you don't get to use that excuse! Again another great review and another book to put on my TBR list. I tend to stay away from contemporary fiction only because I like to escape reality not read about it, but I do like to see girls find themselves and win out over their baggage I guess I'd say. I'll be reading this one.

    Heather

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  20. I really like your review of this one, Melissa! I've seen the book around on Goodreads quite a bit lately, but I never really looked into it. Your review is making me want to pick this one up!

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  21. I honestly love contemp fiction. It's my most fave. Most times I end up crying in the end. So I'm really looking forward for this and thank you for your review!

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  22. Great review! I’m super picky when it comes to contemps, but this one sounds like one I’d appreciate. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

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  23. Cha-Ching...thats the sound I hear everytime I have to add yet another book to the TBR...:D

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  24. More contemp, less paranormal. I can do it...I can do it...I can do it...

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  25. I love contemp fiction so I will have to add this to my list. Jude sounds like an compelling character. Awesome review :)

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  26. I had never heard of the book before. But your review made me add this book to my already enormous wishlist :D I like YA contemporary fiction.

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  27. Sounds pretty good, though possibly a bit dark compared to what I usually like reading. Glad you're finding some contemp stuff you like!! =)

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  28. oh my gosh why haven't I been here in so long?! AH! Your blog makes me miss book blogging a little bit. :) Look at you go here! Oh my gosh I would so read your book I hope it sells!!

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  29. I enjoy contemporary fiction a lot. Sweet story with a touch of darkness sounds like a perfect read. I'm looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for the awesome review, Melissa!

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  30. I love contemporary fiction and since you really liked this one despite not liking the genre, I'll be adding Wonderland to my wishlist.

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  31. Dang, this sounds very good. I should really commit myself to reading more contemps, as well.

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  32. Wow! Great to hear all these wonderful things. And contempary Fiction is starting to come a long way. :) Thanks!

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  33. I was desperate to turn the page to see who will hold its next meeting in Alice. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is almost a collection of short stories with a new configuration and a new character set for each chapter.
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