Hey Verbosity; Alexa, here! Contrary to what one might gather from the the title, this book does not take place in Wonderland. Instead, it ushers the reader into the late-19th century world of Chicago, Illinois.
In the spring of 1871, fourteen-year-old Pringle Rose learns that her parents have been killed in a terrible carriage accident. Shortly afterward, her uncle Edward and his awful wife, Adeline, move into Pringle’s home – making life for her and her younger brother, Gideon, unbearable. Pringle runs away with Gideon to Chicago, seeking refuge from the tragedy and hoping to start a new life. However, she quickly finds herself caught up in a web of intrigue and lies. And when a familiar figure from back home arrives, Pringle begins to piece together the devastating mystery of what happened to her parents and realizes just how deadly the truth might be. But soon, one of the worst disasters this country has ever known – the Great Fire of Chicago – flares up, and Pringle is on the run for her life.
Plot:
This story is quite captivating. If something interrupted my reading it, I practically had to yank myself away.
That said, the book begins with an air of mystery, weaving the wonder through Pringle’s past and the present, until all is revealed at the end. The thing is, it didn’t read like a mystery (probably because it wasn’t. Not exactly anyway). In fact, though the questions buzzed at the back of my mind throughout the novel, they were quiet, muffled by my interest in what was happening right then. I’d almost forgotten my questions, really – until the crazy plot twist at the end.
Speaking of which, brilliant plot twist. The foreshadowing was ingenious; it was the sort of riddle that leaves you all the hints, but still, you never guess the answer until you’re told.
Well, I didn’t guess it anyway. Still, I’m not exactly stupid.
Also, great climax. Not what I’d call strictly exciting, but heart-racing, painful suspense reigned through the peaking moments. Yet it all wrapped up with a perfect halt at the end.
Plot: 5 stars out of 5
Characters:
I liked Pringle and Gideon, but I didn’t downright, flatout, “asdfghjkl” love them. They were interesting to read about, and I sympathized with their plight. Yet, I just didn’t fall in love.
That has more to do with me though, than with them. Sometimes, no matter the awesomeness of the person, you just don’t click.
Characters: 4 stars out of 5.
Writing Style/Setting:
I liked the descriptions a lot. They were very vivid, like the author took a snapshot of the scene and posted it to my mind.
I also liked the way she, Pringle, told the story by switching from past to present. Time switches like that can be very confusing, but these weren’t. They fit perfectly in the narrative, weaving in all the plotty tidbits I needed to know, and the story flowed seamlessly.
Writing Style/Setting: 5 stars out of 5.
Overall, that’s about 4 1/2 stars out of 5. Like I said, I really enjoyed this book. It was intriguing, informative, and a generally lovely tale. If you’d like to buy Down the Rabbit Hole yourself, you can find it at Barnes & Noble for $10.34