As Alyss Heart watches the goings-on in celebration of her seventh birthday, all she can think is it's boring, and her father isn't there. She doesn't understand why she has to sit through such things, and to top it all off, her best friend is late too. When Jack of Diamonds catches Alyss and Dodge, her best friend finally arrived, together dancing, he runs off to tattle, and Alyss and Dodge escape through a secret passage. Alyss, who had never been outside the castle, is thrilled to be in Wondertropolis.

Upon returning to the palace, Alyss finds a kitten waiting for her. Though she has no idea where it's come from, she eagerly scoops it up, only to have it leave her behind, as it takes off into the palace as if on a mission. Which, in fact, it is, as Alyss will learn when it shows up at her party and morphs into The Cat, her Aunt Redd's most lethal assassin, half cat, half human.

Redd's siege of the palace costs many lives, including those of Alyss' parents. Alyss herself has been sent through the Crystal Continuum with her mother's bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, who takes her to the Pool of Tears--their only hope of escape. Separated while in the pool, Hatter winds up in France while Alyss pops out of a puddle in England.

It will be 13 years before Hatter is able to track her down. By which time she will have convinced herself that Wonderland was nonsense, and will be engaged to be married on Earth. Wonderland, meanwhile, has fallen into decay under Redd's evil rulership.

It's up to Hatter and Dodge to bring Alyss back, in hopes she can make it through the Looking Glass Maze, defeat Redd, and take her rightful place as Queen.

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Some might find this view of Wonderland disconcerting, as the book jacket actually jokes. I, myself, enjoyed it thoroughly and can't wait for the next installment. Alyss and her cohorts are great characters, and Wonderland as described herein a truly incredible place. If you're a fan of the legend, I recommend giving this version a look. If you're a fan of fantasy, definitely pick this one up.