Splintered by A. G. Howard

Title: Splintered

Author: A. G. Howard

Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy

Series: Yes, Splintered #1

Pages: 371
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books

Rating: 2.5 out of 5


Summary: from Good reads.

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
 
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Feelings: 
This book had purple text. That bothered me. I understand why the would choose to have the text in this book be a color other than black, but really why do that? I first saw this book as a debut author on Good Reads. I thought it looked interesting and I enjoyed reading Alice in Wonderland years ago, so when I saw it at the library as I was scanning the shelves I checked it out.

It was an interesting idea for a book and I enjoyed the story. I just didn't think it was all that great. The cover is bright and catches they eye but I don't really care for it that much. The story inside is about the same.

I've been collecting bugs since I was ten; it's the only way I can stop their whispers. Sticking a pin through the gut of an insect shuts it up pretty quick. (p. 1).

This is the opening of the story which is interesting. Talking bugs implied and bugs collected and killed to stop them from talking. Alright so why do they talk? Well that is a good question and Alyssa doesn't know, something left over from her great-great-grandmother (to many greats to remember correctly) Alice's visit to Wonderland. Eventually we do find out why the bugs talking can be heard. I have to admit that the only character I really liked was Jeb and he wasn't the narrator so I didn't see as much of him as I would have liked. The  story was interesting and held my attention but I felt like the characters were hard to like and that wasn't a good thing.

I know there are people that would really like this book, it just wasn't me. I'm trying to decide if I will read the next in the series or not. This book stood on it's own well and there really isn't the urge to find out what happens.