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4,0 ( )

What better book to read as we begin Pisces season (with a new moon, no less) than Lewis Carroll’s classic tale of whimsy and wonder: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Obviously I’ve read this book (and its sequel) a number of times and seen not just a few film, theatre, and illustrated adaptations, but when I finally scooped a thrifted copy of Arthur Rackham’s illustrated version for my collection I had to fall down the rabbit hole with Alice once again. Tenniel may have been the first to illustrate Carroll’s madcap story of this small girl’s mad adventures in Wonderland, but I always liked Rackham’s second generation illustrations better. His compositions are of unexpected passages from the story, and take on a more active and unique perspective due to the challenge he has set himself. None is more vivid than the explosion of the playing card court as Alice rebels against the judgement of the Red Queen’s court, and we can easily hear her frustrated cry of “Who cares for you?... You’re nothing but a pack of cards!” that precipitates their feeble but dream-breaking attack. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, and letting the end come before the beginning - which we’re sure Carroll would allow, since he makes clear throughout his whimsical narrative that sequencing in order means little, and the adventurous journey trumps all. This particular edition presents a facsimile of the original 1907 Rackham publication in style and layout, and does a decent job throughout. The text is presented with ample margins, in which occasionally appears image captions, taking the reader quickly and easily through Alice’s story from her boredom in the meadow, down the rabbit hole, and through a myriad of encounters with the denizens of Wonderland. Interspersed are a smattering of black and white sketches that showcase Rackham’s skill with linework, texture, and composition, as well as a selection of his classic full-colour illustrations in tea-stained tones. Rackham may have utilised a typically muted Victorian colour palette here, but the unique perspective, careful use of depth, and lively compositions makes each image come to life with a dreamlike quality that suits the story quite well. Alice’s journey is revealed to be a dream, after all, if we choose to believe that Carroll is giving away the story quite that easily, and the washed out quality contrasts the realistic linework to create a softly whimsical juxtaposition that is just steps away from reality. As much as I adore the many colourful iterations of Alice that came with later artists’ renditions (Disney has a particularly sticky-sweet charm and I can’t help but love Tim Burton’s mad-cap tonality), Rackham’s naturalistic Alice who treads the borderline of the real world will always be my favourite. ( )

Good as always! ( )

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a tale that follows a girl as she trips down a rabbit hole and experiences a dream-like, really surreal world. I read the copy from Standard Ebooks. It has the original illustrations, which are beautiful. I'm going to read its sequel—Through the Looking-Glass—very, very soon. ( )