Review: THE CROWN by COLLEEN OAKES

Title: The Crown

Author: Colleen Oakes

Series: Queen of Hearts Saga #1

Release Date: February 14th 2014

Age Group: Young Adult

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy 

BLURB

As Princess of Wonderland Palace and the future Queen of Hearts, Dinah’s days are an endless monotony of tea, tarts, and a stream of vicious humiliations at the hands of her father, the King of Hearts. The only highlight of her days is visiting Wardley, her childhood best friend, the future Knave of Hearts — and the love of her life.
When an enchanting stranger arrives at the Palace, Dinah watches as everything she’s ever wanted threatens to crumble. As her coronation date approaches, a series of suspicious and bloody events suggests that something sinister stirs in the whimsical halls of Wonderland. It’s up to Dinah to unravel the mysteries that lurk both inside and under the Palace before she loses her own head to a clever and faceless foe.
Part epic fantasy, part twisted fairy tale, this dazzling saga will have readers shivering as Dinah's furious nature sweeps Wonderland up in the maelstrom of her wrath. 
Familiar characters such as Cheshire, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter make their appearance, enchanting readers with this new, dark take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Review

Genre:fractured fairytale,family drama,awesome,owned book,fantasy

Alice in Wonderland is perhaps the story I have read most retellings of and I was interested to see how Colleen Oakes would adapt the tale.

This is a brilliant book in which the author creates original personalities, animated characters and haunting scenes, but retains enough references to the traditional text that the world is recognizable. I love how Colleen Oakes humanizes the Cards, each suit representing different characteristics, and how Cheshire is no longer a cat, but the King's slimy and untrustworthy advisor.

Whereas Lewis Carroll's story is haphazard and crazy, The Crown is more organized, but just as intricate and fantastical. The courtiers in the King of Hearts' castle bathe with hedgehog skins, eat a huge amount of tarts, play croquet even in pink snow and there is an execution day every year when criminals lose their heads.

The most brilliant character is The Mad Hatter, whose identity I did not anticipate, but whose existence stirs an emotive response from the reader.

It is the darkness of this new Wonderland that catches us by surprise; the torture of prisoners in the Black Towers, murder of innocent people and the cruelty of the King towards his eldest daughter.

As the story begins Dinah is not the most likeable of characters. She is self-absorbed and often unkind, but she is also a romantic who is proud of her homeland and she cares deeply for her brother, her best friend and loyal servants (who spoil her!). I found it was easy to forgive her jealousy and rudeness once we got to know her and discover that she has reasons for her behaviour, mainly her mother's death and her father's rejection of her. Dinah has also been raised as the heir of the kingdom, which is a weight on any young woman's shoulders.

I like how Colleen Oakes has developed the story without pursuing the relationship between Wardley and Dinah, which would have been predictable. They have grown up together and she is obviously in love with him, but his feelings remain ambivalent, possibly because he is a Card and his duty is to the Crown. However, I do hope he is a character who makes an appearance later in the trilogy.

The Crown is an excellent start to The Queen of Hearts saga and it is a perfect read for fans of fairytale retellings or just an enjoyable book for fans of the Young Adult genre.

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