“The Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”) is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. We are a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and we highlight greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.).” – From the official SFINCS website.
Note: The following review contains only my personal thoughts as a judge and does not reflect the views of the team as a whole. No cuts or semi-finalists will be announced until Team Bookend Elves has read all of our books!
REVIEW
Curiouser And . . . is an Alice in Wonderland retelling with a twist (or several). In the tradition of Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series it combines a classic, portal fantasy setting with a contemporary interest in issues of self-expression and authenticity while using familiar figures and imagery to touch on darker themes. Curioser is a fast read and the narrative features a quick pace that should appeal to Young Adult and New Adult fantasy fans, while its focus on the story of a lesbian teenager finding herself and coming to terms with the cards life has dealt her will appeal to readers of Sapphic coming-of-age stories. There’s a ton of heart to Curiouser, something that becomes more evident as the narrative progresses.
Our main character is a teenage girl named Ashlyn, who, much like Alice, tumbles down into a dark hole and finds herself somewhere new and strange. The Wonderland Ashlyn awakes in both is and isn’t the one you’re familiar with. Like Alice (and especially like Alice in many of the more modern adaptations), Ashlyn is introduced to a visually distinct cast of characters, each of whom appears to occupy a role similar (though not identical to) the characters from the original. There’s Merrick–a sort of stand in for the Mad Hatter–and a Queen spoken of only with fear. Up to a point, the narrative progresses more or less how you’d expect, with fun and whimsical interludes to break up Ashlyn’s quest to discover a way home. Unfortunately for Ashlyn, things are not entirely what they seem, and escape may prove more challenging (and frightening) than expected.
I was pleased to see that there wasn’t too much emphasis on action in this one, as I’ve found in the past that attempts to turn Alice into a blockbuster-style beat ’em up have ultimately produced rather soulless cash-ins that miss the nuance and magic of the original. That said, to my mind, retellings generally have to work harder than completely original stories to justify their existence. Something new has to be brought to the table, and I’m not someone who finds a genderflip or identity switch enough on its own for something to be considered “new” in a meaningful way. This is not to say that a genderflipped or queered retelling can’t offer something new, just that I’m wary of surface-level changes that never go beyond “Cinderella is trans now. Please believe our publishing company isn’t transhphobic.”*
With Curiouser, I was a little wary at first due to everything I’ve stated above. There was also a stylistic shift in the writing between the prologue and first chapter that didn’t entirely land, and upon our introduction to Ashlyn’s wacky supporting cast, I was nervous that the book would be a bit paint-by-numbers. However, there’s a point at which the reader, alongside Ashlyn, begins to get a sense of a weightier set of ideas brewing beneath the surface. While one of the twists is fairly predictable, another offers the opportunity for Maria to comment through the lens of Ashlyn’s teenage viewpoint on questions of mortality and meaning. I’m being deliberately vague here, so as not to spoil, but for me one of the novella’s most powerful thematic thrusts is its use of death as a vehicle through which to talk about change. While this in itself has a long tradition (and is, in fact, inherent to death’s symbolic meaning), Maria’s use of it, particularly when married with this YA coming-of-age story, is subtle and haunting. Curiouser has something to say about growing up, change, and the dangers of clinging too fiercely to a childish view of the world and its people (a particularly poignant message now). I found the story lingering in my mind after finishing, and ultimately Curiouser proved that it had more to say than many other Alice retellings I’ve encountered.
There were a few occasions when I was pulled out of the story slightly by a character choice that didn’t feel entirely in keeping with how Ashlyn had been presented. Specifically, there’s a major turning point toward the end when Ashlyn makes a decision that seems both out of character and very drastic. While teenagers can be melodramatic and are more than capable of making silly mistakes out of spite, the stakes were so huge that Ashlyn’s choice felt disproportionate and in service more to narrative need than honest character work. It’s a small moment, however, in a larger story, and easily moved past.
The romantic subplot isn’t a full-on romantasy-style storyline (or even arguably a separate subplot so much as a natural element of the narrative), and I found it moving, as well as beautifully and earnestly written. There was a depth to the characters’ interactions that I was impressed by given the story’s length, and I have a feeling it will mean a lot to teens grappling with difficult and confusing feelings. Azalea, Ashlyn’s love interest, was one of the more richly-drawn of the cast, and I found Maria’s treatment of her storyline delicate and considered. In a way, I would have preferred slightly more time spent exploring this relationship than on the bombastic finish, but regardless of how much time was spent on this storyline, it was certainly the heart of the novella and was very well done.
Maria is a talented writer with some big ideas, and Curiouser is well worth the look, despite some minor flaws. Its final moments left me wanting to return to Maria’s Wonderland (yet grateful that I can’t, as I feel it would ruin much of what Maria accomplishes here). I think this one will appeal most to YA and NA readers, and of course to fans of retellings. Strongest during its more philosophical moments as well as the honest emotional conversations between Ashlyn and her love interest Azalea, Curiouser is one I recommend trying out!
Buy Curiouser And . . . on Amazon.
Add Curiouser And . . . on Goodreads.
*The publishing company is still transphobic.