Insanity by Cameron Jace

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've been fascinated with "Alice in Wonderland" ever since I wrote a paper based on it in my Child and Adolescent Psychology class as a graduate student, in which I analyzed how Alice's unusual adventures were an allegory to the strange phenomenon we all go through called "growing up." Hence, this series has been on my "To-Read" list for quite some time now, so I'm happy to have finally gotten around to reading the first book of it.

Cameron Jace's story is just as whimsical as Lewis Carroll's, and it is clear that Carroll's style of writing inspired this story. However, "Insanity" has a mysterious storyline that is reminiscent of works like "The Davinci Code" by Dan Brown, mixed with the sci-fi/fantasy vibe of "The Matrix." The protagonist, a girl who may or may not be "The Alice" of Carroll's tale, is faced with the challenge of processing not only her own insanity as an asylum patient with a shady past, but also with the insanity of the outside world around her, in which a serial killer known as Cheshire has been killing young women around London. Mentored by Pillar, Alice embarks on an unusual journey, analyzing clues left behind by Lewis Carroll, that can help shed light on the madness and danger spread by Cheshire. She might also have to save the world, if she can find solid proof that these things around her are truly happening (and just aren't signs of her madness, like those at the asylum would have her believe). On top of that, she must also dive deep into her own psyche to determine who she truly is, and what really happened in her past before she wound up at the asylum.

If you're a fan of Lewis Carroll's whimsical work, and you enjoy a creepy mystery, this might be just the kind of story you're looking for.



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