Words Uli Lenart

BOOK OF THE MONTH

In search of Alice

When a friend goes missing, a troubled teen turns detective

WONDERLAND

Juno Dawson/Quercus

Cruel Intentions meets Gossip Girl in this kaleidoscopic high-society retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Teenager Alice Dodgson may live in a world of privilege and luxury but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t got plenty of issues. There’s the trans thing, her shaky mental health, the not-ever-reallyfi tting-in when all your peers are loaded, fl awless Instagram infl uencers with more power than God. Except there was that one crazy night with Bunny, the beautiful but troubled girl from school. That felt right. So, when Bunny mysteriously goes missing and no one seems to care, Alice becomes obsessed with fi nding her. Her only clue is a mysterious reference to Wonderland: a secret three-day party to which only London’s young elite are invited. Alice resolves to break out of her comfort zone, gatecrash the party and embark on one hell of an adventure. Subtly laced with references to Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece, Wonderland is an emotionally articulate, immersive tale about excess, self-acceptance and psychotic socialites. Loved it! Out 28 May