This is a slow burn, phantasmagorical, novel that unfortunately doesn’t have the greatest ending. In Wonderland, the yuppie-ish Bennett family move from their small, crowded apartment in NYC, to an utterly isolated cabin in Northern NY. Why? So the husband, Shaw, can focus on his muse - a 500 year old Eastern white pine in the middle of the Adirondacks. (What??? - are you kidding me?) Orla, his wife (who happens to be a retired ballerina), is supportive until Shaw turns manic and distant and strange occurrences start to happen. For instance, their daughter Eleanor Queen senses an entity trying to communicate with her, and the homestead is beset by inexplicable phenomena. And attempts to leave are not only thwarted, but punished. The premise and set up is so perfect for some intense horror and well...

A couple of tense, even shocking, moments kept me going, hopeful that the conclusion would pay off the dreary middle, but it never really did. Stage is an excellent writer (this book has plenty of atmosphere), and it was never completely unpleasant to read Wonderland, but it never paid off either.

There are a few problems with this book (including some of the decisions made by the characters) but mainly the ending is just downright confusing. It seemed to me that Stage couldn’t really figure out how to finish the book and couldn’t settle on how she wanted to resolve the story. Is it a story of possession? Is it a story of a girl morphing into a tree evolving into a god?

The ending was too ambiguous for my taste.

That being said, Wonderland is by no means a terrible read, although it is flawed. Those looking for subtle scares and atmosphere will enjoy this one but this really isn't a "horror" novel at all. I liked this one but didn't love it. I expected more scares from this one. ( )

I feel as though this novel depended more upon the bizarre atmosphere rather than frightening ghosts, which is what I was expecting, but it was a pretty good read. The setting was extremely isolated, wooded and very cold. This alone upped the creep factor significantly. The middle of the book did feel a little lack-luster to me though. All in all, it was a decent book. ( )

What Possessed Her …

What possessed Zoje Stage to write this mash-up tale of ghosts, demonology, and possession, when she had before her a terrific debut novel, Baby Teeth, with an open ending begging for a sequel? Of course, writers want to explore new stories. With that, however, comes the risk of failure, as her second novel, Wonderland, makes woefully clear. Having enjoyed her first greatly, it hurts to report that there is nothing in the least wondrous about Wonderland. And it, too, has an open ending, leaving us to hope that she does with it as she did with Baby Teeth.

Briefly, a family all oddly named move from New York to the northern part of the state just south of Plattsburgh. Father, Shaw, has been something of a dilettante, focusing on caring for their small household, while mother Orla has been the breadwinner as a ballet dancer. Now it’s time for her to retire and Shaw to pursue his dream of becoming an accomplished painter. With nine-year-old daughter Eleanor Queen and even younger son Tycho in tow, they move to a place completely alien to all, even Shaw, who grew up near Plattsburgh. Of course, they move into a old farmhouse, the rickety sort that quickly makes you house poor. Immediately, Shaw, Orla, and EQ begin sensing a presence. None of them can put their finger on what it is, but they go on and on trying to and never really get to an answer. But that there is an entity at work, there is no doubt because Shaw begins painting bizarre scenes, EQ stares into the distance, Orla tries to coax the source of the bother from husband and daughter, and Tycho remains oblivious to everything, except the remarkable weather phenomena holding them prisoner on the property. Some startling events occur, lots and lots of blather gets exchanged, sad things happen to the family, and then, finally, we learn what’s going on. By this time, however, we’re pretty much somnolent from that blather and, really, by now beyond caring that the ending reveals itself as a letdown.

Apart from a milquetoast ghost and possession storyline, the novel breaks what has to be the first rule of horror tales, of any storytelling: don’t bore the reader. Yes, Stage as put in some good ideas, some well done set pieces, a mother-daughter dynamic, plenty of mother self-doubt. However, it never really jells, never scares you, and worst, never propels you forward with any real velocity. One can only wonder if she might have written a better book if she’d given it more thought while she banged out a "Baby Teeth II." As is, horror fans will probably want to take a pass on a not so wonderful Wonderland. ( )

What Possessed Her …

What possessed Zoje Stage to write this mash-up tale of ghosts, demonology, and possession, when she had before her a terrific debut novel, Baby Teeth, with an open ending begging for a sequel? Of course, writers want to explore new stories. With that, however, comes the risk of failure, as her second novel, Wonderland, makes woefully clear. Having enjoyed her first greatly, it hurts to report that there is nothing in the least wondrous about Wonderland. And it, too, has an open ending, leaving us to hope that she does with it as she did with Baby Teeth.

Briefly, a family all oddly named move from New York to the northern part of the state just south of Plattsburgh. Father, Shaw, has been something of a dilettante, focusing on caring for their small household, while mother Orla has been the breadwinner as a ballet dancer. Now it’s time for her to retire and Shaw to pursue his dream of becoming an accomplished painter. With nine-year-old daughter Eleanor Queen and even younger son Tycho in tow, they move to a place completely alien to all, even Shaw, who grew up near Plattsburgh. Of course, they move into a old farmhouse, the rickety sort that quickly makes you house poor. Immediately, Shaw, Orla, and EQ begin sensing a presence. None of them can put their finger on what it is, but they go on and on trying to and never really get to an answer. But that there is an entity at work, there is no doubt because Shaw begins painting bizarre scenes, EQ stares into the distance, Orla tries to coax the source of the bother from husband and daughter, and Tycho remains oblivious to everything, except the remarkable weather phenomena holding them prisoner on the property. Some startling events occur, lots and lots of blather gets exchanged, sad things happen to the family, and then, finally, we learn what’s going on. By this time, however, we’re pretty much somnolent from that blather and, really, by now beyond caring that the ending reveals itself as a letdown.

Apart from a milquetoast ghost and possession storyline, the novel breaks what has to be the first rule of horror tales, of any storytelling: don’t bore the reader. Yes, Stage as put in some good ideas, some well done set pieces, a mother-daughter dynamic, plenty of mother self-doubt. However, it never really jells, never scares you, and worst, never propels you forward with any real velocity. One can only wonder if she might have written a better book if she’d given it more thought while she banged out a "Baby Teeth II." As is, horror fans will probably want to take a pass on a not so wonderful Wonderland. ( )

Was pretty creepy. Not crazy scary.
Hope there is a continuation ( )