Aug 22, 2011

{Teen Book Scene Tour} Review of Hatter by Daniel Coleman

HatterHatter by Daniel  Coleman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Fantasy
THEME: Alice in Wonderland
RECEIVED: Received for Review from Teen Book Scene
BLOG: Daniel Coleman's Site

PURCHASE Hatter:

BLURB:
There's nothing wrong with a touch of madness. - Cheshire Cat

In a kingdom that doesn't need saving, a young man ignorant of social norms is the unlikeliest of heroes. And despite his extreme dislike of confrontation, Hatta knows his destiny is to mend a rift that doesn't exist.

On the other end of the spectrum is Chism, a young Elite soldier who thrives on conflict. How will this rash, obsessive soldier aid the child-like Hatta in his journey?

Throw in the Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts and other familiar characters as they emerge to fill their eminent roles in the tangled ascent into madness of literature's most lovable lunatic. 

REVIEW:
I’ve always been a huge fan of the story Alice in Wonderland, but even more so the twisted tales that many authors have done with the famous story. Daniel Coleman has hands down written one of my favorite novels in the world of Alice in Wonderland. I loved the ideas, writing, and creativity of the old characters and how they were similar but extremely different at the same time.

Hatter is the companion novel to Colemans first book Jabberwocky, but you don’t need to have read it to understand this book. Some characters from the first novel are mentioned, but it’s easy to follow. Hatter follows two characters, Hatta and Chism, both opposites and both go through extreme challenges to survive and find a place where they feel that they’ll belong.

Hatta, or as many people would call him the Mad Hatter was a colorful, riddle extreme, kind and loveable character. Coleman really brought out a new side to this eccentric character, his dialog and interaction with other character was so entertaining and fun. Coleman made sure to put in a few key things that connect Hatta to the original story.  For example not only did Hatta continue with his unusual way of talking, but the readers learn how Hatta was when he was younger and why he is the way he is, also with his extreme love for purple and connection to the Queen of Hearts.

Chism, is a solider and young man who was born a fighter. But every time he feels he’s doing the right thing, everything gets turned upside down.  The way he’s introduced in the beginning was brilliantly written, it was such an intense scene that I held my breath through the first couple pages. Chism isn’t someone to mess with and don’t let his age fool you about his strength.

Overall I highly recommend Hatter, the action, plot, characters and how each boys lives interact together was captivating.  I really enjoyed getting an origin story for the many characters I loved from the original tales.  I’m excited to see what more Coleman will write in the world of Alice in Wonderland.


RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult book, the action and semi violence is mild for any age. It’s a colorful tale and enjoyable for fans of any genre. Fans of Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars will love Daniel Coleman’s Hatter.




View all my reviews


1 comment:

  1. You have a fabulous blog! I’m an author and illustrator and I made some awards to give to fellow bloggers whose sites I enjoy. It’s not a pass on award. This is just for you to keep. I want to award you with the Best Books Blog Award for all the hard work you do! By the way, I’m your newest follower.

    Go to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
    ~Deirdra

    ReplyDelete