Ensnared

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Ensnared

Morpheus and Jeb have been taken into the looking glass world. A realm where the use of netherling magic mutates inhabitants into horrific versions of themselves. It is also the only way into Wonderland now that the rabbit hole has been sealed. Alyssa must enter the looking glass world to save the boys, and put an end to Red. But will she be able to balance both her human and netherling side, or be torn apart by the battle within?

Ensnared takes up the crown of macabre that the first book did so well and brings it back to life. The looking glass world brings to life the darker side of the netherlings and shows how they can lust for bloodshed and pain. And in a cruel twist of fate, Alyssa will find that Red's magic may be the very thing that will help her and her loved ones survive. Stepping out of the real world and into the looking glass world allows A. G. Howard to let her imagination run wild and coax to life the story I had hoped book two would be.

Now there are still some troupes hanging around. The love triangle is still weaving its way into the story and pulling Alyssa in two different directions, but it is much more balanced this time. Jeb and Morpheus aren't solely good and evil. There is quite the blend in each boy and it makes decisions all the harder on Alyssa. I also enjoyed the new twists within Jeb's character, despite how it takes him in a new direction.

I did find that some plot points fizzled out too soon. Alyssa would find herself being told not to do something and within pages that something occurs. Instead of drawing out the story and building up the tension, it was rushed. Granted the ending does tie the series up quite well, and the twist made my heartstrings tremble.

If you enjoy Alice in Wonderland and like reading young adult that teeters on the edge of adulthood, give the Splintered series a try.