Manga Review: Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

I've finished "Alice in the Country of Hearts Omnibus Vol. 1" by QuinRose.

Product Description

Kidnapped by a handsome man with rabbit ears, Alice Liddell finds herself abandoned in an odd place called Wonderland and thrust into a "game," the rules of which she has yet to learn. Alice, ever the plucky tomboy, sets off to explore and get the lay of this strange land, intent on finding her rude kidnapper and giving him a piece of her mind (and her fist). But little does she know that she's wandered right into the middle of a dangerous power struggle involving just about all of Wonderland's attractive, weapon-happy denizens. And the only way for Alice to return home is to get acquainted with the lot of them?! How in the world will she manage that and still manage to stay alive?

Product Details
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Yen Press (June 26, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316212695
ISBN-13: 978-0316212694

My Review:

This omnibus edition consists of Vols. 1 and 2.

Vol. 1

One day Alice Liddell is outside with her older sister talking when she decides she wants to play cards.  Her sister goes inside to get the deck when Alice takes a nap.  She thinks she is dreaming when she sees a white rabbit daring her to follow him.  She decides to go back to sleep when the white rabbit turns in a man with white ears.  Peter Rabbit the man throws Alice over his shoulders and runs off with her and throws her into a hole in her garden.  He jumps in after her and when they land in a wide open area Peter confesses his undying love for her.  He asks her to drink some kind of medicine and when she refuses he pours it into his mouth and kisses her.  He forces her to drink it, tells her it prevents her from getting home and now she has to play the game.  He lets her know that the only way she can get back home is to play the game which has certain rules she must follow to a T if she wants to see home again.  She takes the vial which refills everyone time she encounters people from Wonderland.  When the vial is full she would be able to go home.

We learn Wonderland is divided into three lands with Blood Dupre (Mad Hatter) a charming Mafia leader owns a third of the land, Vivaldi (The Queen of Hearts) also owns a third and the third player is Mary Gowland who owns an amusement park.  There is neutral land between the three and it's the watchtower watched over by Julius Monrey.  Alice also encounters Nightmare in her dreams at night and he's the one who helped Peter bring her over.

Alice meets other Wonderland inhabitants like Elliot March who is devoted to Blood, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum young gatekeeper twins who guard Blood's fortress (they are deadly because they love to kill and enjoy it very much), Boris Airay who resembles the Cheshire Cat loves riddles and works for Mary Gowland at the amusement park and Ace is based on the Knave of Hearts, is the Knight of Heart Castle and considered a best swordsman in Wonderland.

Vol. 2

This volumes opens with a tea party hosted by Blood Dupre with Elliot March, Boris and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.  Though Alice is wary of Blood she starts to warm up to him and he is drawn to her too.

When Peter finds out about the tea party he draws out Elliot to a duel.  Alice is not impressed by all the violence and killing all the Wonderland inhabitants are willing to do to win her affections.

We also learn some secrets the inhabitants were trying to keep Alice from finding out:

1.  The ones with duties and the faceless ones are revealed;

2.  What Julian is really repairing in the clock tower is also revealed.

This manga is a more darker version of the Alice in Wonderland theme with the blood and violence.  It has it's own light moments too when Elliot insists he's not a rabbit even though he enjoys carrot themed foods not raw carrots like a real rabbit.

4/5

Other manga in series:

1.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Vol. 1
2.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Vol. 2
3.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Vol. 3
4.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Vol. 4
5.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Vol. 5
6.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Vol. 6
7.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Omnibus Vol. 1 (Vols. 1 - 2)
8.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Omnibus Vol. 2 (Vols. 3 - 4)
9.  Alice in the Country of Hearts Omnibus Vol. 3 (Vol. 5 - 6)

Thanks Hachette Book Group Canada/Yen Press for sending me this manga to review, greatly appreciated!