Draft:Unbirthday (A Twisted Tale)
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| Author | Liz Braswell |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Lorna Bennett |
| Language | English |
| Series | A Twisted Tale |
| Genre | Fantasy, Fiction, Retelling |
| Publisher | Disney Hyperion (U.S.) Autumn Publishing (U.K) |
Publication date | September 1, 2020 (U.S) September 17, 2020 (U.K) |
| Publication place | The United States The United Kingdom |
| ISBN | 978-1-484-78131-9 |
| Preceded by | So This is Love |
| Followed by | Go the Distance |
Unbirthday[1] is the 10th installment in the series Twisted Tales, which is an anthology series based on the "What if" of Disney and Pixar series. Unbirthday is based on the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Disney's original film, Alice in Wonderland, from 1951. It was first published in English in the United Kingdom by Autumn Publishing and in the United States by Disney Hyperion in September 2020.[2][3]
The story is based on the What if, "What if Wonderland was in peril and Alice was very, very late?". Alice, the same protagonist as the original film, has grown up since her childhood visit to Wonderland. After discovering Wonderland has fallen into peril, she returns to save Wonderland from devastation.
The book has been translated into seven languages.[3][4] It also has a variety of editions and adaptations available, including Audio CD, Paperback, Kindle Edition, Audible, Hard cover, and Nook.
Narrative
[edit]The story is written in third-person point of view, closely following Alice's thoughts, actions, feelings, and experiences, detailing Alice's inner conflicts and emotions. It does not explore other characters' perspectives unless Alice is directly interpreting their behaviors.
The tone of the story is whimsical and fantastical, aligning with the theme of "nonsense" of this book and the original Alice in Wonderland. The third-person point of view maintains a balance between understanding Alice's perspective and the mysterious setting.
Plot
[edit]Alice's life in Kexford
[edit]Alice lives an ordinary life in the English town of Kexford. At 18 years-old, her memory of her journey in Wonderland has faded, but her adventurous soul remains strong. She channels her curiosity into photography, inspired by her aunt Vivian, an unconventional, free-spirited artist who supported her passion. On the other hand, her sister, Matilda, has always tried to urging her to conform to Victorian norms.
One day, Alice's photographs begin to show strange anomalies. Instead of the subjects she remembers capturing, distorted and frightened Wonderland characters that she knew figures appear. The Mad Hatter looks worried, and the Caterpillar seems forlorn. Even more worrying, Alice sees a distressed version of herself, blindfolded, ragged, and holding a banner reading, "Merry Unbirthday". Among these pictures, she sees a menacing picture of the Queen of Hearts. These images bring up old memories and convince Alice that her dreams may have been real, and that Wonderland is in danger.
Alice's investigation
[edit]Determined to uncover the truth, Alice dives into her memories and the clues hidden in her photographs. She pieces together what she knew of Wonderland's current state and came to the conclusion that the Queen of Hearts has begun her tyrannical rules, bringing chaos and fear. In the pictures, the Wonderland characters were reaching out for help. From her memory of her previous visit, she remembers that the Wonderland figures always mistook her for someone named "Mary Ann". Thus, she figures that another version of herself is trapped and suffering in Wonderland.
By observing the pictures and recognizing the parallels, such as Alice's real world acquaintances and their Wonderland counterparts, Alice learns that Wonderland exists in a parallel state to the real world, influenced by her childhood visit. Her journey as a child left an imprint on Wonderland, and her absence has allowed the Queen's tyranny to grow unchecked.
Return to Wonderland
[edit]Alice chooses to step back into Wonderland, discovering that it has become much darker and more fragmented than before. The whimsical, nonsensical charm of the land has been replaced by chaos and oppression. The Queen of Hearts' rule has spread fear among Wonderland's inhabitants, and even the land itself feels broken.
Alice reunites with familiar characters, including the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Caterpillar, who are hesitant to help her. Years of living under the Queen's tyranny have left them demoralised and afraid. The Mad Hatter, usually full of riddles and eccentricity, appears burdened by worry. The Caterpillar, once smug and cryptic, seems resigned to his fate. Despite their fear, Alice inspires them to join her, reminding them of the Wonderland spirit that thrives on rebellion and nonsense.
As Alice ventures deeper into Wonderland, she faces a series of trials that test her courage, wit, and resolve. Along the way, she discovers more about the Queen's motives and her connection to "Mary Ann". She realises that her doppelgänger symbolises the loss of her childlike wonder and individuality. This is a sign to warn her of the situation in the real world, that she could lose herself if she abandons her adventurous and curious nature to conform to society's standards.
Confrontation
[edit]In a final confrontation, Alice faces the Queen of Hearts in her palace. The Queen's oppressive rule is revealed to stem from her own insecurities and desire for control. She manipulates Wonderland's inhabitants and bends reality itself to maintain her power. The Queen sees Alice as a threat to her dominance and seeks to destroy her.
With her wit, creativity, and support from her friends, Alice is able to outwit the Queen and rally the Wonderland's inhabitants to lose their fears. This allowed her to weaken the Queen's control, eventually freeing Wonderland from her rules. Shortly after, she frees her Wonderland counterpart, Mary Anne, and restores Wonderland to its original, whimsical nature.
Resolution
[edit]After Wonderland returns to its peaceful and nonsensical world, Alice has to make a difficult decision whether to return to the real world or stay here in her beloved magical land. While she still feels deeply connected to Wonderland, she now understands the value of balancing her adventures, responsibilities, imagination, and reality. Thus, she decides to return to her place in Kexford.
Alice bids farewell to her friends, knowing Wonderland will always be a part of her. She returns with a stronger sense of self, carrying her lessons throughout her journey. Her experiences in Wonderland have given her a renewed purpose and a deep appreciation for the magic in everyday life. The story ends on a hopeful note, where Alice is forever changed by the journey and ready to face her real life.
Themes
[edit]The story explores the theme of identity, sense of self, courage, and the tension between childhood fantasy and adult responsibilities. The Wonderland peril symbolises the threat of losing oneself, with the Queen of Hearts representing the oppression. Mary Anne's captivity shows the effect of losing the sense of self, and Alice's confrontation and saving Wonderland represents how we have to face our fears and injustice with wit and creativity, in order to maintain one's individuality and be different.[citation needed]
Background
[edit]From a young age, Liz Braswell was interested in Alice in Wonderland and folklore and myths, such as Grimm's Fairy Tales and Myths and Legends of Japan.[5] Having written a few books in the series, she says she enjoys how she is able to interpret Disney's world freely and put in the details which did not make it into the movie.[6]
Unbirthday differs from the other book in the series in that the story is a series of books originally written by another author, Lewis Carroll, while the other books are based on fairy tales. The original series have also had many adaptations, leaving Braswell with the question of how to interpret the story into her own. In the end, she decided to take Alice to somewhere new instead of changing the plot like the other Twisted Tales.[6][7]
Adaptation
[edit]The book has been adapted into 2 editions of audio books; Audible Audio and Audio CD. Audible Audio is narrated by Lorna Bennett and released October 13, 2020. Audio CD, narrated by the same narrator, was released September 22, 2020.[3][8]
Translations
[edit]Unbirthday has been translated into 7 languages.[3][4]
- Finnish: Syntymättömyyspäivä, pronounced [ˈsyntymætːøˌmyːsˌpäi̯ʋæ]
- French: Un joyeux non-anniversaire, pronounced [œ̃ ʒwa.jø nɔ̃.a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ]
- German: Alice im Bann der Herzkönigin, pronounced [ˈaː.lɪ.sə ʔɪm ˈban deːɐ̯ ˈhɛʁt͡sˌkøː.ni.gɪn]
- Japanese: アンバースデー, pronounced [aɴ.baː.sɯ.deː]. Romaji: Anbāsudē
- Polish: NieUrodziny, pronounced [ɲɛ.u.rɔˈd͡ʑi.nɨ]
- Spanish: Feliz no cumpleaños, pronounced [feˈliθ no kuŋˈpleaɲos]
- Portuguese: Alice às avessas, pronounced [aˈlisɨ aʃ ɐˈvɛsɐs]
References
[edit]- ^ Braswell, Liz (2020). Unbirthday: a twisted tale. Los Angeles; New York: Disney Hyperion. ISBN 978-1-4847-8131-9.
- ^ "Unbirthday". Goodreads. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Editions of Unbirthday by Liz Braswell". Goodreads. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ a b "【ディズニー小説】大人気ツイステッドテールシリーズ待望の第3弾はアリス！！！名作『ふしぎの国のアリス』の"もしも"の物語『アンバースデー』販売予約開始！". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). July 15, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Yanes, Nicholas (February 17, 2020). "Liz Braswell talks about her career, writing dark Disney stories, and 'Straight On Till Morning'". SciFiPulse.Net. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Oldfield, Kate (October 13, 2020). "Liz Braswell on Twisted Tales, Unbirthday and Disney". United By Pop. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Ward, Jess Salafia (September 1, 2020). "Interview: 'Unbirthday: A Twisted Tale' Author Liz Braswell". LaughingPlace.com. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ "Unbirthday: A Twisted Tale Audiobook – A Truly Wonderful Audiobook". Retrieved November 16, 2024.