Published way back in 1865, Alice in Wonderland is recognized, along with The Adventures of Pinocchio, as a progenitor of fantasy literature. It has inspired countless retellings over the years, including cross-media in the form of encyclopedias, games and movies. So, the question may arise: does it still have something to say? The collection of short stories “Sogni dal Paese delle Meraviglie” aims to explore the resonance of the phenomenon in todays’ Italian speculative fiction.
Londra è scura, scura e bagnata. Sul farsi della sera diventa la bocca di un mostro con le guglie dei palazzi come denti e una lingua fatta di pietra scivolosa. A volte immagino di cadere sul quel tappeto duro che si fa carne, e con una mossa mi deglutisce. Adesso non conta, ti devi svegliare. Sei in ritardo. Come sempre.
Protagonists of the short stories are the archetypes we know well: the Hatter, the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, and the Caterpillar. They inhabit romantic, fairy-tale, detective, or psychedelic stories, representing many different paths of self-discovery. They become containers for original reinterpretations in which we see unexpected changes in tone and register, points of view, physical and temporal settings. How did the Queen become so evil? Where is this Wonderland: is it somewhere in the world or is it somewhere inside our head? Why is a raven like a writing-desk?
“Non sono malato, perché il peccato non è una malattia. È una scelta.”
Ha sporto le mani verso di me. “Quante sono secondo voi?”
“Due.”
“Anche a me sembrano due, adesso. Ma non è sempre così. Spesso le guardo e sono tante. Ne servono tante per afferrare tante cose.”
“Quali cose?”
“Oh, di tutto. Patrimoni. Proprietà. Cose che non ti appartengono.”
Cautionary tales, villain backstories, second chances and showdowns: the themes proposed by Carroll are here modernized, allowing for criticism of our current times across feminism, capitalism, and mental health. I particularly enjoyed reflecting on the consequences of our fast-paced culture and the recovery from addictions by reading “Tardi” and “Mettere le ali” (from which the above quotations were respectively taken). You might like others more… But this is precisely the beauty of an anthology: every reader can discover, pick and share their own favorite stories and author voices with the broader community!
The collection was curated in collaboration with Ilaria Cremaschini of the Lewis Carroll Society of Italy, and involved the following authors: Giulia Esse, Stefano Tevini, Azzurra Pasquali, Mala Spina, Viviana Tenga, Margherita Fray, Sara A. Benatti, Angelo Berti, Davide Emanuele, Luca Tarenzi. All chapter headings are accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Roberta Binello, who is also responsible for the captivating book cover.
In conclusion, “Sogni dal Paese delle Meraviglie” is a virtuous project that re-discovers characters who have marked the history of the fantasy genre and brings them in the here and now to tell new stories, thus inspiring further generations of authors and readers and carrying tradition into the future.
Title: Sogni dal Paese delle Meraviglie
Author: AA VV
ISBN code: 9791280360427
Publisher: Plesio
What you will find in this book:
The archetypes of Alice in Wonderland
Present day issues
Fairytale, dark and psychedelic vibes