The Byway
Written by: Mary Pascual
SparkPress
2023
The Byways takes a stab at retelling Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in a more contemporary sense, delving deeper into the darkness of what it means to be lost.
The Byways captures readers’ attention by following CeeCee into this dark and twisted way of retelling Lewis Carrol’s story while giving it a contemporary feel.
Storytelling
The Byways does have a slow start. It begins by explaining who CeeCee is. She is a misfit, a girl prone to outbursts of anger and considered special needs by her school. She has one best friend and is the only daughter of a single mother. But at her core, CeeCee is lost, or she feels that way anyway.
That is how she got swept up into The Byways, the alleys overlooked in the real world, a home for all the people who want to get lost.
But it is a dangerous place, full of shady characters who want to hurt CeeCee simply because she is a lost girl.
I liked the contemporary imagery in the storytelling because it gave the story its realism and tension, making up for the slow pace.
Characterization
CeeCee was also a driving force in the characterization. CeeCee may feel lost and like a misfit, making her relatable, but she is clever and resilient overall. CeeCee outsmarts the people trying to capture her and searches for a way home.
CeeCee just wants to go home. She wants to be with her mother, who loves her just the way she is and wants to mend her fight with her best friend. She never gives up, even when she wants to, even when things get complicated.
She meets people like Kelly, Jesse, and Apple Cheeks, who all offer her friendship and share their stories of how they became lost.
I have to say, I was impressed with Jesse being a compilation of the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. He was the best side character, and as a growing romantic interest for CeeCee, it worked. Their feelings for one another manifested in a way reminiscent of middle school/high school crushes. Again, it made the story even more relatable.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Byways is a different and unique way of retelling Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It was dark, atmospheric, and relatable.
A Unique Retelling | The Byways Review
The Byways takes a stab at retelling Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in a more contemporary sense, delving deeper into the darkness of what it means to be lost.
Cynthia Ayala
Cynthia Ayala-Bujnicki majored in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College. Editor-in-chief of Cyn's Workshop, she loves to read and write while tending to her pepper plants. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, two kids Dante and Selene and two furbabies Mr. J the Kitten who Thinks He's Batman (yes, that is his full name) and Nyx.
