Reviews of Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll highlight its whimsical imagination and clever wordplay, delighting readers with its inventive world and memorable characters. However, some find the narrative structure less cohesive than its predecessor, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Overall, it remains a cherished classic in children's literature.

A reader who enjoys whimsical adventures, clever wordplay, and fantastical, imaginative worlds, akin to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, would relish Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Ideal for those who appreciate surreal storytelling and profound yet playful exploration of logic and language.

In Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, Alice steps through a mirror into a surreal, chessboard-like world where she meets peculiar characters, navigates odd landscapes, and experiences fantastical events, progressing from a pawn to a queen. The story includes naturally integrated poetry and tales within the narrative, such as "The Walrus and the Carpenter," and culminates with Alice's realization that it was all a dream.

Fantastical / Playful / Mysterious / Humorous / Adventurous

- Through the Looking-Glass was published in 1871, six years after Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, serving as a sequel with a more structured chess-based framework.
- Lewis Carroll incorporated elements of mirrored reflections and reversed logic, paralleling the way a chess game unfolds on a board, which is a central motif of the book.
- The poem "Jabberwocky," found in Through the Looking-Glass, is famous for its nonsensical language and is often cited as one of the greatest nonsense poems written in English.

**Alice**  
The story’s protagonist who navigates a world with odd and nonsensical rules using her creativity and logic, encountering various strange characters and situations.

**The Red Queen**  
A mentor and ruler in the looking-glass world who guides Alice with her authoritative and insightful nature, helping her understand the chess-like landscape.

**Tweedledee and Tweedledum**  
Two silly and argumentative twins who challenge Alice's understanding of logic and morality, engaging her in debates and wordplay that question her assumptions.

**The White Knight**  
A chivalrous and inventive character who befriends and protects Alice, aiding her on her journey with his imaginative inventions and kind demeanor.

Lewis Carroll

Middle grade

Novel

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore Through The Looking Glass reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

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Overview

Get ready to explore Through The Looking Glass and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Through The Looking Glass Summary

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Through The Looking Glass Chapters 1-3 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 4-6

Through The Looking Glass Chapters 1-3 Analysis Summary & Analysis

Chapters 7-9

Through The Looking Glass Chapters 7-9 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 10-12

Through The Looking Glass Chapters 10-12 Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Through The Looking Glass Character Analysis

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Themes

Through The Looking Glass Themes

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Through The Looking Glass Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

Through The Looking Glass Important Quotes

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Through The Looking Glass Essay Topics

Through The Looking Glass

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