Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I had been dreading to read this book because of some of the rather bad reviews.  Still, my interest was piqued so I had to try it.  I borrowed this from the library and finally forced myself to read it today.  I really liked it.  It was a nice perspective to read from Alice's point of view.  This story was melancholy for me.  It's a book of lost innocence and love.  Was Mr. Dodgson a pedophile?  Maybe, maybe not.  Visiting Oxford when I lived in London, it was eye opening.  I found this book was quite gentle on him and the perspective different than the nasty rumours.  I did enjoy the speculations of Alice and her other love.  She didn't exactly experience unrequited love, instead, it was forbidden love.



What really stunned me was the book of young girls in dresses and odd poses Mr. Dodgson photographed.  This is rather disturbing.  This is disturbing enough that I wish to borrow this book just to see the pictures.  This will determine for me whether or not he was truly a lover of young girls. 



Still, I thought this was a very well written book mixed with fiction and facts.  I do love the Alice in Wonderland stories and reading this book did not colour my opinion of Mr. Dodgson.  It actually made me want to meet him.  Unfortunately, I well over a century too late.



Here is a website that shows some of his photographs of nude children.  Notice the two of Alice... rather disturbing.