Summary Of The Looking Glass Wars By Frank Beddor

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor is the backstory of Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. In this story, Alyss isn’t from London. She’s the princess of Wonderland and she was ordered to go into hiding when her evil aunt Redd planned to take over the queendom that was Queen Genevieve's. Hatter Madigan was ordered by the queen to keep Alyss safe. They escaped into the Pool of Tears and they ended up in London and France. Alyss’ imagination starts to fade when she arrives in London and she gets adopted into a family in London. She still believed in Wonderland when everyone else thought she was just telling stories. Beddor puts this story in a different perspective showing how belief plays a huge role (good or bad) in the actions of Genevieve, Redd, and Alyss.

Queen Genevieve believed that “queendom [is] more important than any single queen” (65).

If one queen was gone, that didn’t mean the queendom was too. She told Hatter to protect Alyss and to leave her to hold Redd back which resulted in her death (67). Genevieve believed if Alyss escaped Redd she’d be able to rule later. She believed in it so much that she died for it. Alyss escaped because of her sacrifice so Redd didn’t find her. Until “‘ she’s [Alyss] old enough to return and claim her rightful place as queen…’” (188), she stayed in London without Hatter because they got separated in the Pool of Tears. Queen Genevieve believed this and that is why Alyss is alive and had a chance to take back the

queendom.
Redd believed that she should be queen. She believed it wasn’t right that her sister got the throne and she didn’t. She became cold and she said triumphantly,"’The queen is dead. Long live the queen...me’" (67) after she killed Genevieve. Also, Redd killed her mother in jealous rage (56) because of her decision of making Genevieve queen instead of her. Redd was such a violent person she threatened her own assassin and killed him multiple times (he's a cat so he has nine lives): “‘Don’t be so dramatic,’ Redd said. ‘You still have six lives left. Lie to me again and you will have none.’” (197)
Alyss believed in Wonderland when she was in London. Adults told her to act like a lady and quit imagining things. She drew pictures of the Heart Palace in London. Lorina asked her why and Alyss said “Because I don’t want to forget where I came from” (126). She eventually stopped going on about Wonderland and told herself to forget about it but she wasn't happy. Alyss was always looked down on if she talked about Wonderland when she was young and she was forced to marry a prince. She was attacked on her wedding day. “...the card soldiers [that attacked,] she remembered. Can’t remember what isn’t supposed to exist.” (203) she told herself but that didn't change anything! She still went back to Wonderland and found out what had happened all that time.
Belief can affect everything. It determines a character’s action and what the consequences follow their actions just like for Queen Genevieve, Redd, and Alyss. Genevieve believed Alyss could become queen in the future so she sacrificed herself. Redd killed her mother, Nolan, and Genevieve to take over Wonderland. Alyss believed in Wonderland when no one believed her and she returned, defeated Redd, and took the queendom back just like how Queen Genevieve wanted. Believing in something sets a goal for people. There will be people who don’t believe the same thing as you but if you believe, and you work harder than them, you could just beat them.