If you spliced the genes of The Wizard of Oz and Grimm's Fairy Tales into a virus, and then infected Alice in Wonderland with it, then you would get this book. It is full of compelling adventures and a sense of wonderment even in the face of mortal peril. The antiquated prose style, using long sentences and some now obscure words (velocipede) help further envelop you in the world of Fairyland.