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Wonderland

Wonderland

by

Shirley Jackson meets The Shining in this richly atmospheric and thrillingly tense new novel from the acclaimed author of the “deliciously creepy” debut Baby Teeth (New York Post).

One mother’s love may be all that stands between her family, an enigmatic presence–and madness.

After years of city life, Orla and Shaw Bennett are ready for the quiet of New York’s Adirondack mountains–or at least, they think they are. Settling into the perfect farmhouse with their two children, they are both charmed and unsettled by the expanse of their land, the privacy of their individual bedrooms, and the isolation of life a mile from any neighbor.

But none of the Bennetts could expect what lies waiting in the woods, where secrets run dark and deep. When something begins to call to the family-from under the earth, beneath the trees, and within their minds-Orla realizes she might be the only one who can save them . . . if she can find out what this force wants before it’s too late.

With an ending inescapable and deeply satisfying, Wonderland brilliantly blends horror and suspense to probe the boundaries of family, loyalty, love, and the natural world.

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Genre: Fiction / Fiction / Horror

On Sale: July 14th 2020

Price: $14.99 / $18.99 (CAD)

Page Count: 368

ISBN-13: 9780316458511

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Praise

"A beautifully choreographed and astonishing second novel from the author of the much-celebrated Baby Teeth . . . Eloquent and unflinching."—Booklist (starred review)
"A beautifully choreographed and astonishing second novel from the author of the much-celebrated Baby Teeth . . . Eloquent and unflinching."—Booklist (starred review)
"A beautifully choreographed and astonishing second novel from the author of the much-celebrated Baby Teeth . . . Eloquent and unflinching."—Booklist (starred review)
"The tension builds steadily throughout . . . Reminiscent of the severe disorientation and trauma in Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves and the nature-seeking revenge theme of Stephen Graham Jones's The Only Good Indians."—Library Journal (starred review)
"The tension builds steadily throughout . . . Reminiscent of the severe disorientation and trauma in Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves and the nature-seeking revenge theme of Stephen Graham Jones's The Only Good Indians."—Library Journal (starred review)
"Wonderland shows the terror lurking below the surface of domestic bliss, when we realize our familiar and cozy world may not be as it seems. Zoje Stage is one of the few writers who can make the supernatural feel totally, dangerously real."—Alma Katsu, author of The Deep and The Hunger
"Wonderland shows the terror lurking below the surface of domestic bliss, when we realize our familiar and cozy world may not be as it seems. Zoje Stage is one of the few writers who can make the supernatural feel totally, dangerously real."—Alma Katsu, author of The Deep and The Hunger
"Oh, fright fans rejoice. That sure hand you're looking for? That relentless climb, that crescendo of cold sweat? It's all here. Deep in the woods, under a lot of snow, steeped in mad, unfamiliar nature. Zoje Stage is in total control of your nightmare. For those who live to be scared, Wonderland is the book you'll be glad you cracked open at home, alone, at night."—Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie
"Oh, fright fans rejoice. That sure hand you're looking for? That relentless climb, that crescendo of cold sweat? It's all here. Deep in the woods, under a lot of snow, steeped in mad, unfamiliar nature. Zoje Stage is in total control of your nightmare. For those who live to be scared, Wonderland is the book you'll be glad you cracked open at home, alone, at night."—Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie
"Oh, fright fans rejoice. That sure hand you're looking for? That relentless climb, that crescendo of cold sweat? It's all here. Deep in the woods, under a lot of snow, steeped in mad, unfamiliar nature. Zoje Stage is in total control of your nightmare. For those who live to be scared, Wonderland is the book you'll be glad you cracked open at home, alone, at night."—Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie
"Wonderland is part ghost story, part family drama, part psychological thriller. And beyond that, it is beautifully written. I was captivated through the entire story."—T. Greenwood, author of Keeping Lucy and Rust & Stardust
"Wonderland is part ghost story, part family drama, part psychological thriller. And beyond that, it is beautifully written. I was captivated through the entire story."—T. Greenwood, author of Keeping Lucy and Rust & Stardust
"Wonderland is part ghost story, part family drama, part psychological thriller. And beyond that, it is beautifully written. I was captivated through the entire story."—T. Greenwood, author of Keeping Lucy and Rust & Stardust
"Memorable imagery . . . Stage's darkly lyrical writing style shines."
—Publishers Weekly
"Memorable imagery . . . Stage's darkly lyrical writing style shines."
—Publishers Weekly
"Five words: Don't go into the woods. Thanks to this book, now I'm afraid of trees, psychotic children, magic, ghost stories, families, polar bears, shotguns, and my own shadow. #thankszoje Wonderfully dark and creepy, Wonderland is a terrifically terrifying masterpiece. Horrific. Exquisite. Haunting. Magical. Stage is a masterful voice in horror."—Rea Frey, author of Not Her Daughter and Until I Find You
"Five words: Don't go into the woods. Thanks to this book, now I'm afraid of trees, psychotic children, magic, ghost stories, families, polar bears, shotguns, and my own shadow. #thankszoje Wonderfully dark and creepy, Wonderland is a terrifically terrifying masterpiece. Horrific. Exquisite. Haunting. Magical. Stage is a masterful voice in horror."—Rea Frey, author of Not Her Daughter and Until I Find You
"What a stunning sophomore book! Stage masterfully takes the reader through this chilling tale, hitting you hard in the gut as the dread and tension rises ever higher. I was nauseous, fearful, and loved every minute of it."
—Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows
"What a stunning sophomore book! Stage masterfully takes the reader through this chilling tale, hitting you hard in the gut as the dread and tension rises ever higher. I was nauseous, fearful, and loved every minute of it."
—Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows
"What a stunning sophomore book! Stage masterfully takes the reader through this chilling tale, hitting you hard in the gut as the dread and tension rises ever higher. I was nauseous, fearful, and loved every minute of it."
—Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows
"Zoje Stage's Wonderland is a mesmerizing journey into the darkest realms of the supernatural; a family, escaping the perils of city life, discovers that the splendors of nature can mask a hidden face of savage, unnameable terror."—Kathleen Kent, author of The Burn
"Zoje Stage's Wonderland is a mesmerizing journey into the darkest realms of the supernatural; a family, escaping the perils of city life, discovers that the splendors of nature can mask a hidden face of savage, unnameable terror."—Kathleen Kent, author of The Burn
"Zoje Stage's Wonderland is a mesmerizing journey into the darkest realms of the supernatural; a family, escaping the perils of city life, discovers that the splendors of nature can mask a hidden face of savage, unnameable terror."—Kathleen Kent, author of The Burn
"Zoje Stage's foreboding sophomore novel combines the bone-chilling paranoia of The Shining with the uncanny suspense of Suspiria. Just as deliciously unsettling as her unforgettable debut, Wonderland is a must-read for horror and thriller fans."—Layne Fargo, author of Temper
"Zoje Stage's foreboding sophomore novel combines the bone-chilling paranoia of The Shining with the uncanny suspense of Suspiria. Just as deliciously unsettling as her unforgettable debut, Wonderland is a must-read for horror and thriller fans."—Layne Fargo, author of Temper
"Zoje Stage plucks the strings of a mother's worst fears like none other through this wondrous adventure as it unravels into claustrophobic terror. Hauntingly beautiful and scary as hell, Wonderland takes you deep into the woods of one woman's mind and her harrowing struggle to save her children."—D.M. Pulley, author of The Dead Key and No One's Home
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What's Inside

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Discussion Questions

1) Why does Orla leave behind the city and the career that she loves so much? Do you thinks she has made peace with this decision?

2) In moving to a bigger house, Orla worries her family will grow apart. Does this worry prove true? Do you think the size of a home affects the relationships inside? What about for your own family?

3) Discuss Orla and Shaw’s relationship. Is it different in the Adirondacks than it was in the city? How does Orla feel about Shaw’s painting? Does their agreement to focus on Shaw’s career change how Orla sees her own art?

4) How does each family member – Orla, Shaw, Eleanor Queen, and Tycho – handle the move from the city to upstate? What do these two distinct settings represent?

5) Discuss the scene in which Orla confronts the bear. Is she right to try to shoot? Is she guilty of a crime? What would you have done?

6) What message is Orla trying to send when she talks about The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago?

7) The trauma of losing her younger brother, Otto, hangs around the periphery of Orla’s narration. How does this loss inform her perspective as a parent?

8) Is Orla a good mother? Why or why not? Does she think of motherhood differently at the end of the novel than she did when she was living in the city at its start? Do you?

9) Both Orla and Shaw make sacrifices, for different reasons, at different times in their relationship. What does sacrifice mean for each of them and how does it figure into the larger plot?

10) How does the family’s relationship with the natural world change or evolve over the course of the book?

11) Do you think there is any hidden meaning or symbolism in the animals that appear in the book?

12) If Orla hadn't been so naïve about—and afraid of—the natural world, do you think the story could be reframed as something magical? Or miraculous, even?

13) Did you consider any correlations between the tree's ability to adjust to a new occupant and the earth's experience as a host to all humans? Do you believe in the possibility of a sentient ecosystem?

Reader Reviews