Title: Alice in Borderland Vol. 1

Author: Haro Aso

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC 2021

Genre: Comics

Pages: 344

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings (replacing Rumplestitlskin)

Where I Got It: Library

Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future feels like impending doom. As he struggles to exist in a world that can’t be bothered with him, Ryohei feels like everything would be better if he were anywhere else. When a strange fireworks show transports him and his friends to a parallel world, Ryohei thinks all his wishes have come true. But this new world isn’t an empty paradise, it’s a vicious game. And the only way to survive is to play.

The first game starts with a bang, but Ryohei manages to beat the clock and save his friends. It’s a short-lived victory, however, as they discover that winning only earns them a few days’ grace period. If they want to get home, they’re going to have to start playing a lot harder.

I’ve had this series on my TBR for years now. Funnily enough, it was watching Katee Robert’s instagram stories that brought it back to the top of the pile. Very quickly, we are dumped into Borderland and attempt to start understanding the rules of the game. I was concerned that Ryohei was going to be super annoying throughout, but very quickly attempts to focus on his new reality and the games. Volume 1 includes the introduction plus two games. We get to see some of Borderland’s other players and begin to understand the implications of the games. Plus there are some tantalizing clues as to the ultimate strategies. Cannot wait to read Volume 2.

Next up on the TBR pile: