It moves from darkness and violence into cartoonish territory and back again, never quite becoming anything more than a mess.Īnd one more thing. I struggle to believe either fans OR newbies will find anything to love here. Have watched the Disney movie? Then go watch it again. Haven't watched the Disney movie? Then go watch that instead. Honestly, there is no reason to read this book. Aladdin has no personality beyond his desire to save everyone else. Jafar is nothing more than a pantomime antagonist. They are never developed beyond one-dimensional hero/villain/love interest archetypes. The novel is contradictory in that it's boring to read it having already watched the movie, but the story almost assumes the reader is familiar with the Disney characters. So, don't things get better after that? In one word: nope. Why bother when I can just watch the excellent Disney version instead?īut, yes, after about 25% the story changes when Jafar traps Aladdin underground (no magic lamp this time) and proceeds to take over and terrorize Agrabah with the genie. It was actually painfully boring to read the parts that were an exact novelization of the film.

“All this for a loaf of bread?” Aladdin asked, exasperated. And, the small prologue aside, we once again meet Aladdin in the market when he is stealing bread and being chased by the Sultan's guards - just like in the movie. 25% - down to copying the exact dialogue in parts - but then changes a single element of the plot to spin the story in a new direction.īeing a fan of the Disney movie, I found myself saying some of the lines before the characters. Instead, it's more of a fan fiction that recreates the Disney film for the first approx. A Whole New World, contrary to what I initially believed, is not really a retelling.

A twisted tale a whole new world