In Sylvie and Bruno , the titular characters serve as the connection between the novel’s two settings: Outland, a fictional land in which the children’s father is the Warden, and the real world, Victorian England. After their father is betrayed by their uncle, the family leaves their home and travels to different places to meet interesting and unusual characters.

The part of the story set in England is social commentary, with the characters discussing philosophy, religion, morals, and economics. The part set in Outland is a fairy tale akin to Carroll’s much more popular works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass .

The novel is a combination of two previous published short stories, plus ideas Carroll had collected throughout the years. This pedigree results in a fairly scattered plot, and the book was not well received by contemporary critics or audiences.