Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Peter Pan (Classic Starts) by J.M. Barrie, Arthur Pober, Tania Zamorsky, Dan Andreasen

45 reviews

peggyluwho's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Violence and Misogyny

Minor: Abandonment

tigerkind's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

And thus it will go on, so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.

To read this merely as a children’s book does not do it justice. Even though born in 2000, I grew up watching the 1953 version on VHS over and over again and the discrepancy between the two versions feels like a perfect illustration for the point the story is making about growing up. Reading it back makes me want to both be young again as well as to apologize to my mother. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Murder, and Death

Minor: Child death, War, and Confinement

queenofodas's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Misogyny

mcmeiss's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty

Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Animal death

mskingbean69's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Cultural appropriation, Ableism, Misogyny, and Body horror

tattymouse's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

A huge shock to read this book for the first time in 2024 and be horrified by its contents the entire way through. Which is a shame, because the method of narration and sentence structure in the book are lovely and magical and are the only reason this gets a 1.5. The content issues I had cover all types of concerns: Peter routinely murders both children and adults and this is completely glossed over as something that doesn't alarm the children at all. Yet I see no indication in the text as to why this particular type of violence wouldn't stir them from the childhood spell Neverland seems to cast, especially when they're perfectly capable of remembering many nice things about the real world. The language used to describe the Native tribe is racist enough, but there is also a chapter of generalizations about Native People's versus "the white man" and that chapter in particular was difficult to listen to. Throughout the book there are several mentions of food and body size that I would also be very hesitant to let any child hear. And the father in the book is maybe the most unlikeable character I've encountered in children's literature, and that includes villains. 

Reading this book once was enough - it will not get a place on my bookshelves and I hope my children never ask to read it.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Child death, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Violence, Sexism, Murder, Racism, Body shaming, Physical abuse, and Suicide

jaz_apples's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Violence and Murder

amanda_mh's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

That turned out to be a really sweet story, unexpectedly sad and thoughtful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Sexism, and Cultural appropriation

kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence

inkdrinkermal's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I read this with my daughter. I loved watching the way it captured her imagination. The narrator of the book is whimsical and has many asides, which made it entertaining to read as an adult. 

I felt I had to edit and censor a lot of the racial slurs and negative stereotypes, and also the violence. 110 years sure changes what's acceptable and unacceptable, especially for a children's book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Violence