Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Lost Boy by Christina Henry

44 reviews

priscillarobock's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Animal death

charisreading's review

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I’m a huge sucker for Peter Pan related stuff :( The story and reimagining are fantastic, and the complicated relationship and constant sense of danger we’re handled brilliantly. There were some points where the writing felt a little immature but I think I’m a little above the target audience anyway.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Toxic friendship, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Violence

unicornofblue's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Rape

bcsylve's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

gabography's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

If Peter Pan has a million haters, I'm one of them. If he has one hater, it's me. If he has 0 haters, I have died. If the world is against Peter Pan, I am with the world. If the world is for Peter Pan, I am against the world.

Okay, that aside this was an incredibly gripping read. I would have finished in a day if it weren't for obligations.  So many things in this story just make sense if you're familiar in any way with the Peter Pan story. There's something so odd about him and Neverland that's just written off as magic and childish whimsy, but thinking about it too hard makes ol' P.P. a bit of a creepy figure who is more in the wrong than people may think. Even before reading this book I'd wondered as a child what exactly did Hook do that was so bad to earn Peter's constant torment and pestering beyond being annoyed with the little bastard who refuses to mature or be responsibility. Hook is one of those childhood antagonists that doesn't really feel like one if the only lense looked at him with is "well, he spoils the fun of children" because... so? and?
The author painted such a tragic image of the boy who would captain the Jolly Roger that it is impossible not to join Team Hook-Did-Nothing-Wrong before it's done. Literally everything that's led him to the point of becoming Hook was casued by Peter's  meddling and you'd have to be on something to even try to convince me that he shouldn't give that "kid" what he deserves. I also feel like I am never going to look at the more cheerful depictions of Peter and his Lost Boys the same way after this book

revealed that the children brought to Neverland from the "Other Place" are all but sows being saved for slaughter, so the blood spilled through Peter's games are what keep the island teaming with magic and Peter young, all-knowing, and immortal

. That went beyond the "Lord of the Flies" vibe that is very present and true, so it's going to stay with me for a little bit.
While some retellings of childhood stories can edge too close to "look at how edgy everything is oooooh", Henry truly Told A Story with sympathetic characters you root and feel for, believable dangers and stakes, and an ending that is both understandably bleak and still hopeful for the day, somewhere, somehow, Peter finally stops getting his way. If only for there to finally be justice for everything he's caused in the name of fun.

Edit: f it. changing my 4.75 to a 5 because this book really grabbed me. No notes on the writing (Henry did great) or any characters beyond the antagonist getting on my nerves, so yeah. A perfect book if you know what you're looking for and what you're getting into.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Grief

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Gore

therealanakin's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

strawbeb's review

adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This book was simultaneously NOT what I thought it'd be, and EXACTLY what I thought it'd be. As soon as I heard the premise and saw a few snippets, I was "hooked". And while I did have a fantastic time, maybe I set the bar too high?

Christina Henry is an addictive writer. Whether I was in love with what I was reading, or if I felt it was lacking, regardless I always turned the page. And I ended up finishing the entire book in two days (would've been one, but it arrived in the mail late in the evening.)

On "one hand", Lost Boy accomplishes exactly what it promises. It's a dark twisted version of the original tale. Heroes are the villains, and villains are the heroes. There is A LOT of death, blood, violence, psychological abuse, and then some. And none of it feels gratuitous. There's always a narrative purpose for the dark deeds that are done. Christina Henry writes "darkness" excellently.

Alongside this, the plot is intense and keeps you engaged.

One of the most compelling elements is that you know Jamie/Hook and Peter will survive at the end. They must or else there'd be no story. Because you know this, and you know Henry knows this, the curious and shocking ways she writes the "in between" is made all the more impactful. There are fates worse than death.

On the "other hook", there were flaws I noticed. For one, while Jamie is an endearing character that you can't help but root for, at times he felt a bit like a Gary Stu. Perfect and amazing at everything, with everyone looking up to him all the time, and complimenting him at practically every turn.

There's even a surprise female character, and of course her and Jamie have a romance. Because Jamie has both brains, brawn, and now "the girl".

The pacing also felt disjointed at times. Peter wastes nearly five (5) ENTIRE pages going on about a story about a crocodile. I did understand the significance of the tale, but I truly doubt it needed that many pages and details to get across. This was the worst time the pacing felt terribly slow.

But towards the later half of the story, a vital character suddenly switches sides. It's incredibly abrupt and feels like it comes out of nowhere. And then, barely even 3 pages later, the character returns back to their original side again. It felt like this might've been a scene Henry brainstormed early into production, then got further into writing only to realize she couldn't fit it in, but out of sheer determination, crammed the scene into the plot anyways.

All in all, the book definitely has flaws and is far from perfect. But what it does well, it does really well and it will keep you on the edge of your seat regardless of what chapter you're on. Flaws aside, I do wish Christina Henry would return to this world and these characters again. For a sequel sounds like it would be a wonderfully grand adventure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Child death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Terminal illness, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Abandonment, Bullying, Sexual violence, Cursing, Alcoholism, Misogyny, War, and Terminal illness

Warning to readers that have arachnophobia.

There are creatures in the book that are basically Giant Sp*ders. The descriptions of them are disgusting. They aren't focused on TOO heavily, but they do get time in the spotlight throughout the book.

Several mentions, but fortunately only two major encounters.

gologel's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A book with more rage and bloodshed than I imagined. I barely know anything about the original Peter Pan, but it does a good job at retelling the story of a cheerful young hero, giving it a dark twist (& maybe shows how as adults we look at things more closely, more critically).

However, I feel like this is one of those few stories where a few more pages (50-100) would have been perfect to deepen the story and character development (which I would critique the most: Jamie is already very critical of Peter from the first chapter and perceives his wrong morals; I would have preferred to read the horror's dawning on him).

Overall, I wish there was a second book to this. Retell the whole story, not just Hook's & Peter's beginnings. I need him to get his revenge.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence

lizrosereads8's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Grief, Gore, Kidnapping, Blood, Bullying, Death, Murder, Abandonment, and Child death

Moderate: Death of parent

josoko's review

adventurous dark sad tense

• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic friendship, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gaslighting, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, and Animal death