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icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
i first read lost boy around 2 years ago, give or take a few months. and i was in love. baffled. shocked. totally immersed and utterly impressed by all of henry's brutal, brilliant and exciting ideas.
[this was the book that sparked my passion for re-tellings (of peter pan and others)!]
jamie and peter's relationship is so frighteningly interesting and nuanced; the manipulation, the jealousy, the betrayal, the absolute madness - i loved it all.
the book is very character-driven, and with that i mean most of the book is the characters getting slaughtered or slaughtering each other. the plot beyond that was scarce, but that's okay because the pages were filled with other things, namely clever ideas, fantastic revelations and intrigues (but sometimes, sadly, also kinda lengthy scenes).
there's only one thing i didn't like, neither back then nor now, and it's the whole thing surrounding sal.
i hated how the revelation that she's a girl seemed to change everything, from the boys' thinking to their language to even the narration (suddenly noting her physique and random blushing and so forth). and i hated how jamie came to the very quick realisation that he loved her right there on the battle ground. it was strange.
her whole arc didn't fit into the story and she brought a certain aspect to the book that i didn't enjoy. perhaps it was the romance that was obviously inevitable (because she's the only girl and jamie the main boy, which is just so stupid). perhaps it was the possibility of a happy ending. i don't know. the book seemed to lose its tone and charm as soon as jamie fell for her and even became a little unenjoyable from this revelation on until her inconsequential death. it got better after that, though.
but the ending was great. like really. it was impactful and so so SO thrilling.
still one of my favorite christina henry books, even after nearly 2 years.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Body horror, Child abuse, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Vomit and Gun violence
cozywithraven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Violence, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Physical abuse, Stalking, Torture, Child abuse, and Murder
Minor: Vomit and Kidnapping
Narcissismbreadwitchery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Blood, Gore, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Animal death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Fatphobia
l_ander's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, and Grief
howlsbreakfast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Genocide, Death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent and Domestic abuse
rose_88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Toxic friendship, Child death, Body horror, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Violence
starofash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
it's also about how people can twist stories and even your own memories to make you believe them, make you love them. that's exactly what peter does in this retelling.
he's the villain.
the story is very captivating and you can't really put the book down.
the only three critique points i have are: firstly, the way a queer narrative was avoided, although it had potential to be trans-inclusive or have a gay love story, secondly, the author's obsession with the phrase "xy, for xy" (is that understandable?)
it's at least on every second page for quite a bit of the book, and after 100 pages, i really was getting fed up.
lastly, the ending felt a little bit rushed rushed and i would've loved to explore more of jamies feelings and his rise to being captain
nevertheless, it's a very good book and i enjoyed reading it.
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, and Misogyny
keen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Blood, Death, Violence, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Kidnapping