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fronk10's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Child death, and Drug use
anna_hepworth's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There are many inexplicable happenings, and the story carefully steps around explaining many things. One can make assumptions about how the story got from here to there, but there is also the possibility that the author has another book planned in the set. Although, as there is a somewhat happilly ever after epilogue, this might not be the case.
James/Captain Hook is never redeemed in the 'real' world, and I like that. Getting out of Neverland and the malign influence of Peter Pan did not make James a nice person. And he never quite gets out of the trauma responses.
Setting this in London in 1939, and including a character who came back from The Great War very damaged allowed the author to draw some fascinating parallels between war and Neverland, and explore themes of trauma and maladaptive responses. All five of the characters who get significant plot time are dealing with past events that impact negativelyon their present.
This is not a hopeful book, and despite the epilogue, I would say it does not end in a happy way.
Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction
Moderate: Death, Violence, Mental illness, War, Body horror, and Ableism
kb_sherman's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death, and Violence
booknerd_therapist's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Cursing, Misogyny, and Sexism
tifftastic87's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
All in all this story is about family, found or blood and their complications. Its about addiction and mental illness and how they shape and change our lives. There's a redemption story here in that you may not be able to choose how you respond in the moment but you can choose how you respond to the consequences.
There are typos and grammatical errors, but those lessen as the book goes on.
I tend to love retellings and re-imaginings especially when the previous hero is a villain. Hooked does a good job with some creative ideas, but others are kind of left ignored.
For example, Wise comes up with a great idea for mermaids being more hive minded and somewhat simple spooky creatures of the deep. More could have been done with that idea and in fact, if she does another focusing on them I would happily follow her to Neverland to read it. Another issue is the pre-WWII setting. Its grossly underused. Why set it then if you're not going to take advantage of it.
Mild spoilers after here.
I also really like the exploration of the relationship between Wendy and Jane and Wendy and Michael. It was really good to see different family dynamics and how people worked through problems.
In the end Hook did something selfless to fix a selfish choice. Whether or not his initial selfish choice was valid can be debated, but he took responsibility in the end. </spoiler
Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Death, Blood, and Child death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, and Alcoholism
Minor: War and Suicidal thoughts
carysbeesbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Homophobia
readingwithtay'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
3.5
In this retelling Captain James Hook finds a way to leave Neverland but 22 years later Pan’s monster makes his way to London and Hook must return to Neverland to vanquish the monster.
This book did a really great job of showing grief, survivor’s guilt and healing. I loved getting to read about James and Samuel.
The part where this book fell short is that it is written in multiple perspectives and during multiple timelines. Sometimes switching midchapter. I found it difficult to digest the story this way. I really didn’t find Jane or Wendy’s perspectives all that helpful. If the novel had been told from just Hook’s perspective flashing back and forth or if this had been solely about Hook and Samuel and then written another book where Hook meets up with Jane and Wendy and had changing perspectives I feel like it would have flowed smoother. After loving Wendy, darling I was actually really disappointed that this one fell short for me. Overall I really enjoyed this take on Captain Hook I just wish the writing style had been a bit different.
Thank you to Titan books and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Grief
Minor: Violence, Homophobia, and Death