Scan barcode
catgv's review against another edition
5.0
*A big thanks to Bleeding Ink Publishing, NetGalley and J.M. Sullivan for granting me this much-loved ARC in exchange for an honest review. I received no compensation and reviewed it willingly.*
Second star to the right. Such a beautiful phrase in Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie and a brilliant idea for a retelling novel, Second Star by J.M. Sullivan. The title itself is what grabbed my attention, the gorgeous cover held it for a while, and the blurb had me requesting it on NetGalley. Here’s a hint to my review: I loved it!
Positive Sides:
I rarely do this, but I'll start right away with the writing itself because it's note-worthy! Not only is it good and pretty, but it's also action-oriented and all showing, very little telling. I really like her writing! The names of the companions as acronyms for the robots and parts are excellent! Wow!! This made me grin and giggle so much. It's a nice spin on them. Moreover, the author makes creative genius and touchy feelsy uses and explanations of real quotes like "the second star to the right". She uses the quotes brilliantly and they're so faithful to the characters. It made my heart squeeze with so many feels!
As for the action of the story, the book jumps right into the action and lasts a long while which is highly entertaining. Because when action starts, it's action upon action and it's always the worst-case scenario that happens! In my opinion, this is the best reading experience, and it's thrilling. The action scenes had me engrossed and captivated, with my heart beating faster in real life. I have to give kudos to the author for they're fun, well-written, and there is no confusion about what's happening or who's doing what. At some point in the book, things got slow, but I swear the thrill picked back up on the next page or so. It was expertly woven.
That's all very good, but what about the story itself? Well, I thought the setting was genius! It's so different and creative in a retelling, yet so many hints and equivalences are there like Tink and more. In a space academy? Then off onto a spaceship? And landing on the Neverland planet? That's genius right there. Neverland is both stunning and foreign, and I love how everything is beautiful yet tinged or made slightly different. The fact that it's an alien planet has been taken into consideration - neat! Also, I love how there is coding and technical and engineering stuff that appear prominently; that makes it realistic for the future. This might be a silly remark, but it overjoyed me that Peter is a redhead! Often in retellings he is blonde or brown... but I prefer red heads, so it made me squeal as I could imagine him even more easily. Thanks, Miss Sullivan!
As for Wendy, I like that she's at school and one for the elite at that! Plus, the fact she has no brothers and that Johns and Michaels are her besties is a cool way to to reinvent the wheel! Her relationships with her "soul brothers" is so friendly, cute, and platonic (amazing!). In addition, I looooove how Wendy is in charge! She's different, and this makes her complimentary to Peter. And there's this special treat of how Wendy always has to look proper even in most dire situations. This trait reminds me of her mother role to the boys in the original and the era she's from where everyone of status looked dapper. What about Peter? He and Tinc are immensely likable! They're mine, okay? MINE!
And... the villains! Yes, villains are AWESOME. Dangerous, too! I'm so glad the author put in the original good form argument and attitude from Hooke. I'm also quite impressed by the twist and use of Peter's shadow; very surprising and innovative. Can I add that the showdown at the end is marvelous? WOW! Furthermore, I love how science is used in this book as well as the new concepts for devices, ships, and so on. Last, I swear the author made the Mermaids' Lagoon as important as in the original (if not even more), which made me so happy.
On a side note, may I talk about the thimble? YES, she included the thimble! Oh, my emotions! I cried and all the feels and I ship it!
You may now proceed to the negative sides, thank you.
Negative Sides:
Besides its many good points, this book has two main issues, in my opinion: cheesy romance and inconsistencies. In my book, romance is not very important in books, but this one was way too cheesy to believe in. I mean, Wendy and Peter just got to know each other for a week or two. I barely buy it, which makes me go rather "bleh" and rolling my eyes or sighing while reading. So, I'm warning you: this might get on your nerves like it did with mine. If only more time had passed, that would have been more understandable. While I know love at first sight might happen for a few people (does it even exist, though?), this was brimming full with insta-love.
The other issue is how regular are the inconsistencies. I noted two of them, glaring ones, but there are a few more. For example, in the beginning, the power is out and in the previous paragraph it is said that the ship Jolly Roger is pitch black, so then how come Peter can see cook’s face and his men like in daylight? The only source of light is Tinc, and it’s not said whether or not she is near him for this scene. Also, much later in the book, there's a scene where the gun isn't working anymore, but two chapters later it does with no explanations how. This is so confusing! I had to reread several times the passages, yet I couldn't make any sense of it, so I figured these were inconsistencies. It's annoying, but mostly because the book is so good overall that you want to understand.
In Conclusion:
So, I got this ARC months ago but only got to write this review this week due to health issues, BUT what I'm about to say still stands strong: Second Star is one of the few best retellings I've ever read and the best book I've read in 2018, clearly. Heck, it's the end of 2019 and I'm still thinking about it a lot, remembering all those charming characters, engrossing action and enticing world. Thanks to all of this, I give Second Star by J. M. Sullivan a rating of 4.5 out of 5. I didn't take a point for the cheesiness of the romance (which is still cute), but I took a .5 for the (unfortunate) inconsistencies. All the rest is amazing! I'm eager to read the sequel!
* * * *
If you like my reviews, you can follow my blog here: Ad Librum Aeternam
Second star to the right. Such a beautiful phrase in Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie and a brilliant idea for a retelling novel, Second Star by J.M. Sullivan. The title itself is what grabbed my attention, the gorgeous cover held it for a while, and the blurb had me requesting it on NetGalley. Here’s a hint to my review: I loved it!
Positive Sides:
I rarely do this, but I'll start right away with the writing itself because it's note-worthy! Not only is it good and pretty, but it's also action-oriented and all showing, very little telling. I really like her writing! The names of the companions as acronyms for the robots and parts are excellent! Wow!! This made me grin and giggle so much. It's a nice spin on them. Moreover, the author makes creative genius and touchy feelsy uses and explanations of real quotes like "the second star to the right". She uses the quotes brilliantly and they're so faithful to the characters. It made my heart squeeze with so many feels!
As for the action of the story, the book jumps right into the action and lasts a long while which is highly entertaining. Because when action starts, it's action upon action and it's always the worst-case scenario that happens! In my opinion, this is the best reading experience, and it's thrilling. The action scenes had me engrossed and captivated, with my heart beating faster in real life. I have to give kudos to the author for they're fun, well-written, and there is no confusion about what's happening or who's doing what. At some point in the book, things got slow, but I swear the thrill picked back up on the next page or so. It was expertly woven.
That's all very good, but what about the story itself? Well, I thought the setting was genius! It's so different and creative in a retelling, yet so many hints and equivalences are there like Tink and more. In a space academy? Then off onto a spaceship? And landing on the Neverland planet? That's genius right there. Neverland is both stunning and foreign, and I love how everything is beautiful yet tinged or made slightly different. The fact that it's an alien planet has been taken into consideration - neat! Also, I love how there is coding and technical and engineering stuff that appear prominently; that makes it realistic for the future. This might be a silly remark, but it overjoyed me that Peter is a redhead! Often in retellings he is blonde or brown... but I prefer red heads, so it made me squeal as I could imagine him even more easily. Thanks, Miss Sullivan!
As for Wendy, I like that she's at school and one for the elite at that! Plus, the fact she has no brothers and that Johns and Michaels are her besties is a cool way to to reinvent the wheel! Her relationships with her "soul brothers" is so friendly, cute, and platonic (amazing!). In addition, I looooove how Wendy is in charge! She's different, and this makes her complimentary to Peter. And there's this special treat of how Wendy always has to look proper even in most dire situations. This trait reminds me of her mother role to the boys in the original and the era she's from where everyone of status looked dapper. What about Peter? He and Tinc are immensely likable! They're mine, okay? MINE!
And... the villains! Yes, villains are AWESOME. Dangerous, too! I'm so glad the author put in the original good form argument and attitude from Hooke. I'm also quite impressed by the twist and use of Peter's shadow; very surprising and innovative. Can I add that the showdown at the end is marvelous? WOW! Furthermore, I love how science is used in this book as well as the new concepts for devices, ships, and so on. Last, I swear the author made the Mermaids' Lagoon as important as in the original (if not even more), which made me so happy.
On a side note, may I talk about the thimble? YES, she included the thimble! Oh, my emotions! I cried and all the feels and I ship it!
You may now proceed to the negative sides, thank you.
Negative Sides:
Besides its many good points, this book has two main issues, in my opinion: cheesy romance and inconsistencies. In my book, romance is not very important in books, but this one was way too cheesy to believe in. I mean, Wendy and Peter just got to know each other for a week or two. I barely buy it, which makes me go rather "bleh" and rolling my eyes or sighing while reading. So, I'm warning you: this might get on your nerves like it did with mine. If only more time had passed, that would have been more understandable. While I know love at first sight might happen for a few people (does it even exist, though?), this was brimming full with insta-love.
The other issue is how regular are the inconsistencies. I noted two of them, glaring ones, but there are a few more. For example, in the beginning, the power is out and in the previous paragraph it is said that the ship Jolly Roger is pitch black, so then how come Peter can see cook’s face and his men like in daylight? The only source of light is Tinc, and it’s not said whether or not she is near him for this scene. Also, much later in the book, there's a scene where the gun isn't working anymore, but two chapters later it does with no explanations how. This is so confusing! I had to reread several times the passages, yet I couldn't make any sense of it, so I figured these were inconsistencies. It's annoying, but mostly because the book is so good overall that you want to understand.
In Conclusion:
So, I got this ARC months ago but only got to write this review this week due to health issues, BUT what I'm about to say still stands strong: Second Star is one of the few best retellings I've ever read and the best book I've read in 2018, clearly. Heck, it's the end of 2019 and I'm still thinking about it a lot, remembering all those charming characters, engrossing action and enticing world. Thanks to all of this, I give Second Star by J. M. Sullivan a rating of 4.5 out of 5. I didn't take a point for the cheesiness of the romance (which is still cute), but I took a .5 for the (unfortunate) inconsistencies. All the rest is amazing! I'm eager to read the sequel!
* * * *
If you like my reviews, you can follow my blog here: Ad Librum Aeternam
wildlyminiaturesandwich's review against another edition
3.0
NOTE: I received a complimentary eARC of this book from Bleeding Ink Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It’s taken me a long time to get to this review because I’m still not really sure how I feel about this book, hence the middle-of-the-road three star rating.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
The fact that it was a Peter Pan retelling was automatically a plus, I LOVED that Wendy was more badass than she was in the original, Tink being a bot was just so much fun, the multiple points of view from Wendy and Peter were really handy to be able to give more insight into the story, and the first two thirds of the book was really very interesting and I managed to get through that part very quickly because of that.
But on the other hand, I wish the story different more from the original so that it wasn’t as predictable, the multiple points of view sometimes changed TOO often for my liking, the cliched insta-love romance felt very forced, and I felt like the last third of the book was a little confusing and when I was finished I was so frustrated by it that I had to take time before writing this review to make sure I didn’t let that frustration outweigh the good stuff as well.
Even after writing this review I’m still very confused about whether I liked this one or not and can’t really say for sure if I’ll bother reading the next one in the series.
It’s taken me a long time to get to this review because I’m still not really sure how I feel about this book, hence the middle-of-the-road three star rating.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
The fact that it was a Peter Pan retelling was automatically a plus, I LOVED that Wendy was more badass than she was in the original, Tink being a bot was just so much fun, the multiple points of view from Wendy and Peter were really handy to be able to give more insight into the story, and the first two thirds of the book was really very interesting and I managed to get through that part very quickly because of that.
But on the other hand, I wish the story different more from the original so that it wasn’t as predictable, the multiple points of view sometimes changed TOO often for my liking, the cliched insta-love romance felt very forced, and I felt like the last third of the book was a little confusing and when I was finished I was so frustrated by it that I had to take time before writing this review to make sure I didn’t let that frustration outweigh the good stuff as well.
Even after writing this review I’m still very confused about whether I liked this one or not and can’t really say for sure if I’ll bother reading the next one in the series.
alongreader's review against another edition
4.0
A really clever re imagining of Peter Pan, with everything from character names to Tink and pixie dust. It all fitted together very smoothly. Of course, it ended on a massive cliffhanger, and if there was an explanation for the time dilation thing I didn't get it, but it's a good story and I'll be watching out for the next one - got to find out what happens next!
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Peter looked at his ragtag crew. They were a long shot from London's finest, but they were his. "All right men." He fixed them with a steely gaze. "Today's mission: reconnaissance. The pirates are up to something, and it's up to us to stop them."
The boys listened intently as Peter outlined the plan. Tinc flitted lazily around his shoulder, buzzing off now and then to spark in one of the boys' ears as their attention drifted.
"Any questions?"
"No sir!" the boys ried in unison as they saluted him.
He saluted back. He was proud of his little family, these Lost Boys he had saved from the Roger. Without him, they would still be under the phony benevolence of Hooke.
Peter looked at the admiration glowing from Tootle's (sic)his chubby face. He wouldn't let Tootles experience the same abandonment he had. His jaw clenched, and he thrust his dagger into the air, ready for a fight.
"Let's go men!" Peter crowed, leading his crew into the wilds of Neverland.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Peter looked at his ragtag crew. They were a long shot from London's finest, but they were his. "All right men." He fixed them with a steely gaze. "Today's mission: reconnaissance. The pirates are up to something, and it's up to us to stop them."
The boys listened intently as Peter outlined the plan. Tinc flitted lazily around his shoulder, buzzing off now and then to spark in one of the boys' ears as their attention drifted.
"Any questions?"
"No sir!" the boys ried in unison as they saluted him.
He saluted back. He was proud of his little family, these Lost Boys he had saved from the Roger. Without him, they would still be under the phony benevolence of Hooke.
Peter looked at the admiration glowing from Tootle's (sic)his chubby face. He wouldn't let Tootles experience the same abandonment he had. His jaw clenched, and he thrust his dagger into the air, ready for a fight.
"Let's go men!" Peter crowed, leading his crew into the wilds of Neverland.
wendy327's review
3.0
I received a free copy from Bleeding Ink Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Peter Pan. Maybe it's because my parents accidentally named my brother and I after the titular characters (Peter and Wendy). Therefore, I try to keep up with retellings of Peter Pan to see how authors put a new twist on the classic tale.
J.M. Sullivan's Second Star moved in the direction of science fiction, offering the Londonierre Brigade as the connection that ties all events together. Peter, a member of the Londonierre Brigade and a mechanic on Hooke's ship, gets stranded on a strange planet after learning of Hooke's true plan. Wendy, a recent enlistment in the Londonierre Brigade, captains a ship to a planet, aptly named Neverland, on a mission to rescue Hooke and his crew.
During the first half of the novel, I was unenthused by the sections told from Peter's point of view. In many ways, Sullivan deviated very little from J.M. Barrie's original story. There were, of course, the technological enhancements that made it slightly different, but the story arc, and even many of the lines uttered by the characters, were frustratingly the same.
However, Wendy emerged as a much more fleshed out character in this novel. I was very interested in her path and how she was turned into a young woman that was not to be trifled with. Throughout the story, she finds growth and love in unexpected places, though I was frustrated that in the end she did become a bit moony-eyed and abandoned some of the better characteristics that made her unique.
As the first in a series, the cliff-hanger was satisfying and actually seemed more apropos to the TV series Lost. Though Sullivan was playing on the idea of Peter Pan's shadow, she offers something much more sinister in its place.
This novel is dubbed as a YA novel, but I would place it on the younger side of that spectrum because the writing was more simplistic at points. However, as a YA, there are certain tropes that rear their head here. Instant love is the most obvious, but a love triangle does pop up near the conclusion in a very unexpected moment. I can almost forgive the instant love, but the love triangle seemed unnecessary.
I enjoyed this novel and will be tuning in for the next installment.
I love Peter Pan. Maybe it's because my parents accidentally named my brother and I after the titular characters (Peter and Wendy). Therefore, I try to keep up with retellings of Peter Pan to see how authors put a new twist on the classic tale.
J.M. Sullivan's Second Star moved in the direction of science fiction, offering the Londonierre Brigade as the connection that ties all events together. Peter, a member of the Londonierre Brigade and a mechanic on Hooke's ship, gets stranded on a strange planet after learning of Hooke's true plan. Wendy, a recent enlistment in the Londonierre Brigade, captains a ship to a planet, aptly named Neverland, on a mission to rescue Hooke and his crew.
During the first half of the novel, I was unenthused by the sections told from Peter's point of view. In many ways, Sullivan deviated very little from J.M. Barrie's original story. There were, of course, the technological enhancements that made it slightly different, but the story arc, and even many of the lines uttered by the characters, were frustratingly the same.
However, Wendy emerged as a much more fleshed out character in this novel. I was very interested in her path and how she was turned into a young woman that was not to be trifled with. Throughout the story, she finds growth and love in unexpected places, though I was frustrated that in the end she did become a bit moony-eyed and abandoned some of the better characteristics that made her unique.
As the first in a series, the cliff-hanger was satisfying and actually seemed more apropos to the TV series Lost. Though Sullivan was playing on the idea of Peter Pan's shadow, she offers something much more sinister in its place.
This novel is dubbed as a YA novel, but I would place it on the younger side of that spectrum because the writing was more simplistic at points. However, as a YA, there are certain tropes that rear their head here. Instant love is the most obvious, but a love triangle does pop up near the conclusion in a very unexpected moment. I can almost forgive the instant love, but the love triangle seemed unnecessary.
I enjoyed this novel and will be tuning in for the next installment.
xavia's review against another edition
4.0
Another fantastic retelling of Peter Pan, only this time in space!
Once again Wendy is a no nonsense Captain of her own Ship, this time on a rescue mission to find the elusive Captain Hook who disappeared long ago.
Everything about this book delighted me. The weaving of the Peter Pan tropes with Sci-Fi tropes was so well done and immersive. Eagerly looking forward to more books.
Once again Wendy is a no nonsense Captain of her own Ship, this time on a rescue mission to find the elusive Captain Hook who disappeared long ago.
Everything about this book delighted me. The weaving of the Peter Pan tropes with Sci-Fi tropes was so well done and immersive. Eagerly looking forward to more books.
rampion12's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
My favorite fairy tale with a sci-fi twist! What isn't there to love? More than I thought...
I didn't dislike this... In fact it has a lot of cool ideas:
Neverland is a planet that Captain Hook's spaceship and crew crash on- Heck yes
Said Planet has natives of an alien species and mysterious phenomena- I'm listening...
Wendy is an exceptional cadet and new captain of her own space crew- HECKIN' YES
John and Michael are Wendy's best friends who are like family instead of her actual brothers- BROTP for the win!
My immediate issue, is the first 100 pages. The book spends too much time setting up a story, that is then briskly told. Too much of the book took place at Wendy's Academy of.... what exactly? Space something or other. It wasn't necessary. Johns and Michaels were the only interesting things and even that could have been told through flashbacks. Also, Johns? Can his last name just be Johnson and we call it a day? I would have liked this book to open about a third of the way in and spend more time exploring Neverland and more interactions between Peter and Wendy's crew.
Beyond the first 100 pages, the book changes in tone. The entire concept of the "Shadow" was completely lost on me. It was too vague. I can't even explain what it is or what exactly happened. During the later action scenes I was confused, and frankly, a little bored. I could have done without it. Neverland was interesting enough.
The writing was pleasant enough, but personally I prefer more paragraph breaks and a bit of a faster pace. It's chock full of references to both the both and respective movie.
I recommend this for die hard sci-fi retelling and Peter Pan fans.
(Which is basically me. If this description fits you, friend me. We'd get along.)
My favorite fairy tale with a sci-fi twist! What isn't there to love? More than I thought...
I didn't dislike this... In fact it has a lot of cool ideas:
Neverland is a planet that Captain Hook's spaceship and crew crash on- Heck yes
Said Planet has natives of an alien species and mysterious phenomena- I'm listening...
Wendy is an exceptional cadet and new captain of her own space crew- HECKIN' YES
John and Michael are Wendy's best friends who are like family instead of her actual brothers- BROTP for the win!
My immediate issue, is the first 100 pages. The book spends too much time setting up a story, that is then briskly told. Too much of the book took place at Wendy's Academy of.... what exactly? Space something or other. It wasn't necessary. Johns and Michaels were the only interesting things and even that could have been told through flashbacks. Also, Johns? Can his last name just be Johnson and we call it a day? I would have liked this book to open about a third of the way in and spend more time exploring Neverland and more interactions between Peter and Wendy's crew.
Beyond the first 100 pages, the book changes in tone. The entire concept of the "Shadow" was completely lost on me. It was too vague. I can't even explain what it is or what exactly happened. During the later action scenes I was confused, and frankly, a little bored. I could have done without it. Neverland was interesting enough.
Spoiler
Wendy and Peter don't have insta-love, but its not that far off. Despite it going against every Peter Pan-loving bone in my body, I found her relationship with Aidan Boyce- heck even Johns, more ship-worthy.The writing was pleasant enough, but personally I prefer more paragraph breaks and a bit of a faster pace. It's chock full of references to both the both and respective movie.
I recommend this for die hard sci-fi retelling and Peter Pan fans.
(Which is basically me. If this description fits you, friend me. We'd get along.)
sarag19's review against another edition
4.0
A retelling of the story of Peter Pan with a Sci-Fi twist. The book is told from both Peter and Wendy's perspective. Its nice to be able to see the adventure from both their points of view. Peter on Neverland and Wendy still in London, working her way up to Captain.
All the same characters are there, Wendy, Michael(s), John(s), Hooke, Peter and the lost boys. Smee and Tinc are there but they are more tech heavy and really fun how the author works them into story. Its really the characters that this book is so good at, the author really seems to have grasp of Peter and Wendy, the characterization felt very true to their original stories. Even their backgrounds are grounded in the original tale. Its clear the author has done her research and is trying to tell the truest retelling that she can. I especially liked Hooke, his descent into a strange form of madness was really well done. I really liked Wendy and Peter and I wish we could have been able to get to see them together longer.
This is where my main issues with the book. The pacing feels off, there is a lot of time spent at the academy that really drags the story along. While you get to spend time at Neverland with Peter once Wendy gets there it feels very rushed. It wasn't that everything happened so fast plot wise, it just felt way too fast while the first half dragged the second half sped by. I really would have liked to see the first half at the academy be cut shorter so we could get more time with Wendy and the crew at Neverland. A little complaint was that the insult of codfish pops up, yes its true to the original story but it felt like it had no place in their sci-fi retelling.
I am hoping that we will get a sequel because after that ending, I'm going to need to have more.
All the same characters are there, Wendy, Michael(s), John(s), Hooke, Peter and the lost boys. Smee and Tinc are there but they are more tech heavy and really fun how the author works them into story. Its really the characters that this book is so good at, the author really seems to have grasp of Peter and Wendy, the characterization felt very true to their original stories. Even their backgrounds are grounded in the original tale. Its clear the author has done her research and is trying to tell the truest retelling that she can. I especially liked Hooke, his descent into a strange form of madness was really well done. I really liked Wendy and Peter and I wish we could have been able to get to see them together longer.
This is where my main issues with the book. The pacing feels off, there is a lot of time spent at the academy that really drags the story along. While you get to spend time at Neverland with Peter once Wendy gets there it feels very rushed. It wasn't that everything happened so fast plot wise, it just felt way too fast while the first half dragged the second half sped by. I really would have liked to see the first half at the academy be cut shorter so we could get more time with Wendy and the crew at Neverland. A little complaint was that the insult of codfish pops up, yes its true to the original story but it felt like it had no place in their sci-fi retelling.
I am hoping that we will get a sequel because after that ending, I'm going to need to have more.
koalachick's review
5.0
Fun and fast
I love a good twist on a classic. I also love that so much of the original wording was used. Little nuggets of familiar phrases from the original story from nana to tinc were weaved in a new way. Lots of action and the story flowed well.
I love a good twist on a classic. I also love that so much of the original wording was used. Little nuggets of familiar phrases from the original story from nana to tinc were weaved in a new way. Lots of action and the story flowed well.
adventureinlit's review
4.0
I pre-ordered this one as soon as I ran across it's release date.
A re-telling of Peter Pan was something I couldn't quite pass up. As a little girl I had always dreamed of Neverland and the adventures one might have there. In this story, we have all the classic Peter Pan characters with new twists and slightly adjusted personalities, which is totally fine!
One of the aspects that I really enjoyed from Sullivan was her ability to capture the essence of Wendy in her writing. Wendy in 'Second Star' has been raised in a rigid environment, always to follow the rules, and never give in to personal whims or desires. Which she does a magnificent job of following until she meets Peter.
The spark that happens between these two flips Wendy's world upside down. Out of nowhere she is doing and saying things she never would have done before. Becoming an even braver and driven individual than she already was.
Oh and did I mention that this whole story is nearly science-fiction based? Including space ships, space travel and robotic droids!? An amazing job by Sullivan to create a modern and enjoyable version of Peter Pan that I would certainly recommend to my friends and other readers that are interested in the YA genre.
A re-telling of Peter Pan was something I couldn't quite pass up. As a little girl I had always dreamed of Neverland and the adventures one might have there. In this story, we have all the classic Peter Pan characters with new twists and slightly adjusted personalities, which is totally fine!
One of the aspects that I really enjoyed from Sullivan was her ability to capture the essence of Wendy in her writing. Wendy in 'Second Star' has been raised in a rigid environment, always to follow the rules, and never give in to personal whims or desires. Which she does a magnificent job of following until she meets Peter.
The spark that happens between these two flips Wendy's world upside down. Out of nowhere she is doing and saying things she never would have done before. Becoming an even braver and driven individual than she already was.
Oh and did I mention that this whole story is nearly science-fiction based? Including space ships, space travel and robotic droids!? An amazing job by Sullivan to create a modern and enjoyable version of Peter Pan that I would certainly recommend to my friends and other readers that are interested in the YA genre.
momwithareadingproblem's review
5.0
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
When I first came across Second Star by J.M. Sullivan on another blog, I noticed two things: the sci-fi cover and PETER PAN. Y’all this is not a drill! Second Star is a sci-fi/space opera-ish retelling of the famous boy who never grew up. It took me a few days to read all the way through the book, but I was captivated from the first words.
Second Star begins with a mechanic taking down a ship to prevent his captain from continuing with a mission that would ensure death to the crew. Except things don’t go quite as planned, and the ship winds up crashing into an uncharted planet. The ship was the Jolly Roger, the captain is the notorious Hooke, and the mechanic is none other than Pan himself.
Meanwhile back on Earth, we the readers meet a young prodigy being dropped off at the academy. The prodigy is Wendy Moira Angela Darling, and she is determined to become a captain worthy of her missing hero Captain James Hooke. I must say I loved Wendy. She’s introverted, but it serves her well. She can size up a situation and people quickly. But she is also loyal to those who she loves. It serves her well.
The plot of the book is quite simple. A mysterious transmission is received by the Londonierre Brigade from a captain that’s been missing, presumed dead for a hundred years. A newly promoted Wendy leads a small crew to Neverland on a rescue mission. However things are not as they seem, and it quickly becomes a mission to save themselves as much as the crew they were sent to save.
I think what I love most about Second Star is Sullivan’s references to the original story, and not just the Disney version. From characters like Tinc, a nanobot that Peter built, and SMEE, the captain’s Synthetic Maintenance Engineering Emissary, to the landscape of Neverland, it is clear the author loves Peter Pan as much as I do. I loved how Sullivan intertwined the original elements to tell her own story. I love the setting of a futuristic society and of course Neverland being it’s own microplanet.
My favorite thing about this story though is Wendy, Johns, and Michaels. Elias Johns is Wendy’s best friend from the academy. And it is clear the love they have for one another. It’s a sibling type love, and Johns is fiercely protective of Darling. I’ll be honest I may have shipped them a little 😉
Overall Second Star is a fantastic read. I was left breathless and unable to read fast enough at times to needing to put the book aside and ruminate for a while at others. Alternating between Wendy and Pan’s POV is genius and flows so well. I loved getting to see this world from both perspectives. And the Shadow, the big bad of the book, is not at all what I expected. Seriously y’all perfection!! If you are a fan of Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles, I believe you will enjoy this. Second Star is a must-read for any [b:Peter Pan|34268|Peter Pan|J.M. Barrie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1337714526s/34268.jpg|1358908] fan!
When I first came across Second Star by J.M. Sullivan on another blog, I noticed two things: the sci-fi cover and PETER PAN. Y’all this is not a drill! Second Star is a sci-fi/space opera-ish retelling of the famous boy who never grew up. It took me a few days to read all the way through the book, but I was captivated from the first words.
Second Star begins with a mechanic taking down a ship to prevent his captain from continuing with a mission that would ensure death to the crew. Except things don’t go quite as planned, and the ship winds up crashing into an uncharted planet. The ship was the Jolly Roger, the captain is the notorious Hooke, and the mechanic is none other than Pan himself.
Meanwhile back on Earth, we the readers meet a young prodigy being dropped off at the academy. The prodigy is Wendy Moira Angela Darling, and she is determined to become a captain worthy of her missing hero Captain James Hooke. I must say I loved Wendy. She’s introverted, but it serves her well. She can size up a situation and people quickly. But she is also loyal to those who she loves. It serves her well.
The plot of the book is quite simple. A mysterious transmission is received by the Londonierre Brigade from a captain that’s been missing, presumed dead for a hundred years. A newly promoted Wendy leads a small crew to Neverland on a rescue mission. However things are not as they seem, and it quickly becomes a mission to save themselves as much as the crew they were sent to save.
I think what I love most about Second Star is Sullivan’s references to the original story, and not just the Disney version. From characters like Tinc, a nanobot that Peter built, and SMEE, the captain’s Synthetic Maintenance Engineering Emissary, to the landscape of Neverland, it is clear the author loves Peter Pan as much as I do. I loved how Sullivan intertwined the original elements to tell her own story. I love the setting of a futuristic society and of course Neverland being it’s own microplanet.
My favorite thing about this story though is Wendy, Johns, and Michaels. Elias Johns is Wendy’s best friend from the academy. And it is clear the love they have for one another. It’s a sibling type love, and Johns is fiercely protective of Darling. I’ll be honest I may have shipped them a little 😉
Overall Second Star is a fantastic read. I was left breathless and unable to read fast enough at times to needing to put the book aside and ruminate for a while at others. Alternating between Wendy and Pan’s POV is genius and flows so well. I loved getting to see this world from both perspectives. And the Shadow, the big bad of the book, is not at all what I expected. Seriously y’all perfection!! If you are a fan of Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles, I believe you will enjoy this. Second Star is a must-read for any [b:Peter Pan|34268|Peter Pan|J.M. Barrie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1337714526s/34268.jpg|1358908] fan!