Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Darling Girl by Liz Michalski

42 reviews

saramoser's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

TW: SA, Rape, drugs, child death, child abuse, injecting children with drugs 

After reading a lot of reviews, I was so worried I would not like this book. But the book is exactly how it’s described-a dark and twisted Peter Pan, while I think the author could’ve done more to give back stories and further some character development, I still was stuck wanting to find out what’s next.  I was deep into the book by the first chapter, and was wanting to do nothing but read the book and find out what happens by the end.

I would suggest for someone who wants the dark and twisted (not just dark) side of Peter Pan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Grief, Kidnapping, and Murder

hannahreadslotsofbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

This one took me a bit to get into, but once I was in it, I was in it and I felt like it was very well-written. The story follows Holly Darling, the granddaughter of Wendy Darling from the Peter Pan story. Her family has gained fame and fortune from the stories, but Holly knows that Peter Pan is not all that he seems. Throughout the story, Holly must protect her two children (who disappear at various points in the story) from him and his evil intentions. Holly also is trying to maintain her cosmetics business, whose secret ingredient comes from the blood of her and Peter’s daughter Eden who lies comatose in London after an accident. The story has lots of twists and turns and at times the plot becomes more complicated, but it doesn’t detract from the story overall. The best character in the story is Christopher Cooke, the private investigator Holly hires to find Peter and her missing children. The plot starts off slow, but it amps up at the end and makes it all worth it. Definitely think it is worthwhile to read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Addiction, Car accident, and Rape

jaylee_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Chronic illness, Child death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent

prof_pelon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Rape, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Death, Child death, Medical content, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, and Addiction

Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Grief, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Violence, Pedophilia, Drug use, Stalking, Child death, Car accident, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Car accident, Child death, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Drug use, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Incest and Pedophilia

sfbookgirl's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I am sad to report that Darling Girl missed the mark for me. And while Peter Pan is my favorite children's fantasy story, evil Peter Pan just doesn't do it for me. In this tale, we learn more about Wendy's granddaughter Holly and her daughter Eden who suffers from a rare aging disorder. After Eden mysteriously disappears, Holly knows immediately who is responsible: the one and only Peter Pan. Sent on a wild goose chase, Holly frantically looks for her daughter with the help of a private detective named Christopher Cooke (hmm look at that coincidence).

I found the plot of Darling Girl to be all over the place and ultimately, boring. There are quite a few trigger warnings like kidnapping, rape, and abuse that just did not sit well with me, nor do they seem necessary. The elements of romance were downright strange and oddly disturbing...and also did not seem necessary. Other readers have enjoyed Darling Girl, but this retelling of Peter Pan just didn't sit right with me. I am curious to hear your thoughts if you have read it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Car accident, Sexual assault, and Child death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Grief and Suicidal thoughts

wellreadjill_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Blood, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Sexual assault, Stalking, Child death, Drug abuse, and Pedophilia

blouviere4's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, and Suicidal thoughts

alaynacp's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Kidnapping

Minor: Child death, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Car accident, and Murder

adventuresinfictionland's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I’ve not read a Peter Pan retelling in the past, nor have I read a Liz Michalski. I want more of both in the future! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking