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kaiyakaiyo's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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
This book was a quick, fun read, but ultimately suffers from Just Okay Syndrome. The Peter Pan elements were a bit too on the nose for a modern AU, and the main char reads like a really exhausting Not Like Other Girls type with a side of trauma. The plot is fine
Given how sweet cemetery boys was, woven in with the really nice world building, this romance felt empty and so did the universe. Reading them in this order probably didn’t do this book any favors.
Also this is me being nitpicky but having the main char view nursing as some second fiddle “if you can’t commit to being a doctor” option when Nurse Practitioners can make well into six figures and do pretty much everything a doctor can was almost laughably under-researched. It also has the lightest flavor of misogyny? Probably not intentional but something about devaluing nursing this way in a book feels… extremely antiquated. It felt like the nurses could’ve been wearing those old timey white hats and dresses for all the actual work they did on screen
The char has a nurse mother and works in the literal hospital, has been meticulously planning her “escape” to nursing school… there’s no way she’d actually think of nursing that way. Nurses are literally the front lines of patient care, whereas some pediatricians don’t even take their patients’ temperature themselves… they have a nurse do it… Very under-researched imo but I guess no one is reading YA for realistic job portrayals so nbd? Idk it just feels like if you’re going to tether half of a story to a hospital, you need to do more than freestyle on random made up nurse-y tasks and vague “files” …
Given how sweet cemetery boys was, woven in with the really nice world building, this romance felt empty and so did the universe. Reading them in this order probably didn’t do this book any favors.
Also this is me being nitpicky but having the main char view nursing as some second fiddle “if you can’t commit to being a doctor” option when Nurse Practitioners can make well into six figures and do pretty much everything a doctor can was almost laughably under-researched. It also has the lightest flavor of misogyny? Probably not intentional but something about devaluing nursing this way in a book feels… extremely antiquated. It felt like the nurses could’ve been wearing those old timey white hats and dresses for all the actual work they did on screen
The char has a nurse mother and works in the literal hospital, has been meticulously planning her “escape” to nursing school… there’s no way she’d actually think of nursing that way. Nurses are literally the front lines of patient care, whereas some pediatricians don’t even take their patients’ temperature themselves… they have a nurse do it… Very under-researched imo but I guess no one is reading YA for realistic job portrayals so nbd? Idk it just feels like if you’re going to tether half of a story to a hospital, you need to do more than freestyle on random made up nurse-y tasks and vague “files” …
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
weirdassfanta's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Queer or not, it was amazing, like any books by Aiden Thomas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Child death
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
3.5
3.5 rounded up! This wasn't quite my thing (Peter Pan isn't my fave), but Aiden's writing definitely made it enjoyable! IDK if this is a spoiler but the vibes of this book were SO TRAGIC. I almost cried near the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Medical content, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident and Confinement
hayley07's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Alcohol
purrson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was surprised at how quickly I got sucked into this book, as I’m not a fan of Peter Pan stories—I came to this after loving Cemetery Boys. A lot of this book is about trauma, and choosing to move forward and choosing your own survival. The small town setting feels a bit static, but Thomas really captured that feeling of the last gasp of childhood well, as well as the excited energy adolescent love can bring. The MC’s trauma, grief, anxiety, and loss, is all handled with care, and it pays off. I definitely rooted for the love interests here, even though the choices made make sense for the story, I love where the epilogue leaves things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Confinement and Animal cruelty
ka_ke's review against another edition
Too triggering. As an oldest sibling/child myself I found Wendy’s character to be too real. The anxiety, and the panic attacks all caused by her overwhelming sense of shame, failure and guilt hit too close to home.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Child death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Mental illness
chemicalcain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Once again, Aiden Thomas has managed to write a book I couldn't put down. I don't normally blaze through print books this fast! There were a few things that disappointed me about this book, mostly because of how much I loved Cemetery Boys. I didn't vibe with Wendy as a protagonist; her firmly internalized guilt and need to fill every waking moment of her time are trauma responses that hit a little too close to home for me. (She was written quite well, though.) I also wish we could have explored the ending twist in a little more detail! I'm absolutely fascinated by the idea of Neverland as a world of the dead, and the visible collapse of the place when a living person stays too long. I would have loved to see some more scenes within Neverland itself.
Music to listen to while reading: "Astoria" and "End of an Era" by Marianas Trench
Music to listen to while reading: "Astoria" and "End of an Era" by Marianas Trench
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Medical trauma, Child death, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Blood
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Medical content
allygator's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was such a unique Peter Pan adaptation. Aiden Thomas is a genius for making such a classic story into a YA horror/mystery -- it works so well. I couldn't put this down, it was so engaging and fast-paced and I was so invested in how the story was going to end. I loved the characters, and I was so tense trying to figure out what was happening to them. I was so nervous to pick this up after loving Cemetery Boys so much, but I was not disappointed. This has definitely cemented Thomas as an auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to read what he puts out next.
I loved how well this book touched on trauma and PTSD, it felt very authentic and it made Wendy a much more compelling character than she was in the original story. I wasn't sure how much I would love her romance with Peter, but it wasn't overwhelming in the story and I honestly kind of enjoyed it. The trauma within Wendy's parents was really well-written and had me crying at some points.When Peter speaks to Mrs. Darling in John and Michael's voices when she sleep talks??? I had a whole crisis.
I also really enjoyed Jordan's character, though I wish she had more page time. In general, this was a lot less diverse than Thomas' debut, but it didn't really detract from the story for me. The ending had me shaking it was so good, it was so bold and scary because it definitely could happen in today's world.
All in all, this was such a good retelling; I highly recommend picking it up.
I loved how well this book touched on trauma and PTSD, it felt very authentic and it made Wendy a much more compelling character than she was in the original story. I wasn't sure how much I would love her romance with Peter, but it wasn't overwhelming in the story and I honestly kind of enjoyed it. The trauma within Wendy's parents was really well-written and had me crying at some points.
I also really enjoyed Jordan's character, though I wish she had more page time. In general, this was a lot less diverse than Thomas' debut, but it didn't really detract from the story for me. The ending had me shaking it was so good, it was so bold and scary because it definitely could happen in today's world.
All in all, this was such a good retelling; I highly recommend picking it up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Blood, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
dariusmortee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I will always love Peter Pan retellings and this is another one that found a place in my heart.
Lost in the Never Woods is a mysterious retelling with a focus on trauma and what that does to a person, in this case a teenager, and with a family. It’s a quick and engaging read that grabbed me from start to end. Aiden Thomas is definitely one of my favourite authors.
Lost in the Never Woods is a mysterious retelling with a focus on trauma and what that does to a person, in this case a teenager, and with a family. It’s a quick and engaging read that grabbed me from start to end. Aiden Thomas is definitely one of my favourite authors.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Kidnapping, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment and Alcoholism
ali_k0's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual harassment