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sarah_shelf's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I really wanted to like this book. I’ve adored Aiden Thomas’ other books and was so excited when I realized his next book was a fairytale retelling. It’s always been one of my favorite genres, and reading the Peter and the Starcatchers series got me into the genre, so I was happy to dive into another Peter Pan story. However, I was bored throughout so much of this book. The beginning and the end, especially, were entertaining but the middle just seemed to drag on.
I started losing interest somewhere around the time Wendy confronted Peter in the hunting shack and confirmed he was in fact trying to help the missing kids not hurt them. After that, so much of the novel was just Wendy trying to hide her activities from her family and friends because no one would believe her (which makes sense but also just got more annoying every time she brought it up and delivered a new lie) or her and Peter wandering around the town and woods with no real idea of how to help.
I will admit, the last few chapters were entertaining and fun. I suspected part of the plot twist, but didn’t quite grasp the scope of it until the big reveal. And while the lack of communication that exacerbated the reveal was annoying, I was so happy to see some out there theories make it into this version’s lore. However, I can’t help thinking so much of the novel was unnecessary to reach that point. Yes, technically all the development between Peter and Wendy was required for the climax of the story, but again it was all just so slow. It doesn’t fit into the supposed deadline and terrible consequences everyone will face if they fail to find the kids and stop their kidnapper. The ending, and it really was a fantastic ending in my eyes, can’t make up for my lackluster opinion of the rest of the novel.
I started losing interest somewhere around the time Wendy confronted Peter in the hunting shack and confirmed he was in fact trying to help the missing kids not hurt them. After that, so much of the novel was just Wendy trying to hide her activities from her family and friends because no one would believe her (which makes sense but also just got more annoying every time she brought it up and delivered a new lie) or her and Peter wandering around the town and woods with no real idea of how to help.
I will admit, the last few chapters were entertaining and fun. I suspected part of the plot twist, but didn’t quite grasp the scope of it until the big reveal. And while the lack of communication that exacerbated the reveal was annoying, I was so happy to see some out there theories make it into this version’s lore. However, I can’t help thinking so much of the novel was unnecessary to reach that point. Yes, technically all the development between Peter and Wendy was required for the climax of the story, but again it was all just so slow. It doesn’t fit into the supposed deadline and terrible consequences everyone will face if they fail to find the kids and stop their kidnapper. The ending, and it really was a fantastic ending in my eyes, can’t make up for my lackluster opinion of the rest of the novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
tea_coffee_sam's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Kidnapping, Violence, Child death, Death, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Medical content, Alcoholism, and Cancer
ksuazo94's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Minor: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gun violence, Violence, and Mental illness
beathebumblebee's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The plot twist is just amazing and its so unexpected (or maybe I'm just stupid) and it will totally make you sob. A good mix between sad and heartwarming (maybe just in some moments, or maybe not at all, i'm a bit of a softie).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, and Child death
karsenryanluis's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Gun violence
dragonwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wendy, John, and Michael Darling disappeared from the woods behind their Oregon home just before Christmas, and six months later, Wendy was the only one to return, her brother’s blood crusted under her nails. Wendy is unable to tell the police what happened; her memory of the last six months are gone, but she’s terrified of the woods. Five years pass, and still, no one knows what happened to John and Michael, but Wendy keeps drawing pictures of a twisted tree and a boy from her stories, Peter Pan. On her eighteenth birthday, her past finally start to catch up to her when she finds a boy on the side of the road—a boy who knows her name and looks EXACTLY like her pictures of Peter Pan. The boy claims to be that self-same Peter, and he begs her for help to find and reattach his shadow, who has gone rogue and been kidnapping local children. Realizing this could lead to her lost memories and even bring her brothers home, Wendy agrees to help, coming face to face with the horrible truth she tried to forget.
I really liked this interpretation of Peter Pan—though I don’t really understand why it takes place in OREGON, of all places. It deals very heavily with the effects of grief and loss on a family, as well as childhood trauma. The explanations of Peter’s purpose, fairy dust, the shadow, and Neverland itself are all excellent and I enjoyed how they played into the story.
My biggest complaint is: WHAT HAPPENED TO NANA??? I don’t know how I missed it. I kept listening for what happened to the dog, but I don’t think they ever said. Nana came out of the woods with blood on her muzzle, then disappeared from the story, and I NEED to know what happened to her 🥺
CW: child death, grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Child death, and Grief
the_ash37's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
*the plot twist*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Blood, Child death, Kidnapping, Violence, Death, Gore, and Gun violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Stalking
be aware of the plot twistdirectorpurry's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Kidnapping and Gun violence
lastcomment314's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A haunting story, Lost in the Never Woods tells the story of one girl coming to terms with a party she has forgotten while the world around her tries to save the children who have recently gone missing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Death, and Gun violence
saltylane's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked the book okay, but the “final battle” ending felt… idk, like it didn’t really make sense? I don’t know why, but even when things were going on—like action/fighting—I would sometimes get bored. I’ve noticed this author tends to describe things excessively with interiority, sometimes repeating the information in slightly different ways multiple times… I don’t know if it counts as “telling” rather than showing, though, since it can be important to get a character’s feelings on what’s happening.
The author also often includes a “best friend” who would be great to get to know more about and get to interact with in the story… but then gives them very little “screen time” and focuses on the two characters with a romantic connection. Maybe they have a hard time juggling multiple character interactions at once?
Overall, I think this book has a very interesting and unique spin on the “Peter Pan” story. I feel like the author struggled to find a believable way to end the main conflict, which is a shame because the surrounding plot seemed pretty solid. The writing style wasn’t for me, but I’m sure others can easily enjoy the book regardless.
The author also often includes a “best friend” who would be great to get to know more about and get to interact with in the story… but then gives them very little “screen time” and focuses on the two characters with a romantic connection. Maybe they have a hard time juggling multiple character interactions at once?
Overall, I think this book has a very interesting and unique spin on the “Peter Pan” story. I feel like the author struggled to find a believable way to end the main conflict, which is a shame because the surrounding plot seemed pretty solid. The writing style wasn’t for me, but I’m sure others can easily enjoy the book regardless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Medical content, Stalking, Vomit, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts