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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
An atmospheric, contemporary reimagining of J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan that presents a decidedly less light-hearted, darker take on Neverland and it’s lore which definitely (in my opinion) added a whole new depth to Peter and Wendy’s story as we explore life AFTER Neverland.
Five years ago Wendy and her brothers’ John and Michael disappeared from their small town in Oregon, But only Wendy came back…
With no memories of her time missing, Wendy has spent years coming to terms with the loss of her brothers. But on the night of her eighteenth birthday, local children start disappearing—with similarities to her and her brothers’ own disappearance that has everyone worried.
And things only get more complicated when a strange boy called Peter Pan arrives, desperate for Wendy to help him track down his shadow before more kids go missing.
Having read a really slow paced Peter Pan retelling at the end of last year (and which put me into a bit of a reading slump), I was a little hesitant to delve into this. But I’m soo glad I finally did as it was a really enjoyable and intriguing take on Peter Pan.
The contemporary setting definitely helped to revitalise the source material and I was glad to finally find a reimagining where Peter isn’t some soulless caricature. Here he has nuance and a host of complex feelings that we explore through every interaction with Wendy.
Wendy, likewise, is also an endearingly complex character grappling with her childhood trauma, and the guilt surrounding her brothers’ disappearance. With no memories whatsoever Wendy has struggled for years to move on— without closure she (and her parents’) are trapped in a cycle of hope and grief that never seems to end. Her journey was genuinely heartbreaking and darker than most of the YA Fantasy/ coming of age books I usually read, but the message (of loss, grief and learning to move on) was really well done.
The pacing was a little slow, but the sheer amount of emotion conveyed (through Peter, Wendy and the people closest to her) more than makes up for it.
This is the second book by Aiden Thomas that I’ve ever read (the first being The Sunbearer Trials which I LOVED) and I they may have just earned auto-buy status—I’m definitely excited to check out Cemetery Boys now!
And a massive thank you to Bethan over at Macmillan for the wonderful finished copy.
Five years ago Wendy and her brothers’ John and Michael disappeared from their small town in Oregon, But only Wendy came back…
With no memories of her time missing, Wendy has spent years coming to terms with the loss of her brothers. But on the night of her eighteenth birthday, local children start disappearing—with similarities to her and her brothers’ own disappearance that has everyone worried.
And things only get more complicated when a strange boy called Peter Pan arrives, desperate for Wendy to help him track down his shadow before more kids go missing.
Having read a really slow paced Peter Pan retelling at the end of last year (and which put me into a bit of a reading slump), I was a little hesitant to delve into this. But I’m soo glad I finally did as it was a really enjoyable and intriguing take on Peter Pan.
The contemporary setting definitely helped to revitalise the source material and I was glad to finally find a reimagining where Peter isn’t some soulless caricature. Here he has nuance and a host of complex feelings that we explore through every interaction with Wendy.
Wendy, likewise, is also an endearingly complex character grappling with her childhood trauma, and the guilt surrounding her brothers’ disappearance. With no memories whatsoever Wendy has struggled for years to move on— without closure she (and her parents’) are trapped in a cycle of hope and grief that never seems to end. Her journey was genuinely heartbreaking and darker than most of the YA Fantasy/ coming of age books I usually read, but the message (of loss, grief and learning to move on) was really well done.
The pacing was a little slow, but the sheer amount of emotion conveyed (through Peter, Wendy and the people closest to her) more than makes up for it.
This is the second book by Aiden Thomas that I’ve ever read (the first being The Sunbearer Trials which I LOVED) and I they may have just earned auto-buy status—I’m definitely excited to check out Cemetery Boys now!
And a massive thank you to Bethan over at Macmillan for the wonderful finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol
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
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
_fallinglight_'s review
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Well 3 stars bc I struggled too much to finish this book it was exceedingly slow burn so it only contributed to make me feel detached to the story. I had to coax myself every day to pick up the book but when I did I was very into the mystery. I have to say that maybe I felt this way bc I've never read anything about Peter Pan or seen any movies so I barely knew the basics. Nevertheless, I grew fond of Wendy and wanted to know how the whole mystery was resolved. The simplicity of this retelling is sweet and if it had been a few pages shorter I feel it would have delivered so much better. The scenes with Peter and Wendy were really cute and amusing but they felt kinda weird as well bc the little kids were being terrorized while they were having fun, it was an odd feeling. Like I understand they couldn't be tracking them 24/7 but it was still weird for me lol I also just didn't feel the romance part between Wendy and Peter, so that's why I appreciated Peter and Wendy's farewell that wasn't ridiculously melodramatic, it was heartfelt without being corny. I know this book has its dark themes but the softness in how it's written takes precedence, but I don't like how Wendy's neglectful and contemptuous parents faults were brushed aside and it wasn't explored why they treated their only living daughter like that. I also didn't like how Jordan felt devoid of personality and was more like a support blanket. I usually dislike characters written that way and take more issue with it when they're POC. But maybe I'm just being sensitive idk. But again on what I did like, I liked the explanation of Peter's purpose. It was sad and painful but makes sense. (Or maybe this is canon, idk??) Overall, it's not the most thrilling story but beautiful moments in text and the mystery make it a strenuous but still worthwhile and delightful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, and Child death
Minor: Murder
ang_mendoza's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I found it a bit surprising that Aiden Thomas failed to make this book at all diverse. With the exception of a few side-characters, all the characters are White and cishet as far as canon goes. Most of the book feels like a standard enough retelling but I'll say I really liked the ending. I don't think this is the only version of Peter Pan to do this, but I loved the reveal that Peter is like a grim reaper for kids. His relationship with Wendy was pretty well written but there is some inherent weirdness to it and some unclarity abiut how that caused everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Alcohol and Blood
Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, and Confinement
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Kidnapping, Child death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Alcohol, and Violence
Minor: Medical content, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
lisa_m's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I didn't know much about this book before reading it. I didn't even realise that it is a Peter Pan retelling.
I'm glad that I didn't know that before though because I have read the Original last year and didn't really like it. But this book was really good! It is a quite dark retelling of Peter Pan and Wendy is a grown up in this one (well ..she is 18).
The story was really immersive and I didn't want to stop reading. It is also a kind of mystery because you learn throughout the book what really happens to children and what happened to Wendy and her brothers all those years ago.
It is a quite gruesome story but I liked that twist to this children's tale.
I definitely want to read more books by this author!
My biggest problem with this story was the romance aspect of it. Don't get me wrong, I actually quite liked Peter in this book (I didn't like him in the Original), but having him fall in love with Wendy just seemed so strange.
I mean yeah he is technically way older than her and his body is also aging during their time together but he is still so childlike and idk it just felt really weird.
What I did like though was the twist to Peter's story. Him being a guide to murdered children is actually quite interesting. It explains his story so much better. He is compassionate and helps them move on. I liked this Death version of him.
All in all I would definitely recommend this book! Even if you don't particularly like the story of Peter Pan like me, you might still like this book. Also if you like mystery mixed with paranormal stuff this is for you :)
I'm glad that I didn't know that before though because I have read the Original last year and didn't really like it. But this book was really good! It is a quite dark retelling of Peter Pan and Wendy is a grown up in this one (well ..she is 18).
The story was really immersive and I didn't want to stop reading. It is also a kind of mystery because you learn throughout the book what really happens to children and what happened to Wendy and her brothers all those years ago.
It is a quite gruesome story but I liked that twist to this children's tale.
I definitely want to read more books by this author!
My biggest problem with this story was the romance aspect of it. Don't get me wrong, I actually quite liked Peter in this book (I didn't like him in the Original), but having him fall in love with Wendy just seemed so strange.
I mean yeah he is technically way older than her and his body is also aging during their time together but he is still so childlike and idk it just felt really weird.
What I did like though was the twist to Peter's story. Him being a guide to murdered children is actually quite interesting. It explains his story so much better. He is compassionate and helps them move on. I liked this Death version of him.
All in all I would definitely recommend this book! Even if you don't particularly like the story of Peter Pan like me, you might still like this book. Also if you like mystery mixed with paranormal stuff this is for you :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Car accident, Death, and Murder
bukephalos0603's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol
tc_booksandmore's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, and Grief