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A review by cemeterygay
Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I need to preface this review by saying if you go into this book expecting a fun Peter Pan retelling or a similar tone to Cemetery Boys, you will be deeply disappointed. It's also not heavily focused on the fantasy element so don't expect that.
This book is a beautiful examination of grief and childhood trauma in a way that not many books are able to do. I will say it is more of a follow-up to Peter Pan than really a Peter Pan retelling.
I think Thomas does a brilliant job of portraying the emotional isolation and disconnect that can occur after facing trauma at an incredibly young age and while for some readers that may be hard to connect to, it felt painfully relatable and real to my experiences. I found Wendy's relationship with her family and her friend Jordan to be incredibly interesting. I did like seeing how different family members reacted to Wendy's brothers' disappearances and how they each dealt with grief. I think this book also dealt with the guilt that comes, whether or not you're responsible, after the loss of a loved one or someone you knew well.
I think Peter's childishness is a nice contrast to Wendy's more detached attitude and it really serves to highlight how much Wendy has changed over the years since Peter's first visit.
As per usual, Aiden Thomas's writing style is phenomenal and I think works incredibly well with this particular story. I also adored the ending and epilogue for this book which is something I can't say too often.
This book is a beautiful examination of grief and childhood trauma in a way that not many books are able to do. I will say it is more of a follow-up to Peter Pan than really a Peter Pan retelling.
I think Thomas does a brilliant job of portraying the emotional isolation and disconnect that can occur after facing trauma at an incredibly young age and while for some readers that may be hard to connect to, it felt painfully relatable and real to my experiences. I found Wendy's relationship with her family and her friend Jordan to be incredibly interesting. I did like seeing how different family members reacted to Wendy's brothers' disappearances and how they each dealt with grief. I think this book also dealt with the guilt that comes, whether or not you're responsible, after the loss of a loved one or someone you knew well.
I think Peter's childishness is a nice contrast to Wendy's more detached attitude and it really serves to highlight how much Wendy has changed over the years since Peter's first visit.
As per usual, Aiden Thomas's writing style is phenomenal and I think works incredibly well with this particular story. I also adored the ending and epilogue for this book which is something I can't say too often.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Car accident
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Child abuse