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A review by greek_book_wanderer
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? Yes
4.0
I don't think that this book needs an introduction. I assume that everyone have heard about the story of Peter Pan and Neverland whether or not they have read it or watched one of its many adaptations. I read it for the first time when I was 11 or 12 years old in Greek and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't one of my most favourite books, but every time I read it, I sit back and let my imagination run wild.
After reading the novel once again, this time in English, I must say that my feelings for it haven't changed a lot. It remained the enjoyable, adventurous book that I remembered, full of wittiness, action and imagination. It was nice to escape from reality just for a while and "travel" to Neverland with Peter Pan, Wendy, John and Michael.
I think that one of the aspects I appreciated more was the writing and more specifically, the narrating of the story. Barrie combined elements from third and first person narrator and thus, the narrative became more playful and engaging. Despite the fact the narrator did not partake in the events of the book, he addressed the reader and he stated his opinion here and there, while he seemed to have some control of the story. For example, in Chapter 5, in order to show to the readers how Captain Hook kills someone, he said: Let us now kill a pirate, to show Hook's method. Skylights will do..
He interacts with the characters, even though they are not aware of it and he gives the impression that he is one of them too. Barrie's narrative techinque was clever and charming and it added a theatrical tone to the story. Someone could say that by making his narrator interact with the readers, Barrie "broke the fourth wall" and they would be right. He invites them to visualise the world and the events that take place in the story, as if they were here to witness all of it.
Barrie's witty and simple writing made the book more whimsical. Even when he described scenes about death or injuries, he did it in a charming way. The descriptions were magical and they really transported me to the peculiar island that is known as Neverland.
As a kid, I remember vividly that the characterisation was one of the elements which stood out for me. The Lost Boys were really fun and I enjoyed reading about the dynamics between the Darlings. Wendy was one of my most favourite characters of the book. She was quite naive at times, but she was also mature and clever enough and I grew to appreciate her as a character. Captain Hook was another character which I enjoyed reading about. As a kid, his dark personality and cruel actions made him more appealing to me and I wanted to dive inside his mind and understand his behaviour. He has his reasons to act the way he does and it was interesting to see his perspective of Peter Pan and the reasons why he loathed him.
Of course, I couldn't forget to mention Peter Pan himself. Since I was a kid, he was one of these characters which When I saw that Peter Pan's character is darker compaired to his portrayal from Disney, I was even more hooked (no pun intented) to the story. He was one of these characters which fascinated me in their own way and although I was aware of his flaws, I was still interested in him. Having read the book at an older age, I can guarantee that he remains the mischievous boy who grabbed my attention with his whimsical and childish behaviour. However, this time I payed more attention to his character than I used to.
He is not mature enough and it's shown in the book. He is self-centered and cocky, but so are many young kids. He hasn't grown up and he'll never will and this is why I pitied him when I reread the book. He felt betrayed by his own mother, he filled his life with adventures and although he was trying to hide his true feelings, he was still a little, confused child who cannot pinpoint his feelings. He turns his back to the adult world and he refuses to grow up in fear of "becoming a man" - kinda tragic, if you think about it. He will never learn anything new and he will never develop more as a person. He will not be able to distinguish what is good and what is bad and he will continue to act in the same careless and carefree way.
The book explores the themes of adulthood and childhood. In his story, Barrie demonstrates the transition between childhood and adulthood. While we do not worry ourselves over responsibilities as children, as we grow up we start to loe our innocence and we begin to face our responsibilities. And in a world full of responsibilities, "there is no scope for imagination", as Anne Shirley would say. In my opinion, the book doesn't try to present the idea of growing up in a bad way. As it is stated in the end:
After reading the novel once again, this time in English, I must say that my feelings for it haven't changed a lot. It remained the enjoyable, adventurous book that I remembered, full of wittiness, action and imagination. It was nice to escape from reality just for a while and "travel" to Neverland with Peter Pan, Wendy, John and Michael.
I think that one of the aspects I appreciated more was the writing and more specifically, the narrating of the story. Barrie combined elements from third and first person narrator and thus, the narrative became more playful and engaging. Despite the fact the narrator did not partake in the events of the book, he addressed the reader and he stated his opinion here and there, while he seemed to have some control of the story. For example, in Chapter 5, in order to show to the readers how Captain Hook kills someone, he said: Let us now kill a pirate, to show Hook's method. Skylights will do..
He interacts with the characters, even though they are not aware of it and he gives the impression that he is one of them too. Barrie's narrative techinque was clever and charming and it added a theatrical tone to the story. Someone could say that by making his narrator interact with the readers, Barrie "broke the fourth wall" and they would be right. He invites them to visualise the world and the events that take place in the story, as if they were here to witness all of it.
Barrie's witty and simple writing made the book more whimsical. Even when he described scenes about death or injuries, he did it in a charming way. The descriptions were magical and they really transported me to the peculiar island that is known as Neverland.
As a kid, I remember vividly that the characterisation was one of the elements which stood out for me. The Lost Boys were really fun and I enjoyed reading about the dynamics between the Darlings. Wendy was one of my most favourite characters of the book. She was quite naive at times, but she was also mature and clever enough and I grew to appreciate her as a character. Captain Hook was another character which I enjoyed reading about. As a kid, his dark personality and cruel actions made him more appealing to me and I wanted to dive inside his mind and understand his behaviour. He has his reasons to act the way he does and it was interesting to see his perspective of Peter Pan and the reasons why he loathed him.
Of course, I couldn't forget to mention Peter Pan himself. Since I was a kid, he was one of these characters which When I saw that Peter Pan's character is darker compaired to his portrayal from Disney, I was even more hooked (no pun intented) to the story. He was one of these characters which fascinated me in their own way and although I was aware of his flaws, I was still interested in him. Having read the book at an older age, I can guarantee that he remains the mischievous boy who grabbed my attention with his whimsical and childish behaviour. However, this time I payed more attention to his character than I used to.
He is not mature enough and it's shown in the book. He is self-centered and cocky, but so are many young kids. He hasn't grown up and he'll never will and this is why I pitied him when I reread the book. He felt betrayed by his own mother, he filled his life with adventures and although he was trying to hide his true feelings, he was still a little, confused child who cannot pinpoint his feelings. He turns his back to the adult world and he refuses to grow up in fear of "becoming a man" - kinda tragic, if you think about it. He will never learn anything new and he will never develop more as a person. He will not be able to distinguish what is good and what is bad and he will continue to act in the same careless and carefree way.
The book explores the themes of adulthood and childhood. In his story, Barrie demonstrates the transition between childhood and adulthood. While we do not worry ourselves over responsibilities as children, as we grow up we start to loe our innocence and we begin to face our responsibilities. And in a world full of responsibilities, "there is no scope for imagination", as Anne Shirley would say. In my opinion, the book doesn't try to present the idea of growing up in a bad way. As it is stated in the end:
Wendy was grown up. You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. We should not be afraid of becoming adults. Growth is a necessary part of our life. But that doesn't mean that we should stop put a stop to our imagination. It's not a bad thing to act like a "child" from time to time and instead of trying to get rid off our inner child, we should try to embrace it.
Nevertheless, even though it was pleasant to see that the book was still an enjoyable read, I didn't feel like giving it four stars. It's not the type of book that had a great impact on me and even as a child, I didn't consider it as one of my most favourite books. Additionally, it was really hard to overlook the way it portrayed Native Americans. I could understand it due to the period it had been written, but I couldn't ignore the racist portrayal. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying the story and though the sections about the tribe gave me a weird feeling, they didn't ruin my experience.
Peter Pan is popular for many reasons and there are many readers who have a different connection with the book. For me, it is a whimsical adventure which depicts the importance of childhood. Peter Pan can be interpreted as a story about our lost childhood and how we change as we grow up. I will definetely reread it in the future and I'm sure that it'll always make me feel like a child again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Murder and Violence