It has taken me a long time to get my hands on this book but I am so glad I did! I love everything about Peter Pan and I knew that this novel would be perfect for me, just by reading the premise. It reminded me of The Child Thief by Brom, which was also a really cool twist on the original Peter Pan story. Anyways, enough of my rambling, here is my review:
There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.
Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups tHe brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter’s idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.
Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever.
Peter lied.
I think the premise is pretty clear on what the story is about. But it definitely doesn’t give you enough of an idea of how GOOD this novel is! I devoured it in one sitting and found myself thoroughly creeped out (in a good way, of course)! This novel is a very dark retelling, with plenty of violence and manipulation to keep the reader interested. It is very easy to believe in this dark and twisted Peter Pan, and the author does a fantastic job of sticking to this personality and developing it as the story goes along. The story is told from the perspective of Jamie, the first Lost Boy. Jamie has always loved Peter but now, he sees that things aren’t right, that Peter is not who he thought he was. The author does an amazing job of showing this gradual deterioration in the relationship between Jamie and Peter; with this deterioration comes an increase in tension and an intensity in the violence and brutality on the island. There were many points in time when I was holding in my breath, waiting for the tension to abate. There are a lot of heart-breaking moments in this novel; the author really knew how to get the reader invested in the fates of the characters! In a way, this novel reminded me a lot of Lord of the Flies; there is this loss of innocence and complete breakdown of law and order, which is what leads to the disastrous and inevitable conclusion of the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves dark retellings!
Happy reading ~
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