This is a very different and dark take on the Peter Pan story. I enjoyed the changes made and the narrative twists that the author took. However, after reading two Peter Pan retellings so close together, I find that I am not so interested in the Peter Pan mythology anymore. It is just not for me. Which is too bad, as I used to love the story, but as we grow we change. I do, however, love the diversity of characters within this book. Wendy is unsure in her new environment, but she is also curious and easily swayed. Peter is as bombastic as ever, just as devious, just as daring, just as terrifying. Because, that is what he is in all iterations of his story, terrifying. A young boy who takes lost children to Neverland for adventure, but also acquainting them with a land full of danger and possible death. This story highlights the actual darkness at the heart of the Pan story. The children blindly follow, the loyalty that is given out of fear, the lack of ability for these children to find a way out of this horrible situation. Peter is a master manipulator and the truth about him will leave you shocked and disgusted. The lost boys are such a ragtag, but loving, group. You feel bad for what all these young children are put through, after a life already marred by hardship. Peter preys on the weak, the lonely, the vulnerable and desperate. He feeds them the idea of home and safety, only to rip all that away from them without hesitation or remorse. Hook, in this narrative, is a police officer, which suits the story very well. He is Peter's nemesis, and with how Peter is you would think that Hook would be the one you actually root for. But, he is out there doing everything for his career and less for the children that Peter is endangering. He is slick, conniving, and just as dangerous as Peter. Thinkerbelle is a street punk who lives with Peter, and she is rude to Wendy at first, but you realize as Wendy gets to know the group better that maybe Tink was acting that way for a reason, trying to warn Wendy off. They also meet up with a football team from another school, who act as the stand ins for the Indigenous group from Neverland. This group is strong, is devoted to helping, but is also made up of teenagers who are scared. Wendy befriends the Lost Boys after a rough start and hopes to truly help them as the night continues on and she realizes the reality of their homelife. This book is set up in the span of one night, which makes the action fast and intense. You do not have long with each character as the flow of the novel progresses, but you have a clear understanding of who they are and their place within the book. I loved that the mermaids lagoon became a drag bar, this to me was a perfect fit and one of my favourite moments. If you love Peter Pan, then I encourage you to read this book. It is not long and the pace is fast, and you will find yourself falling into a similar but all together different story. There is no magic, but there is a found family element that draws you in just like the original tale.
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