A dark and twisty take on the world of Peter Pan.
In 1909 England, a handsome pirate leads Wendy Darling back to Neverland.
At almost 18, Wendy is expected to marry soon—in fact, her mother has been obsessed with the notion ever since the recent death of Wendy’s father. But Wendy detests all her suitors and daydreams about the fun she had with Peter Pan. Still, she agrees to attend a ball, and there she meets Liam Blackwell, an intriguing Navy lieutenant who ignites a sense of adventure in her. Not only is he charming, he’s lost his mother and can understand Wendy’s grief. When he leaves the ball, Wendy quietly follows him through the streets of London. Soon she finds herself back in Neverland, eavesdropping on Liam and his uncle—Captain Hook. Not only is Liam the pirate king’s heir apparent, his mission is to kill Peter Pan. Horrified, Wendy vows to find Peter first and stop Liam from carrying out this plan. But she realizes there’s something terribly wrong with the island as well: The normally verdant forests are dying. Wendy will have to save both Peter and Neverland, all while fighting her attraction to the suitor who’s turned out to be an enemy. Peter comes across as truly eerie, and Liam and Wendy’s romance deftly walks the line between fantasy and reality, making for a gratifying return to a Neverland remade through the lens of young adulthood. Main characters present white.
A dark and twisty take on the world of Peter Pan. (discussion questions) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781639933877
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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