Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

11 reviews

oceanwriter's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I've seen the Disney movie, I've seen two different productions of the musical, I've watched Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and I've watched/read other movies and books that retold the story, yet until now, I'd never actually read the source material. I have to admit, I've liked many of the other versions/adaptions better. 

I feel as though a book like this needs no recap, so I'll go right into it.
 
I never expected the pacing to be so fast even though it's a children's book. Maybe being familiar with the plot is part of the reason, but I felt like whenever I blinked I was on a new scene. A lot of the material hasn't aged well, either, which being a classic comes to little surprise yet never fails to catch me off guard. Still, I adore the premise and always have, so I'm glad to have finally read the original novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Abandonment

tigertheory's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

And thus it will go on, so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.

To read this merely as a children’s book does not do it justice. Even though born in 2000, I grew up watching the 1953 version on VHS over and over again and the discrepancy between the two versions feels like a perfect illustration for the point the story is making about growing up. Reading it back makes me want to both be young again as well as to apologize to my mother. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Confinement, and War

tattymouse's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

A huge shock to read this book for the first time in 2024 and be horrified by its contents the entire way through. Which is a shame, because the method of narration and sentence structure in the book are lovely and magical and are the only reason this gets a 1.5. The content issues I had cover all types of concerns: Peter routinely murders both children and adults and this is completely glossed over as something that doesn't alarm the children at all. Yet I see no indication in the text as to why this particular type of violence wouldn't stir them from the childhood spell Neverland seems to cast, especially when they're perfectly capable of remembering many nice things about the real world. The language used to describe the Native tribe is racist enough, but there is also a chapter of generalizations about Native People's versus "the white man" and that chapter in particular was difficult to listen to. Throughout the book there are several mentions of food and body size that I would also be very hesitant to let any child hear. And the father in the book is maybe the most unlikeable character I've encountered in children's literature, and that includes villains. 

Reading this book once was enough - it will not get a place on my bookshelves and I hope my children never ask to read it.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

another_dahlia's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A fae stalks several generations of a family, kidnapping their children from their beds at night and taking them to Neverland.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Stalking, Murder, and Colonisation

One fae stalks several generations of a family, kidnapping their children from their beds at night and taking them to Neverland.

i_write_on_occasion's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Despite the questionable and dated parts, it was an enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Death, and Abandonment

lisesenb's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racism, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism

I love that it says there are boy fairies, girl fairies, and “darling little sillies that aren’t quite sure what they are.” Hooray for non-binary representation, no matter how small.

laineydunne's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

rusame's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation

writewithapendragon's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

OBVIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF NATIVE CHARACTERS, slurs included, stereotypes used. Period-typical language and stereotypes.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bookdragon_jess's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I can’t decide how I feel about this book - a strange mix of whimsical and menacing. There’s a lot of subtle menace and casual brutality for a childrens book, underneath the veneer of childish wonder. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Racism and Violence

Minor: Child death, Sexism, and Murder