Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Peter Darling by Austin Chant

61 reviews

greycifer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I started reading this thinking it would be light fanfic, but was quickly pulled into an emotional and complex world of its own right. 

Peter Darling sunk its hooks (ha!) into me and wouldn't let go; it left me an emotional wreck in the wee hours of the morning, but in a good way.

A must-read for transmascs who have ever felt the pull of escapism.

... and godsdamnit the yearning has intensified for my own little safe haven in the woods with my found family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Violence, Blood, and Dysphoria

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Kidnapping

spinesinaline's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

So good, what a delightful and tense story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Dysphoria

aetherkids's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia

novella42's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What a brilliant execution of a truly fascinating concept. 

I got lost partway through and had a hard time returning to it. My God, I am so glad I did. By 2/3 of the way through I couldn't put it down. The metaphors alone... Just. Wow. I couldn't figure out why a friend of mine gave it five stars, why another friend was singing its praises. By the end? Yeah. I get it now.

I can't tell how spoilery this is. CW for mental health and spoilers through maybe the first half of the book?

It's not exactly how my own dissociation works, but it's damn near as close as any depiction of dissociation as a mental health survival skill as anything I've ever seen. How it feels to forget. How it feels to remember when you've forgotten something vitally important because it hurts so much. How it feels to willingly return to the unknowing. How it feels when it all falls apart.

I'm a little in awe. I definitely want to read this again.

Also, here's a tip I will second from a person commenting on the book in the Austin Public Library system: "After you read it, make sure you listen to the March 2017 Hopeless Romantic podcast episode where Chant and editor Amanda Jean recorded their thoughts at various stages of the writing and editing process for this book. Fascinating peek behind the scenes." Apparently Austin Chant co-hosts a podcast?! Yes, please! (Episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1b1Uz904rbNC0xeOPVuXJ4?si=Wnt96ik8Sd2dGVPgchTtZg)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, Blood, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Animal death

bruhbruh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

nmuels's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Transphobia, and Violence

c_alexander's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Grief, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

yourbookishbff's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

I really enjoyed this, though it made me realize just how little I remember of the original Peter Pan! This inspired me to go back and read it so I can fully appreciate what Chant has done here. I loved the character growth for both Peter and Hook and the slow drip of reveals. This is a fever dream of a story that explores gender dysphoria, transphobia, identity and belonging, growing up, grief, and adulthood. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Death and Sexual content

Transphobia and deadnaming occurs in Peter's flashbacks to life outside of Neverland.

sadie_g's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was such a good retelling of Peter Pan, I loved the changes the author made and it added so many layers to the story. The incorporation of queer and trans characters fits so perfectly into the idea of Peter Pan and Neverland. I was obsessed with this book and was itching to read it all the time. 

This book does handle heavy topics, such as transphobia and homophobia, but it is a beautiful book about queer and trans love and belonging. Also, such a good enemies to lovers storyline.

My only complaint is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed and I would have loved a bit more of that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia and War

astropova's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, Violence, and Dysphoria

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Blood