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katebella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Death, Violence, and Murder
readingoverbreathing's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Peter Pan is one of those stories that is so deeply embedded in popular culture that it's difficult to come to the original text without any preconceptions or expectations. I've never been a huge Pan fan in any respect, but I would say that I generally knew what to expect in terms of story and plot but otherwise had no strong emotions or feelings tied to this story.
This definitely turned out to be a good thing, as, regardless, I was pretty disappointed.
Unfortunately, this is just one of those classics that has not aged very well: racism and sexism certainly abound here, as does a surprising and rather distasteful amount of Freudism. I had absolutely no sympathy for Peter as a character and much prefer the glittery Disney version to the much darker undertones that reign here.
In terms of plot, there was a lot less true adventure than I was expecting. Most of the time in Neverland is spent in the Lost Boys' den describing Wendy's domestic playacting. The climax felt anti-climactic and the ending was unnecessarily sad.
Unfortunately, there was just not much here to redeem the problematic aspects for me. I think I now have to put my feelings for Pan in the same basket that I have for Alice in Wonderland — both I find to be borderline creepy, and it just baffles me how both have become so deeply ingrained in the popular imagination.
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
oceanwriter's review against another edition
- 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 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.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Abandonment
paigehf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty and Death of parent
mdwsn27's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Colonisation
peggyluwho's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny and Violence
Minor: Abandonment
tigertheory's review
- 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.
Graphic: Misogyny and Racial slurs
Moderate: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Confinement, and War
queenofodas's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Misogyny
mskingbean69's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Drug use, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
cosmopsis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Minor: Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, War, and Classism