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thechaliceofaries's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I absolutely loved this! It started off a little uncertainly but I was heavily drawn in about 50 pages in and from that point I just couldn't get enough! This book takes the well-loved childhood story of Peter Pan and gives it a dark, thrilling and entirely realistic twist. It made me consider elements of the original story in a brand new light. The story is long but complex and extremely interesting, I was never bored because there were never any lapses in the action. Every single twist and turn surprised me. At times it got really violent and graphic, at others the prose was so enchanting and gorgeous it just took my breath away.
The story makes for an incredible portrait of childhood and humanity - the innocence and wonder, but also (and mostly) the brutality of growing up, how black and white the world seems when we're young, versus the reality when we get older and realize that everything is composed of grey areas. Peter himself makes for a compelling antihero, charming and childish and joyful one moment, very quickly turning arrogant and cruel and murderous when he's slighted. Despite the obviously terrible things he'd been doing, I never truly found that I could dislike him. The same goes for a lot of the characters in the novel, actually. Everyone has their own side and their own reasons for doing the things they do. Much like in the real world, most of the chaos and violence in the story ensues from the fact that neither of the opposing sides are willing to listen and empathize with the other. I really recommend this to anyone who'd like to reawaken a sense of magic and wonder in themselves again - as long as you've got a strong enough stomach to handle all the gore, The Child Thief will give you exactly what you're looking for.
The story makes for an incredible portrait of childhood and humanity - the innocence and wonder, but also (and mostly) the brutality of growing up, how black and white the world seems when we're young, versus the reality when we get older and realize that everything is composed of grey areas. Peter himself makes for a compelling antihero, charming and childish and joyful one moment, very quickly turning arrogant and cruel and murderous when he's slighted. Despite the obviously terrible things he'd been doing, I never truly found that I could dislike him. The same goes for a lot of the characters in the novel, actually. Everyone has their own side and their own reasons for doing the things they do. Much like in the real world, most of the chaos and violence in the story ensues from the fact that neither of the opposing sides are willing to listen and empathize with the other. I really recommend this to anyone who'd like to reawaken a sense of magic and wonder in themselves again - as long as you've got a strong enough stomach to handle all the gore, The Child Thief will give you exactly what you're looking for.
theparallax911's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
3.75
Brom has an undeniable flair for taking something well-known (like Peter Pan), and revealing its darker side. The depth of the characters in this novel brings the reader to both cheer and jeer, hanging on for one more page before bedtime.
dhasenkampf's review against another edition
4.25
This was fabulous. Brom is an amazing storyteller, just as good as his other works I've read.
lynnw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
strategineer's review against another edition
3.0
An edgy retelling of Peter Pan by Brom, the illustrator who's work you've definitely seen before (Doom II, Diablo II).
Suffers from both "white man syndrome", racist caricatures and paper thin women, and "first novel syndrome", unpolished and rough main character.
The illustrations are great though and it had potential.
I've heard that his more recent work, Slewfoot, is much better and I'm planning to read it eventually.
Suffers from both "white man syndrome", racist caricatures and paper thin women, and "first novel syndrome", unpolished and rough main character.
The illustrations are great though and it had potential.
I've heard that his more recent work, Slewfoot, is much better and I'm planning to read it eventually.
rynnys's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
forwalaka's review
3.0
DNF на 30%
Мучительно скучно. Вот тебе неожиданный поворот сюжета, и сейчас будет то-то и то-то. Пресные персонажи, длинные флэшбэки. Может, это для детей? Я не поняла.
Мучительно скучно. Вот тебе неожиданный поворот сюжета, и сейчас будет то-то и то-то. Пресные персонажи, длинные флэшбэки. Может, это для детей? Я не поняла.
wordlawsl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
luckytat's review against another edition
It sucks you in
I've always been a fan of the darker fairy tales, and this one does not disappoint. I was sucked in from the first page, at times not able to put it down! I haven't honestly did not expect the ending to go as it did, and find myself wanting MORE. I wan to know what happens next!
I've always been a fan of the darker fairy tales, and this one does not disappoint. I was sucked in from the first page, at times not able to put it down! I haven't honestly did not expect the ending to go as it did, and find myself wanting MORE. I wan to know what happens next!
hamwitch007's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.25