medusasmayhem's review against another edition
5.0
I think I got like halfway through this last year before school started and I completely forgot about it. I’m so glad that I picked it back up as my second novel of the year. Aiden Thomas is one of my favorite authors at the moment, and the way Aiden spun the story of Peter Pan and Wendy in this book was amazingly done. Not to mention that the ending proves that they included my favorite Peter Pan theory.
abbycostello1999's review against another edition
5.0
Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas gives a completely fresh take on the well known (some might say overdone) Peter Pan story. This novel takes characters that we all love and gives them a dark twist, while still managing to deliver a warm, heartfelt story.
Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her younger brothers disappeared in the woods of Oregon. Six months later, Wendy was found alone, remembering nothing. Now, on the verge of her eighteenth birthday, she’s ready to burst out of this town overcrowded with memories. Something’s not right, however. More children in her small town have started to go missing, and people look to Wendy for answers. She’s noticed she’s different as well—every time her mind wanders off, she finds herself drawing two things: a boy and a tree. She can’t remember either.
While driving home from her volunteering shift at the hospital one day, Wendy almost runs over a boy lying in the middle of the road. Paramedics take him to the hospital, but he mysteriously vanishes. When he pops up again, he tells Wendy he is Peter Pan, the magical boy she thought existed only in her stories. At first, she struggles to believe him, because it sounds completely crazy. Peter Pan doesn’t exist… right?
As she continues to remember more bits and pieces of her past, however, she finds herself forced to believe him. Besides, he says he needs her help to rescue her brothers, and she would do anything to get them back.
Peter tells Wendy that five years ago, after Wendy came to Neverland, he lost his shadow. Since then, his shadow, a frightening creature that feeds off fear, has grown more and more powerful, stealing children to make him stronger. As the shadow strengthens, Peter becomes weaker. He is aging at an alarming rate and he can no longer fly. His only hope is Wendy finding the shadow and sewing it back on.
While reading, I felt completely immersed in the eerie aesthetic. Everything in this story is painted in different shades of gray, giving the world a heavy feeling of gloom. Even Wendy’s wardrobe, gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair make us feel how flat the real world is. The shadow is a terrifying villain, made of oily blackness and sharp angles, and every scene where he appears sent chills down my spine. In contrast, Peter was all light and pixie dust.
I was worried how Peter Pan would be portrayed in a YA contemporary. I am a huge Peter Pan fan, and in most adaptations I’ve seen, Peter is either so upbeat and prideful that it’s irritating, or he is a sinister villain. However, Thomas gives us a teenage boy who basically radiates joy, yet still has a human range of emotions. As the story progresses, we see what a heavy burden being “Peter Pan” is—the responsibility to care for so many children, and the toll it takes.
The subtle, sensitive way the novel dealt with PTSD and how trauma affects a family was my other favorite part of the novel. Wendy shows many nervous ticks and wrestles with flashes of memory from her lost past, memories that show her brothers, who she still clearly misses deeply. She also feels horribly guilty, not just about losing her brothers to the shadow, but the other missing children as well. This loss has also clearly broken Wendy’s family—her mother is a shadow of the vibrant women she used to be, and her father drinks constantly and only communicates with Wendy by yelling. I really disliked the parents, personally, because I felt like they blamed Wendy instead of being grateful she came home, which is unfair, but as characters I found them interesting and well written.
The main complaint readers may have is the pace. For most of the novel, we follow Wendy and Peter as they bond and try (unsuccessfully) to find the shadow. We also see Wendy struggle with her memories of her brothers and we get a lot of backstory. There isn’t much action and drama until the end. For a reader who doesn’t mind slow paced books, I enjoyed it. Even though there wasn’t a lot of action, I felt suspense throughout that kept me on the edge of my seat.
If you love dark retellings, magical realism, Peter Pan, and authentic stories about trauma, I cannot recommend this novel highly enough!
Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her younger brothers disappeared in the woods of Oregon. Six months later, Wendy was found alone, remembering nothing. Now, on the verge of her eighteenth birthday, she’s ready to burst out of this town overcrowded with memories. Something’s not right, however. More children in her small town have started to go missing, and people look to Wendy for answers. She’s noticed she’s different as well—every time her mind wanders off, she finds herself drawing two things: a boy and a tree. She can’t remember either.
While driving home from her volunteering shift at the hospital one day, Wendy almost runs over a boy lying in the middle of the road. Paramedics take him to the hospital, but he mysteriously vanishes. When he pops up again, he tells Wendy he is Peter Pan, the magical boy she thought existed only in her stories. At first, she struggles to believe him, because it sounds completely crazy. Peter Pan doesn’t exist… right?
As she continues to remember more bits and pieces of her past, however, she finds herself forced to believe him. Besides, he says he needs her help to rescue her brothers, and she would do anything to get them back.
Peter tells Wendy that five years ago, after Wendy came to Neverland, he lost his shadow. Since then, his shadow, a frightening creature that feeds off fear, has grown more and more powerful, stealing children to make him stronger. As the shadow strengthens, Peter becomes weaker. He is aging at an alarming rate and he can no longer fly. His only hope is Wendy finding the shadow and sewing it back on.
While reading, I felt completely immersed in the eerie aesthetic. Everything in this story is painted in different shades of gray, giving the world a heavy feeling of gloom. Even Wendy’s wardrobe, gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair make us feel how flat the real world is. The shadow is a terrifying villain, made of oily blackness and sharp angles, and every scene where he appears sent chills down my spine. In contrast, Peter was all light and pixie dust.
I was worried how Peter Pan would be portrayed in a YA contemporary. I am a huge Peter Pan fan, and in most adaptations I’ve seen, Peter is either so upbeat and prideful that it’s irritating, or he is a sinister villain. However, Thomas gives us a teenage boy who basically radiates joy, yet still has a human range of emotions. As the story progresses, we see what a heavy burden being “Peter Pan” is—the responsibility to care for so many children, and the toll it takes.
The subtle, sensitive way the novel dealt with PTSD and how trauma affects a family was my other favorite part of the novel. Wendy shows many nervous ticks and wrestles with flashes of memory from her lost past, memories that show her brothers, who she still clearly misses deeply. She also feels horribly guilty, not just about losing her brothers to the shadow, but the other missing children as well. This loss has also clearly broken Wendy’s family—her mother is a shadow of the vibrant women she used to be, and her father drinks constantly and only communicates with Wendy by yelling. I really disliked the parents, personally, because I felt like they blamed Wendy instead of being grateful she came home, which is unfair, but as characters I found them interesting and well written.
The main complaint readers may have is the pace. For most of the novel, we follow Wendy and Peter as they bond and try (unsuccessfully) to find the shadow. We also see Wendy struggle with her memories of her brothers and we get a lot of backstory. There isn’t much action and drama until the end. For a reader who doesn’t mind slow paced books, I enjoyed it. Even though there wasn’t a lot of action, I felt suspense throughout that kept me on the edge of my seat.
If you love dark retellings, magical realism, Peter Pan, and authentic stories about trauma, I cannot recommend this novel highly enough!
gemstonejasper's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Fun take on the classic Peter Pan story. I really liked the concept and the twists that happen, especially towards the end.
thatbookishwriter's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
4.0
ktxx22's review against another edition
2.0
I recently finished Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas which unfortunately was just a 2 ⭐️ while I enjoyed the mystery and suspense in this story, and I’ll bite that Peter Pan’s real purpose is to ferry lost children to the afterlife. Unfortunately as is present entirely too often in YA books there is the MOST cringy romance in this story and I loathed every minute of it and it’s impracticality. Which is why I rated it so low!
julinapril's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Quite repetitive but still a sweet story
georgiagirl1315's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
penlop's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
estellec13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Grief, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Body horror, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident