A review by karnakjr
Peter Pan: Peter and Wendy and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A notable precursor to Hook, and a pointless precursor to that.
Peter and Wendy is the classic story, Barrie’s definitive version after his play became a major success. I recognize it as the Disney animated film, with a bit of extra. The story is longer, there are more details and twists. The introduction and notes are also excellent.
Things are explained more, and the plot is enhanced a bit. There are several turns of phrase that are used by different characters and different contexts as my favorite Peter Pan tale, Hook. Tink is constantly calling people “Silly Ass”, for example. Barrie sews the character seeds of Hook’s crippling depression, for another. Peter Pan is also quite sad. It helped me piece some of the decisions in Hook together. While the movie makes it clear Peter became a pirate, it is less obvious he became Mr Darling as well. The novella ends with Peter returning to visit Wendy and finding her daughter, then grand daughter. I feel like I gleamed some extra context for something I genuinely love.
The problem is the shit ton of racist and sexist nonsense. Barrie’s treatment of Native Americans is always deeply ignorant, while occasionally crossing over into malicious bigotry. His gender normative bullshit is actively damaging to both boys and girls. Fuck that shit.
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is weird, but not good weird. Weird like a toddler rambling about something that couldn’t possibly make sense or interest anyone.
Peter and Wendy is the classic story, Barrie’s definitive version after his play became a major success. I recognize it as the Disney animated film, with a bit of extra. The story is longer, there are more details and twists. The introduction and notes are also excellent.
Things are explained more, and the plot is enhanced a bit. There are several turns of phrase that are used by different characters and different contexts as my favorite Peter Pan tale, Hook. Tink is constantly calling people “Silly Ass”, for example. Barrie sews the character seeds of Hook’s crippling depression, for another. Peter Pan is also quite sad. It helped me piece some of the decisions in Hook together. While the movie makes it clear Peter became a pirate, it is less obvious he became Mr Darling as well. The novella ends with Peter returning to visit Wendy and finding her daughter, then grand daughter. I feel like I gleamed some extra context for something I genuinely love.
The problem is the shit ton of racist and sexist nonsense. Barrie’s treatment of Native Americans is always deeply ignorant, while occasionally crossing over into malicious bigotry. His gender normative bullshit is actively damaging to both boys and girls. Fuck that shit.
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is weird, but not good weird. Weird like a toddler rambling about something that couldn’t possibly make sense or interest anyone.