Growing up with Disney's Peter Pan and participating in the stage musical, the story has always been close to me. Naturally, I've always enjoyed reading different adaptations such as Peter and the Starcatchers, so when I heard about Wendy, Darling, I had to add it to my list.
Wendy, Darling by A. C. Wise tells the story of Wendy after Neverland, once she's grown up and married and has a daughter of her own. Wendy has endured much since leaving Neverland and learned that growing up isn't so easy. But when Peter returns and takes Wendy's daughter, Jane, she must return to Neverland to rescue her and face the darkness she's hidden away for decades.
I really like this feminist retelling. Not only does it continue where the original story left off, but it recontextualizes Wendy's time in Neverland as a child. It dives into Peter's treatment of Wendy and Tiger Lily versus Wendy's brothers and the Lost Boys. It examines what it means for Wendy to grow up and become a real mother rather than the play act Peter thought he wanted from her. It compares the darkness of Neverland with the darkness of the real world and forces Wendy to weigh the truth of her secrets against the perceived strength they give her.
I did feel that the pacing of the book was a bit slow. Told alternately through Wendy and Jane's points of view, we get to see both their current experiences and memories of the past. Jane's sections moved swiftly and clearly in the present, but Wendy's were primarily flashbacks and huge chunks of inner monologuing. The information revealed was impactful and necessary to the story, but it felt like nothing was happening in the present. I might have liked it better if Wendy's chapters were entirely flashbacks while Jane's were the only ones in the present.
Despite the pacing issues, I still enjoyed this book. I rate Wendy, Darling by A. C. Wise 4/5 stars. Fans of any version of Peter Pan should give it a read.
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