Author: Audrey Greathouse
Published: 9th May 2016
My Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Synopsis:
Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.
However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.
She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.
However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.
She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.
I received this book in an exchange for an honest review
Can you believe I have never read a Peter Pan retelling before until now? Yeah I know, where in the world have I been, hiding under a rock? I guess you can say that. I have a feeling the more times I read this book, the more it will become a favourite.
The plot is very easy to decipher from the title of the book, Neverland Wars, and that is exactly what it is. Since this was my first time reading a Peter Pan retelling (if you count reading the tale back in school) so although I can't compare it with other retellings, I really love this notion of choosing to never grow up. This book is a prefect illustration of how tedious life can get once you become a 'grown up', you forget to live life, be in the moment and forget how short life is. I loved reading about how carefree kids are and rediscovering to simply just enjoy the moment even if you choose to grow up. Sadly, in the real world you don't have the choice to grow up or not, you simply do. We live in a world when we are younger we are eager to grow up but when we hit that age we yearn to turn back time and be kids again. Gwen's journey is exactly like that, trying to pinpoint the moment she forgot how to act carefree and actually live life. There are two sides of the war, reality vs Neverland, kids against grown ups. Peter and the rest of the gang are fighting for their freedom to make their own choices, fighting for the creatures that dwell in Neverland. Although I have a feeling, there is more to the story and it is unknown of what Peter's goals are. I only had one problem with this book, for me, it took about more than 50% of the book to get really hooked in to it but the characters more than made up for that.
Only Gwen had some real character development in this book, it was her character realising the essence of being young again. The memories and dreams that faded away with time but never forgetten, all the little things that made being kids so fun, where is all that gone? It was fun to read about Gwen rediscovering herself again, it made me want to do the same thing. I am really interested to see what happens to Gwen in the book, predictions from Old Willow are so very intriguing. Is there supposed to be a love triangle? If so, I know exactly who I want to ship! I really hope they become a pair. How can Gwen not see it?????
The setting was my fav, I loved learning about Neverland. My only wish would be there it truly existed. I really wish Neverland existed, a place so full of happiness and joy you forget all the worries of life. There was one main theme recurring in this book and that was simply happiness. I feel like happiness leads to everything, being carefree, being in the present, a stress free life.
Audrey's writing style is amazing! I loved it, my only regret is not reading this sooner enough. I hate when this happens, when you take so long reading a book and surprisingly the book is SO GOOD!.
Just in case you didn't know, after doing some research I found out that this is a trilogy! Hooray!!! I cannot wait for book 2! :)
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