Book Review: Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise

“You have to stand up, even when you’re scared, because if you let the monsters frighten you and take away the things you love, then they win.”

A.C. Wise, Wendy, Darling

Review:

I’ve never actually read Peter Pan and have only seen the play and Disney versions a couple of times, however, I enjoy Peter Pan retellings for some reason. Wendy, Darling has been on my TBR since reading Darling Girl. I can see that this is where some inspiration might have come from for that book, but it didn’t hit me quite the same. 

Past her days in Neverland and now a mother to Jane, Wendy is shocked to find Peter Pan looming over her daughter’s bed and watches horrified as Peter whisks her away to be ‘the new Wendy’. Wendy now must return to Neverland to save Jane. As she does so, shadows of the past come back to haunt her. 

There was a lot I enjoyed about the book, such as the writing/prose and real-world interpretations. I also liked the mother/daughter aspect. Despite this, I found myself struggling to get into the story past the first few chapters. I don’t think I was in the right mindset, so I would like to try this book again at another time. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The contrast between the real world and Neverland and the real world response to what Wendy experienced.
• The generational element.

What I didn’t like:

• The pacing felt sluggish.
• Hard to follow at times when it jumped back and forth in the timeline.

Afterthoughts:

Wrong time and place for me overall. I will keep this in mind for the future.

Where to buy the book: