Aiden Thomas "Lost In the Neverwoods" reawakens your imagination by reintroducing young adults to the magical world of Peter Pan. In this young adult read, we are introduced to a cautionary tale surrounding the original story of Peter Pan in a modern day world. I was quickly immersed in the story after reading several chapters. Readers will definitely be entertained by this new version about the boy who was to never grow up. You will be delighted by a teenage version of Peter Pan, Wendy, and the mystery that surrounds the mysterious events that’s unfolding in a local community.

Thanks to Swoon Reads and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this to review! Ever since Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas has definitely been on my radar. Probably an auto-buy author for me now! I can’t wait to get my final copy in the mail because the cover is just gorgeous.

This book is much slower paced than Cemetery Boys. Most of the action comes in the last third of the book, and there is a lot of build up to the main event. This is mainly due to the fact that much of this book is an exploration of the trauma that Wendy experienced and working through that trauma. Thomas once again shows their mastery of writing character as even the side characters, like Wendy’s best friend Jordan, felt fully fleshed out to me.

There were just a few things about this that didn’t make it a five star read for me. Most of it has to do with the timeline, specifically the five years between Wendy’s brothers disappearing and the events in this book. It leaves some plot holes that don’t necessarily make sense by the end of the book. What was happening in that five year gap, specifically in Neverland?

I will say, I think the plot twist was a little less obvious in this one. And possibly more heartbreaking. There are some excellent nods to Peter Pan throughout, so if you’re a fan of that classic story, you’ll definitely enjoy this twist. All I can say is that I can’t wait to see what Aiden Thomas does next!

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year after reading Aiden's previous novel Cemetery Boys last year. Unfortunately, my high hopes for this book were not met. It is a mostly enjoyable read but one of my favorite features of Cemetery Boys, the relentless spirit of hope, was missing.

I really love how Aiden's writing sucks me in immediately and instead of being actively aware that I'm reading, I can get sucked along for the ride. The closer I got to the end of the novel though, the more uncomfortable I grew. The reasons for this discomfort are all spoilers, but the establishment of the haunting and foreboding atmosphere of the Never Woods is one of the best parts of this book. I think Aiden's style and passion shine a little brighter in his debut than in this book, but it is a solid novel and I can't wait to read what is next from them, the hopelessness of this book just was not right for me at this time.

This book, especially near the end, feels hopeless. There are no HEAs here. While I love the author's writing style and was rooting for Peter and Wendy, there was something inherently pessimistic about this book. I went through the whole booking hoping for a victory for Peter and Wendy that did not feel hollow. I wanted Wendy to be able to be happy, to be able to enjoy living again instead of just surviving, the ending, while more true to real life, gave me none of the things that I had hoped for Wendy. Nothing seems to truly change for Wendy even after the events of the book, especially the last five percent or so of the book. Peter gets an ending that he can handle but that also takes an element of his happiness.

After a year of living through a pandemic where I'm looking for every spark of joy I can get, this just wasn't the book I needed right now.

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 18th birthday, she’s ready to burst out of this small town that is overcrowded with memories. Something’s not right, however. More children the area 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 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, she finds herself forced to believe Peter. 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 she 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 to him.

While reading, I felt completely immersed in the book’s 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 help us imagine how flat the real world is. The shadow is a terrifying villain, made of oily blackness and sharp angles. Every scene that he appears in 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 story. I am a huge Peter Pan fan, but not the biggest fan of Peter himself. 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 woman 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. As characters, though, 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, the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.

If you love dark retellings, magical realism, Peter Pan, and authentic stories about trauma, Lost in the Never Woods is highly recommended.

Lost in the Never Woods follows Wendy, a teenager who passes her days volunteering at her local hospital and trying to stay out of the spotlight in her town. When Wendy was younger she and her two brothers went missing and only she made it back. Now children are beginning to go missing again and everyone is looking to Wendy for answers on where they may be getting taken to.

This is a hard book for me to review because I was beyond excited to read it. Retellings are one of my absolute favorite genres, but Peter Pan retellings have always been my #1 favorite. To say I had high hopes for this book as it is a Peter Pan retelling AND it’s by Aiden Thomas is saying the least but unfortunately I was very let down. I felt like I was holding my breath throughout the entirety of this book just waiting for something to happen and it never did. I felt that there was a lot of potential for this novel, but unfortunately it fell very short. I wish we were able to explore more of Wendy’s past or even some of her present. I feel that all the characters were way underdeveloped and I didn’t care about a single one of them. There were also lots of plot holes in this novel. In the last part of the book we are told that something that happened in the past is all fake and isn’t even possible but then two pages later it seems to save the day? That is just one small example to give without saying any spoilers.

As I said before, this book was just not for me but I’m excited to see what else the author writes in the future.

I loved reading Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, so I’m really happy that I ended up loving this one as well!
It was so dark and mysterious, the plot twists all really surprised me as well!
It was also an extremely emotional read for me, I love reading books that can bring out all of my emotions, and this one definitely did!
I think it was a amazing Peter Pan retelling, I would recommend picking it up, if you enjoy reading retellings!

Lost in the Never Woods was provided to me via NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Wendy Darling years after she and her brothers disappeared in the woods. But while Wendy reappeared with no memory of the time she was missing, her brothers did not. Wendy is turning 18. She’s about to go off to college and start life on her own. She volunteers at the hospital with the kids. When kids from her town start disappearing, they’re kids that Wendy knows. So, she feels like she needs to do something to help get them back. But things get weird when Wendy finds Peter Pan late one night near the woods while she’s driving home.
I really liked the retelling aspect of this book. Things took a really dark turn that I wasn’t expecting. I’ve never been a super fan of Peter Pan, so I don’t know if this twist was one from Thomas’s imagination or if it stems from previous Peter Pan stories. But it shocked the heck out of me, so there’s that. I think the plot of the story, Peter and Wendy trying to rescue the missing kids was a good one. But I think the story felt really slow. They meet to brainstorm, try to find the kids, and figure out a general plan of action several times. Some of these times end up with them getting ice cream or doing something completely unrelated to their goal of finding the kids. I just felt like the story was pretty slow and drawn out.
Now, I will say that the writing and the other topics covered in the story made this slow pace a bit more enjoyable. Wendy is suffering from survivor’s guilt. She made it out of the woods with no memory of what happened or where her brothers are now. So, this was a big focus of the story. I liked this aspect. It was hard to read at times, but I think the grief and guilt was really well done. Wendy’s parents are also pretty neglectful. As a parent myself, I felt for them. They lost their two youngest children with no sure knowledge of whether they’re dead or alive. This loss consumes Wendy’s parents and after her return they are not the same parents they were before. I liked the conclusion with Wendy’s parents. As hard as it was to read their suffering and grief, I really liked how their relationship with Wendy changed.
Peter as a character was absolutely fascinating. I saw a review where he’s described as a ‘manic pixie dream boy’ and I think that perfectly explains his character. He’s mysterious, curious, and a bit wild. He’s dealing with losing his magic and growing into an adult, which he isn’t supposed to do. But it’s clear he knows things that he isn’t telling Wendy. They mystery of Peter and his secrets was really well done. Small things were revealed overtime to keep us interested until the big reveal. Wendy however, felt a little bland. She was pretty much only her grief and guilt. We get a little bit other than that with her volunteering and plans to go off to college, but it felt like she had no personality.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I think many will really love this story. It brings heavy conversations to the table and talks about them thoughtfully and with respect. It had characters you want to root for. The writing is beautiful and memorable but still easy to read.

3.5⭐
Content Warnings: Gun violence, Child abduction, Death, Grief, PTSD, Hospitalization, Emotionally absent parents

This book was such a beautiful depiction of grief, mental illness, and lost childhood. This Peter Pan reimagining is full of heartbreaking metaphor and amazing character explorations.

What I loved -

1. Aiden Thomas is so skilled at weaving difficult and important discussions into a story without making the story feel difficult or heavy. This book balances light hearted humor with some seriously heart-wrenching plots in a way that makes the story feel accessible and universal.

2. The mental illness representation in here felt so authentic. This explored not only the personal effects of mental illness but also how it's perceived by those around you (friends, family, etc) and how it impacts other aspects of your life. While Wendy seems to have a grasp on her mental health, she struggles with others seeing her as less than or incapable. And I really appreciated the exploration of that side to mental illness.

3. There is a lot of metaphor to break down in the relationships in this book. I've seen a lot of criticism for the relationship between Wendy and Peter in here and while I wasn't rooting for them to be end game either, I don't think that was the intension here. Wendy is struggling to cope with loss of her childhood and brothers. And Peter is a way for her to hold onto that past (and hope). I loved how her struggles with acceptance and grief were depicted in such a literal way. It was impactful and beautifully done.

What I didn't love -

1. I found the dialogue in here to be exceptionally cringe-y. It read very stinted and extra apparent while listening to the audiobook. The dialogue never felt believable to realistic - I was always very aware that I was reading words on a page during these portions. The exposition portions were much stronger in my opinion.

2. Lastly, I felt like this meandered at times. There were moments throughout this that felt wholly unnecessary to advancing the plot. While there are times I like to just sit with the characters, in this case I found it really stunted the pacing and didn't add enough to the story.

Overall, I think this book really succeeded with this premise and themes. The exploration of grief and mental health is one I think many readers will relate to and appreciate. This also has a fantastic audiobook narration! I'm already excited for whatever Aiden Thomas is working on next!

Review is live on Goodreads and will be posted to my blog on 3/24 @ 12pm CDT

So disappointing.

I have heard great things regarding Aiden Thomas' debut, but his sophomore novel Lost in the Never Woods did nothing for me. The entire novel read juvenile, more middle-grade than young adult. The narration and writing style, dialogue, and character development was not fleshed out well. Wendy's character was unbearable. For an eighteen-year-old about to set off for college, Wendy sure acted and spoke more like a preteen. Peter, of course, sounded and acted like a child, but, 3/4 of the way through, started to become more enjoyable to read. The book was incredibly slow, nothing happens for more than half of the book. The entire 3/4 of the book is just Wendy going "What is happening?" and "I don't remember anything", and Peter going "I have no idea". Wendy in denial that Peter is actually the Peter Pan from her mother's stories was utterly infuriating to read for pages and pages on end. The villain of the story was one-dimensional, with long-winded explanations of the evil plan during the final battle. I understand that Peter Pan is about an immature boy who doesn't want to grow up, but the novel doesn't need to take on the entirety of that essence as well.

I love the story of Peter Pan, but this re-telling, while there had been potential, just wasn't told well at all.

Thank you to Swoon Reads for the ARC of this book!

Lost in the Neverwoods is a new spin on Peter Pan, with a look at how trauma can give life to the shadows that surround us.

Wendy Darling doesn't remember what happened when she and her brothers went missing. All she knows is that she showed up again 6 months later, and they did not. Her family has never been the same, and she spends her time volunteering with the kids at her local hospital to get away, telling them the stories of Peter Pan that her mother told her when she was a kid. But when she finds a boy in the woods claiming to be and looking remarkably like Peter, she starts to wonder if maybe the stories were true. When local kids go missing around town with a shadow falling over them all, she starts to wonder if Peter is the key to finding them.

I loved this spin on Peter and his shadow. First and foremost, this story is about trauma. It's wrapped in a package of pixie dust and a boy who is bright and charming and wonderful. There's jumping into rivers and ice cream. But the more sinister thing, the shadow, is always lurking underneath. Thomas did such a great job of weaving this story in such a way that we can almost forget that Wendy has suffered so greatly. That her anxiety issues stem from something soul deep. But by the end, we can't deny it. We can only hold on as the shadows blind and squeeze, and we're reminded of the almost physical effort it takes sometimes to break free of those shadows and take your life back.

I loved reading Peter and Wendy, and I was so glad it book gave us the relationship it did between them. We saw a concentration on Wendy and her needs and wants and what was best for her, and I loved that. The romance was not the focal point here, but a sweet aside that made me feel a pang of longing for the both of them. Peter was a fantastic Pan, being anti-shadow. Bright in every single way - a charming dumb ass, if you will. My type of love interest.

Things were a bit slow in the beginning, and it seemed a little like not much happened until the very end of the book. The ending though was really fantastic. It's very dark and I may have shed a tear or five, but Aiden really showed us what they could do with this. Really well done!

📚 LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS is not just a modern retelling of Peter Pan, but an exploration of loss and grief, and the many ways trauma and PTSD can manifest for survivors of terrible events.
📚 I loved Peter and Wendy's dynamic - the fact that Peter isn't a static young boy in this version gives them so much more room to grow.
📚 Thomas' creepy visuals remain a highlight of his writing.
📚 The big drawback of this book for me was that because we already know the classic Peter Pan story, we are a few steps ahead of Wendy for much of the book. Even when the plot is unfolding fast, it still feels like it drags a bit while we wait for her to piece things together.

With Cemetery Boys being one of my favorite reads from last year, I had very high expectations for this book. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. This Peter Pan retelling is officially one of my favorite retellings.

Wendy and Peter, what can I say about them except I loved them so much. Their banter was fantastic and I just wanted to squeeze them. I related to Wendy so much as I am also extremely anxious and it's always nice to see that part of me represented.

Now I don't like to spoil things but the plot doesn't really pick up until 40% into the book. Which was kinda frustrating when you compare it to Cemetery Boys. But overall it is still a wonderful book and I would highly recommend this to everyone. Aiden Thomas is officially an auto-buy author for me!

Well, this is super unfortunate. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that the same author that wrote Cemetery Boys (which I LOVED), wrote Lost in the Neverwoods. Perhaps I had myself too hyped up over this newest release?

I had a hard time pushing through this one, mostly because it felt like nothing was happening. The characters fell flat for me, especially Wendy. I found myself annoyed with her for most of the book, simply because she just didn’t seem that bright. I get she’s going through a fair amount of grief and trauma, but dang, use your brain, Wendy. There were so many conversations she had with Peter that went absolutely no where, did nothing to further the plot or reveal anything of importance. The first ⅔ of the book is just them, communicating horribly.

The big reveal and plot twist at the end was very rushed and unsatisfying as well. Like I said, it all just fell very flat. There was no magic in it. I’ll probably give Aiden Thomas’s next book a whirl, just because I liked Cemetery Boys so much, but I won’t be recommending this one to anyone. Sigh.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

***eArc provided by NetGalley and Macmillan in exchange for an honest review ***

I am perfectly happy to read each and every reimagining and reinterpretation of Peter Pan. I love the boy who doesn't grow up, and I always have. However, the original novel is over 100 years old and so many people have messed about in Neverland that it seems hard to have an original concept.

And yet... Aiden Thomas does. A strong one, at that. Lost in the Never Woods is such a carefully constructed story about grief, trauma, and how tragedy can destroy not just the lives of the people who experience it first hand, but the lives of everyone around them. By looking at childhood trauma and childhood trauma responses, Thomas allows a modern (though often agreed upon, generally) interpretation of the story of Peter Pan to flourish.

Thomas does a great job with scope in this story. It feels at once like a small, intimate story between Wendy and Peter, while also feeling grand and important to both the world at large, but specifically to their town. It's balanced perfectly, it's both propulsive and introspective in all the right moments, and it's a great reimagining of this classic tale.

I’m so happy to have gotten this book from NetGalley ahead of its publishing date. This book was really special.

Wendy and her brothers, John and Michael went missing in the woods five years ago when Wendy was 15. After 6 months, she was found in the woods alone with no memory of what happened to her. Now she’s 18, and getting ready to leave for college, when children start going missing near the woods in her town. A strangely familiar boy named Peter turns up in Wendy’s life, and everything seems vaguely connected.

This is a Peter Pan retelling, if you haven’t guessed it already. And it was a really heartwarming and moving one, at that. Peter was written beautifully, he radiated light and warmth and personality. You understood his motivations and his conflicts. He was charming and caring and he brought a lot of life to every scene I’m he was in.

My only gripe with this book is about Wendy. She was perfectly fine, sweet, protective of the kids in her town and her brothers. That is kind of where her character development stops, though. She’s a run of the mill, caring but adventitious and dedicated to bravely protecting those she loves, girl. Other than these (primarily plot driven) characteristics, I can’t tell you much about her. HOWEVER, this is NOT to say that Wendy’s emotions weren’t well written and represented. Her grief, fear, and trauma are really palpable and visceral. This book wasn’t just a fairy tale retelling, it was a portrait of loss and pain and trauma and grief, and how these things can effect a family. I only wish I felt that I knew Wendy better at the end. I knew a lot about the human experience of these things, but not much about her character.

All this said, I blew through this book. It was a quick read and it kept my attention. The magical aspects and tie back to a childhood classic were really heartwarming. I would recommend this book. Thank you, NetGalley!

Book retellings can be interesting experiences, offering the opportunity to see how writers view an original tale and move to adapt the basic premise in new ways. Aiden Thomas’ modern retelling of Peter Pan transports readers to present-day Oregon, placing them in the middle of a mystery. This is not necessarily a pleasant story, as it involves missing children, fractured families, and repressed memories. For Wendy, the key to the mystery is remembering the past, even though it may bring heartache.

Despite the fact that this book is published by Swoon Reads, the story arguably focuses on the importance of friendship rather than romance. Peter is Wendy’s anchor to the past, helping her come to terms with what happened, and giving her the support she needs to grow and eventually succeed.

However, some story elements are not seemingly as well-balanced as they could be, which may affect some readers’ reading experiences. Established character relationships with friends and adults are not effectively explored here. Wendy essentially withdraws from her family, her best friend and her co-workers in favor of her growing comradeship with Peter. Wendy walks away from situations—including conversations with law enforcement—without any noticeable repercussions. Even though this is a fantasy, it somehow does not ring true to the modern American setting with which readers are provided.

As well, Wendy’s tendency to retreat from her problems also inherently affects the pacing of the story. Early on readers are presented with some intriguing situations and clues that might shed light upon the mystery; however due to Wendy’s initial reticence to figure out what is happening, there are significant amounts of stasis impeding the advancement of the plot. The uneven pacing might impact some readers’ enjoyment of the story.

I personally would have liked if the author further developed Peter’s backstory. The author introduces an interesting discussion about Neverland; but doesn’t offer very much detail beyond the introduction. There’s a wealth of mythology and philosophical discussion that could have been tapped into, which would have helped to augment this retelling.

“They were told the woods were dangerous, and to stay out of them.”†

Noooo! After the masterpiece that was Cemetery Boys, I had such high hopes for Aiden Thomas’ sophomore novel. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. I LOVE retellings, but this take on Peter Pan just didn’t do it for me. The premise was incredibly enticing, but the follow through wasn’t there. I was expecting perilous adventures through the dark and spooky woods. Instead, I got twenty chapters of boring conversations and entirely uncompelling “drama”.

I found the Darlings unlikeable/ underdeveloped to the point it was impossible to muster up sympathies. Wendy was one of the blandest protagonists I’ve come across in YA for quite some time. (It seemed all too fitting that her favorite ice cream flavor was vanilla.) Even Peter couldn’t keep my interest… his only personality trait was to do random chaotic things. Peter and Wendy had little chemistry together, and their scenes always felt a bit forced.

I was honestly a bit bored while reading this. Nothing much exciting happened until near the end, and by then it was too late for me to have enjoyed reading an entire novel just to reach that point. Thomas’ prose was well-crafted, which was this book’s saving grace. I still plan to keep tabs on their future work, but I’m hoping some of that Cemetery Boys magic creeps in with their next book.

tw: kidnapping, murder, grief

†must be checked against final text

I went into this story with high expectations. We all know the story of Peter Pan, and I expected certain events to happen. But this is a retelling, and retellings don’t need to follow the source material scene for scene – I think that’s the most important think to remember going into this story.

This story follows Wendy, a girl about to turn 18, the age of “growing up” or being considering an adult by most. She volunteers at the local hospital, reading to the children and helping out. She still blames herself for the fact both herself and her two brothers (John and Michael) went missing five years ago, and she was found but her brothers were not – which tore her family apart. She’s constantly drawing images that she isn’t conscious of drawing – and she keeps drawing a boy who looks awfully like Peter Pan, the bedtime story her mother told her as a child and she told her younger brothers.

Then suddenly a boy shows up in the hospital who knows Wendy’s name and claims he is Peter…Peter Pan. Wendy doesn’t know what to believe anymore, and tries not to panic that he looks exactly like her drawings. Children in town start going missing, just like what happened five years ago to Wendy and her brothers. And Wendy has a feeling Peter’s sudden appearance has something to do with this.

This story is a lot darker than I expect, quite frankly. It deals with grief of losing family members (siblings, and children in the case of her parents) and trauma. Wendy is clearly not well and her parents are too deep in their own grief to help their returned daughter. Even five years later, it’s clear this family is suffering.

Sadly, this book fell very flat for me. It felt like a plateau. I was waiting and waiting and WAITING for things to happen but nothing. ever. did. In the beginning a little happened, and the end things happened very quickly but this book was a plateau. It’s very mundane – Wendy and Peter go and get ice cream at one point, and that takes up a significant amount of time – and does not even more the plot forward. There was a lot of commonplace daily events happening in this book, but it barely moved the story forward. The town never really seems too concerned about missing children until multiple children go missing towards the end.

Honestly, this book bored me. I considering DNF-ing it more than once. It dragged on for far too long with far too little actually happening.

Author Aiden Thomas has said this was actually the first book they wrote, but Cemetery Boys is the book the publisher wanted to publish first and I can see why – that was a much stronger, much more interesting book. This is OK as far as Peter Pan retellings go, but it does not bring anything new or exciting to the table. If you were on the fence about this one, I would say give it a pass.

I look forward to what Aiden will write in the future though, as I enjoy their writing in Cemetery Boys, this book just felt like a sophomore slump.

I absolutely ADORE Avi Roque as the audiobook narrator! They also narrated Aiden’s book Cemetery Boys and I loved them in that too. 10/10 recommend Avi’s narration and I look forward to hearing their voice more in the future!

I ended up listening to this on 2.7x speed by the end, which surprised even me! Avi has a smooth voice and it was easy to listen to on a quick speed.

This was a very intriguing novel, but unfortunately I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped to. (I am realizing, very belatedly, that fairy tale/magical narrative adaptations and AU stories aren't usually my favorite.) I was certainly drawn in by Thomas's writing style, and their characterization is also very assured and can easily immerse the reader in the world they're building. However, it was a bit too much of a slow-burn for me, and I didn't love the romance element that much. That being said, the way Thomas played with the Peter Pan mythos and potential wider thematic resonances was great--I'll be thinking about the wider thematic implications of the twists at the end for awhile.

I stopped reading this book at 64%. After spending almost two weeks trudging my way through it, and just barely making it halfway through, I couldn't spend any more time with it.

I have never been particularly interested in the Peter Pan story to begin with. So that in itself worked against this. I loved Thomas' debut novel Cemetery Boys, though, so I had hoped their writing would inspire a love for the story I never felt. But that love never came. Thomas has stated before that Lost in the Never Woods was their final project in their MFA program and the first full-length novel they ever wrote. And it definitely comes off that way to me. The writing style is so much different and much less polished in this novel, and it's honestly a shame that this clunky, slow-moving book is the follow-up to such a brilliant, moving and vibrant debut.

I felt no emotional connection to Wendy and cared very little for her or her journey. Her brothers are missing, but I honestly couldn't have cared less whether they came back or not. She doesn't have much of a personality, and neither do any of the other characters. Wendy's father is horrible to her for no explained reason. It can be inferred that he is worried about her after she disappeared along with her brothers, and expresses that worry through anger and an implied drinking problem, but he just comes across as a horrible person. Wendy's mother is very one-dimensional as well. Overall, I was just not invested in this story at all.

Peter just seemed a little odd to me. I know he's whimsical by nature, but his character seems very out of place in what otherwise seems to be a very dreary setting. His constant happiness and whimsy seems a little jarring when everyone else just seems so...blah.

I do think that this book will be fun for teenagers, so I will probably purchase it for my library, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it. I was not invested in the story at all, like I said before, and felt generally uninterested in how everything played out.