3.5 Stars

Synopsis:
The God of Youth (Peter Pan) has vanished and children around the world are at risk of losing their imagination. Not only that, but Neverland is ceasing to exist (no faeries, everyone is a ghost, etc.) It is up to Michael, former Lost Boy and Knight of the Realm to seek out his old companion and put a stop to what is happening. However, after a tragic incident that caused him to lose his friend - Michael isn't sure he has enough childhood left in him to accomplish the task.

Plot:
I found this one to be a lot more fun than I originally anticipated. The actual synopsis of the book sounds like a mash up of many of my favorite things (King Arthur's Round Table, Mythology, Peter Pan, etc.) but I wasn't sure how it would all mesh together. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it did.

Characters:
I found the characters to be fairly true to their original counterparts. However, I'm not sure how much I enjoyed Vanessa and Will's characters. At times it felt like their characters were there just for the sake of the plot having conflict/drama rather than them actually needing to be there. I feel the same about the knights of the round table.

Setting:
I think this was my favorite part of the book. I loved being introduced to the underworld of Neverland and all the creatures it inhabits. It was super intriguing to learn how each dust would impact the characters in their journeys as well.

Overall, this book kept my attention well and was really entertaining. I don't think it is my favorite book ever written but it is definitely worth the read!


<<SPOILER>>

The only thing keeping it from a 4 stars for me is I wish the element of grief/loss of childhood/letting go of the past to defeat the wraith would've been explored a bit more!

I am always looking for stories about petter pan and this was right up my alley. It wasn’t my favorite book on this subject, but I enjoyed it and will be reading more by this author.

Underwhelming but not terrible.

The cover and premise really had me excited for this. As someone who grew up with Peter Pan and loved it, I was excited to see what an adult Neverland would be like. Michael being the focus instead of Wendy is an incredibly smart and gripping idea. Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. The world-building is very fast and clunky. You're given information very quickly and as if this is well known knowledge. Same with same character introductions. No one is as fleshed out as I wanted. Michael himself is very dry. I was disappointed with Wendy's introduction, as I felt she's so essential to Peter Pan I wanted her to have almost a grand entrance, instead she felt underwhelming. Everything in a sense felt entirely too casual. There's no anticipation or need to tense up.

There's a lot of great ideas. Peter being a God of another man is brilliant. I really liked the addition. Neverland's prosperity being tied to Peter is another great add, however, the plot really loves to remind you of it over and over and over again. Like I said, so many good ideas but nothing felt development. I didn't feel the danger or the severity of this plot. And because of that, you're not gripped by the story, there's no want to read. I kept putting it down and forgetting about it.

As to not be too harsh, I'll repeat the ideas are excellent but it wasn't for me. I don't think the writing itself was bad, fairly descriptive, and quick. I didn't mind the pacing but it did start off too quickly for my likely.

Definitely didn't feel "adult" but more as YA- which isn't a negative, just an observation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think that, if you are a die hard fan of Peter Pan, this book may be a bit more challenging for you to get into. I thought that the world building and the character development was okay and the take on the story was fresh and interesting, but I wanted a little bit more from the story. It never fully felt like I was drawn into or immersed in what was happening, which is a bit of a bummer. Overall, this was a fun read that I think would be a great introduction to the world of Peter Pan stories.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this arc.

This was a did not finish for me. I absolutely love Peter Pan and thought I’d enjoy a retelling and new take on the story. This one just didn’t keep me interested and was rather juvenile/boring.

This was a new and interesting take on the Peter Pan mythos. This book took the originally story and let it grow to mythological status, classifying Peter as an ancient trickster God taking the form of a boy who had created Neverland. I enjoyed the fresh perspective of this story as told from the point of view of one of Wendy's Brother's. The addition of a secret society to protect humanity against gods and monsters is always a great idea. The character's were well fleshed out and seemed ready to step off of the page. The plot started very strong with the main challenge being Peter's disappearance and the threat of Neverland disappearing. Once the characters make it back to Neverland is where things start to get complicated. More and more mythos is added with every page including a trip to the underworld and new rules about pixie dust. It was harder to make it to the end but overall a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Voyager for the chance to read this e-ARC!

Very sad to DNF this one though. I really wanted to love it as I've been very into Peter Pan retellings lately and the synopsis had me really excited. Sadly the story just wasn't grabbing me at all and was having a hard time getting through what I did read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this arc.

I'm not much for retellings, but this one intrigued me since it wasn't a normal retelling with Wendy or Jane as the lead character.

Michael, the youngest of the Darling children, is now a grown up who wants to leave mystical and magical things behind him. Only something horrible has happened and he must return to Neverland to rescue Peter Pan. His journey is fraught with danger excitement as he tries to find a way back to a place he wants to forget.

I enjoyed the book a lot. I like that it expanded on the mythos of Peter Pan and the world of Neverland. The characters both original and new were not flat. They had facets and flaws.

I did think that it read more like a Young Adult book than an Adult Fantasy. There's nothing wrong with that, but other than the age of the characters (being adults above 20) I could have easily read Michael and Vanessa as teenagers.

For anyone who loves Peter Pan, I recommend this retelling.

With a subtitle like Defenders of Lore, this may very well be a series beginner. If it is, I would definitely try the next book.

Thank you again NetGalley and Harper Voyager.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC.

You do NOT understand how badly I wanted to like this book!!! I wanted a magical read as I returned to a loosely based-upon story of Neverland. But there was literally nothing magical about it. I’m so disappointed.

Thank you so much to netgally for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

God of Neverland is about our main character, Micheal. Micheal used to be a part of this organization called the Knights which were protectors of the different realms. Woven into the story of Peter and Wendy, Micheal is tasked to find the god Maponos, the God of Neverland and previously known as Peter Pan. God of Neverland adds a new world and depth to the old story of Peter Pan.

Oh boy…where do I begin? I DNF’d this book because it is not for me. I believe I truly would have liked the storytelling however it, simply, did not click for me. I was bewitched with the cover and the description of the book as it seemed so strong, but sadly, things don’t go as planned. First, let’s start with the good.

THE GOOD:
I am a SUCKER for retellings. The idea of authors taking classical stories that almost everyone is familiar with and repurposing it with their own twist is truly captivating. The retyping aspect was done well, and I would still recommend this to others!

I will mention the writing a bit more later but I wanted to point out a good aspect of the writing I enjoyed. The way this was written is perfect for younger teens. I would have loved this book so much more if I would have read this back then. In terms of content, the demographic fits what the author is trying to convey as well…so that’s why im confused.

THE BAD:
This reads seriously juvenile. Now, this is where i begin to feel bad. As a writer myself, I understand the hard work, effort, and passion other authors imbed into their novels, yet some things can not be overlooked. Everywhere I see, this is marketed as an adult novel, and after further inspection, the author writes YA. This is not an adult novel. Perhaps farther into the book, the story picks up and shows stronger images, but I doubt it. Additionally, the writing style was difficult to click with.

In the beginning everything is really infodumpy and not enough smooth transitions. The writing does not help with this as Martinez takes a simple and direct approach to the story. I am not against being thrusted into the story but the way it was done here was not good. The world building also felt slightly lackluster which brings me back to my YA point. This is really good for younger readers to help them grasp and immerse them in the story better, but with an adult novel, I expected more.

I went into this asking for an adult book and instead I received a mislabeled YA fantasy novel.

Overall, this had incredible potential, and it’s not a bad book. I would still recommend this to younger readers and maybe some older readers if I figure they’d appreciate it.

I honestly could not get into this story and sadly DNF. What i did read was well written, but the Neverland Mythos was not a strong enough pull for me.

I am a Peter Pan enthusiast at heart, and I always will be. My heart will forever lie in Neverland, and authors like Gama Ray Martinez keep the spirit of Peter Pan alive with novels just like this! "God of Neverland" picks up with Michael Darling's journey back to Neverland as an adult. The fate of the land rests on him, as Peter Pan is nowhere to be found, and Michael is challenged with defending humanity from magical threats endangering our world.

DNF’ed early on. I normally love a good Peter Pan retelling but unfortunately this one didn’t cut it for me.

I have never been a fan of Peter Pan when I was younger but when I read this one I think it has changed everything that I ever knew about it. This story was so good. It grabbed my attention right away and never let go. We see how Michael Darling continued his adventuring ways by joining this organization to help keep humanity safe from magical and mythological threats and creatures. But after a mission goes wrong he gives it up to take a normal day job. But now that Peter Pan is missing and Neverland is on the brink of oblivion he has no choice to go back and save it. This was so well done.

God of Neverland is a good read for those of us who haven’t grown up fully and want the chance to re-visit Neverland! Michael is far from the 4-year-old boy who had visited Neverland, and even farther from his life as a Knight, a secret society in London that preserves and protects mythical creatures. When Michael is summoned by the Knights to locate the missing Peter Pan, Michael is thrown back into the life of mythical creatures and adventure. He will have to figure out if he is too “grown up” to even return to Neverland.

First off, I loved the premise because I am currently re-watching Once Upon a Time and got to the season where the characters visit Neverland. I am a big fan of re-telling's or continuations of stories I have loved as a child and get to enjoy them again and again even when I’m “all grown up”. Michael is a complex character and spends most of the book conflicted about where he fits in and if he is even cut out on a big quest like finding the god, Maponos aka Peter Pan. While I enjoyed the beloved characters from the original story such as Captain Hook and the Lost Boys, I did find the story to be slower paced than I typically like.
Overall I would say it was a good read and great for those nostalgic of their childhood fairy tales.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This review will not contain spoilers in the first half, but will contain spoilers in the second half.

Working as a train conductor in 1920s London, England, Michael Darling has moved on from his childhood adventures in Neverland. He's even moved on from his friend, Peter Pan. It isn't until the end of his shift that he sees an uncharacteristic shadow following him that makes him uneasy. Vanessa, one of his fellow knights from his old life, waits for him on the train station's platform to ask him for help. Peter Pan, also known as the god Maponos (god of youth), has gone missing. Neverland is disappearing and the dreams of little children are at stake. Michael struggles to not only reconnect with his former position of being a knight, but also with his sense of childhood. Will Michael and Vanessa be able to save Peter Pan? Will Michael be able to return to his childhood?

Plot:
The plot moves incredibly fast in this book. There is little time to process what happened in the chapter prior due to how fast the action that takes place moves. Personally, I like slower paced books, so the pacing of the plot was not a winner for me. However, if you like consuming one adventure after the other, I think this book is for you. Gamma Ray Martinez has an excellent grasp on the aspect of childhood adventure and that translates into every plot point in this book. There are constant obstacles that Michael has to face with little downtime. You can really feel the sense of urgency of Michael and Vanessa's mission with how fast the pace moves alongside the intensity of the action in this book. Also, there's a plot twist that I thoroughly enjoyed that I think you will too.
Characters:
Because the book moves rather quickly, we don't have a lot of time to get to know the characters. In the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to these characters with their roles already established. We truly jump right into the action. I would have liked to see more flushed out characters even though the primary focus of the story was on the aspect of childhood and adventure. I feel like spending just a little more downtime with the characters would round out the story that much more. If you are a character-driven reader, this might not be the book for you. Again, if you are more focused on the action of a novel rather than the characters, this book may be for you.
Action:
There were so many action scenes that I loved. I love how Martinez was able to keep my childhood nostalgia in tact while moving through the action scenes. Peter Pan was one of my favorite Disney movies as a child and I found myself at the edge of my seat just like I was when I first watched the movie.
Worldbuilding:
I have to admit, I am still a bit confused on how this world works. I wanted to know more about the operation of the Knights, the Round Table, and how Neverland actually worked alongside how other worlds worked. I found myself with still lingering questions by the end of the novel.
Technicalities:
Even though I still had questions about how Neverland worked, I was beat over the head with the fact that Neverland was dying because of Peter's disappearance as well as who could or could not leave. Every time that Michael noticed a sign of decay, we were reminded that Neverland was dying (like, literally told in the narrative that it was dying). We already know this at the first mention of Peter's disappearance. There were a lot of other instances like this where the author would provide an observation of a character or surrounding and then repeatedly remind us about that observation instead of letting the language and description speak for itself.
The dialog was a little rough for me to get through because all the characters pretty much sounded the same. There was little diversity in the dialog and it was difficult to tell who was speaking at times.
Overall Thoughts:
Good nostalgia, but I would have liked to see more rounded out characters and slowed down pacing in some instances. I wanted to be able to digest what happened between action scenes and moving on to the next chapter.
FROM HERE ON OUT THERE WILL BE SPOILERS
Plot:
As I stated above, the plot moved incredibly fast. In addition to not being a fan of the pacing, there were a few plot holes I noticed or unfulfilled plot points. For example, Michael's old and late friend Dimitri. This plot point was severely underdeveloped despite being a strong part of Michael's character and one of the reasons for him leaving the Knights. I was waiting and waiting to see Michael struggle with Dimitri's death on his Neverland mission, but there was only one instance where we really see diversity in Michael's character: when they just left Mora and are descending into the Underworld. Mora recites a poem that is connected with Dimitri and Vanessa has to remind Michael that Dimitri's death wasn't his fault. But after that, we only get small mentions of this. This plot point doesn't really move the story any further.
Also, we get a couple mentions of the concept of Michael wanting to be a hero. I thought that this was an extremely interesting look into Michael's character and I was excited to learn how his actions surrounding this concept would move the story forward. But "being a hero" just comes out dead. The theme is lost despite being a point of intrigue for the rest of the novel.
Two aspects of the plot (and also two characters that I will get to later) were very well written.
The plot point where Michael, Will, Vanessa, Shade, and Nev go to Mora's dwelling in order to get to the Underworld. This scene is just filled with palpable tension. I was (and still am) obsessed with it. It forces that characters' hands and it is so interesting to see how they all react to it.
When the group has to consult the mermaids for help, I was seriously smiling while reading. Again, the characters' hands are forced when faced with this uncertain and dangerous situation. So, so good. And this provided a great lead in to the mermaids' roles in Peter's kidnapping.
The reunion of Jane, Wendy, and Will was extremely underwhelming.
The saving of Peter was underwhelming.
Despite all the action, there wasn't really any satisfying resolutions to these reunions.
It was heartwarming to see Michael and Will join the Knights together, but we hadn't really seen any displays of brotherhood while they were in Neverland, so that was a bit underwhelming too. It was a good ending and one that made sense for the story, but it wasn't fulfilling.
The plot twist that Michael's manifested wraith was the one who kidnapped Peter was THE BEST! Oh my goodness and the fact that Hook was the one to deliver the news was even better. I definitely did not expect that at all.
Characters:
Every single character had so much potential, but they all kind of fell flat by the end of the novel.
Michael:
I wanted so much more from Michael. I wanted to see him truly struggle with getting back in cahoots with the Knights. I craved more internal conflict from his character, but there was not a ton of that. I'm not saying that I wanted him to suffer, but Michael was confronted with so many things that he was trying to repress that I expected him to have a more fulfilled arc.
Vanessa:
She was such an interesting character. I loved the banter she got into with Michael and I loved seeing her try to help Michael believe again despite her never being to Neverland herself. But we didn't see much of her. When it came to the action scenes, she faded into the background, often dismissed because she was a seasoned Knight. I know that the story is third person limited, but there was indeed room to flush out her character a little more.
Nev:
I am a bit confused by her character because, despite being the first creature created by Peter, she did not seem to be very helpful. I guess that got explained by saying that Peter controls everything and does things his way, but I thought Nev was endearing and wanted more from her. I was unfulfilled when Michael and Nev departed because it seemed the only connection they had was due to Michael being able to understand her.
Hook:
I was disappointed in Hook's character at first and that was mainly due to his dialog. His dialog felt wishy-washy and it wasn't until Michael finds out about his betrayal that Hook actually felt like the most feared pirate. Maybe that was the whole point, but I still would have liked Hook to be shown as more fearsome than he was in the novel.
Peter:
I thought Peter was extremely well done. As an adult, it was infuriating listening to his dialog (in a good way!) because of his coyness and mischievousness.
Will:
I'm not sure what to say about Will. He just kind of seemed like the "adult" in the story (which was a good use of his character, but because of that, his arc didn't make a ton of sense).
Mora:
Her character is so dense with her only being featured in a few pages of the novel! Martinez writes his villains really well. Her dialog is snappy and wise and cunning and that is a direct reflection of her character. I loved her.
The Mermaids:
Okay, by far the mermaids were one of my favorites. They were SO PERFECT in their obsession with Peter and their hatred for anyone that got in the way of that. I loved learning that they worked with Michael's wraith to get Peter to stay with them. It made so much sense! Loved them so much.
Overall Thoughts:
I appreciated the nostalgia "God of Neverland" brought me, but I wanted so much more from it in terms of knowing more about the Knights, Neverland, and the characters.
Favorite lines:
"I'm not trying to be a hero." -Michael
"Michael rose into the air, remembering for the first time in decades the sheer joy of flight."
"The danger--""is one of my choosing. If this gets me closer to Wendy and my daughter, I'll take the risk. No matter what." -Will
"She tongued the word, seemingly chewing it with those yellow teeth."
"'We're not children!' Will shouted. "We are here,' Michael said quietly. "Because if we're not, then we're the monsters.'"
"'No,' Nibs said. "I'm certain it wouldn't be proper.'"
"Rather, it was something taught to a boy of four by a god who never grew up."
"The twins yowled in delight as the creature yowled in pain."
"'You,' she hissed. "'How dare you return to this lagoon after what you have done? I should drag you into the depths and leave you there until the nixie dust wears off.'" -Aria (one of the mermaids)
"'They're just spoiled little girls. They know what they did and they know if Peter ever came back, he would never forgive them. He probably hates them. They don't really want him to return.'" -Vanessa
"It was as if the creature truly believed itself to be real."
"'A god needs to know that others believe in him so he can believe in himself.'"

This book isn't four stars, it's actually a solid 3.5, but the Goodreads rating is so low I thought I'd bump it up to be nice. BUT that said, the book has a huge issue with Tiger Lily, the racist character from the O.G. Peter Pan, as in: the author doesn't change anything about her for contemporary audiences... which is weird. See K. Ancrum's Darling for a contemporary Peter Pan retelling that does this well!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC copy of God of Neverland.

I do want to inform that I DNF at 50% of the way through the book. So this review will be of what I read up to that point in time.

What do you do when Peter Pan goes missing?

This is the answer Michael Darling - the youngest of the Darling siblings and former Lost Boy, now grown up - must answer when he is asked to return to the place of his childhood adventures, Neverland. Despite vowing never to return to his former line of work with the Knights of the Roundtable, Michael becomes sucked back in when he realizes he is the only person with the knowledge to not only find Peter Pan, but to save Neverland as well.

When I first saw the title and read the summary for God of Neverland, I was extremely excited. This was a different take on J.M Barrie's classic tale and it also gave me vibes of the movie Hook. We were no longer revisiting the relationship of Wendy and Peter Pan, but rather the relationship that one of her siblings had during his time in the magical world. There was, as mentioned before, Hook vibes of the main character returning as an adult rather than a child and having to re-find the feeling of being a child once again. However, the excitement for God of Neverland slowly faded for me over time.

As mentioned previously, I DNF'd the book at 50%. I had set aside the novel multiple times with attempts of going back with a clear mind, but honestly this wasn't the book for me. I found it hard to both relate and attached to both Michael and Vanessa whose relationship was left for wanting. There was never a growth in personality or details that would clear up minor plot holes. Not to mention, as their group grew, others were constantly pushed aside or were there to make minor quips about how Neverland had been changing since Peters disappearance. For me, there was just too many aspects development wise that just fell flat and were revisited could make the novel a lot better.

I would also disagree that this novel is for adults. God of Neverland read so much more like a Young Adult novel and if I were in that age group it would be a lot easier for me to look past certain things that as an adult I really cannot. It would be worth it for the marketing team to look into how they want to present the novel, especially since this is the first book being published by a publisher by Gama Ray Martinez who has previously self published four books previously within the Young Adult genre.

I'm not sure that I would re-read this book upon the release to finish it, but there may be someone else out there who would enjoy it for what the novel is.

I wasn't a huge fan of this book - the writing wasn't super great but honestly wasn't bad. If you want a loosely interpreted tale of Neverland this is the book for you. I think the idea of going back to Neverland and save the magical world just fell flat.

I really enjoyed this fantastic story! Michael Darling, all grown up, is sent back to Neverland to rescue Peter Pan (aka Maponos). He has been summoned in dreams and by Pan's shadow. He has the help of Vanessa, a Knight of the Round, and others he encounters along the way. It's fast-paced and interesting. I loved the take-off from the original Peter Pan as well as other mythological characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author!