Review: Lost in the Never Wood
Available at Bookshop.org
4/5
For fans of: Peter Pan, mystery, thriller, missing time, coming-of-age
The Big Questions:
What genre is this in? Contemporary fantasy, magical realism, YA fantasy
Are there any swoon-worthy characters? None at the start
Is it spicy? Nope
Is it violent or gory? There are action sequences, but nothing gory
Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? Borrow it!
“But that’s what happens when you grow up—you forget about the magic you’ve seen.”
Synopsis: It's been five years since Wendy and her two brothers went missing in the woods, but when the town’s children start to disappear, the questions surrounding her brothers’ mysterious circumstances are brought back into light. Attempting to flee her past, Wendy almost runs over an unconscious boy lying in the middle of the road, and gets pulled into the mystery haunting the town.
Peter, a boy she thought lived only in her stories, claims that if they don't do something, the missing children will meet the same fate as her brothers. In order to find them and rescue the missing kids, Wendy must confront what's waiting for her in the woods.
“You’ve never felt like you were missing ... something?” [...] “Not until I met you.”
Review: There have been a lot of Peter Pan-themed contemporary fantasy lately and I get it. We all miss when things were simpler. Wendy, however, longs for a new start far away from the tragedy that she can’t remember. I feel for Wendy. Here she is just trying to finish this final year of high school and move on with her life, but fate just won’t let her. She’s anxious, guilt-ridden, trying to keep her family together, and then Peter arrives. I actually really like this characterization of Peter and his shadow. Without getting too existential, which I don’t like about modern takes on Peter, both Peter and his shadow are simply primordial. The plot, told from Wendy’s perspective, moves steadily along with disappearance, clues, hiding from adults just trying to do their jobs, and trying to recover Wendy’s missing memories of Peter. This is a solid, well written coming-of-age and confronting your fears type of story from start to finish.