Never Never

by Brianna Shrum

[cornerfolds]

//I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review//

Peter Pan has always been one of my favorite stories. I enjoyed the Disney movie growing up and I've really enjoyed all of the newer iterations throughout the years. But... I have a sweet spot for villains and Captain Hook is no exception. So this book was right up my alley! Never Never tells the story of James Hook from the time he is a child until he is the captain of the Spanish Main. And it was basically perfect.

The first part of Never Never is the story of how James came to be in Neverland and covers much of his time as a Lost Boy. Almost immediately it is clear that Peter Pan is not just a carefree boy like he is often portrayed. He is much more sinister than that. But more than anything, Pan is a narcissist. He expects everything to go his way and has insane rules for his Lost Boys, going as far as demanding they not be taller than him! I immediately found myself sympathizing with James Hook and felt myself being confused right along with him about why everyone loved Peter.



The next two parts of the book follow James as he slowly grows up and becomes Captain Hook. He seems to be in a constant state of despair at his continued existence in Neverland and is the only one of the Lost Boys who is unable to remain in perpetual childhood. I loved him. I fell in love with him through his childish nature and tears and loved him even more as he got older and turned to other means of existence. His inner turmoil was always apparent and entirely believable and I FELT for him in a way that I don't for many characters. This is really Captain Hook as you've never seen him before.



Other familiar faces are also here. Smee and Tiger Lily are main characters in Never Never and play really interesting parts. I loved the romance between Tiger Lily and James. I could really feel their difficulties and actually felt like their angst worked in the story - it was believable. That didn't stop me from hating Tiger Lily a little bit as things happened, though.

Neverland itself was also amazing. I loved visiting new places like the Neverwastes and even Keelhaul Island. There was something new and exciting around every corner that made a classic seem endlessly new and exciting. I also really enjoyed how the story was told. In the beginning it felt like a middle grade book, which then graduated to YA, and finally to what I felt was New Adult. The progression fit perfectly with the events.

I just loved this story. I loved every single thing about it. I laughed and I (almost) cried. This is a story spanning several (Never)years, which allowed for everything to be extremely well developed and Brianna Shrum really did an amazing job with every single aspect. The ending came quickly and really blew me away, almost leaving me in tears. If you're a fan of Peter Pan (or Captain Hook, more precisely) please don't miss this book!