This is the story of Tiger Lily as seen through Tinker Bell's eyes. Set before the events of [a:J.M. Barrie|5255014|J.M. Barrie|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1318047214p2/5255014.jpg]'s Peter Pan, it is a story of first love, of being true to yourself, of the reality of the world - good and bad. Those looking for the typical teen romance with lots of quivering and flip-flopping stomachs and make out scenes should look elsewhere. There is an innocence to the love story here that is sweet and sad.
Ms. Anderson has a way with words. They are lyrical and poetic. They are descriptive in the most beautiful way. For example,
How can I describe Peter's face, the pieces of him that stick to my heart? Peter sometimes looked aloof and distant; sometimes his face was open and soft as a bruise. Sometimes he looked completely at Tiger Lily, as if she were the point on which all the universe revolved, as if she were the biggest mystery of life, or as if she were a flame and he couldn't not look even though he was scared. And sometimes it would all disappear into carelessness, confidence, amusement, as if he didn't need anyone or anything on this earth to feel happy and alive.
and
I recognized Tiger Lily instantly; I had seen her before. She stood out like a combination of a roving panther and a girl. She stalked instead of walked. Her body still held the invincibility of a child, when at her age it should have been giving way to fragile, flexible curves.
and
To love someone was not what she had expected. It was like falling from somewhere high up and breaking in half, and only one person having the secret to the puzzle of putting her back together.
In my opinion, this is the mark of a truly great writer. Not only is the story compelling, but the words she chooses and they way she puts them together make you feel what the characters are feeling. You don't just sympathize with them, you empathize. The words are not chosen only to literally tell the story, or to make the author sound smart, they are chosen with care to captivate the reader and completely immerse them in the scene and characters.
Peter and Tiger Lily have to be two of the loneliest characters. Their love for each other is so sweet but at the same time their doubt and inexperience is excruciating to read. I loved them both. The true star of this book, though, is Tinker Bell. As the narrator here we really see the truth of the story. We see loneliness and heartache and budding romance and injustice. She tells us at the beginning that good doesn't always win and that becomes evident as the story progresses. Not all endings are happy ones.
I don't know what else to say except that I loved this book. I recommend it to everyone. I will be adding a hardcover copy of this one to my permanent favorites shelf in my home.