Book review by, LM Preston, www.lmpreston.com
(4 out of 5 stars)
Brom’s, THE CHILD THIEF, is a remake of the epic tale of Peter Pan. It’s a dark tale bought to modern day, and delves into the hidden or lightly touched on sinister plot of the tale of Peter Pan.
I picked this book up because the artwork on the cover intrigued me. It was hauntingly beautiful. The boy on the cover enchanted me and innerved me at the same time. When I opened the cover to read the excerpt – I couldn’t put it down. So, I scooped it up and took it home, and fought with my husband to read it first.
Peter Pan was one of my favorite fairy tales when I was younger, and even today I replay the movie even when my kids aren’t there to watch it with me.. The Disney versions of Peter Pan (there were 2 versions, the cartoon and the full length movie) showed the tale as a sort of love story with Peter and Wendy. Yet, I always thought there was something dark about Peter, Neverland, and those Pirates.
Brom’s THE CHILD THIEF digs into the darker aspect of why would any kid want to go away and never grow up. Peter’s darker side, the side that made him desire to steal kids away to come to a land where they were in danger of death or worse. Lastly, whatever became of the ‘lost boys or girls’ that followed Peter? What made those kids so vicious?
From the moment I read the first chapter I was captured, Peter unfolds as a complex likeable character that is also sinister. See, Peter needs the kids just as much as they believe they need him. He purposely selects his victims, stalks them actually. Peter needs kids that are strong, have nothing to lose and that he can train to fight in the war that is waging in Neverland.
This book has a lot of violence, and is not for kids to read. The violence has reason and the characters have depth. The only reason I gave it less than 5 stars was because I cried near the end. See I prefer happier endings. The ending of this tale is good and fitting for the tale. I just wanted a different outcome.
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