Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Reviewed by Taylor N.
Peter Pan is a boy who never grows up, and he lives in a magical land called
Neverland with his crew of boys, called the Lost Boys. When Peter flies from the north star
into Wendy Darling and her brothers’ window, the magic starts. Wendy and her brothers John
and Michael learn how to fly (with the help of Peter Pan and Tinker Belle), and they fly to
Neverland where Wendy is the mother to the Lost Boys. After many wonderful months
staying in Neverland, the small family engages in exciting battles before flying home to their
mother and father.
Everyone knows the story of Peter Pan, but does everyone know J.M. Barrie’s writing
style? It is something I had never seen before; it switched between using third-person
pronouns to address the characters to second-person pronouns to address the reader. I
appreciated this aspect of the story because it made me feel more involved as a reader, and it
made it more interesting to read. Along with the use of pronouns, the Narrator of the book
had a lot of internal speculation as to what was happening in the plot. It made the book feel
more like a fantastic story I was being told and less like a book I was reading. I also thought
the plot was moved at a good pace. A lot of details were revealed quickly, and there was little
time spent on the nitty-gritty details of the surrounding scenery. Usually, when people think
of classic novels, they think of the slow and boring books you have to read in high school.
Though this is a work of classical literature, it doesn’t feel anything like the stereotypes
linked to classic novels. This book reminds me of A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle
because it follows a group of children discovering something they had never thought they
would find. And this book has several movies and shows that have been made about it. Most
notably, the Disney adaptation released in 1953 and the Peter Pan musical on Broadway.
Someone who would enjoy this book would also like books about adventure. Not only
is there a lot of youthful energy (which leads to the overall feeling of a fantastic fairytale),
but there are battles and drama throughout the book. Along with that, there are a lot of
interesting parts of the book that the reader would miss out on if they only chose to watch the
Disney movie. For example, there are many more dramatic fight scenes in the book than
there are in the movie. The ideal age range for people to read this book is anyone
middle-school aged and up, just because of the potentially suggestive and gruesome content
at times. It is a relatively fast book to read because of the pace of the plot, and it’s good for
people looking for an intriguing read.
I recommend this book to people looking for an intriguing and quick read. Not only is
the plot incredibly engaging, but it also leaves you with a sense of youthful wonder from all
the discoveries throughout the book. I thought this book was very well written, and an
excellent read overall. It gave me a new perspective on the story of Peter Pan because I had
only ever seen the Disney movie. So, regardless if you are familiar with the story, the next
time you’re looking for an adventure, consider checking out Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie!