When children start to go missing in the local woods, a teen girl must face her fears and a past she can’t remember to rescue them in this atmospheric YA novel, Lost in the Never Woods from the author of Cemetery Boys.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 … her brothers’ mysterious circumstances are brought back into the light. Attempting to flee her past, Wendy almost runs over an unconscious boy lying in the middle of the road…
Peter, a boy she thought lived only in her stories, asks for Wendy’s help to rescue the missing kids. But, in order to find them, Wendy must confront what’s waiting for her in the woods.
Praise for Aiden Thomas and Cemetery Boys:
“This stunning debut novel from Thomas is detailed, heart-rending, and immensely romantic.” —Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift
“Aiden Thomas masterfully weaves a tale of family, friendships, and love in a heartwarming adventure full of affirmation and being your best self.” — C.B. Lee, author of Not Your Sidekick
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Lost in the Never Woods gives readers a unique retelling of Peter Pan that will haunt the reader with its twists, turns, and jaw-dropping revelations.
Unique
Lost in the Never Woods follows Wendy five years after she and her brothers disappeared for six months. However, only Wendy came back. Already this sets the stage for a unique direction of the story because kids are going missing, and Wendy has no idea what happened in those six months she was gone.
Everything is tied to those six months, to Wendy. Lost in the Never Woods is a mystery, but it does not lose that fantasy that marks it as a retelling. Thomas did an excellent job of blending these two genres – mystery and fantasy – to make this a compelling story for readers.
Now, the opening pacing is slow, but Thomas is creating the world and history. Thankfully it is not all thrown at the reader but instead focuses on giving the reader a clear understanding of who Wendy is on her own and what is going on in her home. So again, the pacing is good; it builds wonderfully, raising that tension and creating an unpredictable story.
It all leads up to the ending that is so unsuspecting. The plot twists and turns are jaw-dropping. However, they still fit within the context of the story. Thomas did an excellent job of making the ending unsuspecting while making it fit within the story because if it had not fit, it would not have worked, ruining the story.
Just thinking about that ending still blows my mind.
Not Perfect
There are some things that Thomas could have worked better to bring to life the characterization and character dynamics.
When it came to the Darlings as a family, I was not as attached to them as I had been in the past, and that was due to language and dynamics. When John and Michael did not return home with Wendy, they became a broken family. Now that is understandable for them to be a fractured family. However, the word choice often made it seem as though Wendy was afraid of her father. The way she avoided him, the word choice of when they did interact, almost made it seem like he became an abusive man rather than an emotionally detached father.
Now, given the context, we as readers know that not to be true. The context reveals, as said above that he is still drowning in his grief and anger of losing two out of his three children.
Thomas did an excellent job of building up the dynamics between Peter and Wendy, but the execution could have been better when it came to the Darlings as a family.
Final Thoughts
Lost in the Never Woods may have its faults, but it holds its own with amazing twists and turns and bittersweet ending that will stay with the reader as a retelling.
Do you ever just buy a book solely based on the cover? Well, I certainly do! That’s how I ended up with Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas. Of course, I was even more excited when I found out that it is a retelling of Peter Pan. I love fantasy books in general, but I especially adore retellings.
Thomas does a fantastic job of recreating the childhood bond between Wendy and Peter, which ultimately develops into a cute romance. I also enjoyed how Thomas made the central storyline about missing children, and more specifically, Wendy’s missing brothers. The mystery in addition to the fantasy aspects made the book hard to put down.
While I didn’t love the ending because I felt like it was left a little too open-ended, the rest of the book was riveting. I was constantly wondering about Wendy’s lost memories, which added more suspense to the novel.
But honestly, this novel was so much deeper than a suspense story or a cute romance. It had powerful messages about living with guilt and the importance of closure and family. It’s not exactly rare that I cry when reading a moving book, but all the same this book definitely brought a tear to my eye. So, if you’re looking for a book that has fun and fantastical aspects, but also has deeper meanings, then you can’t go wrong with Lost in the Never Woods!
3.5 stars, I don’t know what I was hoping for, exactly, but this missed the mark for me. Maybe that it would’ve been darker. There was one “twist” that surprised me at the time, but on the whole this just didn’t catch me as much as I was expecting knowing I loved Cemetery Boys and retellings.
This was…. so incredibly good!! Definitely wasn’t expecting a lot of things that happened, and I definitely got tears in some spots. Very sad at certain spots, and tugged on basically all of my heart strings. I really enjoyed seeing Wendy older and figuring out her life, and I really enjoyed the nod to the original story of Peter Pan with the tree. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Definitely gets super dark here and there, so warning on that for sure!
Book 149 towards my goal of 290! 4/5 stars for this ya retelling! A modern day Peter Pan retelling. Follow Wendy Darling as she turns 18 and reunites with Peter. This does get fairly dark so check for trigger warnings if needed. Such a good story! Love the cover. Nathan was great! Definitely recommend!
Hello, throwback into my Peter Pan obsession as a kid, good to see you again! This is the darker version for grownups to read, and there are equal parts cute/sweet throwbacks as sad/dark moments. Could be a tiny bit confusing at times, but so good. Spoilers in TWs below!
TW: child death, anxiety, mental illness, violence, gun violence
This was a book I almost passed up. I had scheduled a hold for it at my local library and when I received this book, I realized it was a retelling. I’m normally not a retelling kind of girl, so I had the return button up and ready. I’m so glad I didn’t actually return it.
I loved this book. As I child, I had a major crush on Peter Pan and the stories that had him in it. This novel was no different, except it may have made me love him a little bit more. Aiden Thomas does a wonderful job at bringing Peter and Wendy’s characters to life, and more importantly, crafting a story around these two characters that we know and love in an expert way.
The plot of this novel was plausible and gave enough detail to flesh out the magic of Neverland and Peter’s shadow to keep everything entertaining. I’m not exactly sure why people had mixed reviews about it. I know Peter and Wendy got sidetracked (a lot), but it was still well-written nonetheless.
Overall, I really really loved this book. It had magic, happiness, love, fear, hope, and all of the things that make Peter Pan amazing. It is the type of book that makes you reminisce on your childhood and makes you understand just how important that innocence was.
Favorite quote: “‘I’m okay,’ Wendy told them, and this time, it wasn’t a lie.’”
Favorite quote, part 2: “‘Vanilla is the most boring flavor of all the ice creams.’” – Peter Pan
A look at what happens when Wendy returns in modern day life. Aiden Thomas drew me right in with the cover and then held my attention with the description of the setting and the mystery surrounding the town’s children. I connected with Wendy in our similarities of being older sisters and wanting to protect our youngest siblings, but what happened to John and Michael plagues her every day. I liked the pace of the story in which it had my attention but did not move so quickly that I lost track of the story. I will be cautious of the woods a little more now.
‘Lost in the Never Woods’ is the newest YA Fantasy release by Aiden Thomas, author of ‘Cemetery Boys.’ Though it was written first and was meant to be their debut novel, ‘Cemetery Boys’ sort of took on a life of its own as their option title and it was bumped ahead.
A beautiful, somber retelling of Peter Pan, ‘Lost in the Never Woods’ follows a teenage Wendy Darling.. five years after she and her two brothers went missing in the woods. Unable to recall the time she was lost and still blaming herself for being unable to keep her brothers safe, when children start to go missing again in the local woods, she’s thrust back into the middle of tragedy.
When Peter shows up unexpectedly, a boy she believed to be just a childhood story told to her by her mother, he asks for her help to rescue the missing children. But something ominous waits for her in the woods and she must overcome her fear to face it.
I’ll be honest. I’ve always loved the Peter Pan story. I’m not sure I’ve ever read or watched an incarnation of it that I’ve disliked. There’s something fascinating about a story that takes place in the infinite youth presented, that while I’d never want to experience it.. I’m so intrigued with what the characters might do or feel because of it.
In that way, this story is no different. What makes it stand out is the approach to the subject matter. These characters have suffered, they’re not inherently wicked as in some retellings, but rather beset upon by something beyond their ability to control. They’re damaged in their own ways, struggling to overcome their situations, but there’s still a beauty to them.
Atmospherically, while there are moments of joy and playfulness, the mood is heavy. Wendy endures survivor’s guild and her family has never been the same since the disappearances. They interact with each other through this dance of grief, the love is still there.. but at times it’s so buried under each person’s own self-blame, it can be harder to see. Individually, they’re all trying to cope in their own ways and it takes so little to shake those fragile foundations.
Peter too is a much sadder boy than the one we typically see. His bright eyes and almost eager sense of humor seem much more the armor he steels himself with, than the easy carefree existence we’ve known. To me, he feels incredibly lonely and my heart breaks for him as much as it does poor Wendy.
All in all, it’s a wonderful read full of emotional layers and adventures you’re never too old to experience. If you like Peter Pan or fairy tale retellings in general, I highly recommend giving this book a read. You’ll be glad you did.
(I received this title as an ARC, but also purchased multiple copies. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
Thank you Swoon Reads, Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, & Librofm for the #gifted ARC & ALC of this book.
3.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 23 March 2021
Lost In The Never Woods is a Peter Pan retelling, but focusing on the five years after Wendy returns from Neverland. This is a YA Suspense Fantasy built off characters that we all know and adore from our childhood. Overall, it was a cute story that could be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike.
What I enjoyed:
I love that it’s a fairytale retelling but based on the future
I enjoyed the suspenseful elements woven into the story
I loved Peter Pan’s character; he was the playful and mischievous character that you’d expect Peter to be
I enjoyed the touch of teen romance sprinkled in
The ending shocked me. I wasn’t ready for it to unfold as it did
What didn’t work for me:
The first half of the book was pretty slow moving, not much happened
Wendy’s character fell a bit flat, I didn’t find her very interesting
The towns reaction to missing kids seems unbelievable and bizarre
I’m shocked more about mental health wasn’t talked about, especially at the end
I missed many of my favorite Neverland characters in this book, the majority were never even mentioned
: I didn’t love the casting choice for this narrator. Although their voice was clear and easy to listen to, it just didn’t make me think of it as Wendy’s voice. I already struggled a bit with Wendy’s character development and this voice didn’t help me connect to her either.
4 stars – It was really good
It’s been five years since Wendy and her brothers went missing in the woods and children are starting to disappear again. When she comes across Peter, a boy who she thought lived only in her stories, she realizes there’s more to the disappearances than everyone expects.
This story was dark and very emotional. Wendy has spent the past five years with no memory of her disappearance or of what happened to her brothers. She was living a life filled with grief, depression, and anxiety. Peter crashing into her life changed everything. She slowly starts to regain pieces of her memory of Neverland. They team up to find the missing children and hopefully uncover the truth about her brother’s wearabouts. Wendy was definitely a hurt and traumatized character who we see grieve and heal as she learns the truth. She is mistrustful of Peter at first but he slowly gains her trust, especially after she starts remembering Neverland.
Being in the human world, and with Wendy, has changed Peter. He isn’t the fearless little boy anymore. He feels insecurity and fear for the first time. I loved how protective he was of Wendy. It was very sweet. I really enjoyed seeing him change and grow up. The connection between these two is so strong and emotional it just captivates you and makes you want to keep reading.
While this book had a slow start, it quickly captivated me and I didn’t want to put it down. Aiden Thomas created a fascinating and dark retelling out of one of the most happy and carefree children’s stories out there. This book was all about finding the truths and using them to heal and grieve. It reminds you to look for the joy in painful moments, in love during loss, and in hope during hard times. It’s all about learning to live again. I just loved this unique retelling with all its darkness, pain, and hopefulness.
Trigger Warnings:
– Familial loss, grief, and trauma
– anxiety and anxiety attacks
– alcoholism (parents)
– night terrors and insomnia
– kidnapping
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*