About the Book
In this beautiful, grounded, and darkly magical modern-day reimagining ofJ. M. Barrie’s classic, to save her daughter’s life one woman must take on the infamous Peter Pan—who is not the innocent adventurer the fairy tales make him out to be . . .
Life is looking up for Holly Darling, granddaughter of Wendy—yes, that Wendy. She’s running a successful skincare company; her son, Jack, is happy and healthy; and the tragedy of her past is well behind her . . . until she gets a call that her daughter, Eden, who has been in a coma for nearly a decade, has gone missing from the estate where she’s been long tucked away. And, worst of all, Holly knows who must be responsible: Peter Pan, who is not only very real, but more dangerous than anyone could imagine.
Eden’s disappearance is a disaster for more reasons than one. She has a rare condition that causes her to age rapidly—ironic, considering her father is the boy who will never grow up—which also makes her blood incredibly valuable. It’s a secret that Holly is desperate to protect, especially from Eden’s half-brother, Jack, who knows nothing about his sister or the crucial role she plays in his life. Holly has no one to turn to—her mother is the only other person in the world who knows that Peter is more than a story, but she refuses to accept that he is not the hero she’s always imagined. Desperate, Holly enlists the help of Christopher Cooke, a notorious ex-soldier, in the hopes of rescuing Eden before it’s too late . . . or she may lose both her children.
Darling Girl brings all the magic of the classic Peter Pan story to the present, while also exploring the dark underpinnings of fairy tales, grief, aging, sacrifice, motherhood, and just how far we will go to protect those we love.
My Review
When I first read this synopsis, I won’t lie. I was thinking “huh?” How does one take the story of Peter Pan and turn it into a dark, gritty novel? But Darling Girl proves writing can be magical, because it does just that. Holly Darling – granddaughter of Wendy Darling from the tale of Peter Pan – is widowed, running a skincare business and trying to be the best mother to her two remaining children after a horrific car accident. But when her daughter Eden – who has been in a coma for a decade – suddenly disappears, she worries it’s the one and only Peter Pan behind her daughter gone missing.
Not only does this novel feature Peter Pan and the Darling family, there is also Tinkerbell and even Christopher Cooke – an ex-solider with a hook for a hand. I was very curious how the author would intertwine a fairy tale with a fiction novel, but it was intriguing to think about the “what if” or the “what happens after” of the happily ever after we hear about in fairy tales. Peter Pan in this book is actually quite frightening – the consequences showing of what happens when one doesn’t grow up. There are many layers – the sacrifice of motherhood, losing your soul mate, even ethical dilemmas are amongst the pages. It was hard not to become lost in the story, my imagination running away several times at what could possibly be coming next for the characters. A novel for grown-ups who once loved fairy tales, and be prepared for some shocking twists and emotional moments.
4 stars
