By Christine McFaul
Content warning: death of children, trauma
Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas (whose debut, Cemetery Boys, was a New York Times Bestseller) is a deliciously dark YA retelling of the classic children’s story Peter Pan.
When yet another child goes missing in the small town of Astoria, Oregon, it sends eighteen-year-old Wendy Darling into a tailspin. The current events dredge up memories from five years earlier when Wendy and her two younger brothers disappeared under eerie circumstances from the woods behind their home. In what feels like a bad case of deja vu, the police are once again questioning Wendy and asking things like “why she returned from the forest while her brothers did not” and “can she really not remember anything about the six months she was gone.”
Wendy wishes she had the right answers. Ones that might bring her brothers, and all the lost children of Astoria, home safely. But like she has already told the police time and time again, she has no new information to share about what happened all those years ago—or at least none they would believe if she told them. Because how could it be possible that a boy with no shadow, who Wendy thought existed only in stories, has mysteriously come into her life. Peter says he knows who has taken the lost children and all he needs is her help to bring them home. But helping Peter means Wendy must first find the courage to remember—and to do that, she will have to return to the never woods to confront the darkness that waits for her there.
What a stellar set-up! If you follow my reviews here at Cloud Lake Literary, you probably know by now that I am always down to read a modern twist on an old classic. That said, when an author chooses to riff on an iconic story, it sets the bar high for my reading expectations. To land, the finished product must be flawlessly conceived as well as executed, borrowing just the right amount from the original tale while simultaneously creating something that feels completely new. And Thomas does not disappoint. Lost in the Never Woods delivers something that feels at once familiar and completely strange. The plot moves, shadowed and twisty, with plenty of reveals and just the right amount of dark pixie dust to have readers racing to flip the pages.
In a story like this that is very plot-driven, I often enjoy the literary sprint but am left unsatisfied by an ending. I’m sure we could all point to some thrillers that left us with this exact hollow feeling. Thomas ensures that Lost In the Never Woods avoids that fate by grounding the plot with well-developed characters and a meticulously crafted setting. But, in my opinion, the real meat in this retelling reveals itself in how Thomas handles the story’s messaging. In my opinion, what has given the OG Peter Pan its lasting appeal is, in large part, its themes—longing for lost things, the poignancy of growing up, and the haunting nature of a forever childhood. These same themes are expertly threaded through Thomas’s retelling but explored from new angles and fresh perspectives, making the book itself a layered metaphor for growing up—beginning in the wild sweet ambience of early spring before Wendy’s childhood ultimately fades into the lush darkness of late summer and early adulthood.
Lost in the Never Woods is a smash. The strange elements of the book are fascinating, unique, and handled in a way that feels believable within its contemporary setting. Darker plot points are age-appropriate while not sacrificing the least on delivering thrills. A delicious shivery read for YA readers (as well as grown-ups who aspire to a Peter Pan approved reading philosophy—never grow up!). Pick up this book and save it for a dark summer night when you can binge in one sit.
Thank you, Raincoast Books and Feiwel & Friends, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.