By Geraldine McCaughrean

This is a book that I read to myself. Apparently, this was the winner of a worldwide competition for the sequel to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and at the time, I was fascinated as to how anyone could add to a world. This was the first time I had come across the idea of another author continuing the series.

“Twenty years have passed since the Darling children visited Neverland, and grown-up now, with children of their own, they still dream of that magical place and the Boy who lives there. But their dreams come tinged with darkness. Something is wrong in Neverland- and it will take courage to put it right; with a puppy in one pocket and a fairy in another, Wendy, John and the Old Boys set off on a journey. What begins as a rescue mission soon turns into a voyage of discovery, a treasure hunt and an adventure that takes them further than they ever imagined.”

My spoiler-free review is this. This story is a strange balance of the new and old. Geraldine McCaughrean has replicated J.M. Barrie’s style. But she has grown this story and expands the lore. If you enjoy Peter Pan, you will enjoy this one too, even though it does get a bit darker.

I have three thoughts that I would like to talk about.

Firstly, there is a saying that has gone around for a long time, “you can never go home”. When Wendy, John and the Lost Boys return to Neverland, they see that Neverland has gone to autumn, and things in the world have gotten a lot darker. This connects to my past, when I was growing up, my parents had a deal with the Diocese of Southwark that we would live in a vicarage of a church that didn’t have a vicar rent-free. This was to prevent vandalism and squatters, by some miracle we stayed in the same house for 16 years. I was in that house from preschool through to almost the end of A levels (high school.) The house was so creaky that you could hear where anyone was, and in winter it was always cold no matter what, but it was the only house that I remembered living in.  It ended up being torn down to build a large church center a few years ago. I travelled back for a day just to wander around. When I was on the High Street, everything was different; it felt so wrong. In the end, I couldn’t bring myself to go anywhere near where my house used to be. Just like with my trip to Battersea, seeing how Neverland has changed evoked a visceral reaction in me.

Secondly, I find it interesting the way that in this version of Neverland, make believe is very real. While I know that they had some of this already because the lost boys eat imaginary food instead of real food, this book takes things to the next level. From the fact that dressing up as someone can turn you into them, or the idea that answering the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” can make you grow up.

Thirdly, Rorer and the Maze of Worries. In the book Peter Pan, there is one line that says that when it looks like the lost boys look like they are growing, Peter will thin them out. This book confirms that this means banishment and not murder. And while they are a true threat, how they came to be Rorer’s feels very sad that these children get pushed out of what they have known for something that is not their fault. Now on to the Maze of Worries. In the beginning, our protagonists are told this is a maze populated by former nursemaids who lost their charges. They are told that they became witches and came to Neverland to kill the children they lost. But by the end, we know from Mr. Smee that these women are mothers who are just desperate to find their children. It is just sweet that the way home is the love of a mother.

Thank you for joining me, and until next time.

Happy reading to all and to all a good night.