This dark, not retelling, but reimagined afterward of Peter Pan will tick all the boxes for fans of historical fantasy. Being told over 4 different perspectives - child Wendy in neverland, new adult Wendy in a mental institution, Wendy now, and Jane (Wendy’s daughter) now — makes for an interesting premise. Add to this the introduction of “real” monsters, the primary being Peter himself, you have a compelling tale of manipulation, fantasy, and storytelling. Wendy never got over Neverland but not out of love, more out of obsession and compulsion. The story was engaging and could be triggering for victims of emotional abuse and manipulation. Although he is magical, The Peter of this story fits all the earmarks of a textbook narcissistic personality. This story also has subtle LGBTQIA rep (specifically gay/Ace rep). It also gives a nod of apology to the way indigenous peoples were represented in the original text.

While dark, I found this take refreshing as a reimagining. I was pulled along with the story and would definitely recommend.

This is probably the best Peter Pan book I’ve read yet! It’s a very dark version of the classic story we all know and love, but it was so wonderfully reimagined. I loved it!

Synopsis:
Wendy, Darling takes us on a journey through the past and present life of Wendy Darling. We discover through her the real life psychological aftermath and consequences of having a magical experience like Neverland as a child. Decades after Neverland, Peter Pan arrives for Wendy again only to find her now a real mother to her daughter, Jane. Instead of taking a now “old” Wendy, he steals Jane away to Neverland to be his Wendy. So ensues the determination in Wendy to get her daughter back, but the truth of Neverland and her old friend Peter Pan is not quite as Wendy remembers. The island has dark secrets and Wendy may be the only one who can put it all right.

Wendy Darling, my favorite Darling:
This life of Wendy Darling was both fantastic and tragic to read. Life is not easy for the Darling siblings post-Neverland and reading Wendy’s journey as she attempts to reconcile this world with the one she was shown by Peter was it’s own magical experience. They are many trials and hardships for her to overcome, but she comes away from them all stronger and fiercer than ever before. I loved this iteration of Wendy Darling with my whole heart.

Story and Pacing:
Beyond my love for Wendy Darling, this darker take on this version of the tale was amazing. Peter has been hiding a big, dangerous secret and I needed to know what it was. The story throughout interested and intrigued me. Whether I was reading about Wendy’s past or her present, I was never really bored and the pacing of the story was done well.

Wrap Up:
Wendy, Darling was magical in it’s own twisted kind of way. This is not just a story of a mischievous boy and his magical island. Maybe it never was.

Neverland like you haven't seen before! I enjoyed this follow up to Peter Pan! Wendy has grown up and now Peter has come and taken her daughter to Neverland. Great read!

This is a really nice “sequel” to the Peter Pan book that I think all of us of a certain age read when we were kids.

I have to admit that I never liked Peter as a child, I always thought of him as a an awful child and this book finally gave me that satisfaction of being right. I absolutely detested Peter in this book, to the extent that I considered not finishing it...but by the end I did feel maybe 1% empathy towards him.

This story feels very “Lord of the Flies” to me, mixed in with the Peter Pan story, and I did enjoy reading it.

It’s a good “adult”end to the children’s book.

My thanks to Netgalley and Titan Books for the advance copy

“She cannot belong to one place or the other, but both together, a thread stretched between words.”

This is a story about a girl who grows up as a child and into adulthood, maturing while also holding onto her most treasured experience. It is also about a boy who lives on false dreams, truly believing that one can stay young and youthful for eternity.

Wendy Darling, as Peter Pan lovers would know her as, is both a sister, a daughter and a mother. She is the young girl who flew into a dream world and never gave up on her memories after she returned. Even when her own brothers were persuaded into thinking their journey was pretend.

A.C. Wise creates a magical story, using beautiful imagery to transform an imaginary world into reality, bringing Peter Pan and his dream world alive, once again. It was dark and twisty, which was intriguing— just the touch needed to make a compelling and unique read. I especially enjoyed the narrative switching from Wendy growing up after she came back home to the Wendy in the present (i.e. in the future), back in the place she hoped to see the most.

Both Wendy and her daughter Jane were strong-willed, independent, brave and kind. It was their love for each other that connected them through their separate journeys.

The only downside I could point out was that there was a lot of narrative and not enough dialogue. Plenty of information was written instead of being spoken which left me slightly uninterested.

The story of Wendy, her daughter and Neverland taught me many things. Perseverance, unconditional love, holding onto the truth and the importance of friendship. And lastly, that closing some doors does not mean that you’re forgetting the past, simply transforming it into a memory.

Wendy Darling never forgot her adventure in Neverland. Even after her brothers forgot and moved on with their lives all Wendy wanted was for them to remember and return to Neverland.
Now an adult with a daughter of her own, Peter finally returns for her. But instead of adult Wendy, he steals her Jane away to be his new Wendy.
This is the story of Wendy facing her past and her demons to bring her daughter home. Honestly, this Neverland is creepy and sinister and I wish it had gone full horror instead of the tease of horror (the mermaids, the boar who seemed human...was he human?). In the end I’m not really sure what the deal with Peter and the Island is. Wish the book had delved deeper into the sinister history of Neverland.

As a child, I never saw the Disney Peter Pan, nor any other Peter Pan film or play. My Peter Pan was the J. M. Barrie novel, which I read and reread many times. I loved it in all its weird and twisted glory. It is a very odd, disturbing book, perfectly suited for a dark reimagining like this one. Recommended for fellow fans of the Barrie original — and for open minded fans of the Disney movie (and other) adaptations.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

Wendy, Darling is a fabulous, dark reimagining of the Peter Pan story and particularly Wendy’s life after Neverland. The story is told primarily in two timelines. The first starts in 1917, Wendy has never forgotten Neverland unlike her brothers, but no one believes her and she’s committed to St.Bernadettes, an asylum where treatments are harsh and dehumanising. The other timeline is in 1931, Wendy is now a mother of a daughter and she senses that Peter has returned and is upstairs in her daughter’s room.
I was immediately drawn into the story, there’s a foreboding atmosphere and it was hard to stop reading. I always enjoy a good retelling and A.C.Wise has created a wonderful continuation of the Neverland story exploring a whole range of ideas below the surface of the original book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and recommend it to all.

With it being a fairytale retelling, I assumed it would be a more light-hearted take but was surprised with how beautifully written it was, tackling complex issues such as mental health, the harsh reality of adulthood, and sexual attraction during an unaccepting age.

Peter kidnaps her daughter, Jane, and Wendy must face all obstacles - including her own repressed memory - to rescue her.

Wendy Darling is a fierce character, who has been through so much in her life - from being abandoned by Peter, her Brothers' denying Neverland's existence, being placed in an asylum for her memories, and even given an ultimatum to marry or remain in a dangerous and incompetent mental health institution.

I love that the author didn't shy away from the difficult topics, the honesty was refreshing and made for a breath-taking read. The pace was fantastic, I didn't want to put it down, sleep be damned! I will be recommending this to everyone who listens.

I’m a fractured fairy tales fanatic, and Peter Pan is certainly one of my favourite properties. As such, I found the entire premise of this novel to be at once riveting.

A horror-tinged feminist sequel to Peter Pan focusing on a grown-up Wendy Darling? Sign me up!

And after reading about the mental decline of Alice in the eponymous work by Christina Henry and seeing Dorothy lose it on the big screen in the disturbing film Return to Oz, it was only a matter of time before Wendy herself spent some quality time in the asylum.

But unlike those predecessors, female friendship is at the centre of this exciting new novel from A C Wise. And I’m here for it!

I loved how Wise explores the bond between Wendy and Tiger Lily, expanding their time in Neverland separate from Peter. And the parallel relationship between Wendy and Mary at the asylum is equally riveting.

I only wish that this story was told over two novels.

A C Wise tries to pack so much story into a single volume that the pacing is at times erratic, leaving readers longing for more time spent with these characters, especially Tiger Lily and Mary.

But regardless, this is a highly recommended read, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

This is a dark return to Neverland.

Wendy knows when Peter turns up at her house and is powerless to stop him taking her daughter, Jane in her place.

The story is told by Wendy In the present, Wendy in the past and Jane. It’s sinister and twisted but somehow it fell short for me. The writing was quite convoluted in places and while I enjoyed the new take on the old story, I didn’t find it convincing and I didn’t really warm to any of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Wendy Darling is yet another dark adult Peter Pan retelling that centers around a Wendy who has spent years in an asylum and now is coping with her regular life. She is married with a daughter, and still longs for Neverland. One day Peter comes back to her, only to take her daughter Jane. The plot follows both Wendy and Jane as Wendy tries to save her daughter.

I'm starting to think the perfect Peter Pan adaptation is in my head. A ton have come out recently and all of them seem to follow this same premise: Wendy is crazy or was perceived to be. Wendy misses Neverland. Wendy is traumatized and nobody believes her. It's a bit weird to "Alice" Wendy- a character defined by her pragmatism and logical behavior. It was Wendy who wanted to go home. It was Wendy who was comfortable with growing up. A lot of these adaptations really go an interesting direction with her character- one that doesn't always work.

On the positive side, her relationship with her daughter Jane was pretty cool, as well as the poly ace romance within the book. The family dynamics were handled very well.

The book also goes the "Dark Pan" route which is easily my favorite way to adapt the story. Wendy Darling has some significant similarities to Never Never by Brianna Shrum and Lost Boy by Christina Henry. Both books handle a dark version of the Pan story significantly better, so I strongly recommend those if you try this one and are looking for more.

That being said, there were some really cool horror elements to the story I did have fun with. The scary Peter Pan moments were genuinely stressful to read. Jane's chapters had a really strong element of tension to them and were easily the strongest. Wendy's chapters, especially her asylum flashbacks, were a super mixed bag. They were often repetitive and could be boring at times.

The book attempts to establish Wendy's life outside of Neverland, introducing original characters that are supposed to be meaningful to her. For me, I found these moments much less interesting until later on.

Wendy's relationship with Tiger Lilly and Peter were two of the cooler parts of her plotline, and a good amount of time was also spent on that, which I loved.

I think my biggest issue with Wendy Darling is that if you are going to try something that has been done before, you really need to nail it. There were enough slow and unengaging parts of this book that couldn't make up for the hi-lights, but when I was having a good time, I was having a VERY good time.

This was a very interesting sequel to the original Peter Pan story. Sadly, it didn't really impress me that much, although I did enjoy it!

I had to read Peter and Wendy for a class in Children's Literature last year, and what struck me the most about it was how... insidiously creepy it was. While Peter created all of these games for them to play, Wendy, a literal child, was treated as the mother to all of them, only due to her sex. Then there was the racism too, and the way that Peter Pan just had seemingly full control of everything on the island!

Wendy, Darling deals with all of these issues that were present in the original. We see Wendy as an adult, having both a husband and a daughter. There are also flashbacks to just a few years after she returned from Neverland, which she spent in an asylum. The book does take a dark turn in many ways. Her experiences at the asylum are gruesome, and the way that Neverland appears here is a far cry from how it looks like in Barrie's version.

I did like the feminist angling of the story - and the title of the novel is super clever! I also really loved reading about Wendy's relationships. While she is a far cry from a perfect person, she is complex and so are her relationships with her family. I also enjoyed the queer quality of her whole family unit, and it was nice to just see it existing so naturally.

What I really did not enjoy though, was the way the novel is written. Someplaces, the prose is absolutely gorgeous - but then it is really overwritten in places. Whole paragraphs could have been condensed into a few lines. I was also really disinterested in the whole Neverland sections of the novel, and the twist with Peter was kind of meh.

Still, I'd really recommend this to fans of Peter Pan, and those that love feminist retellings of childhood tales!

Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange of a honest review!

Unfortunately, due to illness and recurring medical issues, I have not been able to read and review this book. All the best to A. C. Wise and the team at Titan Books for a successful publishing season!!

I absolutely love the idea behind this story, and it doesn't disappoint. This is definitely a book I would pick up in a bookstore and purchase without having read more than a few sentences of description. I will definitely be trying anything else this author writes!

I'm always a sucker for a book pitched as a feminist re-imagining and this spin on Peter Pan did not disappoint.

Wendy, Darling is a follow up to Peter Pan and the narration is split between Wendy, all grown up, and her daughter, Jane, who has been snatched away to Neverland by Peter Pan. This Peter is a darker version compared to the Disney adaption (as a previous fan of Once Upon a Time I was so here for it) and the story wasn't afraid to dive into the deep and lasting impact that Neverland had on Wendy. Wendy's character was definitely my favorite part of the story; I loved how resilient she was after everything she'd been through and the love she had for her daughter.

Overall this was a really engaging novel and I definitely recommend to people that love retellings and the original Peter Pan!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love novels that reimagine or embellish traditional fairy tales. When writers take the world of familiar fantasy, and give it a new, enthralling spin, it makes my heart soar. My love of Peter Pan spin-offs started with the amazing Lost Boy, by Christina Henry, and A.C. Wise has given us another alternative Neverland experience, with the fantastic Wendy, Darling.

Wendy is now a “grown up”, with a family of her own. Her childhood experiences of Neverland have left concealed emotional scars. The traumatic consequences that occurred when she spoke of Neverland have kept her quiet. One night, Peter Pan appears in Wendy’s house, and kidnaps Wendy’s daughter, Jane. In order to save Jane from an uncertain future, Wendy must revisit a place that brought her both joy and torment,

In J.M. Barrie’s original work, Wendy is quite a non-character; the obligatory mother-figure/love interest, dishing out food and comfort. A.C. Wise has done a tremendous job in showing Wendy as an emotionally fragile, yet ultimately indestructible woman. It’s such a spot-on interpretation of what it is to be a women, a mother, a wife, a friend, a person, all at the same time, whilst remembering all that one has left behind. Wise’s Wendy is a lonely character; her brother deny the existence of Neverland, and she is institutionalized when she tries to talk about it with others. She forms a beautiful relationship with a fellow in-mate, Mary, the Tiger Lily figure of the book. Their bond is just so perfect, so pure. The pages containing their interactions positively glow with warmth.

I think mothers and those who identify as female will very much appreciate Wendy’s struggles within this book. How she keeps fighting when things seem futile, and even defying the laws of physics to protect her family. But also, it sensitively addresses the fact that not all decisions are easy to make, and mothers (and indeed fathers) are fallible, and human.

But make no mistake, this book is dark. From the kidnap of Jane, to treatment of Wendy, to the frankly shocking origins of Peter Pan, this is a terrifying novel. The action starts within the first few pages, and does not stop until the very end.

I enjoyed this book so much. I’ve been a fan of A.C. Wise’s short fiction for a while, and was absolutely thrilled when Wendy, Darling was announced. The novel exceeded my already-high expectations, and I hope this accomplished, enjoyable work brings A.C Wise much-deserved acclaim.

This book pulled me in right away. Peter comes for Wendy and instead finds her grown and unfamiliar; so he takes her daughter Jane.
This becomes a story of resilience and not just motherhood but womanhood.
Wendy is a very, real and complex character. It is very clear she will do anything to get her daughter back and also there’s the tone of “needing” to go to Neverland. Like she has unfinished business.
The back and forth of real time and her time at St. Bernadettes added to the story another layer that makes this retelling gut wrenching
I felt a lot of emotions reading Wendy’s past and reading her coming into herself. She becomes a benchmark of self love and autonomy.
I loved the camaraderie and friendship between Mary and Wendy.
Neverland was fun and scary to revisit, knowing there was a darkness lingering and so many unknowns.
I did find the end of the book fast paced and some gaps in the plot. I didn’t love the “monster” idea and then it felt very rushed and final and compete, but with no real answers to what happens to Neverland or Peter. I can enjoy an open ended book and giving the reader a chance to decide. But this story shared so many details, it felt like we as the reader should have known what became of Neverland.
A really enjoyable read that I think anyone who loves Peter and Wendy and Neverland will enjoy; and enjoy a new, darker perspective.

I enjoyed the writing, but was not a big fan of the characters. Especially our main character Wendy, Ithink she was a bit too whiny for my liking.

I'm a sucker for any type of fairytale/mythology/folktale retelling, so I was immediately drawn to this book. This is of course much darker than the original, which may appeal to some but not everyone. The main character goes through a lot of abuse in the story, especially from the male characters. Definitely meant for a adult audience, a beautiful story that can be very hard and triggering at times.