Scan barcode
katiebookqueen's review against another edition
3.0
Reviewed at: http://queenofteenfiction.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/review-never-by-shay-lynam.html
I love modern retellings of classic stories, so Never was definitely a story that caught my attention. Never is a modern retelling of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, and it follows Wynn Harper, the great granddaughter of Wendy Darling.
The book starts soon after Wendy’s death, and we see Wynn struggling to cope. At a night out with her best friend, she meets Peter and realises Wendy’s ‘crazy’ stories of Neverland were real. The events of the story all seemed to unfold quite quickly to me. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of Wynn’s life in LA before she was flown off to Neverland.
As we follow the pair to Neverland, we meet the Lost Boys. I adored the Lost Boys. They were definitely one of my favourite things about the story. I especially liked Pal, because his story had a little more depth to it. From there, we get the all the sights and people that Neverland has to offer: the mermaids, the fairies, Tiger Lily, etc.
Who I really liked was Captain Hook. He was probably one of my favourite characters in the story. I just wish we’d gotten to know more about him. I felt like there was a lot more to his character that we could’ve learnt. The same goes for Russ. His story was definitely one that could’ve been expanded, but wasn’t.
I wanted to like Peter and Wynn more than I did. Peter made a statement at the start of the story as to how Wynn shouldn’t judge him by the Disney movie, but he then went on to act almost the same. I would’ve preferred it if maybe he was a little different, just something to make him less cliché.
I had conflicting emotions about the ending. *SPOILERS AHEAD* Now, I love happy ending. I really do. But I didn’t want Peter to go with Wynn back to LA and for the two of them to have a simple, happy ending. What I felt it lacked was some sort of explanation as to why Peter was in Neverland. Was it like the original story? Was he there because he didn’t what to grow up? And if he was, then why wasn’t there a conversation about it? I wanted a moment in the book where Peter faces why he doesn’t want to grow up, and why that’s changed because of Wynn.
Although I never judge a book by the cover, and the cover for this book is very beautiful, it doesn’t really reflect the story. It made me feel like the story should have been darker than it was, more a twisted retelling, where Neverland isn’t what it seems. But it was actually rather calm, and I didn’t feel like there was any big threat throughout the story. Even the scenes with Hook didn’t seem as dangerous as they should have.
Never is a pleasant story to read and anyone who loves fairy tales will definitely want to give it try. There were parts of the story I enjoyed, and parts that I felt let the story down. But overall, I’m glad I took the time to read it, and Lynam has a beautifully descriptive writing style.
I love modern retellings of classic stories, so Never was definitely a story that caught my attention. Never is a modern retelling of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, and it follows Wynn Harper, the great granddaughter of Wendy Darling.
The book starts soon after Wendy’s death, and we see Wynn struggling to cope. At a night out with her best friend, she meets Peter and realises Wendy’s ‘crazy’ stories of Neverland were real. The events of the story all seemed to unfold quite quickly to me. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of Wynn’s life in LA before she was flown off to Neverland.
As we follow the pair to Neverland, we meet the Lost Boys. I adored the Lost Boys. They were definitely one of my favourite things about the story. I especially liked Pal, because his story had a little more depth to it. From there, we get the all the sights and people that Neverland has to offer: the mermaids, the fairies, Tiger Lily, etc.
Who I really liked was Captain Hook. He was probably one of my favourite characters in the story. I just wish we’d gotten to know more about him. I felt like there was a lot more to his character that we could’ve learnt. The same goes for Russ. His story was definitely one that could’ve been expanded, but wasn’t.
I wanted to like Peter and Wynn more than I did. Peter made a statement at the start of the story as to how Wynn shouldn’t judge him by the Disney movie, but he then went on to act almost the same. I would’ve preferred it if maybe he was a little different, just something to make him less cliché.
I had conflicting emotions about the ending. *SPOILERS AHEAD* Now, I love happy ending. I really do. But I didn’t want Peter to go with Wynn back to LA and for the two of them to have a simple, happy ending. What I felt it lacked was some sort of explanation as to why Peter was in Neverland. Was it like the original story? Was he there because he didn’t what to grow up? And if he was, then why wasn’t there a conversation about it? I wanted a moment in the book where Peter faces why he doesn’t want to grow up, and why that’s changed because of Wynn.
Although I never judge a book by the cover, and the cover for this book is very beautiful, it doesn’t really reflect the story. It made me feel like the story should have been darker than it was, more a twisted retelling, where Neverland isn’t what it seems. But it was actually rather calm, and I didn’t feel like there was any big threat throughout the story. Even the scenes with Hook didn’t seem as dangerous as they should have.
Never is a pleasant story to read and anyone who loves fairy tales will definitely want to give it try. There were parts of the story I enjoyed, and parts that I felt let the story down. But overall, I’m glad I took the time to read it, and Lynam has a beautifully descriptive writing style.
melcheslog's review against another edition
5.0
WOW! ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!
I wasn't sure what to expect since I am so anti-fairy tale but I was absolutely hooked... all puns intended by this story. Wynn is a dancer that is grieving the loss of her great grandmother. She goes out to the club with her friend Marty and meets Peter. She then goes on an adventure that is so amazing and magical. She becomes entranced in Neverland. I found this story to be so orginal and inspiring. It was well written and beautiful. I truly am a fan of Shay Lynam's and this is such a great story. I cannot wait for others to be able to read it. I loved it so much.
I wasn't sure what to expect since I am so anti-fairy tale but I was absolutely hooked... all puns intended by this story. Wynn is a dancer that is grieving the loss of her great grandmother. She goes out to the club with her friend Marty and meets Peter. She then goes on an adventure that is so amazing and magical. She becomes entranced in Neverland. I found this story to be so orginal and inspiring. It was well written and beautiful. I truly am a fan of Shay Lynam's and this is such a great story. I cannot wait for others to be able to read it. I loved it so much.
thearosemary's review against another edition
2.0
Peter and Wendy is one of my favorite classics, so when I see a retelling, I must pick it up. Never presented an enticing synopsis--a modern day Peter Pan whisking away Wendy Darling's great granddaughter, Wyndy, to Neverland. I simply could not resist.
Unfortunately, this book was not what I hoped for it to be. The important aspects of the story felt rushed, which cloaked the plot and made it non-existent. For example, Wyndy was in Neverland by chapter three, and she had very little doubts about everything being real. On top of that, all of the boys on Neverland were, supposedly, extremely attractive. This made the characters come across flat and unrealistic.
The majority of the story from there was adventures between Wyndy and Peter, along with the lost boys. The land of Neverland and the creatures that inhabited it were interesting to read about, but the relationship between all of the characters felt forced due to the lack of depth.
The idea for the plot of Never was a great idea, and the way the characters were intertwined was fantastic. If the characters would have held more layers and depth, this story would have ranked higher for me.
Unfortunately, this book was not what I hoped for it to be. The important aspects of the story felt rushed, which cloaked the plot and made it non-existent. For example, Wyndy was in Neverland by chapter three, and she had very little doubts about everything being real. On top of that, all of the boys on Neverland were, supposedly, extremely attractive. This made the characters come across flat and unrealistic.
The majority of the story from there was adventures between Wyndy and Peter, along with the lost boys. The land of Neverland and the creatures that inhabited it were interesting to read about, but the relationship between all of the characters felt forced due to the lack of depth.
The idea for the plot of Never was a great idea, and the way the characters were intertwined was fantastic. If the characters would have held more layers and depth, this story would have ranked higher for me.
livthebooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
Shay Lynam sent me an e-ARC for an honest review to post on Goodreads & my blog.
Full review to come October 11 @ www.livthebooknerd.blogspot.com
I really liked this book. It's been a while since I read a really great Peter Pan retelling. The beginning was a bit shaky and kind of predictable, but the middle was really solid and I absolutely loved it. The ending was also kind of disappointing to me... I didn't like [that Peter went back with Wyndy. I felt like that was really forced. Wyndy didn't even tell Peter what she was going to say before she was kidnapped by Hook!] The chapters were quite long too. Which wasn't bad, but because the book was so great, it was hard to put down ;). I also really loved the mask aspect to the story and I would love to have another story that takes place with Gran Gran (Wendy). I want to read Shay's version of Peter Pan!
The island was captivating! I wanted Wynn to stay! I was all for it!
EDIT:
Full review here: http://livthebooknerd.blogspot.com/2016/10/review-never-by-shay-lynam.html
Hey, guys!
So, if you know me well or follow me on any of my social media, you would know that I'm kind of enchanted by Peter Pan. I absolutely love the story and I love the movies and retellings that people create. When Shay Lynam contacted me about reading her Peter Pan retelling I was so excited to read another retelling. I am so obsessed with retellings, especially retellings.
This book follows Wynn Harper, the great-granddaughter of the original Wendy Darling. When Wynn meets the real Peter Pan she is whisked off to Neverland where she encounters pirates, Indians, and learns that nothing is as it seems. I really enjoyed Never. It had been a while since I had read a Peter Pan retelling and I really enjoyed the main character's voice. This book had a lot of great qualities but there were a few issues that I had with it.
I really enjoyed Shay's writing style in this book. It was very whimsical and still quite dark like the original story. I had read Peter Pan before reading Never and I really loved how original the story was but it still incorporated the classic story really well.
The beginning of the story was kind of shaky, but it didn't stop me from continuing on with the story. Of course, the main character is different and dresses so much differently than the typical high schooler. The beginning was kind of cliche and you definitely knew where it was going. Some of the parts of the book were really predictable, but I looked past it because there were some elements that kind of made up for the cheese. The ending was really predictable, but Shay added some character depth towards the end that I really loved. I actually didn't want the end to happen. I wanted the opposite to happen. I actually didn't like how the ending was. I think that was the main thing that caused this book from not getting a higher rating.
Wynn was kind of annoying, but such a badass towards the end. I really loved the bits where she was taking care of herself. I absolutely love it when the character makes up for their whiney behavior with some great badassery. I hate it when YA books enforce the idea that girls need a guy to be happy...Girls! You don't need a man to be happy! Boys! You don't need a girl to be happy! Don't let anyone cause you to be unhappy. <3 b="">
Hook. Let's talk about Captain James Hook. I really wanted to like Hook's character, but he annoyed me too. He focused on stupid stuff rather than the important stuff. I mean I understand heartbreak. Trust me. I do. But, I really didn't like his whole revenge plot. His character at the very end of the book was really heartbreaking. I really liked him during the last few pages. I wish that I had liked him more, but I guess I was in a really irritable mood.
Overall, this was a pretty good retelling and I look forward to reading more of Shay Lynam's writing. She has a really promising writing career.
Books Mentioned In Review:
~ Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Other Great Peter Pan Retellings:
Peter & the Starcatchers series by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
The Sister's Grimm series by Michael Buckley (Fairy Tale Retelling mix)
The Never Girls series by Kiki Thorpe (Bailey's recommendation)
Hopefully, I have more time to read and review more. School is killing me!
Links to reviews for books mentioned can be found via the link to the full review
Full review to come October 11 @ www.livthebooknerd.blogspot.com
I really liked this book. It's been a while since I read a really great Peter Pan retelling. The beginning was a bit shaky and kind of predictable, but the middle was really solid and I absolutely loved it. The ending was also kind of disappointing to me... I didn't like [that Peter went back with Wyndy. I felt like that was really forced. Wyndy didn't even tell Peter what she was going to say before she was kidnapped by Hook!] The chapters were quite long too. Which wasn't bad, but because the book was so great, it was hard to put down ;). I also really loved the mask aspect to the story and I would love to have another story that takes place with Gran Gran (Wendy). I want to read Shay's version of Peter Pan!
The island was captivating! I wanted Wynn to stay! I was all for it!
EDIT:
Full review here: http://livthebooknerd.blogspot.com/2016/10/review-never-by-shay-lynam.html
Hey, guys!
So, if you know me well or follow me on any of my social media, you would know that I'm kind of enchanted by Peter Pan. I absolutely love the story and I love the movies and retellings that people create. When Shay Lynam contacted me about reading her Peter Pan retelling I was so excited to read another retelling. I am so obsessed with retellings, especially retellings.
This book follows Wynn Harper, the great-granddaughter of the original Wendy Darling. When Wynn meets the real Peter Pan she is whisked off to Neverland where she encounters pirates, Indians, and learns that nothing is as it seems. I really enjoyed Never. It had been a while since I had read a Peter Pan retelling and I really enjoyed the main character's voice. This book had a lot of great qualities but there were a few issues that I had with it.
I really enjoyed Shay's writing style in this book. It was very whimsical and still quite dark like the original story. I had read Peter Pan before reading Never and I really loved how original the story was but it still incorporated the classic story really well.
The beginning of the story was kind of shaky, but it didn't stop me from continuing on with the story. Of course, the main character is different and dresses so much differently than the typical high schooler. The beginning was kind of cliche and you definitely knew where it was going. Some of the parts of the book were really predictable, but I looked past it because there were some elements that kind of made up for the cheese. The ending was really predictable, but Shay added some character depth towards the end that I really loved. I actually didn't want the end to happen. I wanted the opposite to happen. I actually didn't like how the ending was. I think that was the main thing that caused this book from not getting a higher rating.
Wynn was kind of annoying, but such a badass towards the end. I really loved the bits where she was taking care of herself. I absolutely love it when the character makes up for their whiney behavior with some great badassery. I hate it when YA books enforce the idea that girls need a guy to be happy...Girls! You don't need a man to be happy! Boys! You don't need a girl to be happy! Don't let anyone cause you to be unhappy. <3 b="">
Hook. Let's talk about Captain James Hook. I really wanted to like Hook's character, but he annoyed me too. He focused on stupid stuff rather than the important stuff. I mean I understand heartbreak. Trust me. I do. But, I really didn't like his whole revenge plot. His character at the very end of the book was really heartbreaking. I really liked him during the last few pages. I wish that I had liked him more, but I guess I was in a really irritable mood.
Overall, this was a pretty good retelling and I look forward to reading more of Shay Lynam's writing. She has a really promising writing career.
Books Mentioned In Review:
~ Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Other Great Peter Pan Retellings:
Peter & the Starcatchers series by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
The Sister's Grimm series by Michael Buckley (Fairy Tale Retelling mix)
The Never Girls series by Kiki Thorpe (Bailey's recommendation)
Hopefully, I have more time to read and review more. School is killing me!
Links to reviews for books mentioned can be found via the link to the full review
More...