I have always loved fairy tales and folk tales from a young age. I love to read the short stories and many nights when I struggle to fall asleep, I pull out my copy of Grimms' Fairy Tales to read in bed. The stories bring about a world where anything is possible and the characters remind me of the imperfect nature of humanity.
One newer genre that I adore is the fractured or retelling of a classic story for adult readers. Lost Boy: the True Story of Captain Hook by Christian Henry is a book that falls perfectly into this category. We have all heard of the story of Peter Pan from either the original book or the Disney version, but what Christian Henry focuses on in her novel is the origin of the famous villain, Captain Hook.
As a young boy, the future captain is brought to the island by Peter Pan to be his friend and fellow adventurer. Peter Pan had lived alone and saw Jamie as the perfect companion. The young boy, Jamie, becomes Peter's best friend and stays by his side for many years. When Peter brings more boys to the island, Jamie becomes his second-in-command over the lost boys. Yet not all is at seems on this supposedly ideal island. Jamie begins to discover the dark side of the island and of his friend Peter. Violence reigns supreme as Peter pushes the boys to enjoy the island to its fullest. It is revealed that Peter Pan seeks the thrill of adventure and is willing to make any sacrifice and pay any cost to have his fun.
Even though I knew Jamie would one day become Captain Hook, Henry kept me interested in every page and surprised me with many of the outcomes. This book is definitely a psychological thriller and has been classified into the horror genre by some. I would recommend it to adult or older teen readers who are comfortable with violence and bloody descriptions. This book was a fantastic read and one that I am sure I will read again in the near future.
~Abigail C.
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