Read + Review: Straight on Till Morning by Liz Braswell

In a magical retelling of the classic Peter Pan story, Straight On Till Morning tells the tale of sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her exasperation with her life in London – routines start to feel droll, waiting after her brothers becomes taxing, and her want of adventure overtakes her dreams. Wishing her life were different, she writes of the trials and tribulations of a Peter Pan in Neverland, who she nearly ran into four years ago. She knows she’ll have to come visit again, since she’s got something of his he needs desperately. When adventure presents itself to her wrapped in a pirate ship, Wendy finds it hard to say no. As she explores the very thing of her dreams, Wendy will soon answer the question: Should you meet your heroes? Or is it better to become one?

Peter Pan has been one of my favorite reads for all my life, and any chance I get to read a retelling of the story, I never turn down! I thought this book was great! I loved how it gave us more of an insight into Wendy as a character. In the original Peter Pan, Wendy is kind and motherly, yes, but she exists only to be a mother to the rest of the characters. However, in this read, she actually has hopes and dreams, and while she cares for her family, we see how she feels about her society and about what could become of her future. Wendy is beyond that timid little thing we first meet in the classic. The plot was also fantastic! It moved quickly, and never left you bored or waiting for the chapter to be over.

Something memorable about this book was the relationship between Wendy and Tinker Bell on Neverland. In the original, there is a jealousy between the two. Both girls have a special place in their hearts for Peter, and it becomes a battle of who he keeps in his heart. In this book, however, there is a friendship between them that we’ve never seen before, making it all the more remarkable.

Reviewed by Shishira, Twin Hickory Library