Nouf *LostinFantasy*'s Reviews > Unhooked

Ever since I found out this book existed a few months ago, it became one of my top most anticipated releases for 2016. A Peter Pan retelling with a twist on Captain Hook? Seeing as I always lean more towards the morally grey and problematic characters rather than the hero (Guy of Gisbourne from BBC's Robin Hood, Marvel's Loki, Rhysand from ACoT&R, Hook from OUAT), I was crazy excited for this book.
So was it everything I expected and more??

While reading, I would have answered: I do not know. I couldn't tell how I was feeling about the book. Now that I finished it, I'll say yes and no.

Summary:

The story is seen through the eyes of our heroine Gwendolyn "Gwen" Allister. At first I thought her name had to mean she was Wendy or a modern 21st century version of her! But then Wendy's name is never mentioned in the novel, and I stopped reading into it. Anyway, so Wendy - err, Gwen (!) moves to London with her mother at the start of the story, and we learn her mother's been dragging her from place to place since she was a child, always running from the 'monsters' she believes are after them. Gwen doesn't share her mother's fear, but she can't (or doesn't) do anything about it. Gwen's best friend Olivia is there to stay for a short while, and it's not long before Gwen gets to learn whether her mother's fears were unfounded or not when dark creatures abduct her and Olivia from their beds at night.
From then on they're taken to a strange world where Gwen is separated from her best friend, and where she encounters those 'monsters' but also a young enigmatic pirate and another young man who can fly, who just might be Peter Pan. And of course she's caught in the dangers and secrets of this world which are much bigger than just the Peter Pan vs. Hook conflict we know.

World Building:

This isn't a light or heavenly interpretation of Neverland, it's pretty dark. Like in other retellings, it's a place filled with wonder and magic but it's also dangerous and deceptive. Mostly because it makes a person forget where they come from and who they are. It's a place that requires brutality to survive and some of the things the characters have to do are disturbing. And it's mostly filled with children.

“They may look like children, but in this world, there isn’t room for innocence. In this world, there are few who can even begin to comprehend what the loss of a life means. Most would kill you one day and not remember your existence the next.”

The rules of the human world (right and wrong) don't apply here. Because it's not a place for humans, any way - especially if they're not children anymore. You'll find Neverland being "ruled" by a human but it's a place where Fey, dark and light, exist and inhabit it more fittingly.

One thing I found odd and intriguing at the same time is that the characters are very much aware of the original Peter Pan tale by J.M. Barrie. That, and a few clues and admissions from the characters made me wonder if (in this book's world), Barrie's tale was inspired by these characters or if it was the other way around. I'm not sure there's only one answer. That's one ambiguous part of the world-building.

Honestly, I found the world building a tiny bit lacking (confusing) at some points, in that I needed more information. (view spoiler)[The aging rule isn't explicitly stated. I understand they age but very very slowly (because time moves differently in Neverland), until they become too old to survive and fall apart - unless of course they do that awful thing. If you've read the book - did you see it that way? (hide spoiler)]. Almost everyone in this book is cryptic with their descriptions and answers, so it was kinda hard to put some pieces of this world together.

But everything's clear enough by the end. You see that this version of Neverland has its own set of rules and mythology to it. It's closer to a lot of Faery stories and their dark politics than a magical place where children's dreams come true.

Characters:

--First we have Gwen, a.k.a Not-Really-Wendy. Gwen was not a hard character to like and root for. She's spent her whole life having no say in where she lived, and sadly for her, she doesn't find herself any more in control of her life in Neverland. She yearns to settle and to belong, and that's a dangerous feeling to have when you start to forget your past. She deserves credit though, for being determined enough to hold onto herself and memories of Olivia in order to save them both. But it's a little frustrating how she's constantly being pushed and pulled in different directions, kept in the dark, lied to and manipulated for a good part of the book. Still, she does come in to her own, eventually. She learns to trust herself and she finds someone she can trust, as well.

--Now let's talk about the titular character, our favorite pirate: "Captain Rowan", a.k.a Captain Hook", a.k.a Luke Skywalker.
Why is Captain Hook compared to a jedi knight? Only one reason: he doesn't really have a hook in place of his missing hand. Guess what he has instead? Did you say a fully functioning mechanical arm because if you did, you guessed right!

"You’re Hook?” I say, my voice faltering. He gives me a dark and dangerous smile that has something equally dark and dangerous curling in my belly. “The role quite suits me, no?” The mechanism beneath his glove ticks softly as he opens and closes his fist. “Looks more like Luke Skywalker than Hook to me,” I say, a feeble attempt to disarm the moment. “Aye?” he says finally, and the word carries with it more weariness than any single word should be able to. “Will said as much when he learned of it as well. Though I’ve not been able to discern his meaning, exactly,” he tells me, his expression faltering.

Hahaha. Poor Rowan, he missed the release of the Star Wars movies. There's nothing "futuristic" about him at all, though, besides that arm.
He's not the mustache twirling Captain Hook we know, nor is he the cocky and swaggering flirt from OUAT. He's a young man - described to look about 19. But he's not like the other children in Neverland (old or young), who have become forgetful and aimless. He knows what he's doing and he chose his role as Captain Hook; as the pirate who's Pan's nemesis. For a while, he's hard to pin down. He's not very forthcoming when we meet him, but he never really tries to manipulate or trick Gwen, and he shows actual care for his crew. And yet he makes hard and brutal choices too - ones that made it hard for Gwen (and me!) to trust him at first. However, keep reading... I won't spoil what happens, but while I didn't know how I felt about him sometimes, this young and tormented pirate will surprise you (maybe even make you swoon) in this story as he does Gwen.

--Of course we can never forget Peter Pan, or rather Pan , a.k.a "Himself", a.k.a "The One Who Calls Himself Pan", or "He Who Must Not Be Named"

Why all the mystery? Why not just call himself "Peter"?

“You said we’re in Neverland!” Saying it out loud only makes it sound more ridiculous. “As in the story? As in Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys and Peter Pan?” The Captain stiffens, and when he responds, his voice has turned cold and dangerous. “He doesn’t usually call himself Peter. Finds it a bit too human for his tastes.”

Yeah, because he is not exactly the Peter Pan we know and love. I actually really like the author's twist to the legend of Peter Pan. The 'boy' is a bit older than we're used to (he and the Captain 'look' to be the same age). Unlike the Captain, he does try to win Gwen's favor, making promises to reunite her with her friend Olivia, and temping her to make a home in Neverland. And she feels an odd and inexplicable pull to him. He's sort of like Neverland in that way. (Minor spoiler) (view spoiler)[He has a connection to it because of powers that were given to him by his "mother", the former Fey Queen of Neverland. But Peter isn't Fey himself. (hide spoiler)] There's quite a bit to his story and there's the question of what he wants from Gwen, and whether or not she can trust him. The answer to that is pretty obvious, except to Gwen, of course!

--Then we have our fairy Fiona. She's not Disney's Tinker Bell, for sure. She's dangerous and a cunning, and of course that makes her another character you have no clue if you can trust.

--There's also Olivia, Gwen's best friend who gets dragged into Neverland along with her. How many YA books have I read now with a heroine off to rescue her sister or best friend? Not that I mind at all! I'm all for reading more of sisterly love and friendships. But while Olivia shows promise as a character at the start, when we meet her again in Neverland, she's too taken by it and isn't the same anymore. Gwen is there to save her and to help her remember, but I felt that Olivia's only served the purpose of being an anchor and incentive for Gwen to keep trying to get them home, instead of actually showing any character of her own. Oh, well.

--There are other characters like the boys from Rowan's crew and the ones from Pan's fortress, who are on opposite sides of course. One notable character is Will, one of the older boys in Rowan's crew who's like a brother and best friend to him.

The Romace: The romance is between Rowan and Gwen, and is actually pretty well done. You could see hints of it from the beginning when she's on his ship, but it isn't until later when it's just the two of them working together that they really start to get close. I didn't think I would like them together, only because there's so much doubt on her end for a good portion of the book. I was afraid their time together would be rushed and the romance not really necessary. But I was pleasantly surprised that the romance actually worked, and by the end I found myself really wanting them to end up together.
Note there is no love triangle. It was more like who can she trust between them at the start... If she felt anything for Pan (and it's very fleeting and weak), it's not as simple as developing a crush on the next pretty boy. She couldn't trust what she felt around Pan. With Rowan, there's no doubt it's really what she feels.

Final thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story, even though there were points that were frustrating because I needed things to be explained in more detail (one thing in particular drove me crazy until I discussed with someone), or the plot to be moved along. I know that sounds like I'm contradicting myself. I don't know. Things didn't really pick up and get exciting until around the 70% mark. And while the action in the last 20% was good, a lot happens pretty quickly. So, I warn you, it might feel a tiny bit rushed by the end... That didn't bother me, actually. I wanted things to move fast at that point. And I enjoyed it!
I found the last chapter and the epilogue both especially satisfying! I won't spoil it, but I was happy and a little surprised, since it's not what I always expect from the endings of Peter Pan tales.

Would I recommend it? If you're a big fan of fantasy, fairytale retellings, Fey stories, morally ambiguous heroes, and good romance then yes, give it a shot!