Christina Henry is a wonderful author. I loved her books on Alice and I was very excited about a Peter Pan retelling. Christina Henry did not disappoint at all. This was such an interesting twist on Peter Pan. In this version, Peter Pan is creepy and not to be trusted at all. The story also talks about how Captain Hook is created and it was amazing. I get it. Yes, I actually felt sympathy for Captain Hook. Loved this book with its well developed characters, fast paced plot and wonderful twist on an old favorite.

Peter Pan always was a happy on the surface story with very dark undertones and this horror story definitely capitalizes on those undertones. It's a dark, dark, re imagining of Hook's origin story and it's going to screw up how you see Peter Pan, especially the Disney version, forever. I like the direction the author went with the story and it's quite imaginative and different. An enjoyable read from a creative mind.

I just really could not get into this book. I have read the author's previous stories set in the skewed world of Alice in Wonderland, but I could not connect to this one. It was well written, just not for me.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Christina Henry sure can write! This is only the second book of Henry's that I've read, but both have made a real impression on me.

<em>Lost Boy</em> is "The True Story of Captain Hook" so it's not really much of a surprise who the narrator of the story is, but Henry weaves a magical tale here, re-imaging the Peter Pan mythos and in the tradition of great rivalries, Peter Pan and Captain Hook begin as the best of friends. It is Peter, in Henry's telling, who has a darker side and creates Hook, or rather turns his first 'lost boy' (the first boy Peter brings to the island) into a man who hates everything that Peter stands for.

Jamie, who will become Hook, is Peter's 'Number One' - the boy who trains the new boys, who makes sure that everyone is fed and well prepared for whatever mischief Peter wishes to get into. He was also the first boy who Peter ever brought to the island, and while other boys have died, fighting the pirates or by other means on the island, Jamie has always remained safe, tough, and first for Peter.

Through a series of events, carefully brought before the reader, Jamie begins to lose his affection for Peter. He begins to realize that Peter has no concept of right and wrong or life and death. If a boy dies fighting the pirates, then Peter will just go to 'the other place' and bring back another down-trodden boy to fill the gap. But Jamie realizes that Peter has made a mistake when he brings back the very young Charlie. Unlike the other boys Peter's found, Charlie has a mother who is likely missing him and searching for him. When Peter wants to simply discard Charlie, Jamie takes him under his wing and will even challenge Peter in order to protect the young boy.

There is SO MUCH going on in this book - subtleties that might be missed by some readers - and connections to the J. M Barrie story/play that make this feel just so<em> right</em>.

It is definitely a dark book, with boys dying with some alarming frequency, and we see Peter here as a bit of a monster. And yet, when Henry writes it, we see just how correct she is. How looking at Peter Pan from just a slightly different vantage point, sheds new light on the story.

And Christina Henry can really turn a phrase! There's a touch of romance here - entirely in line with what a young lad of twelve or thirteen or fourteen might feel, but spoken by that lad as an adult. When I came across this phrase: "I knew then that when I stopped loving Peter my heart looked for other things, and Sal was filling up all the space that Peter used to take there." I said aloud, "That's beautiful!"

This was one of those unique books that on the one hand I don't want to end because I'm so in love with the language and the story-telling and the characters, but on the other hand, it's dark and uncomfortable and I want it to end because it's making me slightly uncomfortable

This is just powerful storytelling and I recommend it highly.

Looking for a good book? <em>Lost Boy</em> by Christina Henry is a beautiful, dark story of Peter Pan and the creation of Captain Hook.

This book just wasn't for me. I definitely think there will be people who love it, but I had a hard time caring for the characters. I'm not a huge fan of horror as a genre though so I honestly think it's more my issue than a problem with the book.

There have been a few books that propose to tell you how Captain Hook and Peter Pan came to be. This by far is the bloodiest. Jamie was the first Lost Boy. He was the best friend of Peter Pan. The first boy on the island to never grow up. But over time he did grow up. Peter did not. Peter will always be the school yard bully that you worry kills neighborhood cats when no one is looking. He will do anything for his enjoyment, and only keen eyes can see that Peter does not play at the games he invents, but uses them for his own purpose. Playing games day in and day out only works for one boy. To others, playing deadly games loses its shine when you spend your time burying kids eaten by crocodiles, or tore in half by cannon shot. The island is magic, but not all magic is good, sometimes magic is a curse. And sometimes the villain is the hero of the story. It’s all about perspective, and this title will give any reader a new perspective on Peter Pan.

I just couldn't get into this book
I loved the authors Alice in wonderland twists but this one I struggled with. I didn't care for the characters. While I love the Neverland sort it was a struggle for me to enjoy this take. I might try to read it again as I always feel books deserve another chance

oh my god I loved this book SO MUCH! I really enjoyed the writing and the story and THE ENDING!!!! I went out and picked up Alice as soon as I finished this. Thank you SO much for letting me read it. Everyone should check this out, it is like no other retelling I have EVER read.

DNF @ page 77

I went into this with insanely high hopes because 1. I love a good villain retelling and 2. I loved The Chronicles of Alice but despite this, I don’t think high expectations is what caused me to DNF. I was fine with Peter being a more tarnished version of the Peter we all already know and I was fine with Jamie being a decent human being because that just means we get to see the path he ended up on that resulted in Captain Hook. No, what was disappointing was the writing. This was an extremely violent retelling (not an issue for me) but it’s written like it’s a Young Adult novel. Lost Boy was also marketed somewhat towards the YA crowd, what with the influx of fairy tale popularity, which would possibly explain the difference in writing styles between Alice and Lost Boy. It could also be argued that it was written in such a way because the characters themselves were children, however, these are “children” that have been children for many decades, locked in their children bodies while they remain in Neverland. I feel like they would have still matured in some sense over time. Regardless of why it was written this way, I didn’t care for it, it was slow and plodding and the characters and world were under-developed relying on existing impressions of a widely known tale.

I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was not in the right place to read this book. I began it and could not finish. I may try to come back and read it later, but the pace was too slow in the beginning for me to really fall into.

"Come away and we'll have adventures and be friends always."

It's safe to assume (if you're anything like me) that a part of your youth was spent devoted to Peter Pan. A time where you were certain that if your thoughts were happy enough and if your window remained unlocked that he might just appear to whisk you off to Neverland.

The Peter who filled our dreams was a fearless leader who taught us how to crow and how to believe in faeries. He reminded us to embrace our childhood imaginations and to make every day an adventure.

But Christina Henry doesn't write about the Peter of our dreams.

There are no Disney singalongs or technicolor food fights accompanied by a Williams' score in her version of the story.

Instead, Lost Boy presents the real portrayal of Peter Pan: a narcissistic, manipulative, and vindictive preteen who lacks compassion and a moral compass.

“Peter didn't care about obstacles, even if they were shaped like people. They were only things to be jumped over, to be knocked down.”

I've always been fascinated with fairy tale retellings -- especially when they're narrated from a "villain's" point of view. I love reinterpreting familiar plot points through the eyes of the "bad guy" and seeing if my loyalties might shift. And with years spent dreaming of a Tink-aided trip to Neverland, I felt confident Peter had my faith and trust. However, Henry's bloody bastardization of Pan definitely affected my allegiance.

Told through the eyes of Jamie -- Peter's first and favorite Lost Boy turned epic enemy -- we're forced to shake the pixie dust from our eyes and see Peter for the pirate he truly is. We're exposed to a story of a bloodthirsty child without a care in the world who simply doesn't understand -- or care about -- the consequences of his actions. Peter wants what he wants when he wants and if you're in the way...well, good luck.

Henry vividly captures Peter's frequent emotional outbursts and tantrums, which make sense given that he's the "boy who will never grow up," but through the weary eyes of Jamie we start to understand why he might tire -- and grow out of -- the same routine season after season.

This dark fantasy is full of fire, bloodshed, terrifyingly graphic scenes of child violence, scary monsters, betrayals, curses, and deaths. BUT, Jamie's moments of clarity, bonds with his fellow Lost Boys, and heartbreaking shift from friend to foe makes this story "an awfully big adventure."

“It would always be Peter and me, like we were in the beginning."

Overall...

Jamie's story is one that deserves to be read. It's a story that lingers and will forever change how you see your shadow-chasing childhood hero. If you're a fan of sinister retellings or Lord of the Flies-esque tales, then you'll be hooked.

I have loved the prior books by Henry - but this one never really grabbed my attention as they did. That's not to say it's a "bad" book by any means - the premise was interesting, and there were some good moments. However, it just failed to capture my attention and compassion with the characters this time.

DNF. I thought I would really enjoy this book, but it just didn't capture my attention. It was kind of like Lord of the Flies and I really disliked Peter.

Evil Peter Pan? Yes, please!!

The story is told from Hook's point of view, before he became an adult. (I've always thought there was more to him than meets the eye. Life isn't always black and white.) He is "bff's" with Peter, who is a monster. He is absolutely horrid in this book. As a kid I was kind of afraid of him and all my fears and thoughts about him are manifested in this novel.

I really, really enjoyed this novel. Immensely!

4.5/5 stars.

This is easily one of my new favorite stories taking place in Neverland. The origin of Captain Hook is woven seamlessly in this novel, fitting against the original story seamlessly. This story managed to seem both gruesome and shocking, while maintaining a sense of magic. It explored the sadistic and cynical side of Peter Pan that we only glimpse in the original and gives Hook a backstory that makes perfect sense. This was a wild ride from start to finish.

For the drawbacks, it was slow to start. I felt like the first chapter was impossibly long and took me a long time to get through. I'm not sure exactly when I was hooked (hah, pun not intended), but eventually the events of the book seemed to fly by. This is also NOT your lighthearted fairy tale and if that's what you are looking for, you are better off picking the Disney movie off your shelf. These boys are raw and brutal and savage and not the cuddly little lost boys you might be familiar with if you have only watched the Disney version.

That said, it's easy to see where Hook's side of the story and the original story meet in the middle. In the original, there are moments that Peter does seem like a cruel little boy and this book only magnifies those moments without making them seem unlikely.

I definitely recommend to anyone that loves Neverland and villains, but if you don't like gore, maybe leave this one off your TBR.

Disclaimer: An e-arc was provided for me in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my thoughts on this book in any way.

I gave LOST BOY an honest shot--I didn't DNF until I was more than forty percent into it--but as dark as ALICE and RED QUEEN were, this was equally dark . . . and sloooooow. I just couldn't do it.

LOST BOY by Christina Henry was a though provoking read that was incredibly dark and twisted. that kept me horrifyingly hooked from page on. Did I mention dark and twisted? If it's not obvious, despite being a riveting story that kept me engaged from page one, I'm incredibly conflicted about LOST BOY. It was almost too dark. The violence just seemed so much more real and harsh since it involved children. The constant death and injury were brutal enough, but the way they are just ignored by certain characters as status quo, just left a sick feeling in my stomach. Which of course I'm sure was the point, and yet it just felt a little too much for this mother's heart to bear witness to.

Onto the characters. Oh my goodness did the author do a fantastic job with them. Jamie of course was the star of the show in my eyes, with Peter being delegated to a spoiled rotten brat. But even that was just the surface, with much more to Peter than met the initial eye. I won't spoil things, but suffice it to say with each new chapter it was almost as if layers of a veil were lifted from Jamie's eyes, and more of Peter's true colors were revealed. The rest of the cast, be they cannon fodder or well developed side characters, all lent well to this horrifying tale.

All in all, the story is amazingly well written and felt like a real prequel retelling in the truest sense. There's always two sides to a story and this one? THIS is the one I believe. So bravo to Ms. Henry for masterfully changing my perceptions of this well known lore!

First off Lost Boy by Christina Henry. Overall it is the story of Captain Hook. How he went from one of Peter's Lost Boys to his enemy.  Personally I have always believed Peter Pan to be a villain in his own right. I have never like the character but thanks to the TV show Once Upon a Time I have developed a love for Captain Hook.  This book takes it's own spin on Hook and I truly enjoyed it. It was a carnage to read but it also truly made you think.  Its a wonderful take on the tale in which I finally saw Peter as the villain I always knew him to be. Overall fantastic retelling, bloody, vicious, amazing characters and a roller coaster of emotions.  I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.  I also must say Im a huge fan of Christina's Black Wings series as well.

*ARC recebida através do Netgalley em troca de uma opinião honesta*

Se tem um personagem que eu nunca gostei desde pequena é do Peter Pan. Esse babado de querer ser sempre criança nunca colou comigo. Creio que se deve ao fato que o que eu mais queria quando criança era ser gente grande (Atualmente, tem dias que penso o quão iludida eu era).

Em Lost Boy, temos uma releitura de Peter Pan, contada pelo seu eterno nêmesis, Capitão Gancho. Mas nem sempre foi assim. Antes de se tornar o maior inimigo de Peter, Capitão Gancho era um menino chamado Jamie, o primeiro Menino Perdido que Peter escolheu e seu melhor amigo.

Peter vai dizer que sou vilão, que eu o enganei, que nunca fui seu amigo.
Mas já falei. Peter mente.
Isso foi o que realmente aconteceu.*

Ao longo da história, Jamie vai conhecendo a verdadeira personalidade de Peter: super psicopata, que não se importa com ninguém a não ser com ele mesmo. Ao ver esse outro lado de Peter, por boa parte Jamie fica em conflito com sua lealdade. Por ter sido o primeiro menino que Peter levou para a Terra do Nunca, Jamie via nele mais um amigo; via como sua família. Como Peter sempre dizia: Jamie era o mais especial.

Eu tinha estado com Peter por mais tempo do que eu estive no Outro Lugar, mais do que eu poderia contar, de qualquer maneira. As estações não passaram aqui e os dias não tinham significado. Eu estaria aqui para sempre. Eu nunca cresceria

Gostei muito como Christina desenvolveu essa mudança de sentimentos de Jamie para com Peter. Imagina como seria se a pessoa que você mais ama no mundo começasse a mostrar a verdadeira face e essa face é a de um psicopata? Esse amor que havia entre Peter e Jamie não era nada do tipo carnal, na minha opinião. Esse amor que Jamie sentia por Peter é aquele amor que se sente por um amigo super querido. (Eu vi assim, mas vi reviews que interpretaram esse amor de outra maneira. Então vai de quem lê)

Uma vez eu era jovem e jovem para sempre e sempre, até eu não era mais.
Uma vez que amei um menino chamado Peter Pan*

Jamie é um protagonista que é difícil você não simpatizar com ele. Quando ele começa a perceber que Peter não está nem aí se os meninos estão vivos ou não, Jamie toma esse papel de "pai" para si e faz de tudo para proteger os meninos das "brincadeiras" de Peter. Já fica aquela dorzinha no coração por saber qual será o futuro de Jamie, apesar de ter sido interessante ver como um garoto doce e preocupado com seus amigos se transformou no temível Capitão Gancho.

Peter precisava ser o herói, então alguém precisava ser vilão*

Os personagens secundários são formados pelos Meninos Perdidos de Peter. Alguns tem mais destaques como Sally e Charlie por motivos deles estarem ligados a essa mudança de sentimento de Jamie. Apesar deles não terem sido bastante aprofundados, como Jamie foi, suas participações não deixam a desejar.

Se você está imaginado que seja uma releitura fofinha, bem... esse não é seu livro. Achei bem ousado da autora colocar algumas cenas um tanto violentas que envolvam as crianças. Nada muito gráfico e super descritivo, mas o suficiente para ilustrar os acontecimentos. Com isso, ela atingiu seu propósito de mostrar que a diversão que Peter tanto prometeu aos meninos estava envolvida no que ele tinha em mente para essas crianças. Ou seja, no fim das contas, só importava a diversão que Peter tinha.

(Peter) nos convidou para lá, nos prometeu que seríamos jovens e felizes para sempre. Então nós eramos. A menos que adoecêssemos, ou morrêssemos, ou se fossemos levados pelos piratas.*

Como falei no começo, nunca fui fã de Peter Pan e só aumentou depois que o personagem apareceu em Once Upon A Time. Em vários momentos, achei a personalidade dos dois bem parecidas.

Os últimos capítulos são de tirar o fôlego e aumentar o ódio pelo Peter Pan. Em certas partes fiquei com o coração na mão e com vontade de colocar todo mundo num potinho para proteger das maldades dessa criança maluca. São nesses capítulos que o futuro de Jamie é decidido. É bem perceptível a mudança do comportamento dele se comparado com os capítulos iniciais. O final foi de partir o coração.

Peter queria que eu continuasse um menino, mas Peter, no fim das contas, que me fez um homem.*

Lost Boy é uma releitura um tanto sangrenta do menino que não queria crescer, contada pelo seu arqui-inimigo, que uma vez foi seu melhor amigo.

* Traduções feitas por mim

Have you ever wondered about the story behind Captain Hook? When I finished this book, all I could say was, “Wow!” If you’re used to thinking that Peter Pan was a good boy, this story might give you a bit of a shock. This dark and bloody book is not one you want to share with your children.

The first sentence of the book told me that this wasn’t the same Disney Peter Pan that I grew up watching and reading about. That fun-loving image of him is forever gone from my mind. Peter Pan might have been a boy, but he was not innocent and full of fun.

How did he populate his island? He would steal children off the streets and take them to live with him, promising them a life of fun away from grownups. And they will never grow up themselves but will always stay young.

But Peter kept secrets, and Peter lied. He never tells them about the monsters, the crocodile pond, or the pirates before taking them there. He doesn’t fill them in on all the fighting they will do and the blood they will shed. And he definitely doesn’t let them know that one day, their blood might be shed as well.

Boys will be boys, and the island was full of boys that didn’t like to bathe. And some of the boys who had been with him a while. I imagine that wherever they were, it would stink.

This story is told through the eyes of the very first boy that Peter Pan took, Jamie. Jamie is the one who cares for the others that Peter brings to his island. Jamie is known for cutting off one of the hands of each pirate he fights. Everything is great until Jamie quits believing in Peter and starts to grow up.

But Jamie can never leave the island, and the island won’t allow Peter to die.

I read reviews on Amazon where people did not like this book and said it was a waste of time. I’m not sure what book they read, but it couldn’t have been the same one that I just finished. Lost Boy hooked me on the very first sentence— Sometimes I dreamed of blood. During the two days it took me to finish this book, it was a struggle to take a break from reading it for any reason.

Those of you who are the least bit curious about where Captain Hook came from will love this book. Lovers of tales that are dark don’t want to miss this one.

Favorite Sentences:
I’d never been able to tell if they hated to wash because Peter did or because they liked feeling the bugs in their hair. (NOTE: This sentence made me cringe.)

He was a worm inside the sweet fruit, and when you found a worm, you tossed it to the ground and stomped on it.

No matter how many times we fought there, or how much blood was spilled, the rock remained white and smooth.

The moon was full, like it always was on the island, watching with its cold, cold eyes.

New Words Learned:
mummers – people that wear masks or fantastic costumes while merrymaking or taking part in a pantomime

pupilless – This word is an adjective that means not having pupils. I had to look this one up even though the meaning was obvious. To my surprise, it really is a word.

About the Author:
Christina Henry is the author of the Chronicles of Alice books, Alice and Red Queen (The Chronicles of Alice), a dark and twisted take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as well as Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook, an origin story of Captain Hook from Peter Pan.

She is also the author of the national bestselling Black Wings series (Black Wings, Black Night, Black Howl, Black Lament, Black City, Black Heart, and Black Spring) featuring Agent of Death Madeline Black and her popcorn-loving gargoyle Beezle.

She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombie,s and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

You can visit her on the web at www.christinahenry.net, facebook.com/authorChristinaHenry, twitter.com/C_Henry_Author, and www.goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor.