UGGHHHHHHHH I don’t even know how to review this book!!!! I am so conflicted. There were elements of this book that I loved: a dark Peter Pan retelling, set within an Asian-coded world, highlighting themes of eating disorders, drug addictions, and the fear of being an adult. The writing style was also gorgeous, and I loved the imagery throughout the novel.

Unfortunately, my list of icks in the novel far outweighed the positives. Jordan was a heinous protagonist, like truly utterly horrible and, frankly, irredeemable. Her relationship with Baron was toxic and I spent the entire novel hoping he’d cut her off. The relationship between Tier and Chay was rushed, instalove, and made no sense. Plus, Tier is basically written out in the second act and literally isn’t utilized as a relevant character in the story until the epilogue. As some other reviewers have noted, Peter was a stock villain, who never even got physically described in detail, and felt like a “mwahahaha” archetype that we were supposed to intensely fear, without any tangible justification. At the end, I was also incredibly confused when the book featured a list of notes, which seemed to just be citations of places where the author lifted language and used it in the novel? Still a bit lost on whether we can call that plagiarism or just an author leaning heavily on others’ works, but it took some of the steam out of my praise regarding the author’s writing style when I wasn’t really sure what was theirs or not. On the whole, I think I could be intrigued to read other novels by the author, but as it stands, this book fell wildly short of the mark. I give it 2⭐

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I dnfd at about chapter 10. I adore the peter pan story and I think the problem is I have read so many retellings at this point that they all just start to sound the same. The cover, the blurb, it all called to me, but alas we were not a good fit

intriguing concept with characteristically dark twist for peter pan, great and plentiful representation! but a lacking in the execution and consistence of the plot. i would have a lot liked if Low went more in-depth into the world structure and alluded to imperialism. i also felt that i needed more descriptors to really visualize everything from the characters to the world.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this was a neat retelling of Peter Pan (or like… post canon retelling???), albeit a bit too long. I liked the darker take on Peter and the Lost Boys and I thought Jordan was a very interesting character. Low’s writing managed to capture the whimsy of the original tale while also being quite dark, and the inclusion of darker topics like addiction, trauma, grief, and disordered eating was well done and written with care.

Still, I feel like the world itself was a little confusing and I cannot help but feel like this book was unnecessarily long. While I found some shining moments, it definitely could’ve been tightened up or gone through another round of editing. I remember checking how far along I was and being genuinely shocked at how little progress I’d made, so while there are bits here that I liked, I did feel like it dragged quite a bit, which is unfortunate. I think this had a lot of potential, and while I don’t think I liked this one enough to consider rereading, I do look forward to seeing what else Low writes.

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low is a Peter Pan-inspired fantasy that ended up being pretty boring and forgettable. The characters were kind of annoying and I don't feel like it contributed anything to the genre.

I'm stopping this book before the end because I really don't care anymore about Jordan nor Baron. They felt so flat to me. And their relationship is extremely inconsistent - they switch really fast between hate, love, and indifference. I was really bored throughout the book; I skimmed a lot of it.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

These Deathless Shores by P. H. Low offers a fresh and dark retelling of the Peter Pan mythos, focusing on the origin of Captain Hook through the character of Jordan, a former Lost Boy. The novel is rich in atmosphere and stunning prose, effectively capturing the grim reality of childhood trauma and addiction. Low's world-building is immersive, and the exploration of gender roles and societal expectations adds a thought-provoking layer to the story.

However, despite its strengths, the novel struggles with pacing and character development. The middle section feels repetitive, and some of the relationships, particularly between Jordan and Baron, lack depth and emotional resonance. Peter Pan, portrayed as the villain, is underutilized, and his character could have benefited from more development to fully embody the menace he represents.

While These Deathless Shores offers a unique and gritty perspective on a beloved tale, it falls short in some areas, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters and the story at times. Still, it's a commendable debut with potential, and I'm curious to see what P. H. Low will create next.

oh boy, buckle up. this isn't a "this book was meh" three stars. it's a "i have <i>so many feelings</i> about this book and not all of them are good but they sure are strong" three stars

let's start with the rough: really significant pacing problems. a lot of repeated regression looping through the exact same character arcs. diluting the most interesting character in the book with a love interest who didn't need to exist.

i had to drag myself through this book. at the same time, the prose was some of the absolute best I've ever read.

it's definitely not for everyone, but man, was it written specifically For Me. incredibly disturbing (complementary). turns of phrase so exquisite they punch you in the face. a tone that was exactly <i>it</i>. i was googling the author to see if i'd read anything else they'd written, just because it felt like they were writing directly to my soft spots.

this book had so many flaws. i want to own it. i will be reading everything else p.h. low writes

i think that this books takes on a more adult and more "real" taste to the classic Peter Pan story. i think my rating is all on me and my expectations going in to this. there was more addiction and ed conversation than i was expecting. this did not feel like a success and a shove in Peter Pan's face. instead it felt like a bunch of conversations around problems without addressing them.

i think people will love this. i think i needed to look at trigger or content warnings before starting this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a strong start for me, but somewhere past the halfway point, it lost me. In the beginning, I felt that the main character Jordan was very well developed and easy to sympathize with, even if I didn't agree with the decisions she made. But it got harder and harder to root for her as the book went on. The concept of a gender-bent Captain Hook who used to be a Lost Boy and returned to the Island as an adult was fascinating, but the execution left something to be desired.

"These Deathless Shores" by P. H. Low is a captivating retelling of the Peter Pan tale, giving it a dark and thrilling spin that had me hooked from the start. Jordan, our fierce protagonist, once a Lost Boy herself, now faces the haunting memories of her time on the island. Teaming up with her old friend Baron, they ally with pirates to challenge Peter and his twisted band of Lost Boys. The dark themes of addiction, eating disorders, and the struggle of fitting back into the real world add depth and a haunting realism to this fantastical story.

The representation in this book is phenomenal, touching on important issues like prosthetics, addiction, and LGBTQ+ characters, making it not just a retelling but a relevant and powerful narrative. While the romance between Jordan and Baron felt a bit forced and the ending slightly rushed, the overall experience was enthralling. The world-building is top-notch, blending nostalgia with a fresh perspective that keeps you glued to the pages. If you're looking for a dark, magical adventure with a twist, "These Deathless Shores" is a must-read. Thank you, NetGalley and Angry Robot, for this incredible journey!

I was so excited when I saw the premise for this book. When you stop and think about Peter Pan for more than a few minutes, there's a *lot* of potential for darkness in that story. These Deathless Shores explores that darkness, from Peter's refusal to grow up to what happens to Lost Boys when they return home, whether Tink is really the willing dust supply she seems to be, and what happens to girls who don't want to be "Wendys" (or, in this version, Amas). I thought the author's inclusion of addiction and PTSD in our two main characters was well-done, thoroughly explored, and a very gritty yet realistic exploration of what they might have faced after leaving the Island and "growing up".

I went back and forth on 3 or 4 stars for the rating and panned out at 3.5. I enjoyed the story and found the plot compelling. Yet, when I put it down, I was left wanting just a bit *more*. I wanted a deeper conversation between Jorden and Chay. I wanted a real explanation of Tink's treatment - Chay wants to save her and Peter obviously overuses her dust when needed but I knew there was more we could have been given there. We're given hints about the Island's sentience that don't actually go anywhere.

I also didn't love the romances. Jordan and Baron just didn't do much for me and a lot of their on-page romance was twisted, unbalanced, and unhealthy. Jordan also didn't seem to grow very much as a character, while Baron did, leaving their personal arcs lopsided as well. Meanwhile, Tier and Chay had a somewhat forced-feeling insta-love that was clearly meant to make me like a character that was otherwise pretty unlikeable in his moments with any other characters. Chay is at once ultra-sheltered (having been on the Island for years, seeing Tier as her prince), yet also jaded (knowing how to prevent her period, immediately reintegrating into the modern world when she returns in the hospital).

Finally, for a very dark fantasy, all of the main characters coming out the other side and finding their happy endings didn't land for me. I think a main character death would have solidified the stakes of the world in a way that matched the gruesome, grisly details of life on the Island much better. Ultimately, this was an enjoyable read as someone who likes dark fairy tale retellings, but there were some plot lines that could have been explored more to round out the overall story more effectively.

This is a dark and engrossing take on Peter Pan and the allure of running away to a magical land so one never has to grow up.

After travelling with Peter to Neverland with the aid of Tink and Dust, eight-year olds Jordan and her best friend Baron spent years there, and had a turbulent, violent time as a pair of Lost Boy twins. Jordan masqueraded as a boy her entire time there, and fought many battles instigated by Peter against the Pirates. After Jordan's younger sister Charlotte "Chay" arrives on the island thanks to Peter, Jordan continued to pretend to be a boy, so that she would not fall into the only role open to girls, which is caretaker of the Lost Boys, which Chay fell into. At some point, Jordan was outed as a girl, brutally attacked by Peter, and barely escaped with her life back to civilization. Baron was returned by Peter a little later. (Peter always told the children he would return them once they became too old. Even when they were young, this statement seemed a little suspect.)

Unfortunately, Jordan became addicted to Dust while in Neverland, and craved something to give her a similar feeling once back home. She began using karsa, sold to her by a local minor dealer, and did jobs for him in return. Her parents were disgusted and disowned her, throwing her on onto the streets. Baron was taken back in by his parents but he'd also been thoroughly changed by his experience, and never reintegrated back into society properly, despite outward appearances of respectability, such as returning to school.

Years later, Jordan's health is seriously compromised by karsa, so she convinces Baron, who is failing his engineering courses, to return to Neverland with her so she can have her revenge on Peter. Baron, almost constantly panicked and anxiety-ridden by his normal life, joins her.

They return, and are taken in by the Pirates, who are former Lost Boys. What follows is the slower and in some ways emotionally brutal part of the narrative, as Jordan tries repeatedly to get close enough to Peter, but fails, with much injury and loss of life to the group. Also, the tensions between Jordan and Baron escalate, as problems that simmered beneath the surface of their relationship come to the fore, driving wedges between them. There is some great character work in this section, with each of them, and with Chay, who has remained on the island for years taking care of successive Lost Boys.

The pace of the narrative does get a little bogged down here, only to pick up in the last third, where Jordan puts more daring, and dangerous, plans into motion. She is adamant that Peter must die, regardless of the cost to herself, as she already believed she was near death before she even returned to the island.

When we finally get to the ending, I almost felt a little surprised by how fast things were resolved, though there is a nice sense of disaster still looming over the island, whom the author cleverly gives voice to at different moments in the story.

There is a lot of heavy stuff said and done throughout this book, so it could be off-putting for those who want a light, magical trip to this island. But, author P.H. Low contends head-on with much of the problematic elements of the Peter Pan story, such as Peter's sociopathic nature, ableism, racism and misogyny with a number of welcome elements:
-Jordan was born with a disability and wears a prosthetic. She has never felt herself as lesser, and holds her own in numerous battles
-Jordan refused to be a mother to the Lost Boys, knowing what a trap the role was. Instead, she pretended to be a boy so she could have the freedom to do as she pleased on the island
-Dust can heal and allows flight, and though pretty to look at, has a literally deadly ingredient. This explains why Peter has so much of it to throw around. And to drive home the dark side of the bargain kids unknowingly make by following Peter from their homes, Dust is an enormously addictive substance, and its users, once returned to real life, suffer terribly
-To remain a mother figure to the Lost Boys fand stay on the island, Chay has harmed herself, suffering from anorexia, and has also wilfully blinded herself to Peter's violence and cruelty.

This was occasionally difficult to read, but I really liked the darkness of this novel. Having read the classic, I think this novel captures the magic of the island, but also refuses to look past the classic's ugliness.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Peter Pan and Hook will always be one of my favorite type of stories. The idea of Pan being evil is always something I love. It’s too bad this story just didn’t interest me.

It meandered for far too long. There were far too many characters that weren’t will defined or were just so similar they were interchangeable. The character of Hook was the only interesting person but since she didn’t have anyone to play off that was interesting it was boring.

There was one great scene involving Pan and a Lost Boy that he realized was growing up but that was it.

There are far better versions of this story out there. It’s too bad I wanted to love this story.

I really wanted to love this- the vibes sounded immaculate and in a way, they did deliver. A dark Peter Pan retelling where everyone is on drugs and there’s no racist stereotypes of Indigenous peoples? Sign me up! I felt like this could have been half the length - I felt myself just “trying to get through it” which isn’t exactly an endorsement. That being said- the concept, the flawed characters, the ending- earned this 3 solid stars.

2 stars - Fans of dark and brutal fantasy stories will probably enjoy, but this book was not for me.

A dark and brutal twist on the Peter Pan story set in a fictional, futuristic world.

There are many people out there who would love this book, but I was unfortunately not one of them. Considering the many positive reviews I'd seen, I forced myself to finish the novel in hopes that there would be something in the story to change my opinion and make the rest of it feel worthwhile, but instead I just found myself hating everything about this book and, especially, its characters.

If you are a fan of damaged, deeply flawed characters doing terrible and stupid things and making each other miserable, then you would probably love this story because These Deathless Shores has that in spades. Every single one of these characters had a score of issues that made them act terribly to themselves and others, and, in many ways, it often felt like that was the only thing going on in the story. That, plots of brutal revenge and murder, and a wealth of grotesque gory scenes of death and bodily horror. I honestly lost count of how many descriptions of bloated corpses and spilling entrails we had, mostly because I started skim reading at about the 40% mark because I am NOT a fan of any of those things, and I couldn't handle reading every line of cruel dialogue, gory narrative, and uncomfortable "romance" scenes. Plus the way mental illness and eating disorders were handled was incredibly uncomfortable for me to read, and it felt like a lot of those elements were simultaneously romanticized and trivialized.

Some elements were interesting, and I enjoyed the core concept of this book-a take on Peter Pan where the boy himself is kind of the villain-but I didn't enjoy the execution, personally. There were also just so many things that did not make sense and seemed to contradict each other. I found the world setting to be confusion, especially the world "Outside" the Island, and there were so many moments throughout the book where I got completely lost in the narrative and had to flip back and forth trying to figure out what was being said. That said, there were some rather lovely lines in the book, especially when taken out of context.

What I liked:
- The core idea of the Peter Pan being as much of a villain as Captain Hook.

What I did not like:
- The characters were all terrible people (except, maybe Baron, but he was still infuriating), and spent the whole book doing terrible things with pretty much no redeeming aspects for me.
- I did not particularly like the way mental illness and eating disorders were depicted and handled.
- The world building felt incomplete and illogical in many ways.
- The romance plotlines felt out of place and unhealthy.
- So many things didn't make sense and it was frustratingly hard to follow what was going on at a lot of points. (We had 5 short chapters in a row flipping through perspectives as someone got injured/killed, and even after those 5 chapters I still wasn't sure if they were alive or dead.)
- The pure brutality, darkness, and violence of this book. The summary did nothing to prepare me for how hopelessly miserable and grotesque this story would be from start to finish. I held on through the whole thing hoping that there would be a reprieve at some point that would make all the darkness feel worthwhile, but I never had that moment. I did feel like the last 15% of the book was better, though, probably because more actionable plot elements started happening instead of all the focus just being on the characters and their (unhealthy) interpersonal dynamics, flashbacks, and depictions of death and pain.

Overall, I did not really enjoy this book at all, but I largely put that down to hating this kind of genre of brutally dark fiction about terrible people doing terrible things. If I had known more about what this book was like before starting it, and if I had known it would be that way through the whole book, I never would have read it, so hopefully this book helps other people with similar tastes to know what they're getting into.

However, if Problematic Characters, Brutal Dark Fantasy, and Revenge Violence are your things, you'll probably have a great time with this book!

'These Deathless Shores' is a dark and enthralling reimagining of the Peter Pan story, following Jordan and Baron as they grapple with the harsh realities of growing up after leaving Neverland. The novel tackles heavy themes like addiction, mental health, and identity with a careful hand within a whimsical yet gritty fantasy setting. The first 2/3rds of the book are enthralling and had me in it's clutches, however, the latter part becomes somewhat repetitive, and the ending feels rushed. Despite this, I absolutely adore this story and the fantastic diverse characters. There is a beautiful message about the struggles of adulthood and the enduring allure of magic and storytelling.

A fantastical debut reimagining the origin story of the Captain Hook.

Jordan found herself as a lost boy with her best friend Baron, and whisked away as a child to Neverland. Her time in Neverland was everything she could have hoped for until she was found out qw both being a girl and having grown up. Her and Baron were spared and returned to their regular life. But for Jordan she was left with nowhere to call home and an addiction to dust and the ongoing battle of withdrawal. Now at 20, her and Baron find a way back to the island, and Jordan is ready to face Peter and get revenge, if she has to be a villain in his story to get there, then a villain she will be.

I really wanted to love this one. Who wouldn't love a genderfluid villain origin story of Captain Hook? Unfortunately even though the idea was there, I found a lot lacking in the execution. In a story where characters and world building are so important, it was unfortunate that neither were done well. No character was likeable, to the point where i really did not care about how they moved through the story. With the world building it all just felt confusing, there were elements that did not fully make sense and i was left with a feeling of missing something. I was also bored and just waiting for the book to be over which is the worst feeling. Overall I had high hopes and was let down.

These Deathless Shores is a fantastic re-imagining of Peter Pan. Even if it took me way too long to figure out the character of Hook. However, These Deathless Shores has all the elements one might be looking for while always exploring the complexity. There's the signature never growing up, but giving it a more violent spin here and expanding on what happens when we never change. When we accept a stagnant state as 'freedom'. With the figure of Peter Pan, we can see the true complexity as someone who will do whatever he can to maintain his power, and his never growing up, and the power of being loved.

Thank you to Orbit, P.H. Low, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of These Deathless Shores in exchange for my honest review.

These Deathless Shores is a wonderful spin on the tale of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, with an intriguing antihero for a protagonist. Jordan is good at pretending to be someone she is not. She spent years as a lost boy, shaving her head and holding herself with a false swagger, since women can only be mothers on the Island. However, when she gets her first period, she is exiled and sent back to the real world, where nine years later she is facing the final, fatal withdrawal symptoms from the lethal dust. Desperate to live, Jordan persuades her best-friend and fellow lost boy to return to the Island once more to oust Peter and gain control of the Island's Dust supply.

This take on the tale of Peter Pan and Captain Hook is both dark and intriguing. It forces readers to ponder just how far is it okay to go in order to save yourself? What would you to do to remain in a situation that you considered to be better than the alternative? Throughout the story as a whole readers are faced with several moral and ethical questions that they must consider. What makes Jordan so intriguing is that she is the "villain" in many ways, but as readers we can align with her. because we know why she is acting the way that she does. Additionally, having her best friend be a voice of reason and the advocate for doing whats right added to the moral dilemma that is occurring. It brings another light to Jordan's actions and makes you question, "is what she is doing the right way to go about it?" There were some aspects of the plot that felt a little simplistic to me at times, and there could have been some more time spent on the world-building of the island. The story trusts that readers understand the tale of Peter Pan, and not just the Disney version of the tale. If readers are not aware of the lore, I can imagine that this story would be more challenging to follow because of the lack of world building and the reliance on prior knowledge. I truly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to all who love retellings.