This was fun! Not in a light-hearted and cheerful way, but in a clever and smart one. I really liked Mary - she was complex and real and resonant in a way that she has never been in any previous book, play or movie I have seen. I understand that Barrie"s original Mary is a product of her time (as he was), but as a mother myself I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the strength of motherhood play out in her quest to find her children. Even though the actual rescue felt a little rushed, the journey to get there was fabulous and original and engaging.

I also really enjoyed the supporting cast in this one, particularly Sam and John Watson. In many ways they were much more significant players than Sherlock and it felt to me like the dichotomy between Sherlock and Mary was oversold in both blurb and cover (Sherlock felt like a minor player at best here).

On the whole I enjoyed this - it was a cool spin on a classic tale with a lot of fair original elements that made it entirely its own story.

Excellent pastiche of the Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes worlds by a fine Science Fiction/fantasy author, Pat Murphy. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale from the point of view of the Darling children’s mother, Mary Darling and as a reader of Sherlock Holmes stories of all kinds was amused by the less-than-flattering portrayal here. This novel had a very Victorian setting and style which was enjoyable to me also. I hope there will be more in this style and about these characters in the future.

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher, #tachyonpublications for this ebook ARC to read. All opinions are my own.

3.5/5

This was an incredibly unique way to write a retelling/inspired story. I genuinely can't say I've read another retelling/inspired story like this one, from unlikely perspectives and a combinations of source materials.

The gist of this story is that it is a Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes retelling. Mary Darling (the mother of Michael, John and Wendy - the children from the classic, Peter Pan) discovers that her children are missing and enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes to find her children.

Something about this writing style made it so easy to read (and to read quickly). But at some times it did feel a bit dragging. But it wasn't too bad, it never made me put down the book or let me get distracted.

If you're looking for a unique retelling that still holds the feel of the classic, I would recommend this. (Especially if you like mysteries.)

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

The Adventures of Mary Darling by Pat Murphy was such a good read! I loved every single second of it. I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic and the story is immaculate.

It has been 6 years since Ms. Murphy's last new book. At least so far as I can tell.
The Adventures of Mary Darling brackets the story of Peter Pan by Mr. Barrie from the point of view of Wendy's mother Mary Darling.
Turns out Mary Darling is the niece of Dr. John Watson. I asked for an eARC before knowing that or anything else about the book except that Ms. Murphy wrote it.
When I got the copy and read the plot I admit I worried I would not be able to immerse myself in it as Peter Pan is not a favorite story for me. I was wrong. Finished the book in two sittings only being interrupted by the need to do my RL job.

I have always been a passionate defender of Mary Darling in all media and so seeing the title of this book was like catnip. A story about Mary Darling, and one that gives her agency too! In this tale, Mary and her brother are from Australia and are taken to Neverland by Peter Pan—but that is only the very start of Mary’s adventures and not how the tale unfolds. The reader learns her story backward, as HER children go to Neverland and she is determined to go and bring them back—with the help of her uncle John Watson and his friend Sherlock Holmes.

I enjoyed this a lot, which means a lot coming from me. The book is primarily traveling interspersed with vignettes from the past, and I historically do not like “traveling” books. But the author’s voice and her interest in history melding with the fantastic really captures the imagination. I think the real world melded with Neverland in a fascinating way.

Fair warning—if you are a Holmes fan, he does get the short end of the stick by being the Logical Man in a story of the fantastic, but the inclusion of these other famous British literary characters gave the story a unique twist.

One thing I did quibble about was part of the ending. After what George does in the beginning, I think he should have groveled FAR MORE and paid for it. But this at its heart was not a romance in that way.

All in all this was a very fun spin on the classic Peter Pan mythos and I’m glad to see Mary Darling shine.