Annotation:
On
the mysterious and remote island of Neverland, a faerie named Tink observes as
Tiger Lily, a strong but misunderstood member of a tribe of Sky Eaters, falls
in love with Peter Pan, the leader of the Lost Boys.
Personal
thoughts: When I was a kid, the release of the movie Hook was a big deal, so I have been a fan of Peter Pan and the rest
of inhabitants of Neverland for a long time. When I heard about this book, I
was immediately intrigued because Tiger Lily has always been one of the more
sub-characters in the story with Wendy getting far more screentime. I think the
author feels the same way as me (that Wendy is kind of irritating), so I’m glad
she wrote this story that turns Tiger Lily into a Xena Warrior Princess type
character. It was interesting to see Tiger Lily in this light, and I really
enjoyed that the novel was narrated by Tink. The story is far from
light-hearted, but I enjoyed reading it and hope that the author comes up with
more classic reboots in the future.
Plot
summary: On the mysterious and remote island of Neverland, creatures like
faeries and mermaids are common. Inhabitants of Neverland only age to a certain
point, and the island is divided amongst various tribes, a fierce band of
pirates, and a group of Lost Boys rumored to be lead by a monster named Peter
Pan. One faerie named Tink finds herself following Tiger Lily, a girl who is
well over eighty years old but with the appearance of a fifteen-year-old. Tiger
Lily has never really fit into her tribe known as the Sky Eaters. Both brave
and strong, her tribe has always feared her, believing her to be under the
protection of the crows. After being promised to a cruel and oafish man in her
tribe, Tiger Lily meets Peter Pan and discovers that, not only is he not a
monster, he is a charismatic and bewitching boy her own age who protects his
group of Lost Boys from the pirates. Initially unsure of their relationship,
Tiger Lily and Peter soon find themselves falling in love with one another, all
under the watchful eye of Tink. The arrival of an English ship to Neverland and,
in particular, a beautiful girl named Wendy, however, will change everything
forever.
Review: Everyone
knows the tale of Peter Pan, Wendy, Neverland, Captain Hook and the Lost Boys.
A character who doesn’t always figure into the story in a positive light is the
beautiful but wild girl named Tiger Lily. In veteran author Jodi Lynn Anderson’s
Tiger Lily, however, the reader gets
a new take on this mysterious girl and her relationship with Peter Pan, all
from the perspective of a tiny faerie named Tink. A more gritty interpretation
of J.M. Barrie’s mythical world of Neverland, the novel focuses primarily on
Tiger Lily herself: who she is, her place among her people, and why she allows
herself to fall for the unpredictable Peter Pan. The Disney version of the
characters is completely absent from Tiger
Lily. Captain Hook is a decrepit alcoholic who is obsessed with killing the
person he views responsible for kidnapping his young cabin boys. His right-hand
man Smee is a murderer and the pirates are dirty and constantly in a drunken
stupor. Peter Pan himself is charismatic and charming, but slightly unhinged,
leading his band of dirty Lost Boys in a constant effort to hide from the
pirates. Tink is a quirky narrator who, incapable of actually speaking with
Peter or Tiger Lily herself, observes their actions, giving the reader her
interpretations and feelings on their relationship, particularly after the
arrival of the spoiled and slightly bratty Wendy. Fans of the original Peter Pan story and its many iterations
will enjoy this new look at the classic tale. For those who aren’t as
interested in the characters themselves, however, the story might not satisfy
as much, offering nothing that would entice teens who don’t want to read the
novel simply based on it being a Peter
Pan re-boot. Overall, an excellent story for teens and adults for like
re-told classics, but not really for those whose tastes lie elsewhere.
Genre: Fantasy
Reading level:
Grade
7+
Similar
titles: The Circle
Cast: The Lost Years of Morgan Le Fay by Alex Epstein, Little Women and Me by Lauren Barazt-Logsted.
Themes: Neverland, Peter Pan, Tiger Lily, Captain
Hook, romance, acceptance, revenge, fairies, love.
Awards/Reviews:
Starred review from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Bulletin
of the Center for Children’s Books, positive reviews from VOYA and Booklist.
Series
Information: N/A
Discussion
questions:
- How did you feel about the character of Tiger
Lily before reading the novel? Did your perspective of her change after? How
did your perspectives of the other characters in Peter Pan change?
- Why do you think the Sky Eaters feared Tiger
Lily?
- Why did Tik Tok dress like a woman? Why did
the villagers attitudes towards this change after the arrival of Phillip?
- Did you like Tink as the narrator of the
novel? What role did she play in the story?
- Why do you think Smee was obsessed with Tiger
Lily?
- Did you like Wendy? Why or why not?
- How did you feel about the ending of the
novel? Did you like it? Dislike it? Why?
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