Review: the Never King

 

Title: the Never King

Series: Vicious Lost Boys

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Release Date: February 24, 2022

The stories were all wrong — Hook was never the villain.

For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.

Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.

But it’s pointless.

Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.

The Never King is a dark retelling of Peter and Wendy. If you like your enemies to lovers romance with hot, ruthless, morally gray love interests, you’ll enjoy The Never King and the Lost Boys. You can expect hate kissing, fighting, bickering, and ‘touch her and I’ll unalive you’ vibes.

Winnie Darling comes from a long line of Darlings, who on their eighteenth birthday is stolen away in the night, only to descent into madness. Surely, being stolen away is a myth- a story weaven by insanity. 

But when Winnie comes face to face with Peter Pan, she finally believes in the myth, the legend and the improbable Neverland. 

A world of magic and wonder. But darkness too. Because Peter Pan and the lost boys aren't your childhood fairytale. Can Winnie survive Pan and his quest for his shadow?

So upon seeing this cover, I fell in love. I haven't read any Peter Pan retellings before, and I couldn't wait to dive into this one. It's dark and gritty and far from the fairytales I grew up with. 

Although Winnie Darling was kidnapped- taken against her will- she fell pretty easily into complying with Pan & the lost boys. She wasn't a complete push over but she wasn't as strong as she could have been. I did love seeing Pan & the lost boys, and their darkness, but wished I could have seen more too. 

I did throughoughly enjoyed this book. It only took place within a few days, and moved at a fast pace. It was a quick read and definitely great to pull me out of my slump. And I can't wait to see what happens next in the world of Neverland. 4⭐ out of  5⭐.