Peter Darling

Speaking of queer adaptations of Peter Pan...I couldn't not read one after A.M. Johnson's "Dear Mr. Brody." I started with the one I had downloaded on my kindle (mainly because I was too lazy to go upstairs to my TBR shelves): Austin Chant's "Peter Darling."

["The Lost Boys say that Peter Pan went back to England because of Wendy Darling, but Wendy is just an old life he left behind. Neverland is his real home. So when Peter returns to it after ten years in the real world, he’s surprised to find a Neverland that no longer seems to need him.

The only person who truly missed Peter is Captain James Hook, who is delighted to have his old rival back. But when a new war ignites between the Lost Boys and Hook’s pirates, the ensuing bloodshed becomes all too real – and Peter’s rivalry with Hook starts to blur into something far more complicated, sensual, and deadly."]

There was hints of attraction in the prologue (James's POV) as well as in the first chapter (Peter's POV), but in my opinion, sparks flew when they had their first real sword fight, when James threatened Peter's life (as one does), and Peter quoted J.M. Barrie's original text, and the two found themselves laughing together ((the quote being one the one I had tattooed on my arm)).

I've been trying to write a Peter Pan adaptation for years, focusing on James's villain backstory. And in more recent years, I've been trying to write a queer adaptation, focusing on a romance between Peter and James. All the while trying to keep true to the original text, including the darkness and twistiness I love so much. I've been constantly intimidated and getting weighed down my imposter syndrome as well as comparing myself/my work to others. This FABULOUS book doesn't help.  

Not to mention the trans representation. Being cis, I could never understand the feeling of gender dysphoria, but Austin Chant did wonders of describing Peter's struggle and none of his family understanding and the pain of dead-naming (speaking of which, please, please, please mind the trigger warnings below before reading). Several reviewers on Goodreads and Amazon who are trans whole-heartedly agree; for more personalized statements/reviews/thoughts on said trans representation, I would turn to those.

Again, I have seen and will always continue to see the connection between Peter Pan and Jas Hook (if both are of age, like this story has made them). This book only further instilled that thought, making them the perfect opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers, puzzle-pieces couple.

Trigger Warnings: gender dysphoria, transphobia, dead-naming, violence, death, brief mentions of suicidal thoughts, etc. 

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